Poisonblack

Poisonblack is not just another Gothic Metal band from Finland, much less a side project formed just to kill some time while a main band is taking a break. After playing guitar for 17 years, frontman Ville Laihiala felt the need to put out his ambitions as a guitarist and formed this band at the end of the year 2000, together with some talented friends from the city of Oulu, with whom he had already played in some bands, and his great friend and bassist Janne Kukkonen.

They both had in common a long history of playing in various bands and the same vision of music. Since focusing on his guitar compositions, Ville followed his first impulse and got in touch with Charon vocalist J.P. Leppäluoto, whom he met on the Crimson tour.

In 2003, the band’s first album, Escapexstacy, was on the Finnish national charts for three weeks, peaking at No. 21. They opened for Iron Maiden at the Hartwall Areena in Helsinki on 21 December 2003 for the Dance of Death World Tour.

The artwork for Poisonblack’s this first album, “Escapexstacy”, released in 2003 by Century Media Records, was created by Sentenced (Ville’s other band) drummer Vesa Ranta, who had already produced the artwork for the praised “The Cold White Light”. “Escapexstacy” is the perfect soundtrack for a dance with your own demons. Just feel the sensuality and passion, the main themes addressed within each song on the album “Escapexstacy”.

With the departure of J.P. Leppäluoto, Ville Laihiala took over the vocals. At the beginning of the second half of 2006, the second album, Lust Stained Despair, was released, with a more “angry” and “heavy” atmosphere than the first, provoking praise and criticism from fans.

On August 23, 2015, Ville released a statement on the group’s Facebook page and website stating that the group had broken up. The band played their last concert in Oulu, Finland (21-08-2015). JP Leppäluoto joined the band during their last concerts. The last song the band would perform would be “The State”, before ending their farewell show and tour.

In February 2023, it was announced that Poisonblack would return to play a few shows in September for Escapexstacy’s 20th anniversary. All band members reunited, with the exception of ex-guitarist Janne Dahlgren and ex-bassist Janne Kukkonen.

The theme of the letters
According to guitarist and vocalist Ville Laihiala, the lyrics emphasize “lust and addiction – in life, in sex, in death”.

The photographs and Poisonblack’s debut CD, Escapexstacy, were designed by Vesa Ranta, drummer and former bandmate of Ville Laihiala in Sentenced.

Juha-Pekka Leppäluoto – vocals (2001–2003, 2015, 2023)
Ville Laihiala – vocals (2003–2015, 2023), guitars (2000–2015, 2023)
Antti Leiviskä – guitars (2010–2015, 2023)
Janne Markus – guitars (2004–2010, 2023)
Antti Remes – bass (2004–2015, 2023)
Marco Sneck – keyboards (2000–2015, 2023)
Tarmo Kanerva – drums (2000–2015, 2023)
Former members
Janne Dahlgren – guitars (2000–2003)
Janne Kukkonen – bass (2000–2004)

studio Albums

Escapexstacy (2003)
Rush (CDS) (2006)
Lust Stained Despair (2006)
Bear The Cross (CDS) (2008)
A Dead Heavy Day (2008)
Of Rust and Bones (2010)
Drive (2011)
Lyijy (2013)