Interview

TheNwothm: Hey there! Can you first of all introduce the band, the members and where you are from?

S.R:Hey Rob, Nir Beer here, thanks for hosting the interview! Speedrush is a metal band from Athens, Greece, we have been around since 2005 offering traditional speed/thrash metal with as many additional elements as we feel is appropriate to develop our personal sound. 

TheNwothm: And how did the band form all the way back in 2005?

S.R:We started as I imagine most metal bands do, just kids that are inspired by their musical heroes and trying to forge their own sound and have fun.

TheNwothm: How do you define your sound, and which bands or artists have been your biggest influences?

S.R:We play primarily traditional speed and thrash metal as we have been big fans of this sound for decades, and we add other diverse elements like more melody or more technicality or more speed and aggression to serve the good flow of the songs and build our sound. Some indicative influences should be Destruction, Sodom, Kreator Iron Maiden, early Helloween and Savage Grace, Rigor Mortis, Accept, Megadeth etc.

TheNwothm: The Greek metal scene has produced many great bands. How do you see Speedrush’s role within this community?

S.R:We are proud to be part of Greece’s great scene which has skyrocketed in the last decade and to have shared the stage and be friends with some of the bands that have released some amazing releases in the last years!

TheNwothm: You’re currently signed with Jawbreaker Records. How has the partnership with them impacted your career?

S.R:Jawbreaker are a mighty force in the worldwide underground metal scene and our partnership has been amazing so far, we liked their approach from the beginning – professional yet passionate about heave metal – and this played a big role in joining our forces. They do good promotion and their physical releases are high-quality in all formats!

TheNwothm: Now to the music! “Chains of Misery” was your debut single. What was the creative process behind this release, and how was it received by the metal community at the time?

S.R:Oh man that feels a million years ago… this was our first song that we recorded, the lyrics deal with drugs and additions and it was just a small first step for us, this was a homemade release which we released in about 20-30 copies if I remember right and distributed to friends… come to think of it even I might not have a copy of it hahah

TheNwothm: “Endless War” marked your first full-length album. What inspired the title and themes of this release?

S.R:“Endless War” was a big step forward for us as our debut album, we have several different lyrical themes however the title (and intro song) are an anti-war statement.

TheNwothm: Looking back, how do you feel about “Endless War” today? Are there any tracks from the album that you feel particularly proud of?

S.R:We are very proud of this release, for sure there are things we would change if we could, compared to Speedrush of 2025 this album sounds a bit amateurish if I may say, but all in all i’m still very proud of this step. Favourite songs include Speedrush, Into the Abyss and Plague Storm. The album marks our collaboration with legendary illustrator Philip Lawvere (Kreator, Celtic Frost, Rage etc) and we managed to play several gigs for the album promotion in couple of years following its release, both in Greece and abroad so we have many dear memories from this era of the band. 

TheNwothm: After releasing albums over nearly two decades, how do you keep your sound fresh while staying true to the core of Speedrush?

S.R:Well with just 2 albums in almost 20 years that’s not very hard hahah… joke aside though there is a benefit in not releasing very often albums and that is that you have enough time to focus and work on your material. Songwriting the evolution is chaotic between “Endless War” and “Division Mortality” and you can clearly hear it on our second album.

TheNwothm: Are there any shared hobbies or interests among the members outside of music?

S.R:To be honest we don’t have much time for hobbies these days as most of us are working many hours per week, having families etc.

TheNwothm: Can you tell us more about the inspiration behind the title “Division Mortality?“

S.R: Sure, so “Division Mortality” talks about the human nature which is to be divided all the time, with every opportunity and to often result to wars, we are constantly lacking the wisdom to be united. Adding the mortal nature of us humans, the title has a dual meaning, Division referring to both being divided, but also as a military unit. So as a whole we are both mortal, and divided, which is very pessimistic, but it’s the ugly truth.

TheNwothm: How does “Division Mortality” build upon the foundation you laid with “Endless War?” Are there noticeable changes in sound or lyrical focus?

S.R:The foundations were laid on “Endless War,” however we did a huge step forward with “Division Mortality,” both song-writing and production wise. The second album is more fast and aggressive, but also more melodic and balanced, overall it is more mature and we put a lot of time in the song structures and solos which is obvious from the get-go of the album. Production wise it sound professional for the simple reason that we trusted a professional studio (Matrix Studios based in Athens) that managed to give our sound a sharp edge while maintaining the balance and giving each instrument its own space. Nothing is buried, nothing is too loud, nothing sounds plastic or fake – we are very happy with the album sound.

TheNwothm: Do you each have a track that you are particularly fond of?

S.R:I love almost all songs of the album equally but I will say Ride with Death and Sons of Thunder as I love the structure and flow on both.

TheNwothm: How would you describe the energy of a Speedrush live performance?

S.R: Definitely high energy, lots of speed, headbanging, beer-drinking.

TheNwothm: What are your touring plans for 2025?

S.R: We do have some gig plans but I wont be able to give you specifics at the moment.

TheNwothm: So thinking forward what is next for the band musically?

S.R: We already started to compose songs for the third album, and play live as much as life conditions allow!

TheNwothm: Where can fans buy your music and merch?

S.R: Our releases and merch are available at our bandcamp page – and at our gigs: 

Bandcamp: https://speedrush.bandcamp.com/album/division-mortality

S.R: Feel free to drop us a message on Facebook or Instagram in case of any questions or just to say hi!

TheNwothm: Is there anything else you would like to mention?

S.R: Be sure to check out Division Mortality (full album is available for stream in all major platforms), support the underground, stay metal and stay safe! Thank you for your time Rob and TheNwothm!