Oz (band)

This article is about the Finnish heavy metal band. For the Japanese rock band, see Carmen Maki.

Oz (styled as OZ) is a Finnish heavy metal band, originally from Nakkila, Finland. It was formed in 1977,^[1] split in 1991 and re-established 2010.

OZ
Origin	Nakkila, Finland (1977-1983) Stockholm, Sweden (1983-present)
Genres	Heavy metal, power metal
Years active	1977-1991; 2010-present
Labels	Kräk (1982), Tyfon (1982-1987), Combat (1984), Far East Metal Syndicate (1984), Banzai (1984), RCA (1984-1987), Victoria Records (1987), Black Mark (1991), AFM (2011-2018), Spiritual Beast (2011), Metalizer (2011), Massacre Records (2018-present)
Members	Mark Ruffneck Peppi Peltola Juzzy Kangas Johnny Cross Vince Koivula
Past members	Ape DeMartini Jay C. Blade Markku Petander Costello Hautamäki Michael Lundholm Fredrik Thörnholm Jörgen Schelander Tobbe Moen Spooky Wolff Speedy Foxx Esa Niva Kari Elo Tauno Vajavaara
Website	ozofficial.com

Since 1983, OZ has been active mostly in Sweden as the band members moved to Stockholm after the release of their second album.^[1] In 2010, drummer Mark Ruffneck (born Pekka Mark), bassist and main songwriter Jay C. Blade (born Jukka Homi, but has changed his name to Jukka Lewis) and vocalist Ape De Martini (born Tapani Hämäläinen) re-formed the band, together with Costello Hautamäki and Markku Petander. As of 2016, OZ consists of four different members from Pori, Finland with Ruffneck being the original sole member.

They made a splash with their 1983 album Fire in the Brain, a NWOBHM-flavored energetic metal affair that won over critics and fans alike.^[1] The subsequent albums, however, failed to elicit the same response, and the band faded from worldwide view.^[1] The band reformed in 2010 and released Burning Leather in 2011. The album Transition State was released on 20 October 2017 by AFM Records. The latest album, Forced Commandments, was released in May 2020 by Massacre Records.

Line-up

Current members

• Mark Ruffneck (Pekka Mark) – drums, percussion (1977–1991, 2010–present)
• Peppi Peltola - bass, vocals (2015–present)
• Juzzy Kangas - guitars, vocals (2015–present)
• Johnny Cross - guitars, vocals (2015–present)
• Vince Koivula – lead vocals (2016–present)

Former live musicians

• Michel Santunione - guitar
• John Berg - guitar
• Johannes Sandberg - bass

Former members

• Ape De Martini (Tapani Hämäläinen) – lead vocals (1977–1991, 2010–2016)
• Jay C. Blade (Jukka Lewis) – bass, vocals (1982–1987, 2010–2016)
• Markku Petander – guitars (2010–2011)
• Costello Hautamäki - guitars (2010)
• Michael Lundholm – guitars (1990–1991)
• Jörgen Schelander – keyboards (1990–1991)
• Fredrik Thörnholm – bass (1990–1991)
• Tobbe Moen – bass (1990)
• Spooky Wolff – guitars (1983–1987)
• Speedy Foxx – guitars (1983–1987)
• Esa Niva – guitars (1982–1983)
• Tauno Vajavaara – bass (1977-1982)
• Kari Elo – guitars (1977-1982)

Discography

Studio albums

• Heavy Metal Heroes (OZ) (1982)
• Fire in the Brain (1983)
• III Warning (1984)
• ...Decibel Storm... (1986)
• Roll the Dice (1991)
• Dominator (Promo CD) (2011)
• Burning Leather (2011)
• Transition State (2017)
• Forced Commandments (2020)

EPs

• 1984 – Turn the Cross Upside Down

Singles

• 1982 – "Second-Hand Lady" / "Rather Knight"
• 2011 - "Dominator"
• 2012 – "The Show Must Go On" / "Signs from the Dead"
• 2023 - "Undercover" / "Wicked Vices"

Compilation albums

• 1987 – III Warning + ...Decibel Storm...
• 2012 – Vinyl Tracks

See also

• New wave of British heavy metal