Raptore has been carving their path in the heavy metal scene since 2012, blending elements of classic heavy metal and thrash to create their own electrifying sound. Originally formed in Argentina before relocating to Spain, the band has steadily gained recognition for their high-energy performances and dynamic songwriting. With influences ranging from Kiss and AC/DC to Megadeth and Judas Priest, Raptore delivers a sound that pays homage to the greats while forging their own distinct identity. In this interview, we dive into the band’s origins, their latest album Renaissance, and what lies ahead for them in 2025.
Interview
TheNwothm: Can you introduce yourselves and where you are from?
R: Hi there! Pleased to answer your questions for The Nwothm! We are Nico Cattoni (vocals and guitar) from Argentina and Jamie Killhead (guitar), Cristian Blade (bass) and Ángel Smolski (drums), from Barcelona, Spain.
TheNwothm: How did Raptore form back in 2012? Was there a specific event or connection that brought the band members together?
R: Not really. I was actually working on the idea of forming a band more oriented towards American thrash and classic heavy metal at the time. I shared my project with several fellow musicians from La Plata until some of them decided to join and start the band with me, like Ruso and Michel, the first guitarist and bassist.
TheNwothm: How did you come up with the name “Raptore,” and does it have a special meaning for the band?
R: To be honest, it doesn’t have a very deep meaning. I’ve always thought of band names as something anecdotal. I think band names matter only at the beginning of the project, when you’re creating it. Eventually, the band’s name becomes just anecdotal, and it doesn’t have to follow a direct connection with the band’s content. Bands change a lot over time (most of them), but the name remains the same: old. It’s not like an album name, where you have the chance to show the world your current artistic vision. No, the band name stays unchanged, even if you’ve shifted to a different vision for the band. For instance, what connection exists between the name ‘Megadeth’ or ‘Metallica’ and songs called ‘I’ll Be There’ or ‘Inamorata’? None. Those song names have nothing to do with strong, heavy names like the ones mentioned earlier and it’s fine.
So, in our personal example, when I was playing with the idea of starting a band back in high school, I came up with the idea of a ‘raptor’ dinosaur, inspired by an old dinosaur book I had. I added the letter ‘E’ at the end because at that time, my group of friends and I were goofing around by adding an ‘E’ to the end of everything we said. So that’s the origin, haha.
TheNwothm: Who are some of your biggest musical influences, and how have they shaped your style?
R: To begin with: Kiss. Kiss is my all-time favourite band and the reason I picked up a guitar in the first place. In terms of showmanship, stage presence, and live performances, I’ve always looked up to Paul Stanley as my main reference.
Besides Kiss, there are countless bands that have influenced me and, eventually, Raptore’s sound—AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, Megadeth, Judas Priest, Black Sabbath—the list could go on forever, from classic bands to lesser-known ones across the rock spectrum.
TheNwothm: Are there any non-musical influences, like books, films, or personal experiences, that have shaped your work?
R: Totally, all of them. If you read the lyrics, you’ll find texts inspired in movies and books such as Dracula, Interview with the vampire, Only lovers left alive, Todos los fuegos el fuego by Cortázar, Abaddon, el Exterminador by Sábato. Even our new song Requiescat In Pace, the idea came after watching a Buffy the vampire slayer episode haha.
TheNwothm: What inspired each of you to pick up your respective instruments or start singing?
R: In my case, I think I decided to study guitar after seeing a couple of friends taking guitar lessons and thinking that that was cool. At the same time, I was starting to listen to rock music, and after falling for Kiss and AC/DC, I asked my parents to buy me a classical guitar.
Regarding singing, I remember thinking at some point about what my approach to my own songs would be: Do I want to be the frontman and carry my own message, or do I feel comfortable just standing on the side while my songs are sung by someone else? Do I want to be Dave Mustaine or Gary Holt? That was the rationale behind my decision to start singing. That was when I realized I wanted to sing and started doing both things with Raptore.
TheNwothm: What was the heavy metal scene like in Argentina when you started, and how does it compare to what you’ve experienced in Spain?
R: When I started in Argentina, there were very few bands doing the kind of heavy metal we do. Certainly, there were no bands like ours in La Plata, I tell you that. I remember just a couple, like Falcon, for instance, from Buenos Aires, or Tungsteno in a more thrashy direction, but not much more. Then the scene started to grow, and now we can see more bands taking care of their image, their communication, and their music.
Moving to Spain was, in a way, similar because, even though there were already a lot of bands here, it wasn’t until 2018 or 2019 that a great number of bands started to rise, now with a more cohesive and refined concept. It was as if the NWOTHM movement, which was already happening in North America and Sweden, arrived late to Spain, and even later to Argentina
TheNwothm: If you could revisit and re-record any of the songs from the demo you put out in 2014, would you? Or do you prefer to leave it as a snapshot of that time in Raptore’s journey?
R: Nah, I wouldn’t do that. I’ve thought about it several times, mainly to improve the singing on the songs from the Demo 2014 or even the Rage N’ Fever album, but I prefer to leave it as it is—like a timestamp of the band at that moment. Maybe I’d re-record or offer a new version of a specific song at some point, but nothing else.
TheNwothm: Rage n’ Fever was your first full-length release. How did it feel to create and share that album, and what impact did it have on your career?
R: Well it was pretty hard to record ‘Rage N’ Fever’. We were from La Plata, and the studio was in Ciudad de Buenos Aires, so we had to travel every day we had studio sessions. Sometimes it was like traveling to Bs As early in the morning and then at midday, rushing back to La Plata to work on our regular jobs in the evening. Michel, our bass player at that time, was living in the south of the country, so he also had to come from there specifically to record their parts and then return.
At that time we didn’t have a drummer either, so we hired a session drummer and fortunately he got us a good deal with the studio producer as they were colleagues. There is the economical side too, because at that time we didn’t have any band money so everything was afforded by ourselves and our realities were not that much auspicious. So with all that as context, it was kind of a ‘miracle’ to have Rage N’ Fever done. Even with its limitations, the impact was great, as it opened up the doors to the band to be known internationally, to play with bands such as Exciter and Enforcer, and to close a deal with a German label so the album was released here in Europe.
TheNwothm: Outside of music, what are some of your hobbies or interests? Do they influence your music in any way?
R: As mentioned before, movies and books are part of my hobbies and they have a great impact on the outcome of Raptore’s music.
TheNwothm: If you weren’t playing heavy metal, what kind of music do you think you’d be making—or would you be doing something entirely different?
R: Well, I studied Orchestral Conducting, so maybe if I had continued at the university, I would have ended up in the classical music environment. Besides that, I’ve studied jazz guitar and I love blues, so who knows!
TheNwothm: Your latest album, Renaissance (2024), marks another milestone. How does it differ from your earlier work, both in sound and themes?
R: I think, in terms of themes, it is a different approach to darkness, which is the same theme as ‘Blackfire’. Darkness is intrinsic to Raptore’s music, but this time, we moved towards it from a different perspective: a little bit more melodic, letting classic rock intervene more strongly than in our previous work. Maybe it was a mix between ‘Rage N’ Fever’ and ‘Renaissance’, but with darkness as our guiding north.
TheNwothm: What’s your creative process like? How do songs typically come together for Raptore? Especially in the instance of Renaissance?
R: The process is pretty much the same; there were no differences in ‘Renaissance’. I just add elements from different genres or types of music that truly transmit emotion to me, and I bring them in and adapt them to Raptore’s context. At some point, we end up with a consistent body of work—a collection of songs that share a similar vibe—and that is when we decide to record them and finally complete the album. The only difference with ‘Renaissance’ was the addition of Cristian as a singer and songwriter. The song Imperium was entirely written by him, and he takes care of the lead vocals on it.
TheNwothm: What’s been your most memorable live performance so far, and why?
R: Heavy Metal Thunder in the Czech Republic was a great one. It was our first time playing there, and the response of the people singing our songs and buying a lot of merch was incredible. We didn’t expect that and it was very impressive!
TheNwothm: For someone new to Raptore, which song or album would you recommend they start with, and why?
R: I would recommend the song ‘Blackfire’ from the eponymous album!
TheNwothm: What are Raptore’s plans for 2025 and beyond? Do you have any tours, new music, or surprises in the works?
R: We’ll be presenting the album in Spain through several concerts across the country and, eventually, at some festivals in Europe that haven’t been confirmed yet. Other than that, we are already working on our next album.
TheNwothm: Where can fans buy your music/merch and connect with you?
R: All music and merch-related items can be purchased at:
https://raptore.bandcamp.com/.
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TheNwothm: Anything else you would like to mention?
R: Thank you very much for the opportunity! See you around!
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