IMPALED NAZARENE singer Mika Luttinen has finally come clean about

the death of guitarist Teemu “Somnium” Raimoranta (also of FINNTROLL) last March in what was being described at the time as the result of an accidental fall he took while intoxicated. A report in Helsingin Sanomat, Finland's biggest daily newspaper, shortly after Teemu's death indicated that Raimoranta died when he “fell from the bridge into the ice.” In the months following Teemu's death, his passing continued to be described as the result of an accident, a story that Luttinen now claims was a complete fabrication.

“I am sick of lying about this,” Luttinen tells Metal Maniacs in the magazine's current issue. “[Teemu]'s family said they didn't want to tell the truth, and they wanted us to lie! They told us to tell people that it was an 'alcohol-related falling incident,' a totally bullshit story. Fact is, he jumped from the bridge to his death of his own free will. Now this might sound shitty, but I do not miss him in my band. To tell you the truth, he was fucking up a lot. He was a slacker, missing practices and stuff. He wouldn't say he wasn't coming, he just wouldn't show up. We had to treat him like a child sometimes, like when we had to catch flights for a tour or something, we'd have to call him up like 10 times asking him if he was coming to the airport. He was late all the time. And frankly, he wasn't such a great guitar player or songwriter either, he wasn't even a main songwriter. I think my band is better off for it, as we have a killer new guitar player now. But I do miss him as a friend. When we toured, I would share hotel rooms with him. He was a loyal friend. We had many of the same views on life. That's the part I miss about him. He was a good friend. As a band member, I don't miss him at all. This is harsh, I know. I am sure some people will ask, how can I say this? But life goes on. Sometimes life sucks and sometimes it doesn't.

Metal Maniacs: What would you say to others who may be thinking of taking their own lives?

“This is not the first time my friends have killed themselves. For me, I respect what they do. I think it is their choice. If you do not want to live anymore, then fine, kill yourself. Because in the end, it is still your life and you have to decide what you have to do. Of course, it is going to hurt the people around you, but people will get over it. You have to continue living. If someone is going to kill themselves, it's not for me to say, 'No, don't do that.'

Metal Maniacs: Weren't you all out partying together that night? Didn't he do it in front of his friends?

“Actually, He was out with FINNTROLL members, not anybody from IMPALED NAZARENE. One of my friends was there and saw it happen, saw Teemu jump from the bridge by his own will. My friend was sober, as was Teemu. When they did the autopsy on him [required by law when someone commits suicide], they checked for drugs, alcohol and found he only had the equivalent of three beers that night. He knew what he was doing, no question about it.”

Metal Maniacs: Were there any signs he might do something like this?

“It wasn't the first time. He had tried to kill himself before. We were trying to help him. We asked him many times to tell us if he was having problems. We told him, 'Please don't hold it in.' He was living his rock 'n' roll dream. He was a guy who partied 24 hours a day doing all kinds of substances. We didn't even know how badly he was caught on drugs. We learned many things about him after the fact. He was really living a double life. He was taking the rock star thing too seriously, living this extreme rock 'n' roll lifestyle.”

February 23. 2004