HORSE OF TROJA are Henna Murto – Vocals, Niclas Blomqvist – Guitar, Vocals, Magnus Hällström – Guitar, Vocals, Lukasz Soboto – Bass, and Pertti Tikkanen – Drums
Tell us about your latest release.
Band: Our latest release, the single "No Lights," came out in June. It's a sample of what Horse of Troja sounds like with this new line-up: melodic heavy metal with reflective lyrics.
Henna: Due to personnel changes in Horse of Troja that took place this year, our latest release contains only three songs. Two of them are re-recordings of previous material, and the third is our newest track, "No Lights." It was produced quickly because we wanted to drop fresh material and happened to have some studio time left over.
How would you describe your sound?
Band: Guitar-based, riff-centric heavy metal. We make the most of having two guitarists, drawing inspiration from classic twin-guitar acts like Thin Lizzy, Iron Maiden, and Accept.
Henna: You could summarize our sound as melodious heavy hard rock. It consists of riff-driven guitar and bass work, powerful vocals, and heavy drums with double-kick action.
Lukasz: We try to keep it tight!
What themes do you write about?
Band: The band name kind of forces us to explore history and legend, like Greek mythology and Chinese folklore. But we also write about everyday topics that everyone can relate to.
Henna: Most songs traditionally touch on an unhappy love life in one way or another, haha! But we branch out, too. Our newest track, "No Lights," is about wandering alone in the dark with a touch of mysticism. The new members definitely want to introduce fresh perspectives into our songwriting.
What do you listen to when you're at home?
Niclas: It's always easy to fall back on the classic hard rock and heavy metal I grew up with. But there are great new bands out there too, like Tailgunner and InVincia—Lex Legion is pretty interesting as well. The genre still has a bright future.
Pertti: I grew up on Bachman-Turner Overdrive, Status Quo, Rainbow, Deep Purple, Magnum, Budgie, Thin Lizzy, Saxon, Accept, and Kiss, so I constantly return to that decade.
Henna: I mostly listen to rock music ranging from the '70s to the present. I love discovering new artists all the time—there’s so much out there! Beyond heavy rock, I also bump a lot of modern blues and funk.
Lukasz: My rotation covers hardcore, nu-metal, electronic, jazz, soul, rap... pretty much everything.
What has been your favorite live performance so far?
Niclas: The mini-tour of Ireland in June with the new line-up. Fantastic people all around—both the bands we shared stages with (Ren Marabou and the Berserkers, Trowsholm, and Ten Tonne Dozer) and the venue crowds.
Pertti: The original lineup fell apart in November 2025, which was incredibly stressful while searching for new members. Once this lineup solidified in January 2026, that weight vanished. Hitting the road and performing these shows with the new group felt absolutely fantastic.
Henna: With Horse of Troja? Ireland was a blast, and we made a lot of new band friends out there.
Lukasz: It’s yet to come!
Share a funny story that happened in the studio or on stage.
Niclas: We've only been together for just over six months, so we haven't had time to embarrass ourselves properly yet—ask us again after the album! The closest we've come is a classic Spinal Tap moment getting lost on remote Irish back roads instead of backstage corridors.
Henna: Me repeatedly crashing into the drum cymbals set up right behind me. I did it multiple times every time I tried to stand near my monitor, haha!
What are your favorite albums of all time?
Magnus: Anything and everything by Black Sabbath and Kingdom Come.
Niclas: Gary Moore's Run for Cover—where he really found his true hard rock voice—and W.A.S.P.'s The Crimson Idol. Few singers blend passion and pain the way Blackie Lawless does.
Pertti: Magnum’s Vigilante and On a Storyteller's Night, plus Judas Priest's British Steel and Point of Entry.
Which musician would you love to sit down with for a beer?
Magnus: Tony Iommi and Lenny Wolf.
Niclas: Dave Murray—the quietest member of Iron Maiden. We'd love to hear his side of the story.
Pertti: I've been lucky enough to meet many of my favorites, but the one I wish I could have met is John Bonham.
Henna: Bon Scott and the Young brothers.
If you were the biggest band on earth, what would be on your backstage rider?
Niclas: A full-size Trojan Horse filled with blue M&Ms! Jokes aside, we'd demand that promoters and venues give up-and-coming bands real opportunities to play live. Stage time is the only way you learn to perform.
Magnus: A full Middle Eastern buffet.
Pertti: Pork tenderloin with green peppercorn sauce.
Henna: A personal stylist to handle my makeup...
What are your plans for the near future?
Band: We're currently finishing a full-length album that showcases the current direction of Horse of Troja, and we're aiming to lock in festival slots for 2027.