Survivors Zero

Survivors Zero is a Finnish death metal group formed in 2006 by Sami Jämsén, who also works as a producer at Studio Perkele. The band develops a style described as brutal modern death metal with a melodic edge. After a year of demoing and arranging songs, the line-up begins to take shape in 2007 when Tommi “Rotten” Virranta, formerly of Deathchain, joins as lead singer and main lyricist. Virranta and Jämsén have worked together before, and the project also brings in Tapio Wilska on bass, JV Hintikka of Machine Men on lead guitar, and Reima Kellokoski of Impaled Nazarene on drums.

Formation and line-up

The first version of the band is built around members with backgrounds in Finnish extreme metal. Virranta provides vocals and lyrics, Jämsén plays guitars, Wilska handles bass, and the rhythm section includes Kellokoski on drums. Later, in late 2008, lead guitarist J-V Hintikka is replaced by Jani Luttinen, who is also known from The Scourger. The verified line-up lists Tapio Wilska as a member of the group.

Recording and releases

Survivors Zero records drum tracks at Jive Studio in Helsinki in 2008, with the remaining parts tracked at Studio Perkele. Jonas Kjellgren of Black Lounge Studio, who is associated with Scar Symmetry and has worked with The Absence and Carnal Forge, mixes the band’s first official demo, Extinction. The demo contains the songs “Embrace the Inferno” and “Fortress of Lies”. The band later signs to Cobra Records, alongside labelmates Sotajumala and Deathchain, and returns to Kjellgren for a full album titled CMXCIX. Their discography also includes the single Reclaim My Heritage.

Style and connections

Survivors Zero is associated with death metal, and the band’s wider description includes melodic death metal and thrash metal influences. Its members and collaborators come from a network of Finnish metal acts, including Deathchain, FinnTroll, Machine Men, Impaled Nazarene, The Scourger, Barathrum and Sotajumala. The group is based in Finland and records for Cobra Records.