Mors Principium Est

Mors Principium Est (Latin for "death is the beginning") is a Finnish melodic death metal band formed in 1999.

History

The band was formed in 1999 in Pori, Finland by singer/lead guitarist Jori Haukio, guitarist Jarkko Kokko and keyboardist Toni Nummelin. Drummer Mikko Sipola joined in late 1999, soon followed by the arrival of new vocalist Ville Viljanen in early 2000 when Haukio decided to focus on his guitar work. Bassist Teemu Heinola was not appointed until after the band's first demo, Before Birth, which attracted attention from French record label Listenable Records in 2001.<ref name="Band History">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

One year and two demos later, Mors Principium Est signed a three-album contract with Listenable Records completed by the album Liberation = Termination released in March 2007.<ref name="Metal Storm – Mors Principium Est – New Album Details">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Listenable Records – Liberation = Termination">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The band announced on 25 April 2007 the new lineup of the band. Karri Kuisma joined the band as the rhythm guitarist in 2006 and lead guitarist Tomy Laisto joined the band in 2007. Jarkko Kokko will still be a member of M.P.E. but he will not play any live shows.

In March 2011, the band stated that members Tomy Laisto and Kalle Aaltonen had parted ways to pursue other ventures. The band stated "If we still want to continue with Mors Principium Est, we need new guitar players" and proceeded to ask for anyone who could try out around the world to do so.<ref name="Blabbermouth - Mors Principium Est Seeking New Guitarists">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

On 30 April 2011, the band announced on their website that Andy Gillion had been recruited as the first replacement guitarist.Template:Citation needed On 29 September 2011 the band announced on their website that Andhe Chandler had been recruited as the second replacement guitarist.Template:Citation needed

In April 2012, the band signed a new deal with AFM Records,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> with the first single for fourth album ...And Death Said Live being released in October of the same year, followed by an album release in December in Japan, then a United States release in January 2013.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The band's deal with AFM would continue with Dawn of the 5th Era in 2014, Embers of a Dying World in 2017, and Seven in 2020.

In June 2021, the band announced that they had parted ways with Andy Gillion, with Gillion being unaware of his removal.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In February 2022, the band would announce a compilation album of rerecorded material called Liberate the Unborn Inhumanity, with a new rendition of "The Lust Called Knowledge" from their debut album Inhumanity being released on the same day.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The album would later be released on April of the same year.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Lineup

Current members

• Ville Viljanen – vocals (2000–present)
• Jori Haukio – lead guitar (1999–2007, 2021–present)
• Jarkko Kokko – rhythm guitar (1999–2009, 2021–present)
• Teemu Heinola – bass (2001–present)
• Marko Tommila – drums (2021–present), session drums (2007, 2020)

Former members

• Toni Nummelin – keyboards (1999–2004)
• Mikko Sipola – drums (1999–2017)
• Tomy Laisto – lead guitar (2007–2011), live rhythm guitar (2016–2017)
• Joona Kukkola – keyboards (2004–2007)
• Kalle Aaltonen – rhythm guitar (2009–2011)
• Andy Gillion – lead guitar (2011–2021)
• Andhe Chandler – rhythm guitar (2011–2014)
• Kevin Verlay – rhythm guitar (2014–2015)
• Iiro Aittokoski – drums (2017–2021)

Former touring musicians

• Karri Kuisma – live rhythm guitar (2007–2008)
• Tom "Tomma" Gardiner – live rhythm guitar (2008–2009)
• Lauri Unkila – live rhythm guitar (2017–2021)
• Joni Suodenjärvi – live bass (2019–2021)

Timeline

<timeline> ImageSize =width:800 height:auto barincrement:18 PlotArea =left:120 bottom:90 top:0 right:10 Alignbars =justify DateFormat =mm/dd/yyyy Period =from:01/01/1999 till:07/01/2023 ScaleMajor = increment:2 start:1999 ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:1999 TimeAxis =orientation:horizontal format:yyyy Legend =orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:4

Colors=

id:vocals   value:red        legend:Lead_Vocals
id:lead     value:teal       legend:Lead_Guitar
id:rhythm  value:brightgreen legend:Rhythm_Guitar
id:bass    value:blue        legend:Bass
id:drums   value:orange      legend:Drums
id:keys    value:purple      legend:Keyboards
id:studio  value:black       legend:Studio_Album

LineData=

at:04/17/2003 color:black layer:back
at:04/05/2005 color:black layer:back
at:03/02/2007 color:black layer:back
at:12/05/2012 color:black layer:back
at:12/05/2014 color:black layer:back
at:02/10/2017 color:black layer:back
at:10/21/2020 color:black layer:back
at:04/08/2022 color:black layer:back

BarData=

bar:Ville   text:"Ville Viljanen"

bar:Jori     text:"Jori Haukio"
bar:Tomy  text:"Tomy Laisto"
bar:Andy   text:"Andy Gillion"

bar:Jarkko text:"Jarkko Kokko"
bar:Kalle   text:"Kalle Aaltonen"
bar:Andhe text:"Andhe Chandler"
bar:Kevin  text:"Kevin Verlay"

bar:Teemu text:"Teemu Heinola"

bar:Mikko  text:"Mikko Sipola"
bar:Iiro   text:"Iiro Aittokoski"
bar:Marko  text:"Marko Tommila"

bar:Toni    text:"Toni Nummelin"
bar:Joona  text:"Joona Kukkola"

PlotData =

width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(11,-4)
bar:Ville   from:03/01/2000 till:end        color:vocals
bar:Jori    from:start      till:05/01/2007 color:lead
bar:Jori    from:start      till:03/01/2000 color:vocals width:3
bar:Jori    from:07/01/2021 till:end        color:lead
bar:Tomy    from:05/01/2007 till:05/01/2011 color:lead
bar:Andy    from:05/01/2011 till:07/01/2021 color:lead
bar:Andy    from:11/01/2015 till:07/01/2021 color:rhythm width:3
bar:Jarkko  from:start      till:07/01/2009 color:rhythm
bar:Jarkko  from:07/01/2021 till:end        color:rhythm
bar:Kalle   from:07/01/2009 till:05/01/2011 color:rhythm
bar:Andhe   from:05/01/2011 till:03/01/2014 color:rhythm
bar:Kevin   from:03/01/2014 till:11/01/2015 color:rhythm
bar:Teemu   from:03/01/2001 till:end        color:bass
bar:Mikko   from:09/01/1999 till:07/01/2017 color:drums
bar:Iiro    from:07/01/2017 till:07/01/2021 color:drums
bar:Marko   from:07/01/2021 till:end        color:drums
bar:Toni    from:start      till:05/01/2004 color:keys
bar:Joona   from:05/01/2004 till:05/01/2007 color:keys

</timeline>

Discography

Albums

• Inhumanity (2003, reissued in 2006)
• The Unborn (2005)
• Liberation = Termination (2007)
• ...And Death Said Live (2012)
• Dawn of the 5th Era (2014)
• Embers of a Dying World (2017)
• Seven (2020)
• Liberate the Unborn Inhumanity (2022)
• Darkness Invisible (2025)

Demos

• Before Birth (2000)
• Valley of Sacrifice (2001)
• Third Arrival (2002)

External links

• Template:Official website
• Listenable Records