Henkka Seppälä
Encyclopedia
Henri Samuli Seppälä better known as Henkka T. Blacksmith, is the bassist of the Finnish
metal
band Children of Bodom
. Henkka is responsible for backing vocals both on studio and live.
Henkka is a very common nickname for Henri and seppä means blacksmith in English. The reason he has a T. in the middle of his name is his nickname being Torso
.
, Finland
. He first started playing guitar at the age of eleven. He got into the heavy metal
scene through his brother, who listened to bands such as Slayer
and Pantera
with his friends. Before that, he had only had contact with glam metal/hard rock bands such as Guns N' Roses
and Poison
. As time passed, his interest started leaning towards heavier bands, until in the early 90s he discovered black metal
and death metal
bands of the likes of Burzum
, Dissection
and Cannibal Corpse
.
He played drums in his first band at the age of 13. The band was called Aivokasvain (Brain Tumour). He was part of the band for two years, and then quit, switching his main instrument to the bass.
When Samuli Miettinen quit Inearthed (the original name of Children of Bodom) in 1996, Henkka joined the band, (asked by lead guitarist and singer, Alexi Laiho) adopting the 5-string bass.
He is the frontman of the band when it comes to interviews and public appearances. Other than the fact that he can speak Finnish, English, Swedish and some Spanish and French, he is also the most equilibrated member of the band, in a general way.
He studies political science and political history in the University of Helsinki when he has time, which is not too often. He is also into sports, and has a passion for (European) football
. However, he also enjoys swimming.
Henkka is completely dedicated to Children of Bodom, and is the only member who does not have any side-projects. According to him, the most important things in his life are his family and his band.
, Billy Gould
, Steve Brunner, Paulo Jr, Joe Principe
and David Ellefson
.
Amp is a Ampeg SVT3pro and cabinet Ampeg 810.
He boost his sound with a Super Overdrive pedal or Tech21 Sansamp pre amp.
Singles & EPs
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band Children of Bodom
Children of Bodom
Children of Bodom is a Finnish heavy metal band from Espoo. Formed in 1993, the group currently consists of Alexi Laiho , Roope Latvala , Janne Wirman , Henkka Seppälä , and Jaska Raatikainen...
. Henkka is responsible for backing vocals both on studio and live.
Henkka is a very common nickname for Henri and seppä means blacksmith in English. The reason he has a T. in the middle of his name is his nickname being Torso
Torso
Trunk or torso is an anatomical term for the central part of the many animal bodies from which extend the neck and limbs. The trunk includes the thorax and abdomen.-Major organs:...
.
Biography
Henkka was born in 1980 in EspooEspoo
Espoo is the second largest city and municipality in Finland. The population of the city of Espoo is . It is part of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area along with the cities of Helsinki, Vantaa, and Kauniainen. Espoo shares its eastern border with Helsinki and Vantaa, while enclosing Kauniainen....
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. He first started playing guitar at the age of eleven. He got into the heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
scene through his brother, who listened to bands such as Slayer
Slayer
Slayer is an American thrash metal band formed in Huntington Park, California, in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. Slayer rose to fame with their 1986 release, Reign in Blood, and is credited as one of the "Big Four" thrash metal acts, along with Metallica, Megadeth and...
and Pantera
Pantera
Pantera was an American heavy metal band from Arlington, Texas. Formed by the Abbott brothers, Vinnie Paul and Dimebag Darrell in 1981, bassist Rex Brown would join in late 1981 with vocalist Terry Glaze. Looking for a new and heavier sound, Pantera had Terry replaced in 1987 with Phil Anselmo as...
with his friends. Before that, he had only had contact with glam metal/hard rock bands such as Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band, formed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, in 1985. The band has released six studio albums, three EPs, and one live album...
and Poison
Poison (band)
Poison is an American glam metal band that achieved great success in the mid-1980s to mid-1990s. To date, Poison has sold over 30 million records worldwide and have sold 15 million records in the United States alone. The band has also charted ten singles to the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100,...
. As time passed, his interest started leaning towards heavier bands, until in the early 90s he discovered black metal
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
and death metal
Death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
bands of the likes of Burzum
Burzum
Burzum is a musical project by Varg Vikernes . It began during 1991 in Bergen, Norway and quickly became prominent within the early Norwegian black metal scene...
, Dissection
Dissection (band)
Dissection was a black metal band from Strömstad, Sweden. The band was formed in 1989, by Jon Nödtveidt. The band released its first EP in 1991. They disbanded in 2006, after Nödtveidt's suicide.- Band overview :...
and Cannibal Corpse
Cannibal Corpse
Cannibal Corpse is an American death metal band from Buffalo, New York. Formed in 1988, the band has released eleven studio albums, one box set, and one live album...
.
He played drums in his first band at the age of 13. The band was called Aivokasvain (Brain Tumour). He was part of the band for two years, and then quit, switching his main instrument to the bass.
When Samuli Miettinen quit Inearthed (the original name of Children of Bodom) in 1996, Henkka joined the band, (asked by lead guitarist and singer, Alexi Laiho) adopting the 5-string bass.
He is the frontman of the band when it comes to interviews and public appearances. Other than the fact that he can speak Finnish, English, Swedish and some Spanish and French, he is also the most equilibrated member of the band, in a general way.
He studies political science and political history in the University of Helsinki when he has time, which is not too often. He is also into sports, and has a passion for (European) football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
. However, he also enjoys swimming.
Henkka is completely dedicated to Children of Bodom, and is the only member who does not have any side-projects. According to him, the most important things in his life are his family and his band.
Influences
On the Children of Bodom official website, Henkka lists his influences as Tom ArayaTom Araya
Tom Araya is a Chilean musician, best known as the bassist and vocalist of the American thrash metal band Slayer...
, Billy Gould
Billy Gould
Billy Gould is an American musician and producer. He is noted for playing bass in the band Faith No More.- Faith No More :...
, Steve Brunner, Paulo Jr, Joe Principe
Joe Principe
Joe Principe is the bass guitarist, backing vocalist and co-founder of the punk rock band Rise Against. He primarily uses Fender basses, Mesa amps and cabinets, and he uses pick-playing exclusively....
and David Ellefson
David Ellefson
David Warren "Dave" Ellefson is a bassist and founding member of the American thrash metal band Megadeth. He also goes by "Junior." He currently resides in Scottsdale, Arizona...
.
Equipment
- ESPESP Guitars, located in North Hollywood, California, is an American-based, Japanese-owned manufacturer of electric guitars and basses.- History :In 1975, Hisatake Shibuya opened a shop called Electric Sound Products in Tokyo. It provided custom replacement parts for guitars. In 1976, ESP gained a reputation...
Henkka T. Blacksmith Forest Signature Bass,4 string (34" neckthru body alder, EMG 35DC) - ESPESP Guitars, located in North Hollywood, California, is an American-based, Japanese-owned manufacturer of electric guitars and basses.- History :In 1975, Hisatake Shibuya opened a shop called Electric Sound Products in Tokyo. It provided custom replacement parts for guitars. In 1976, ESP gained a reputation...
Henkka T. Blacksmith Bottom Line Signature Bass,5 string ( 34" neckthru body alder, EMG 40DC pickups) - ESPESP Guitars, located in North Hollywood, California, is an American-based, Japanese-owned manufacturer of electric guitars and basses.- History :In 1975, Hisatake Shibuya opened a shop called Electric Sound Products in Tokyo. It provided custom replacement parts for guitars. In 1976, ESP gained a reputation...
Custom Shop "Assault" shaped (34" neckthru body alder, EMG 40DC pickups) - ESPESP Guitars, located in North Hollywood, California, is an American-based, Japanese-owned manufacturer of electric guitars and basses.- History :In 1975, Hisatake Shibuya opened a shop called Electric Sound Products in Tokyo. It provided custom replacement parts for guitars. In 1976, ESP gained a reputation...
Custom Shop Viper Bass, same specs as his other basses, and can be seen on their live DVD Chaos Ridden Years (tuned CGCF) - ESPESP Guitars, located in North Hollywood, California, is an American-based, Japanese-owned manufacturer of electric guitars and basses.- History :In 1975, Hisatake Shibuya opened a shop called Electric Sound Products in Tokyo. It provided custom replacement parts for guitars. In 1976, ESP gained a reputation...
Custom Shop Araya Shape (White with COBHC logo on fretboard, seen on the 2009 No Fear Tour)
Amp is a Ampeg SVT3pro and cabinet Ampeg 810.
He boost his sound with a Super Overdrive pedal or Tech21 Sansamp pre amp.
With Children of Bodom
Albums- Something Wild (1997)
- HatebreederHatebreeder-Trivia:* The intro from the song “Warheart” is from the film Amadeus, Laiho’s favourite movie. The line is saying “From now on, we’re enemies. You and I.”.* The guitar solo of Black Widow is taken from a section a piece by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart...
(1999) - Tokyo WarheartsTokyo WarheartsTokyo Warhearts is the first live album by the Finnish melodic death metal band Children of Bodom which was recorded in 1999. It was recorded and filmed on July 10 and 11 of 1999 in Tokyo. The album was re-released on May 29, 2001...
(Live CD, 1999) - Follow the ReaperFollow the Reaper-Personnel:Children of Bodom*Alexi Laiho – vocals, lead guitar*Alexander Kuoppala – rhythm guitar*Janne Wirman – keyboards*Henkka Seppälä – bass*Jaska Raatikainen – drumsProduction*Peter Tägtgren – production, engineering...
(2000) - Hate Crew DeathrollHate Crew Deathroll-Personnel:Children of Bodom*Alexi Laiho – vocals, lead guitar*Alexander Kuoppala – rhythm guitar*Janne Wirman – keyboards*Henkka Seppälä – bass*Jaska Raatikainen – drumsProduction*Produced and recorded by Anssi Kippo*Mixed by Mikko Karmila...
(2003) - Are You Dead Yet?Are You Dead Yet?-Personnel:Children of Bodom*Alexi Laiho – vocals, guitar*Roope Latvala – guitar*Janne Wirman – keyboards*Henkka Seppälä – bass*Jaska Raatikainen – drumsAdditional musicians*Alexander Kuoppala – rhythm guitar on "Somebody Put Something in My Drink"...
(2005) - Chaos Ridden Years - Stockholm Knockout Live (Live CD, 2006)
- BlooddrunkBlooddrunk-Personnel:Children of Bodom*Alexi Laiho – vocals, guitar*Roope Latvala – guitar*Janne Wirman – keyboards*Henkka Seppälä – bass*Jaska Raatikainen – drumsProduction*Produced, recorded, and mixed by Mikko Karmila*Vocals recorded by Peter Tägtgren...
(2008) - Relentless Reckless ForeverRelentless Reckless ForeverRelentless Reckless Forever is the seventh album by Finnish melodic death metal band Children of Bodom, released on March 8, 2011 through Spinefarm Records / Universal Music.-Background:...
(2011)
Singles & EPs
- Children of Bodom (Single, 1997)
- Downfall (Single, 1998)
- Hate Me! (Single, 2000)
- You're Better Off Dead!' (Single, 2002)
- Trashed, Lost & StrungoutTrashed, Lost & StrungoutEP-CDEP-DVD-Personnel:Children of Bodom*Alexi Laiho – vocals, lead guitar*Roope Latvala – guitar*Janne Wirman – keyboards*Henkka Seppälä – bass*Jaska Raatikainen – drumsProduction*Produced and recorded by Anssi Kippo*Mixed by Mikko Karmila...
(EP, 2004) - In Your Face (Single, 2005)