Teemu Mäntysaari never expected to be shredding alongside Dave Mustaine in Megadeth. But when the opportunity arose, the Finnish guitarist's dedication to preparation and his diverse musical background proved to be the perfect fit for the legendary thrash metal band.
"I never thought something like this would happen to me," Mäntysaari told Guitar World in a recent interview, "But at the same time, I've always felt like being prepared was important in case a big band like this did call me."
Mäntysaari's journey began at the age of 12, honing his skills in his hometown of Tampere, Finland. He cut his teeth in bands like Wintersun and Smackbound, developing a reputation for versatility and a knack for quickly adapting to new musical situations.
This adaptability became crucial when he received the call to fill in for Megadeth's longtime guitarist, Kiko Loureiro. With limited time to prepare, Mäntysaari dove headfirst into the band's extensive catalog, meticulously dissecting the nuances of each song.
"I have a specific skillset where I can learn fast, jump into new situations, and be comfortable. I've always liked doing that. I love teaching, and I've been on many cover projects, so being detail-oriented is part of my skill set," he explained.
His meticulous approach and dedication to detail impressed Megadeth's frontman, Dave Mustaine. What began as a temporary fill-in role has now become a permanent position for Mäntysaari.
"We'd look at the small details of how they groove, the moods, and the technical side. We talked a lot about what Dave wants to project, picking directions, being very aware of down-picking, alternate picking, and, in many of the songs, being aware of both," Mäntysaari elaborated regarding his approach to playing Megadeth's material.
"We also talked about things like dampening, the flow of songs, creating contrast, hand positions, and trying to get things right fingering-wise, all of which I enjoy doing. There's a bit of detective work involved, and to get that information from the source in Dave was amazing."
