JULY 31st 2025
CRUSADER EXCLUSIVE
Our very own Metal Mom Rita had the opportunity to chat with CRUSADER. A metal band based out of London, UK. Influenced with the stylings of heavy metal, mixed with classic melody hard rock. Earlier this year, they released a new EP called "In the for Kill". Looking for something new to add to your playlist, or your simply curious about this newer band onto the metal scene, check out our interview below:
Band Members:
Tommy Baptiste (Vocals)
Kyle Stevens (Guitars)
Scott Rae (Bass)
Nik K (Drums)
MT: When did you form the band, and what made you decide to create it ?
CRUSADER actually started in 2018, although very different to the CRUSADER of today. Scott, our bassist, and I, met through work, both played guitar, loved old school music, lived in the same neighbourhood and became fast friends. We would just hang out and talk about our favourite bands and compare them to the bands of today. CRUSADER was born out of us listening to our favourite music and jamming, simple as that!
MT: Was anyone in a band before this one ?
As you can imagine since 2018 we’ve had a few iterations of the band, COVID really made us start over from scratch. But we’re grateful for the contributions that have been made in the band over the years from every member.
MT: How did you come up with the name for the band ?
Scott came up with the name, he had the name before I even met him and we ran with it. The name was less rooted in the knights templar and more about being a crusader for heavy metal and hard rock.
MT: Tell us how each member came to be in Crusader
Tommy Baptiste: Tommy actually started as a session vocalist for the band, we’re thrilled to say he’s now a member of CRUSADER. I scoured the entirety of London, England and then the internet to find the kind of voice we were looking for and we’re still so happy we found Tommy.
Kyle Stevens: Me & Scott Rae met and formed CRUSADER together.
Nik K: Nik was part of a previous iteration of the band dating back to 2021, Nik was instrumental in making sure all these songs worked in a live setting which was super important to us.
MT: I see this is your first release "In For The Kill", how did you come up with the name ?
We needed a mission statement, something to show our intentions coming out of the gate with our debut, In For The Kill signified a band that was set to destroy.
MT: Why an EP instead of an album ?
I think there are so many new bands, new songs that are uploaded every single day we wanted to ensure every second of the songs was worth someone’s time. No filler at all, and we intend to continue that way with our next release. We respect people’s time, and I hope that comes across with our music.
MT: You have 3 songs on the EP (Wanted Man) (Time, Never Stops running) (In For the Kill), do you have a favourite among the three and why that one.
My personal favourite is Wanted Man, it was a real challenge writing that song and making all the different parts work and flow into each other. I’m proud of how that turned out.
MT: The album has been out for just over a month now, how has it been received so far ?
It’s been received incredibly well and we’re very humbled by the reaction we’ve received from fans & press alike,
MT: Who writes the lyrics , and where does the inspiration come from ?
Me & Scott handle the lyrics. We tend to lean on quite cinematic imagery and themes so we can get inspiration from anywhere. Films, Comics, other songs or just life in general. As long as it’s authentic to us we’ll write about it.
MT: When creating your EP, does everyone have a hand in it ?
Absolutely, I think a band is at it’s best when the songs and the production give every band member a moment to shine, I think we’ve done that on In For The Kill.
MT: Cool album cover, who designed it ?
Thank you! Scott designed it, he had a very strong artistic direction for the band from the very beginning and it’s just one of many great art pieces Scott has created for CRUSADER.
MT: Was it an easy process from writing to actually putting it into EP ?
Once we had a producer and the full lineup the process was easy, but we were very specific about the sound we wanted and that was the hard part to obtain.
MT: What made you decide to do classic melodic hard rock/heavy metal style ?
It’s the music we grew up listening to and still have the most love for, when we get in a room together this is just the music we make.
MT: Do you plan on doing any tours, or you need more songs for that ?
Not yet, we’ve only released three songs so we’ll see what the demand is like when more music has been released.
MT: What are your plans now after this EP release ?
We’re super excited to release a bonus track to tie up this EP, we’ll then be doing a physical release with merch before the end of the year.
MT: What kind of music do you enjoy listening to ?
We listen to all sorts of music, from funk to metal. We lean towards 80’s music with great production and soundscapes.
MT: Do you have a band you listen to that people would be surprised by?
Me & Scott saw TOTO & Christopher Cross in February and it was awesome! We love AOR and more chill 80’s music too.
MT: Is there anything I might have missed asking you that you want people to know about CRUSADER ?
We’re just really grateful for everybody who has listened to the EP so far and shown us support, we’re really thankful.
Thank you for taking the time to do this interview with us here at Metaltitans, and we wish you much success with your EP "In For The Kill" .
Thank you! Much appreciated.
Kyle
CRUSADER
London, UK