The Metal Crypt - Damage SFP Interview

Interviews

Interview with drummer Tero Lipsonen
Interview conducted by Luxi Lahtinen

Date online: October 22, 2025

Hailing from the icy heart of Finland, Damage SFP is a ferocious three-piece thrash metal band that fuses old-school aggression with modern precision. Formed by lifelong friends with a shared love for the raw energy of metal, the band has carved their name into the genre's cold steel with two critically acclaimed studio albums. Their music blends blistering riffs, relentless rhythms, and razor-sharp vocals that pay homage to the thrash greats while forging their own distinct path.

Following the success of their self-titled debut and the explosive follow-up release, Damage SFP has built a loyal underground following and gained international attention for their high-octane live shows. Now, with amps cranked and adrenaline surging, the trio is gearing up for a European tour this fall, ready to bring their thunderous sound to stages across the continent.

Brace yourselves — Damage SFP is coming. And they're not here to take prisoners.

DAMAGE SFP CRUSADES EUROPE AGAIN

You're heading out on a European tour soon. What cities or countries are you most excited to play in and why?

Tero: We're stoked to hit Eastern Europe, especially places like Kraków and Lomza in Poland and Kaunas in Lithuania. The scene there is raw and intense, just how we like it. Fans are hungry and passionate, and we feed off that energy.

What can fans expect from your live shows on this tour? Any surprises planned in the setlist or production?

Tero: Pure aggression, tight riffing, and zero compromise. We've also thrown in a couple of older tracks we haven't played in years and maybe one totally unreleased song. Expect sweat, chaos, and neck pain.

How do you prepare mentally and physically for a tour like this?

Tero: We hit the rehearsal room hard, get our set tight, and make sure we're in good shape. Mentally, it's about getting into the zone and leaving normal everyday life behind and becoming 100% Damage SFP for 10 days.

Do you notice any major differences between Finnish audiences and metal fans in other European countries?

Tero: Finnish fans are a bit more reserved at first, but once they open up, it's wild. In Eastern Europe, people go off right from the first riff. It's just different energy, but both are killer in their own way.

Are there any venues or festivals on this tour that are especially meaningful to the band?

Tero: Some of these venues have serious underground history, and it's an honor to step on those stages. There's one club in Kaunas, Klubas Lemmy, where we have played before a couple of years ago so it's nice to go there and play again.

"IT'S ALL ABOUT FEEL"

Damage SFP blends elements of thrash and heavy metal. How do you balance aggression and melody in your songwriting?

Tero: It's all about feel. We never force melody or aggression, they both come naturally, depending on the riff and the mood of the song. Sometimes the melody creeps in just to make the next punch hit even harder.

Your sound is tight and intense. Do you write collectively as a band, or does one member lead the charge creatively?

Tero: Our guitarist and singer Jaake Nikkilä has composed and written all our songs. Usually, the way we make songs is that Jaake brings a finished or almost finished song to the rehearsal room, which we then work on together so that it sounds exactly like Damage SFP.

Are there any tracks you're especially excited to perform live this tour? Maybe something that hits harder in a live setting?

Tero: When we've been to gigs, it's great to play any song on stage and almost all of them work well in a live situation. Of course, we've left songs out on purpose, because some songs on the album have, for example, polyphonic guitars, which sound quite dry when played live with one guitar. We're a trio, so there's only one guitar on stage. And we'll never use any backing tracks, except for the intro :). We play a lot of songs from our latest album Punished by the System on tour, they have great aggression and the right simplicity to work live. It's also nice to play covers from time to time, like Motörhead's "Iron Fist" and Sepultura's "Inner Self." Also, if there are other bands with us, we'll see what kind of orchestra they're bringing. If it's death metal, then we might include some of the heavier tracks from the first album, like "Death of Innocent" or "Burst of Rage," in the set list.

The two albums that you have released so far have been well received. Are there plans for new music soon, or are you focusing on touring for now?

Tero: Right now, we're focused on touring, but new material is already brewing. We've got demos and ideas cooking so once the tour dust settles, we'll be back composing and rehearsing new songs and hopefully we can hit the studio in late 2026.

FINNISH METAL HERITAGE AND ITS INFLUENCES

Finland has an incredibly rich and vivid metal heritage. How has the Finnish metal scene shaped Damage SFP's sound or ethos over the years?

Tero: The Finnish scene taught us to be honest and relentless. No gimmicks, just tight playing, raw emotion, and real energy. We grew up watching bands that earned their place on stage, and we carry that with us.

Which bands—past or present—have influenced Damage SFP the most, musically or philosophically?

Tero: Slayer, Megadeth, Testament, that's the holy trinity for us. But also, Finnish legends like Stone and A.R.G. They showed us that you can be fast, technical, and still have your own identity.

Is there a specific Finnish cultural or environmental influence in your lyrics or sound?

Tero: Absolutely. There are a certain coldness and darkness in our sound that definitely come from the Finnish environment. Long winters, isolation, and the struggle shape how we write and what we write about.

Thrash metal often channels political or social themes. Do any of your songs touch on specific issues or messages, i.e., any specific songs in particular?

Tero: Yes, definitely. Songs like "Punished by the System" and "Tyrants" dig into the darker sides of society, like corruption, manipulation, blind faith. We don't preach, but we don't look away either.

How do you see your place within the broader European metal scene today?

Tero: We're not trying to fit in, we're here to carve out our own space. We've got respect for the scene and the history, but Damage SFP brings something sharp, fast, and real. That's our place.

What's the weirdest or most unexpected thing that's happened to you guys on tour?

Tero: When we were last on tour in Eastern Europe, we played in a town in northern Poland on a Tuesday night. The venue was a bit like a big barn/hall and people started to show up. We played the show; it was a fucking good atmosphere and after the show someone from the audience came to ask for autographs from us and he had a cap or beanie full of money in his hand. There were no tickets sold for the show and the audience had been collecting money to give the boys from the north some gas money. Great, friendly people :)

Who in the band is the most organized traveler, and who's always forgetting something?

Tero: We are all pretty organized and sharp on gig trips but have to say that it's Jaake. He has had to look for and/or wake up the drummer and bassist a few times when we've been "relaxing" a bit after gigs :) Luckily, we have bassist Antti Remes' brother Jukka with us on the upcoming tour. He takes care of the driver's job, the road crew and the merch and ticket sales, which is invaluable help, and he also looks after us a bit so that things don't get out of hand. ;)

What do you guys listen to in the tour van, more metal, or something totally unexpected?

Tero: We listen to a wide range of music. Just according to the mood. There are no specific bands or songs that we constantly listen to.

Any pre-show rituals or post-show traditions you keep on the road?

Tero: Yes, we have routines before the gig. About an hour before, the drummer starts warming up for the gig, including a good workout and stretching to get his body warm. Then he warms up on the pads. The guitarist and bassist do some exercise to get body warm.

Our gigs always start with an intro by Insomnium from 2019 album and during that we gather for huddle.

Before the gig, we might have one or two refreshments, and after the gig, we need to get our fluid balance back on track.

If you could tour with any metal band—living or dead—who would it be, and why?

Tero: Kreator. It's a legendary old-school European thrash pump with a Finnish guitarist.

Other information about Damage SFP on this site

Review: Damage S.F.P.

Review: Punished by the System

Interview with guitarist and vocalist Jarkko "Jaake" Nikkilä on February 16, 2019 (Interviewed by Luxi Lahtinen)

Interview with Damage SFP on February 10, 2023 (Interviewed by Luxi Lahtinen)