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Last Updated on 01:20 PM by Giorgos Tsekas
When did you come up with the idea to start your own Thrash/Death band?
Thrash metal was my first true love in music and I’ve always wanted to play in a thrash band. When I left Malevolent Creation in 2014 I figured that all of the songs I had written for the next album were basically thrash songs with blast beats so it was just natural to simply turn the dial more towards thrash with higher tuned guitars and thrashier vocals.
Would you consider Create A Kill as a super group project?
I guess so, but I look at it as more of me being blessed to have some good friends in the business who were willing to help me out…and for that I am grateful!
How did you end up on this name?
I was listening to a Kreator song and one of the lines was “create a corpse” speaking about murder (“Ripping Corpse”, the second song on Pleasure To Kill). I thought it was really cool way of saying commit murder but corpse was too death metal so kill fit the thrash vibe.
I think that some of the songs that appear on “Summoned To Rise” were intended to be on a Malevolent Creation album, is it true?
Yes, I think 2 or 3 of them were. Once I decided to write an entire album it was easy to stay on point as far as vibe and overall compositions. Malevolent was always a very thrash influenced death metal band so I just flipped it to create a kill being a very death metal influenced thrash band.
As a composer of Malevolent Creation I think it was easier for you to write on lower tuned guitars. How did you end on a Thrashier pattern?
Like I said, to me MC was heavily thrash influenced. If took most any song and re recorded them with higher tuned guitars and vocals you’d have a thrash album…a killer one at that! So I would continue writing songs in C sharp (MC tuning) and then simply record them in D sharp for create a kill. It actually made the songs sound so much faster and aggressive! I was much stoked on this writing style! And then simply use more slayer skank beats and use blast beats as seasoning.
Do you prefer the role of the drummer or the guitarist?
I haven’t quite figured that out yet! Haha! I love playing drums probably more than guitar but writing songs is also very rewarding. Being both has certainly helped in each world. As a guitar player when I hear guitar parts that I need to write drum parts to I can think like a guitar player and vice versa. Plus it helps a lot when it comes to recording…when I have an idea I can record a complete demo within hours. That said in create a kill I would prefer to be just the guitar player and I think the next album will reflect that as I plan on not playing drums at all on it…or maybe just a couple of songs.
Why did you use so many drummers on recording the album?
My initial idea was to have a different drummer on each song but that would require a massive budget which I did not have. I guess I wanted to just be a guitar player for a change and I am very fortunate to have so many great drummers as good friends.
Which are main influences as an artist?
I think it’s pretty obvious isn’t it? Haha! Mostly I think Slayer, Dark Angel, Kreator, old Sepultura, Devastation and of course Malevolent Creation.
The production of the album is almost perfect, the compositions are cool (off the record: personally speaking I think that the artwork cover even though is sick it’s a bit childish…) but would you change anything on this album?
Thank you for the kind words! The cover art is always open to interpretation but I was clearly going for that Reign In Blood, South Of Heaven vibe…and those covers were always subject to either praise or scrutiny so mission accomplished I guess?! Haha! I would have liked to have done the entire album in one session as opposed to several for more consistency but overall I am pretty happy with everything. I certainly took a lot of time with it!
Do you intend on touring with Create A Kill?
I would love to but it all depends on public demand. If the album sells well enough then that will create a demand for a live show and nothing would make me happier! So we’ll see…
Which your future plans are with Create A Kill and which as an individual artist on the other bands you are into?
Right now I’ve already written 3 new songs and this time I want to blend more grindcore elements with thrash than death metal. Think “world downfall” meets “reign in blood”. As far as Gruesome we’re working on booking another Euro tour and a proper US tour then new album perhaps later in the year. Daniel will be very busy with Possessed as their new album drops in 2019 so we’ll see.
How did you end up in Repulsive Echo?
Kostas was always very supportive and helpful so here we are.
What led you be a musician and what were your goals back then?
When I first heard Reign in Blood back in 1987 nothing in my life had impacted me so deeply. I had a bit of a rough childhood and that aggression and evil just resonated with me on an almost spiritual level. I can’t really explain why, but I just KNEW that I had to be a musician and wouldn’t even entertain other goals in life. Back then I just wanted to be famous guitar player or drummer and I was into death and thrash metal so it wasn’t entirely about getting chicks either haha! Music is the single biggest factor in my life that all else revolves around. It certainly is fraught with troubles and stresses but I couldn’t see me doing anything else.
How many of these goals have you achieved so far and what are the next ones you’ll be setting?
Well I guess I have become well known in the metal community and have toured the world so 14yr old Gus’s dreams have come true, somewhat at least. Back then I didn’t think about money and real life so as an adult you must understand that extreme metal usually won’t pay the bills so you have to adapt and become versatile enough to keep money coming in if you want to remain a full time musician. That meant learning other styles of music, which I have grown to enjoy quite a lot actually. At home you can find me 3-5 nights a week playing top 40 hits in a corporate/club date cover band. Future goals would be to get create a kill on tour, make even more money with the corporate band so I can buy a home and have health insurance (American issues), continue to hopefully grow Gruesome as a band, and to continue to grow myself as an artist and human being.
That’s all from me. You can close this interview anyway you see most fit.
Thank you very much for the interview and support! Hopefully I will come through either with Create a Kill or Gruesome. Cheers!
