Mors Principium Est

T

here are certainly no shortage of melodic death metal bands out there, though Finland has produced fewer than other countries. Mors Principium Est came together in 1999 to release Inhumanity (2003) under the debut line-up of Jori Haukio (guitars/programming/vocals (clean; track 10)/lyrics (tracks 3, 4, 8, 10)/songwriting), Ville Viljanen (vocals/lyrics (tracks 1-6, 8, 9)), Jarkko Kokko (guitars), Mikko Sipola (drums), Teemu Heinola (bass) and Toni Nummelin (keyboards). The Unborn (2005) and Liberation = Termination (2007) followed, now with Joona Kukkola on keyboards.

... and Death Said Live (2012) saw Andy Gillion (guitars (lead)/programming/songwriting (tracks 1-5, 7-11)) and Andhe Chandler (guitars (rhythm)/lyrics (tracks 2-6, 10, 11)/songwriting (tracks 3, 6). Kevin Verlay (guitars (rhythm)) was the new person of note on Dawn of the 5th Era (2014).

After Embers of a Dying World (2017), the group was reduced to a two-piece with Seven (2020) featuring Ville Viljanen on vocals, and Andy Gillion (guitars/bass/programming). The next albums, Liberate the Unborn Inhumanity (2022) and Darkness Invisible (2025) saw the band in full form again with Jarkko Kokko (guitars/lyrics (tracks 9, 13)/songwriting (track 12)), Jori Haukio(guitars/programming/lyrics (tracks 1, 8, 9, 11)/ songwriting (tracks 1-11, 13)), Ville Viljanen (vocals/lyrics), Teemu Heinola (bass) and new member Marko Tommila (drums).