Tuomas Saukkonen

Tuomas Saukkonen was born in the Finnish part of Karelia. His passion for music started early — at the age of six, he bought his first album, «Dr. Feelgood» by «Mötley Crüe». At seven, he briefly took guitar lessons for about two months but quickly abandoned them.
His stage debut came at the age of sixteen as a drummer in a local band called «Newborn George», where he also began experimenting with vocals. Alongside his musical pursuits, Tuomas studied to become a social worker and worked in a factory in the early stages of his career to finance his music projects.

• The Before the Dawn Era and Early Side Projects:

In 1999, Tuomas founded «Before the Dawn», initially conceived as a solo project but soon evolving into a full-fledged band. The group's musical style blended melodic death metal with elements of dark metal, which Tuomas described as «melancholic Scandinavian metal» He emphasized that «Before the Dawn» was where he truly started writing music for himself, channeling personal emotions into his compositions.

While working on «Before the Dawn», Tuomas explored other musical directions.

In 2005, he launched a side project, «Dawn of Solace». The idea stemmed from the fact that while working on «Before the Dawn» third album (The Ghost), he wrote over 30 songs. Some of them turned out to be slower, darker, and more atmospheric than the main band's material, leading him to release them separately. Over time, other musicians joined «Dawn of Solace».

Not stopping there, Tuomas initiated two more projects in 2008:
«The Final Harvest» – a band incorporating elements of thrash metal, death metal, deathcore, and hardcore punk.
«Black Sun Aeon» – an experimental project featuring dark, slow, and atmospheric sounds influenced by doom, death, and black metal. Tuomas was the sole permanent member, recording all instruments and vocals himself in the studio.

In 2010, he ventured into yet another sound experiment with the project «RoutaSielu».

• Closing Old Chapters and the Birth of Wolfheart:

2013 marked a turning point for Tuomas. He announced the closure or indefinite hiatus of all his existing projects, including his major bands «Before the Dawn» and «Dawn of Solace», as well as «The Final Harvest», «Black Sun Aeon», and «RoutaSielu».

However, just days later, on January 10, 2013, he unveiled his new flagship project — «Wolfheart». In «Wolfheart», Tuomas combined the energy of his previous work with a heavier, darker, and more epic sound, focusing on melodic death metal infused with a wintry atmosphere. According to him, «Wolfheart» allowed him to «start from a clean slate» and create music that closely aligned with his artistic vision. The band became his primary musical outlet.

• Revival and Musical Versatility:

Despite concentrating on «Wolfheart», Tuomas did not abandon his other creative paths. In 2019, he revived «Dawn of Solace», using it as a platform to experiment with clean vocals and atmospheric, gothic sounds, showcasing his musical versatility. Then, in 2021, he resurrected his first major project — «Before the Dawn».

• Philosophy and Personal Life:

Tuomas sees music primarily as a form of self-expression and a way to process inner emotions. It helps him cope with life's struggles, and for him, creating music is not just entertainment but a deeply personal process—transforming negative experiences into something artistically valuable.

His lyrics often reflect themes of Finnish mythology, the beauty and harshness of northern nature, and historical events such as the «Winter War (Talvisota)». These themes highlight his deep connection to his homeland, Karelia, where he spent his childhood, and his desire to preserve cultural and historical memory through music.

Beyond music, Tuomas is known for his love of nature. He is a professional landscape designer and gardener, drawing inspiration from these activities outside of the studio and touring. This connection to nature is evident in his work, where images of frostbitten landscapes and the unforgiving Finnish climate often shape the musical atmosphere.

Additionally, he follows a sober lifestyle and has never consumed alcohol, emphasizing his discipline and complete focus on the creative process.

• Interesting Facts:

- His love for music was sparked in childhood by «Gary Moore’s» song «Over the Hills and Far Away».
- His first electric guitar was an «Ibanez».
- In February 2011, he won the «Finnish Metal Awards» in the «Best Instrumentalist» category.