What a ride! Helsinki’s metal pastor Haka Kekäläinen told me the incredible story of his life, I put it into words, and together we turned it into this book. It took us more than a year, plenty of discussions, laughter, even tears, and probably a few moments of madness. And now it’s here: Metal Priest.
Writing Haka’s story has been an adventure in itself. He is one of those people you simply don’t forget – unconventional, passionate, stubborn, funny and full of surprises. And a true believer! What a remarkable man. What a story. And what a privilege to tell it together. It was released in Finland on the 18th of September, and it’s available on Amazon (at least the Kindle version). The back cover sais:
He wears a leather jacket over a clerical collar. Tattoos trace his arms. And when he steps to the altar, electric guitars thunder Lutheran hymns. Haka Kekäläinen is no ordinary priest.
In this gripping memoir, he recounts the journey of a rebellious Finnish boy marked by drinking, fighting, defying authority, and wrestling with inner turmoil, until faith found him amid chaos. From restless teenage years to the founding of the global MetalMass movement, his story unfolds with disarming honesty and raw intensity.
This is not a tale of perfection, but of transformation: of a man who discovered that God does not wait in silence, but meets us in the noise, in doubt, and in brokenness. A fierce and vulnerable life shaped by adventure, failure, love, tears, and unexpected grace.
Haka Kekäläinen with Kathrin Benz, by Calidris Kustanus, Helsinki, 18. September 2026 on Amazon