Metal Hammer 4.1.2018

THE METAL TEST
Pitting your heroes against the test that really matters
TARJA TURUNEN

WHAT'S THE MOST ILLEGAL THING YOU'VE EVER DONE?
"Getting speeding tickets, I love driving but my problem is I love driving fast. In Finland, there's no way in hell you can drive without getting a fine – plus the police aren't corrupt so if you're a girl, smiling or crying doesn't help you out of fines."

WHAT'S THE MOST METAL ALBUM YOU OWN?
"Even though my music is quite different, Slipknot's All Hope Is Gone has been very inspirational for me. Psychosocial hit me hard and I love the melody, the power and the heavy riffing. It's from 2008 but it still sounds so fresh."

WHAT'S THE WORST INJURY YOU'VE EVER HAD?
"I went hiking in Lapland when I was 18 and broke both my knees because my backpack was too heavy. I hiked 28km the first day and I felt a really bad pain in one knee, the second day I walked 16km and my other knee broke. I still walked 16km on the third day because there was no phone signal to call for help, but I was so destroyed that I crawled the last 3km. The hospital said I must never put on weight because my knees won't handle it. Luckily I'm in great shape now!"

WHAT'S THE MOST YOU'VE EVER BEEN SICK?
"Luckily I've never been too sick but I came down with a fever and severe flu in high school and I was stuck in bed for more than a week, I couldn't even walk to the toilet. I must've killed every piece of shit in my body that was trying to kill me because I've been pretty healthy ever since."

WHAT'S THE GROSSEST THING YOU'VE EVER HAD IN YOUR MOUTH?
"Even though I've travelled around the world and I'm brave enough to try any foods, we have an Easter delicacy in Finland that everyone should avoid - mämmi. You eat it with milk usually but it looks just like a dark poop and it tastes like one, too."

WHAT'S THE WORST FIGHT YOU'VE EVER BEEN IN?
"I'm not a fighter. I have been married for 17 years and we discuss rather than fight. I've witnessed and been part of fights between my parents in the past. It would be easy to get lost in that situation but I have learned to work things out if I'm unhappy."

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU BLED?
"I was bleeding quite a lot when I had nose surgery in August after years of breathing problems. The bleeding got worse when they removed the blockages they put in a week later. I can breathe clearly now, though!"

WHAT'S THE RAREST PIECE OF MERCHANDISE YOU OWN?
"The living legend Michael Monroe gave me his hand fan while we were filming The Voice in Finland. He waves a fan around at every show because the studio lights make us sweat like crazy and because he's a gentleman with the biggest heart, he gave me his own personal fan!"

WHAT'S YOUR MOST PAINFUL TATTOO OR PIERCING?
"I only have one tattoo and it was very painful! I have big and colourful flowers on my leg and it took five hours. It was hurting so much that I wanted to kill the artist but at the same time I wanted her to finish it so I didn't have to come back another day!"

WHAT'S THE MOST METAL PICTURE ON YOUR PHONE?
"I actually captured quite a metal picture last year when I held my phone towards the crowd when I was singing at Wacken Open Air. That was a very metal audience and a very pretty sight!"

FINAL SCORE: 6/10. IT'S A SOLID IF UNSPECTACULAR SHOWING FROM TARJA, BUT SHE DESERVES EXTRA KUDOS FOR SMASHING HER KNEES UP. BRUTAL. TARJA'S LATEST ALBUM, FROM SPIRITS AND GHOSTS, IS OUT NOW VIA EARMUSIC

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