After a period of hibernation, Finnish melodic metallers THUNDERSTONE were planning to get together this spring, start working on new material and play gigs. Then the pandemic hit. Confined to their homes in different countries, the band was not content on resting on their laurels.
“Now that we’ve been more or less locked down, but with a strong urge to play together, we had this idea of making a virtual song that we can all play and sing from our homes. Needless to say, ‘Virus,’ the single from our first album, felt like a timely piece to reimagine for the pandemic times,” says guitarist and producer Nino Laurenne.
“The original lyrics were conceived as a comment on computer viruses, but actually they work really well for the current situation as well,” comments bassist Titus Hjelm.
The idea soon blossomed into something bigger when the band decided to invite fans and friends along. About forty people around the world responded and now comprise a massive chorus for “Virus.” Rick Altzi, who sand on THUNDERSTONE’s 2009 Dirt Metal, and now fronts MASTERPLAN, makes a special guest appearance.
“It was such a great feeling to get to share this old song of ours with friends from around the world. Making music together, even if virtually, has been such a positive experience in this time of uncertainty,” says singer Pasi Rantanen.
“Now that engine is rolling, we hope to get back on track with writing new material and, hopefully, sooner than later, to play live again. We have no set schedule at the moment, but the creative fire is there for sure!” says Nino.
