Ex-TO/DIE/FOR singer Jape Perätalo is trying to reclaim

the name of his former group for his current project (presently known as TIAGA) after being offered a record deal by Spinefarm Records, his former bandmates allege.

Perätalo left TO/DIE/FOR last August due to a “lack of motivation,” according to a statement posted on the band's web site. He eventually formed TIAGA with ex-TO/DIE/FOR guitarist Juppe “J.P.” Sutela, ex-NEW DAWN FOUNDATION drummer/ex-TO/DIE/FOR drum tech Santtu Lonka, current TO/DIE/FOR guitarist Mika “Alli” Ahtiainen, and ex-H.I.M./NEW DAWN FOUNDATION keyboardist Juska Salminen.

Although the remaining members of TO/DIE/FOR never found an official replacement for Jape, they recruited FOR MY PAIN…/REFLEXION singer Juha Kylmänen to fill in for the group's upcoming gigs, including a short Mexican tour in March.

However, it now appears that Perätalo is proceeding with his plans to record a new TO/DIE/FOR album with his TIAGA bandmates, with a view toward releasing it later in the year through the Spinefarm label. According to the Russian TO/DIE/FOR fan site www.todieforlove.narod.ru, the band have already written such songs as “Chaotic Me” and “Fragmented” for inclusion on the upcoming CD.

TO/DIE/FOR guitarist Joonas “Jope” Koto had the following to say regarding the current situation:

“Jape is going to steal the name from us without our permission because he's been offered a deal from Spinefarm. What a nice gesture indeed. OUR TO/DIE/FOR still exists !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

“Did Rob Halford take JUDAS PRIEST's name after HE LEFT the band? Even though he was the essential part in the band also. If Jape wanted to get rid of the rest of us in the first place then why didn't he just fire all of us and get new guys to play with him? TO/DIE/FOR was mainly his band, after all.

“This whole fucking thing is getting SO FUCKING ridiculous that I think that I'm gonna wash my hands off and concentrate on other things in life.

“What should we then call our band, TWO/DIE/FOR???

“It's MALPRACTICE's 10th anniversary this spring and I've been neglecting that band for far too long now so I'll better start doing something for it. It's THE band for me after all.

“OUR TO/DIE/FOR WILL PLAY IN MEXICO IN MARCH AND THAT'S A FUCKING FACT THAT NO ONE'S GONNA CHANGE!!!!!!”

TO/DIE/FOR's most recent CD, “Jaded”, was released last March through Spinefarm Records (Nuclear Blast in continental Europe). The follow-up to 2001's “Epilogue” featured guest vocals by former SINERGY and current NIGHTWISH bassist/vocalist Marco Hietala.

February 24. 2004