Interview with Guitarist Kyle Stevens from the band Crusader

June 24, 2025

Interview with Guitarist Kyle Stevens from the band Crusader

By Mick Michaels

Cosmick View: Hello, and welcome to The Cosmick View. Thanks for taking some time out of your day to speak with us. It's greatly appreciated.

Kyle Stevens: Thanks for having me! It’s really appreciated.

CV: Do you think modern Heavy Metal music has evolved past its origins? Or are things relatively still the same?

KS: I think when we look at the origins of Heavy Metal like Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple etc. and then look at modern metal giants like Meshuggah or Slipknot I think it’s clear the genre has moved along quite a bit. CRUSADER of course tend to lean more into the older forms of metal, so we’re much more interested in exploring its origins than where metal is currently.

CV: Does Metal still draw people to want to listen and engage the music while challenging the audience to imagine becoming a musician themselves?

KS: Personally, nothing captures my imagination like older metal. It always seemed aspirational but somehow accessible and familiar. It was why I became a musician. Whether it was the fantastical lyrics of Dio, the haunting melodies of Ozzy or the raw beginnings of heavy metal guitar which was still mixed with blues/rock n roll it was and continues to be so exciting and inspirational. On the other hand, with modern metal (especially the more extreme types) it seems far more interested in technicality and virtuosity without the songwriting elements which inspired me to be a musician in the first place. I’m not sure I would be a musician if I was only exposed to the modern hyper-technical, robotic metal of today, it just doesn’t move me in the same way. There are some incredible musicians out there today but where are the incredible songwriters?

CV: Many believe that success for a band relies on three major components; good distribution, good PR and good booking. In the new modern music industry, all of that is without a doubt achievable by the artist themselves. Do you feel more and more established acts will go the independent route and eliminate the middle man component?

KS: I think we’ve already seen this happen over the last decade, with money disappearing from the music industry, more bands are looking into how they can cut costs and do more things themselves. I think it’d be nice to free artists up to let them be artists again, rather than the necessity of them needing to do all these different roles that used to be handled by an agent/manager/label.

CV: Do you feel that the idea of a band eliminating those second and third party partnerships; labels, management, bookers, etc., and doing things on their own, is a direct result of artists and bands being misled and taken advantage of for so long?

KS: I think that’s definitely a part of it, I think mostly it comes down to finances. Labels were much wealthier, had a system for developing new artists and largely didn’t expect to recoup their investment until the third or fourth album, some bands were lucky and had great careers. For the other bands that had big record deals and huge advances back in the day, some of them still ended up owing the record label a ton of money at the end of their contracts for things they didn’t even realize they were paying for. So, some were definitely taken advantage of. I think today, bands are eliminating second and third party partnerships simply because they cannot afford it.

CV: Do you feel there is a need or want for artists of any style or genre to rise above the past and to do more musically…artistically? Or can a level of comfort be reached and maintained as a means to sustainability?

KS: I think there’s something to be said for bands that largely seek to stay within the confines of the foundations they’ve laid early in their career, I mean look at AC/DC! You know what you’re getting and it’s always great. That being said, I have great admiration for bands that always push the envelope and follow their musical hearts so to speak. Rush are a great example of that, their fearlessness to constantly evolve even in the face of adversity is very inspirational. I think as long as a band stays authentic whether they slightly iterate on their old material or go in a different direction both can be successful artistically.

CV: Many critics believe music is irrelevant today... just background noise. As a musician who is out there writing, releasing, and performing, from your perspective, do you still see music relevance in the world today? Is there a connection?

KS: Since the beginning of human civilization there has been music, there will always be music. As cliché as it sounds, music is the one universal language that transcends borders. I can’t see a future without music and if there is one I wouldn’t want to be there to see it! I do think however, a lot of modern popular music does fall into the homogenized ‘background noise’ category. We’re in dire need of a breakthrough artist that really flips the script.

CV: Has music in general split into too many genres and sub-genre classifications in an effort just to please an indecisive audience in your opinion? Is it just more of a marketing ploy to funnel buyers to a specific brand?

KS: Musicians always find it difficult to categorize themselves, so I think some sub-genres are created naturally by bands and fans and an organic community is built around it. But yes, on the other hand labels have long created sub genres in order to sell more records and when it comes to metal there is an obscene amount of sub-genres!

CV: What more can fans expect to see coming from you in 2025?

KS: We’re super excited to release our first physical release on Vinyl/CD along with merch and a new bonus track in the next few months.

CV: Thanks again for taking the time to share with our readers. We wish you all the best and continued success.

KS: Thanks so much for having me!

Check out CRUSADER at:

Spotify: In For The Kill - Single

Bandcamp: In For The Kill - Single

Instagram: www.instagram.com/thebandcrusader

https://www.metalmessage.de/PR_CRUSADER_en.php#

The Cosmick View

Where the stars always shine bright
www.thecosmickview.com
www.facebook.com/TheCosmickView

www.thecosmickvoice.com
www.anchor.fm/the-cosmick-voice

My name is Mick Michaels...I'm an artist, music fan, songwriter, producer, author, show host, big dreamer and guitarist for the traditional Heavy Metal band Corners of Sanctuary. Writing has always been a creative outlet for me; what I couldn't say in speech, I was able to do with the written word. Writing has given me a voice and a way for me to create on a multitude of platforms including music and song, articles, independent screenplays, books and now, artist interviews. The Cosmick View is an opportunity to raise the bar and showcase artists in a positive and inspirational light. For me, it's another out-of-this-world adventure.