Kasperi Heikkinen

Kasperi Heikkinen
Heikkinen with U.D.O. at Wacken Open Air 2015
Heikkinen with U.D.O. at Wacken Open Air 2015
Background information
Born (1980-08-04) 4 August 1980 (age 44)
Kajaani, Finland
GenresSymphonic power metal, heavy metal
OccupationMusician
InstrumentGuitar
Years active2002–present

Kasperi Heikkinen (born 1980) is a Finnish guitarist who is best known as a member of symphonic power metal band Amberian Dawn.[1] He played in the band from early 2007 until late 2012. He is also the guitarist for Finnish metal bands Merging Flare and Guardians of Mankind,[1] which is a Gamma Ray tribute band.[2] Heikkinen performed with German metal band U.D.O. from 2013 until 2017.[1][3] He currently resides in Helsinki.[1][4]

As a touring musician, Heikkinen has played on part of the German power metal band Gamma Ray's Majestic tour in 2006 following an injury to Henjo Richter.[5] On their most recent to the Metal-tour, Heikkinen replaced Henjo Richter once again for shows scheduled in Germany and Czech Republic in March 2010. He also shared stage with his fellow axemen Hansen and Richter making "a three guitar special" for the encore numbers at the Nosturi club in Helsinki, Finland on 29 March 2010.

In 2015, Heikkinen was brought into a new symphonic metal band called Beast in Black by fellow Finnish guitarist Anton Kabanen. Beast in Black released their debut album in November 2017 by the metal label Nuclear Blast.

  1. ^ a b c d "Kasperi Heikkinen Interview". Guitarhoo!. Guitarhoo.com. 16 December 2013. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 21 February 2014.
  2. ^ "News on Blabbermouth". Archived from the original on 6 June 2011.
  3. ^ "Guitarist KASPERI HEIKKINEN Quits U.D.O. And DIRKSCHNEIDER". Blabbermouth.net. 17 February 2017. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
  4. ^ "Kasperi Heikkinen on Metal from Finland". 29 March 2018.
  5. ^ "Gamma Ray in Helsinki 2006". Archived from the original on 23 July 2011.