KRUSHOR

“If hatred means anything to us, it’s an ignition or a musical outlet – not a symptom of a deeper conflict.”

“Even though our songs deal with anger and rage, we aren’t angry people – we approach things mostly with humor.”

“A riff needs a hook – something that sticks, something that reflects the emotional core of the song.”

“We make this music because we love it – not to please labels, media, or the scene.”

“We don’t really think about the Finnish metal scene as pressure. If anything, it gives us more creative freedom.”

“We bring our ideas to the table, test what works together, and save what doesn’t. Nothing is really wasted.”

“Raw rage turns into pure noise when it’s no longer controlled. It’s like a dam breaking and everything flooding into a channel that’s too narrow.”

“You can write about destruction and the horrors of war without turning it into slogans or blaming anyone.”

“Above all, we want to leave behind a feeling of togetherness.”

“What better way to deal with heavy emotions than shouting and playing music that fits them as loud as possible?”

With ‘Taste Of Hatred‘, Finnish thrash metal band Krushor present their first cohesive statement to the outside world:
fast, direct, and driven by controlled aggression rather than blind rage.
The EP balances raw energy with discipline, drawing from classic thrash roots while avoiding nostalgia.
To talk about hatred, control, songwriting, and what drives Krushor forward in 2025, Radio Highway Pirates’ Fok ’bs’ sat down with the band for an in-depth interview.
‘Taste Of Hatred‘ sounds less like a single theme and more like an emotional state.
Is hatred for you more of an ignition, a release valve – or a symptom of a deeper conflict?
“Hatred is not a symptom of a deeper conflict for us. If hatred means anything to us, it is an ignition or a musical outlet.”
Thrash metal thrives on speed and directness.
At what point does raw rage turn into pure noise – and how do you avoid that?
“Raw rage turns into pure noise when it is no longer controlled, when it all explodes toward a single target with full force – like a dam breaking and everything flooding into a channel that’s too narrow. We’ve avoided this by only giving a taste of hatred (pun intended). Even though our songs deal with hatred and rage, we ourselves aren’t angry people – we approach things mostly with humor. Maybe there’s a connection there: we release anger and rage in suitable amounts through our songs, which might be why we aren’t angry ourselves.”
Finland is globally known for the diversity of its extreme metal scene.
Do you experience this cultural background as pressure, inspiration, or total freedom?
“We haven’t really thought about it in any particular way. If anything, it probably gives us more creative freedom and inspiration rather than limiting or forcing us into a certain mold.”
‘Shockwave‘ deals with the theme of war without a clear political stance.
How difficult is it to take a position without turning it into slogans or simplified blame?
“It’s relatively easy to write about the horrors of war without taking a political stance. You can write about battles and destruction on a general level without worrying about the message turning into a slogan or blaming anyone.”
You describe your songwriting process as fully democratic.
Has this approach ever created friction – and what have you learned from it?
“So far, we’ve been on the same page about what kind of songs we want to write together. Of course, there are situations where everyone’s views don’t completely align, but these are rare, and we’re open to each other’s suggestions. We believe this openness is why we haven’t had friction during songwriting. We bring our ideas to the table, test what works together and what doesn’t. If a riff doesn’t work with another, we consider whether it can be modified to fit earlier riffs or themes – or saved for another song. We also archive riffs and sections so we have as many ideas as possible stored for future material.”
Many of your influences come from traditional metal styles, yet your sound doesn’t feel backward-looking.
What does a riff need to offer today to feel meaningful to you?
“A riff should always have some kind of hook – something memorable or something that reflects the emotional state of the song. It’s a bit difficult to give a direct answer, but at its simplest, we’re looking for something that sounds and feels good to us.”
Your music feels like a direct physical impulse – few detours, few embellishments.
How important is control in the studio compared to the uncontrolled energy of the rehearsal room?
“In the studio, we value control. The recordings were planned and scheduled quite carefully. However, we allowed flexibility around personal schedules, and if something needed to be re-recorded, we took the time – because we wanted the best possible result. Unnecessary work was avoided through planning, keeping schedules tight but flexible when needed. We learn our parts as well as possible at home, then go through song structures in the rehearsal room, practice as a band, and refine the challenging parts.”
Thrash metal has always been music of resistance.
Where is Krushor’s anger directed most in 2025/2026 – external conditions or internal tensions?
“Krushor isn’t about making music solely out of anger, even though anger is easy to write about. You could say we prefer directing our themes toward external conditions, though some songs may draw perspective from personal experiences. We might write a song about total global destruction – or about being abandoned and forgotten.”
You speak openly about metal being a form of therapy for you.
Does this idea change the way you write songs or perform live?
“Making music itself can already be therapeutic – it allows you to deal with difficult things in life, sometimes even through humor. For us, addressing these themes is therapeutic in some form. Even though our lyrics and themes deal with fictional events, there’s always something of ourselves in them. What better way to release heavy and difficult emotions than by shouting and playing music that fits them as loud as possible?”
The EP is your first unified statement to the outside world.
After listening to ‘Taste Of Hatred‘, what should remain – exhaustion, catharsis, or the urge to confront things?
“After listening to the EP, we hope for a bit of all of that: exhaustion from headbanging and shouting along – or from fighting against these things. Catharsis means purification or emotional release leading to renewed joy or balance in life, and helping listeners rediscover joy and balance through our music would be an absolute honor for us. And definitely the desire to confront things – this is a strong theme in our song ‘Rise Above’. We hope listeners find the courage to face difficult issues and discover joy in life even in their darkest moments.”
Many young bands face pressure early on from labels, media, and the scene.
How do you protect your shared vision from bending too early?
“We’re not the youngest anymore, and through life experience we’ve learned to stand by our vision. This is our thing, and we don’t let outside forces influence what we do. We make this kind of music because we love it – not to please labels, media, or the scene. If we can’t do this for ourselves, why would we force it for others?”
Finnish metal is often associated with darkness and seriousness.
Is there room for irony, self-reflection, or even humor within that heaviness?
“There is always room for irony, self-reflection, and especially humor. These can even be central themes in songs. In addition to that, self-irony is something we cultivate heavily within the band’s internal humor.”
If someone discovers Krushor ten years from now and hears the ‘Taste Of Hatred‘ EP – what should it say about your early days:
hatred, unity, or the need to be heard?
“Hopefully someone will still discover Krushor ten years from now, and when they hear this EP, they’ll feel a sense of unity, see humor beyond the hatred, and understand our desire to be heard. Above all, what we want to leave behind from our early phase is a feeling of togetherness.”
With ‘Taste Of Hatred‘, Krushor deliver a debut that thrives on tension between rage and restraint, tradition and instinct.
There is no posturing here – only honesty, control, and a clear sense of purpose.
Rather than offering easy answers, the EP invites release, confrontation, and connection – exactly what thrash metal was always meant to do.
by Fok ‘bs‘