BATTLE BEAST Didn't Consider Any Other Singers Before Recruiting MARINA LA TORRACA To Replace NOORA LOUHIMO

In an interview with SDTV – Stonedead Festival, BATTLE BEAST bassist and founding member Eero Sipilä and new singer Marina La Torraca spoke about the recent departure of longtime BATTLE BEAST frontwoman Noora Louhimo and the addition of La Torraca. Regarding how it feels for her to come into the band and put her own stamp on things, Marina said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's a big honor. That's the first thing I'd like to say. I'm super honored. It's a mix of feelings, because we've been working super hard, playing this whole summer season. And summer season is also — it's always a bit more demanding than a regular tour. We were just talking about that, 'cause there's a lot of traveling, there's a lot of sometimes not sleeping, playing two shows in a row that you didn't sleep to the other one. And I'm just being thrown in the lion pit from the beginning. First was the Asian tour [in March], and then we had, like, a small break that was not really a break. We were already rehearsing for this and doing other stuff. The boys have had a lot to do as well, because, yeah, everything happened super fast, with Noora's departing the band, and then me joining. That was just, like, 'Okay. Go, go, go.'"

On the topic of how Marina was chosen to the new singer of BATTLE BEAST, Eero said: "Well, we really had to think on our feet when, late last summer, Noora announced that she was gonna leave. [We were], like, 'Oh, shit. Oh, shit. Oh, shit. We need to get a new singer now.' We even already had shows booked. And, well, I was a bit kind of catatonic. I was, like, 'Ugh, I don't know what to do.' But thankfully, Joona [Björkroth], our lead guitar player, was really Johnny-on-the-spot, and he immediately started… working like clockwork, looking out for new singers. And we did absolutely did not end up with a shortlist of or any kind or different plans. We just were, like, 'Here's Marina. She sounds great. She seems great. Let's ask her. Let's see what she responds.' And the rest is history. There was no list. There was no list. We just had Marina. She was the only person we considered asking, the only person we asked. And in hindsight, I'm happy that things went like that because, if we would have had more time to think and consider and rethink, things could have gone a lot worse, if you start questioning yourself, 'Oh, is she the perfect person after all?' But we really had to think on our feet."

Marina chimed in: "Yeah, because the thing is you never know. You really never know. And then, of course, if you're putting on paper qualities from a person and another, and it's, like, what am I gonna…? You know, the singing this and the personality this… And now that I know these guys, I can also understand a little bit more. It's kind of an intuition group decision that was made, and then you guys were, like, 'Okay, let's stick to it.' It was not a casting, an elaborate casting, because I've worked in musical theater, and I know what months of audition is like, and then you're like next phase, and next phase, and I've been there. So I was expecting actually something like that. I was, like, 'Oh, this is gonna be like an audition process.' But it wasn't."

Added Eero: "Yeah, but sometimes you really need to take that leap of faith, and this was that kind of situation for us. There is no other way to do it. We can't go on a two-year hiatus and then discreetly start looking for people. We just have [to be], like, 'We need to go now. Let's go with her.'"

Marina also talked about BATTLE BEAST's plans for new music with her on vocals, saying: "To be honest, we're just doing, like, a big experiment. We're gonna start right after the summer season is over. Yeah, we're gonna see what we're gonna do, because BATTLE BEAST has always written like this, I think, from what I've heard. They don't have a formula. It's not like... They feel it, and then they write what they want to, what they believe in. Yeah. Like, 'This is good.' So we'll try to get to that. As long as what we're doing is good, then I'm not even caring much, like, 'Is this my stamp? Is this my signature?' It's not really about that. But it's more, like, 'Let's see what we can create together and make it good.'"

BATTLE BEAST played its first concert with La Torraca on March 6 at WWWX in Tokyo, Japan.

When BATTLE BEAST announced Noora's departure in December 2025, the band said that she was exiting the group "to focus on her solo career." The group added that it was "excited" to work with La Torraca, a Brazilian vocalist from São Paulo, best known as the powerhouse frontwoman of modern metal band PHANTOM ELITE and as a member of the symphonic metal project EXIT EDEN.

Sipilä previously admitted to Australia's Metal Mal that he was in "absolute shock" when Noora announced to the rest of BATTLE BEAST that she was intending to leave the band. "It totally came out of the blue, completely random to me," he said. "But, yeah, after that, slowly over time, I just kind of started thinking that this band has been around before [Noora], so why couldn't it be afterwards? I've been in this band for 17 years. I'm gonna keep going. And that was the common mood. And then we just really started actively searching for new singers. And, yeah, Marina's name came on top of our list. We called her. She was interested. We flew her over to Finland. Stuff worked out. And now we have a new singer. That's how it kind of went down, in a nutshell."

La Torraca began performing in her teens in local cover bands before moving into formal training, including studying musical theatre in New York.

Renowned for her versatile, commanding vocal range, Marina effortlessly transitions from dramatic, melodic passages to fierce, harsh screams. Alongside her career in metal, she has starred in professional musical theatre productions across German-speaking countries. Beyond the stage, she is also an accomplished graphic designer, vocal coach, producer, and songwriter.

When La Torraca's addition to BATTLE BEAST was announced in December 2025, she said in a statement: "When I first saw an e-mail with both BATTLE BEAST and my name in the subject line, I honestly thought it had to be a mistake. But once I opened it, I couldn't have been happier. I'm incredibly honored to be part of this new chapter and deeply grateful for the trust and support from the band.

"Is it a little terrifying to follow in the wake of a vocal legend like Noora? You bet! Is it also very exciting? Absolutely. BATTLE BEAST is one of the hardest-working and most genuinely talented bands out there, and I'm proud to be here to help them keep growing and spreading joy. Buckle up — this is going to be fun."

In a statement announcing her departure from BATTLE BEAST, Noora said: ""For 13 years I got to grow, learn, develop and explore with BATTLE BEAST who I am as a musician and as a person. And now my heart desires more adventures, and flying with my own wings towards my dreams that I can only pursue if I give them my full attention.

"Life is full of different eras and now it is time for a new one."I am forever grateful and love BATTLE BEAST and our fans. This is not the end, this is a beginning of a new adventure for both of us. See you soon Little Beasts!"

Louhimo joined BATTLE BEAST in 2012 with no previous experience as a metal vocalist but quickly acclimated herself as the replacement for Nitte Valo (a.k.a. Nitte Vänskä).

BATTLE BEAST's seventh studio album, "Steelbound", came out in October 2025 via Nuclear Blast.

Photo credit: Jord Otto