Sawo Area Thrash Metal
Miehala is a five-piece band formed in 2021, hailing from the North Savo region (specifically the Kuopio-Varkaus area). The band stands out with a distinctive style that echoes 80’s and 90’s metal while incorporating fresh nuances.
Their raw, at times even gritty sound takes the listener on a journey back in time, making it immediately clear that they play hard with an old-school attitude.
Bolstered by it’s current 5 member lineup, Miehala has elevated it’s live performance to a whole new level, having already played dozens of shows across the Finland.
In the band’s early years, the drummer handled the majority of the vocals, while this certainly drew attention, it also presented unique challenges regarding the versatility of the performance live shows.
The band has released the album Gods Of Death (2022) and the EP Sons Of Alaheim (2024), alongside several singles in 2025. New, unreleased material is also ready to go.
Miehala current line-up:
Elias Lepistö: vocals
Tuomas Lepistö: guitar
Henri Shemeikka: guitar
Aleksi Itkonen: drums
Jarkko Pesonen: bass
BAND HISTORY YEAR TO YEAR
2021
The band was formed in Varkaus early in the year, with initial rehearsals involving three-four members. The lineup at the time consisted of Tuomas and Elias Lepistö, Jarkko Pesonen, and Esa Tuomela. Elias played drums and handled lead vocals for most of the songs, although Tuomas Lepistö took over main vocal duties on a couple of tracks on the debut album.
The first completed song was ”I Am The Beast” and like the majority of the band’s material, it was written by Tuomas Lepistö. A music video for the song was released in 2021, featuring an audio track that differs from the final mix/version included on the album.
2022
The debut album, ’Gods Of Death’, was recorded in the band’s own rehearsal space and released late in the year. Elias Lepistö was primarily responsible for the mixing. Music videos were released for several tracks: ’Dead Sleepwalker’, ’Till Death’, ’Hellrider’, and ’God Of Death’. Like ’I Am The Beast’,”’, the videos for ’Till Death’ and ’Hellrider’ feature audio tracks that differ from the album versions. Jarkko Pesonen handled all filming and editing. Although the videos were produced on a virtually non-existent budget, they clearly reflect the trio’s drive to propel the band forward.
2023
The clear vision for 2023 was to perform live, which required a second guitarist. Although the band had primarily rehearsed as a trio, the live shows demanded dual-guitar melodies, so the search for a guitarist began early in the year. After a brief search, Mika Kähärä from Pieksämäki joined the lineup, and the band’s first live notes rang out at Varjobaari in Tampere in June 2023. Sharing the stage that evening were Northvoid from Joensuu and Licuation from Kuopio.
The band began gigging in earnest that same year, securing a steady stream of shows for the remainder of the year while simultaneously working on and learning material for an upcoming EP in the rehearsal space. New songs were also added to the setlist, and they seemed to resonate well with the audience and blend seamlessly with the ”older” tracks.
The EP, ’Sons Of Alaheim’, was recorded at the rehearsal space in Varkaus, and the band decided to try Inverse Records for distribution. The first single ’War’ was released in December 2023.
2024
The year kicked off with the release of the new EP, featuring the second single, ’Into The Void’. A music video was also produced for the track—created, as had become the custom, in a DIY spirit.
Following the EP’s release, the band maintained a busy schedule of live performances.
2025
During the spring, the lineup underwent changes as the guitarist was replaced. By mutual agreement, Mika Kähärä stepped aside, and Juha Louhisto—from the band’s inner circle—was brought in to take his place.
New songs were already being rehearsed, so Juha was able to dive straight into them; consequently, the first gigs with the new lineup took place very soon after.
At the same time, another lineup change was brewing in the background. The band had discussed the matter previously, and it came up again. Elias felt that handling both lead vocals and drums live created unique challenges, making it difficult to execute either role at 100% capacity—an understandable issue given the fast-paced nature of the music.
The plan was to find a new drummer so Elias could move to the front of the stage as the vocalist. However, the process didn’t move forward immediately; instead, the band focused on recording new songs during the late autumn.
Singles released that year included ’Sleeping Under The Sea’, the standout track ’Fragments’, the groove-heavy ’Opioid’, and the heavy-hitting ’My Friend From The Dead’.
2026
A new drummer and a completely new stage presence! In the spring, the group expanded to five members when Aleksi Itkonen took his place behind the drum kit. Aleksi mastered the songs quickly, and the band played its first gig as a five-piece outfit just a couple of weeks after the initial rehearsal. This shift immediately brought a new sound to the band’s collective performance—a new kind of Miehala. The vocal parts gained much-needed depth, and naturally, there was now a singer visibly out front. The rhythms and drum fills also stand out in a completely different way, and it was notable that the band’s overall interplay has reached a whole new level.
Around the same time, another change in the lineup took place when Juha Louhisto moved to a different part of Finland. Fortunately, a new guitarist was found very close to home—in Aleksi’s other band. Consequently, the process of breaking in the new lineup began quickly.
2027
The aim for the coming year is definitely to ramp up live performances while simultaneously preparing a new release. In any case, the main goal is to preach the gospel of Alaheim with unprecedented dedication—and hopefully to a wider audience, on new stages, in new cities, and sharing the bill with new bands.
Praise the Beast, Sons Of Alaheim are coming!
Miehala
Jarkko Pesonen
+358 44 085 7474
Send email
