What do you get if you combine the Finnish folk tale of The Apparition of Black Castle with the caressing winds of The American Appalachian mountains?

Black River Ghost of course.

It was a fateful night in Helsinki, Finland. 
Singer/guitarist Pekko Manzin, bassist Bryan Ugartechea and drummer Sirpa Immonen of punk’n’rollers Daggerplay walked into a party intent on causing mayhem. They found some acoustic instruments and started jamming on songs Pekko had written that didn’t suit Daggerplay.
 It was clear from the get-go they were on to something special.

They got together with Perttu Kesäniemi (violin), Juhis Grönlund (mandolin) and Rudy Laakso (percussion) and with an arcane sleight of hand Black River Ghost was born!

Black River Ghost’s music is rough, spiritual and beautiful, and will surely satisfy fans of such greats as Townes Van Zandt, Hank Williams, Willie Nelson, Lead Belly, Johnny Cash, Steve Earle, Kris Kristofferson, Reverend Gary Davis and Emmylou Harris, just to name a few.

The band then entered the studio in 2022 with producer/multi-instrumentalist Bjarki Kaikumo to produce their first EP, ´Blues, Leave My Heart´. It proved to be a fruitful collaboration and it was quickly decided to start work on more tracks in the new year with the same team.

The first of these, the summer lullaby ´Strawberry Sky´ will be released on 11th of August 2023 on all the usual platforms.

Formed in 2011 out of the bohemian district of Kallio in Helsinki, Finland. Daggerplay began creating their punk, rock´n´roll style that also has influences with late seventies powerpop. With lyrics based on own experiences quite dark at times about growing up in a small town in Finland and the crazy years living London, but at the same time not forgetting the hope and humour of it all.

As part of the Kallio indie music scene they would in 2013 release their debut album, Urban Campfire Songs, and start to actively play shows in their home area and throughout the greater Helsinki region, even rocking the occasional acoustic set to many delighted fans.
In the Fall of 2018 Daggerplay would release their second album, Subterranean Reality, concreting their name in the scene while receiving positive reviews from music websites around the world.

For Daggerplay, it’s all about the songs. Delivering musical hooks and deft arrangements that provide the right touch and attitude supporting each song. There is clearly no doubt that Daggerplay is not afraid to explore across multiple genres of rock music including blues and folk.

Each member in Daggerplay has a long musical background playing and recording with various bands and touring in Europe and America.
The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Pekko Mantzin, guitarist and vocalist Tommi Luostarinen, bassist and backing vocalist Bryan Ugartechea, and drummer Sirpa Immonen.

The new single and video, Eastbound Subway Train, will be released in March 2021.

Followers of Black River Ghost