TURISAS Records BONEY M Cover

Finland's battle metallers TURISAS will be swapping their blood soaked furs and axes for the glitter and glitz of the '70s disco era with the release of their debut single, "Rasputin" (a cover of the classic disco hit originally recorded by BONEY M), on September 24.

Commented TURISAS' Warlord Nygard: "We've been begged to record 'Rasputin' pretty much since we first played it live a couple of years back. It's amazing how popular this cover version of ours have become at our gigs during the last year and it really makes us feel like we must have done something right here looking at big crowds going totally mental over a '70s disco hit! I remember getting the idea for this cover years back — in 2001, I think. I was on a ferry trip between Finland and Sweden and there was this cover band performing '70s disco hits. The minute they blasted 'Rasputin' I knew, that at some point, we would need to do it in some form or another. It was just obvious that it would work amazingly well given a slightly more modern and heavier touch-up. Personally I've always preferred these old '70s disco bands."

TURISAS filmed the video for "Rasputin" earlier this week in Hämeenlinna, Finland with director Vesa-Matti Vainio (Vasarafilms).

"We had a tough day yesterday shooting the video for 'Rasputin' and now my whole body is aching," said Warlord. "The setting for the video is really weird but cool! Think 'Saturday Night Fever' meets TURISAS with a worn out East-European twist... Mirror balls, high heels, high waists, cocktails, hotpants vs. fur, blood, dirt and sweat. Quite a combo!"

Watch TURISAS performing "Rasputin" at this year's Download festival (June 2007):