Get to Know Megadeth’s Teemu Mantysaari

Megadeth are moving forward with guitarist Teemu Mantysaari, who began playing live with the thrash legends back in September as a fill-in for Kiko Loureiro. Now that he'll be with the band heading into 2024, Megadeth's website has been updated with a profile on their new Finnish axeman, which lists his favorite album, food, movies, Megadeth solo and a lot more.

A little over a week ago, Loureiro issued a statement regarding his "extended absence" from Megadeth, taking more time away from the band after stepping away from live duties earlier in the year to tend to family matters. After talking things over with Megadeth leader Dave Mustaine and the band's management, both sides agreed a continued absence was the proper course of action and Loureiro expressed gratitude for his nine years as Megadeth's guitarist.

Megadeth followed this up with a statement of their own, confirming that Mantysaari would remain with the band for the foreseeable future.

So, it's now time to get to know a bit more about Mantysaari as a musician and as a person!

About Teemu Mantysaari — Favorite Albums, Food, Megadeth Solo, Movies + More

Birthday: Jan. 7, 1987

Other Bands: Wintersun (symphonic melodic death metal), Smackbound (hard rock)

Wintersun, "Sons of Winter and Stars"

Smackbound, "Drive It Like You Stole It"

Favorite Band/Album: Dio, Holy Diver

Favorite Movies: The Shawshank Redemption, Star Wars original trilogy

Favorite Meal: pasta with tofu, orange sauce and cottage cheese

Favorite Megadeth Solo: "Lucretia" (Megadeth have yet to play this Rust In Peace track since Mantysaari joined the lineup)

Favorite TV Shows: Breaking Bad, Dark, Black Mirror, JAG

Elsewhere in the profile, Mantysaari lists skiing, biking, going to the gym and collecting guitars amongst his hobbies and is an avid fan of ice hockey, soccer, floorball, tennis and calisthenics.

His most memorable concert was seeing Finnish power metal icons Stratovarius at Tammerfest in 2001 and, while he can't recall his first-ever concert, it's this fest that sticks out among his earliest live music memories.

As for what the guitarist likes to do during his downtime, vacationing in the Swiss Alps is a favorite and, while at home, he enjoys napping, "relaxed dinners" as well as swimming and steaming it up in the sauna.

If Mantysaari wasn't a musician, he would have like to become a professional athlete or a LEGO engineer.

Learn even more about him here.