Circus Of Rock Biography

Mirka “Leka” Rantanen is one of Finland’s most experienced hard rock and heavy metal drummers. With a career spanning more than 35 years and credits on over 40 albums, he has worked with a wide range of bands and artists across the Finnish and international rock scenes. Alongside his work as a drummer, Rantanen is the creator and driving force behind Circus of Rock, an international melodic hard rock project that has evolved from a studio collaboration into a full-fledged band.

Throughout his career, Rantanen has worked with Thunderstone, King Company, Raskasta Joulua, Kotipelto, Warmen, Northern Kings and Revolution Renaissance, among others.

His work across these projects has established him as a familiar name in Finnish rock and metal, with experience ranging from power metal to melodic hard rock and collaborative vocal projects.

In 2009, Rantanen co-created Hevisaurus, a heavy metal band aimed at children. Combining heavy riffs, colourful characters and family-friendly lyrics, the band introduced a new generation of listeners to heavy music and became a major success in Finland. Hevisaurus received an Emma Award in 2011, highlighting the impact of the concept and Rantanen’s ability to work beyond the traditional boundaries of hard rock and metal.

Rantanen launched Circus of Rock in 2021 with the release of its debut album, Come One, Come All, through Frontiers Music. The album featured an international lineup of guest vocalists, including Elise Ryd, Johnny Gioeli, Marko Hietala, Danny Vaughn and Rick Altzi. The idea was to bring together established singers from different parts of the rock and metal world, with Rantanen providing the musical direction and bringing the various contributions together under one project.

The second album, Lost Behind the Mask, followed in 2023. Its guest lineup included Jeff Scott Soto, Mark Boals, Bernie Shaw, Mr Lordi and David Readman. The album continued the project’s melodic hard rock approach, using a diverse lineup of vocalists while retaining a consistent musical identity across the material.

Circus of Rock made its live debut with a short Finnish tour in the spring of 2023. In September 2024, Rantanen announced that the project was becoming a permanent band, marking a shift from a studio-based concept towards a more established live act. American vocalist Mark Boals, known for his work with Yngwie Malmsteen, Dokken and Ted Nugent, joined as the band’s lead singer. The lineup also features Finnish musicians Samuli Federley and Vesa Virtanen on guitars, Jari Pailamo on keyboards and JJ Hjelt of Kenziner on bass, with Rantanen on drums.The band’s third album, Hellfire, was released on June 30, 2025, through Lions Pride Music. It marked the first album released under the band’s established lineup, bringing together Boals’s vocals and Rantanen’s musical direction with the contributions of the Finnish musicians.

With its permanent lineup, Circus of Rock is now focused on taking its melodic hard rock to live audiences and developing the project beyond the studio. The combination of Rantanen’s extensive experience and Boals’s international background gives the band a foundation for further activity in Finland and abroad.

In September 2026, Circus of Rock began working with Boogieman Live Management to develop live opportunities in Finland and abroad. The band is currently in the studio recording its next album, which is scheduled for release in May 2027.

Samuli Federley – Guitar

Vesa Virtanen – Guitar

Jari Pailamo – Keyboards

JJ Hjelt (Kenziner) – Bass