Sami Yli-Sirniö


Sami Yli-Sirniö is a Finnish musician. He is currently the lead guitarist of Finnish metal bands Waltari, Barren Earth and German thrash metal band Kreator. He spent part of his life in Germany and thus has strong ties with the German metal scene. German Rock Hard magazine featured him in 2007 as "forgotten guitar hero".

Biography

While living in Germany, he served as a session musician for rock band In Rags, gothic act Tiamat and thrash metal band Grip Inc. For both Tiamat and Grip Inc., he played sitar, his second favourite instrument. Yli-Sirniö is currently endorsed by Ibanez.

Waltari (1989-1995, 2001-present)

Yli-Sirniö originally joined experimental Finnish crossover legend Waltari in 1989, left the band 1995 to live in Germany and returned 2001. So far he recorded eight studio albums with Waltari. Yli-Sirniö likes to explore other opportunities and has many guest appearances with other bands.

Kreator (2001-present)

He also replaced injured Swiss guitarist Tommy Vetterli on some live dates for Teutonic thrash metal pioneers Kreator.
In 2001, Vetterli departed and Yli-Sirniö was asked to replace him on a permanent basis. To this day, he has appeared in five studio albums with the band: 2001's Violent Revolution, 2005's Enemy of God, 2009's Hordes of Chaos, 2012's Phantom Antichrist and 2017's Gods of Violence. He also appears on the Live Kreation double-album and DVD, released in 2003 as well as the live album Dying Alive released in 2013.

Barren Earth (2007-present)

Yli-Sirniö is the lead guitarist in the progressive death metal band Barren Earth, while not officially a supergroup, the band does consist of prominent members of other metal bands such as Jón Aldará of Hamferð, Janne Perttilä of Rytmihäiriö and Moonsorrow, Olli-Pekka "Oppu" Laine of Amorphis