WTF Capital of Metal showcase – interview with Kneel Before the Death

WTF Capital of Metal brings a rock-solid lineup of Finland’s most promising metal artists to Tavastia & Semifinal on 22–23 May 2025. WTF Capital of Metal – Helsinki’s new showcase & conference event focusing on metal and alternative music, will showcase a total of eight Finnish artists to Tavastia and Semifinal as part of its evening program.

Chaoszine interviewed the participating bands and here is what deathcore group Kneel Before the Death‘s guitarist Niko Lappalainen shared with us:

How does it feel to be part of this year’s WTF Capital of Metal showcase?

Niko: It feels amazing! The event is packed with great Finnish metal bands and we are beyond excited to be part of it. Tavastia is a legendary venue in Finnish and even on European scale and it has been our dream to have a chance to play there.

What does participating in a showcase event like this mean to you as a band at this point in your career?

Niko: The timing could not actually be any better! We are releasing our debut album on 6th of June so this showcase event is a perfect opportunity to get our name out for the people. At the moment we are actively looking for a booking agency to be part of our team so we feel like this is a perfect place to network around that, and also to show what KBTD is made of. It is great that the event is international as we are very excited about touring abroad in the future.

Have you played a similar showcase event before – in Finland or abroad? If so, how did it impact your journey?

Niko: This is our first time being a part of this kind of showcase event. To our knowledge, this kind of event focusing fully on metal music in Finland has not been held before during our career. We feel like we are more ready than ever to build a real career around music. We are grateful for the opportunity to take a part in the event!

Do you feel Finland needs more events like WTF Capital of Metal to support the international growth of metal bands? Why or why not?

Niko: Yes! There are smaller metal bands in Finland which deserve international recognition, and that’s why we really need more showcase events like this. Metal music has been one of Finland’s best export products for decades. That tradition should definitely be continued and let to international audiences knowledge. Music Finland and Nahka Agency have done a great job with organizing the event!

How important is it for your band to reach international audiences, and what steps are you currently taking towards that goal?

Niko: Social media has a huge role in getting our music to international audiences. It has been a real game-changer in the past ten years. Also the dominance of streaming platforms has allowed smaller artists like us to spread our music to international audiences. Since we started it has been clear that we want to aim our music for international audiences. We have already found some passionate international fans and we totally feel super lucky because of them. Plus of course we love our homeland fanbase and we could not be at this point of our career without them. Our overall plan to reach more and more international audiences is to play shows abroad, but to also release more social media content and expand on there as well.

Have you performed outside of Finland already – or do you have concrete plans to do so soon?

Niko: Not yet, but we have plans to tour in northern and central Europe around our debut album. As an independent artist it is always complicated to arrange tours by yourself as it is quite often hard to get even responses from the venues. That’s why we are looking for partners who could help us in that area (such as local bookers etc.).

What are your next goals as a band in the near future – new releases, tours, or label deals, perhaps?

Niko: As of right now we are a few weeks away from releasing our debut full length album through Ranka Kustannus. As said already, we are planning on touring around it in Finland as well as in northern and central Europe. Touring in general as a part of promoting our debut is our highest priority. Of course, we will continue arranging new music as we go.

Anything else you’d like to say to the international metal community or industry professionals watching this showcase?

Niko: Remember to enjoy the music more than tracking numbers! Support your local artists, go to see live shows and remember to stay heavy!