Not for the faint of heart, ‘The Sound of Inevitability’ will perhaps raise a few eyebrows in unsuspected listeners: “An instrumental album built on guitar solos and metal euphoria?” – We do recognise that this is perhaps a fringe record. Yet, the ethos and purpose applied by Gus Defelice to his work are worth a shot. Behind its highly impressive musicianship and striking sonic character, ‘The Sound of Inevitability’ carries a great deal of reflections, standing tall as a concept album about “the unavoidable forces shaping human existence”.
Hailing from London, Defelice is a truly gifted guitarist. It’s plenty obvious from the record; his music prowess is not just performative, but truly and firstly guided by a deep desire to connect with the listeners. He’s not just showing off – rather, he’s communicating with frequencies and dancing around a precise theme. As such, he’s adamant about his desire for the listeners to take away something from the record. Perhaps a newly-found understanding of the evocative energy that commands everyday life.
Intrigued by the record, we caught up with Defelice to learn more about his artistry and future goals… interview below!
Hey Gus, how is it going? Thanks for chatting with us. I am curious about your view on the modern music industry; in your opinion, what are we all doing wrong, and how can we solve it?
Thanks for having me, it’s going great. The modern music industry is both a blessing and a trap. We have the tools, the platforms, and the power to reach anyone in the world… and yet, we’re burning out. I think the biggest thing we’re doing wrong is expecting musicians to be content creation machines, constantly feeding the algorithm instead of feeding their art. We’ve shifted from building timeless records to chasing 15-second trends. The pressure to be visible at all times has created a culture of “constant output over meaningful expression”.
It’s no longer enough just to be a great musician – now you must be a video editor, social media strategist, graphic designer, and marketing expert. The solution? I think it starts with realigning value around substance, not just visibility. As artists, we need to protect our creative space and educate ourselves, not just rely on luck or virality. As an industry, we need to support ecosystems, not just individuals. Platforms, labels, and even fans need to recognise that art takes time. Otherwise, we’re going to lose the very thing that makes music powerful in the first place: emotional truth.
Before we focus on your latest album – how did you get here? What inspired you to pick up a guitar and start playing? Can you name any pivotal influences?
It all started with a feeling, like music was already inside me, just waiting to be unlocked. One of my earliest memories is standing on a chair at a family Christmas, pretending to play guitar while my cousins sang. I was maybe 3 or 4 years old, and I already felt like I belonged in that moment of shared energy and emotion. But the real turning point came years later when I heard Gary Moore. There was something in his tone, that raw emotion, that made me say: “That’s it. That’s what I want to do.” He was the first artist who made me believe that the guitar wasn’t just an instrument – it was a voice.
From there, it became an obsession. I dove into progressive metal, drawn to bands like Dream Theater, Opeth, and later, Gojira and Alcest, obviously passing by the Greatest of Music, artists who weren’t afraid to blend aggression with introspection, complexity with vulnerability. But beyond the technical side, what truly inspired me was the idea that music can hold stories, truths, and contradictions all at once. That’s what keeps me playing, composing, and searching: it’s not about perfection, it’s about inner connection.
‘The Sound of Inevitability’ is your latest album, an instrumental record built on metal and alt-rock elements, with a great deal of guitar prowess. The album is rather complex, both in its aural shape and the meaning behind it. Are you satisfied with how the record turned out? How long was it in the works?
Thank you, I appreciate that. ‘The Sound of Inevitability’ was the most ambitious project I’ve ever done, both musically and emotionally. And yes, I’m deeply satisfied with how it turned out, not because it’s “perfect,” but because it’s honest. It reflects who I am right now as an artist and as a person. The album took shape over about two years, but in many ways, it’s been in the works for much longer. Each track represents a major theme in life – Time, Death, Change, Entropy, Ageing, Evolution, Conflict – and each one is tied to a specific person who influenced me, either through inspiration, challenge, or deep emotional connection.
It’s entirely instrumental, but I wanted the guitars to speak like voices. Every note had to carry meaning, not just show off technique. I used a lot of layers, cinematic textures, heavy riffs, and ambient breaks to create that complexity you mentioned. It’s like a map of the inner world, made of sound. So yes – it was a long and intense process, but it taught me a lot about composition, patience, and even about myself. I see this record not as a destination, but as a milestone in a bigger journey.
You are obviously a great musician, yet you seem to place heightened attention on the ideological ethos behind your music. ‘The Sound of Inevitability’ takes an honest and decadent view on human nature and the unavoidable forces shaping human experience. Is this theme important to you? Do you relate to it on a personal level? (although I guess we all could relate to it)
Definitely. The theme of inevitability is deeply personal to me. The album is a reflection of my own inner life, my fears, my questions, and the way I’ve come to see the world. I think we all, at some point, have to confront the truth that there are forces bigger than us, things we can’t outrun: time, change, death, entropy… All of them shape us whether we’re ready or not. Writing this album was a way to face those forces head-on. Each track started from personal experience: the death of someone close, the slow decay of a relationship, the pressure to evolve in a world that doesn’t wait for you.
Even the more abstract songs are rooted in real emotions. It was my way of processing what it means to be human in an age where everything feels overwhelming and fragmented. So yes, I relate to it on every level, as a composer, as a human being, as someone who’s trying to find meaning in chaos. I think the beauty of music is that it gives form to things we struggle to put into words. If this album helps even one person feel seen in their own journey, then the whole thing was worth it. Thanks for the ‘great musician’ 🙂
What would you like listeners to take home after listening to the album? Is there a universal truth or a particular idea that they should look out for?
Everyone faces the inevitable. We all carry weight, grief, change, time slipping away, and the pressure to adapt. ‘The Sound of Inevitability’ is an invitation to sit with those forces instead of running from them. To look inward, acknowledge the struggle, and maybe even find some beauty in the cracks – to have the strength to transform something extremely hard into a turning point. A place to learn, grow, and move forward.
There isn’t a single universal truth stamped on the album, but there is a recurring idea: that we are all in motion, together. As individuals, as families, as workers, as friends… constantly transforming. And that’s not something to fear. It’s something to understand. It’s something to hold with compassion for yourself, and for everything spinning around you. If someone listens to this and feels like their emotions were heard – even without lyrics – then that’s everything. The guitars speak where words would get in the way. And if they walk away with a deeper sense of self, a moment of stillness, or even just goosebumps… then the music did its job.
Do you feel more confident writing music alone, or within a team?
I feel most confident when I’m alone, not because I don’t value collaboration, but because my writing process is deeply introspective. When I’m working solo, I can fully immerse myself in the emotion, the concept, the sonic atmosphere. There’s no filter, no compromise, just a direct line between what I feel and what I create. That said, I absolutely believe in the power of collaboration, especially when it’s with people who understand the vision. The right team can elevate your ideas, challenge your comfort zone, and bring in new perspectives you might never have discovered alone.
For ‘The Sound of Inevitability’, the core of the album had to come from solitude. These themes were so personal – rooted in internal exploration – that I needed silence to hear them properly. It was like scoring a journey inward, and that kind of vulnerability only surfaces when I’m alone with the guitar. That said, I didn’t walk the entire path alone. Around the album, there were many contributors, seven of them living inside my own mind and heart. 🙂
Technically, I had the help of incredible collaborators who supported the mixing, mastering, and even sparked new ideas that shaped the songs. A very important figure in this process was Kiko Loureiro, a mentor and a friend. His words helped me connect certain dots I hadn’t seen before. When you reach a certain point in your career, sometimes all it takes is a single phrase or moment of clarity to unlock a whole new level of consciousness.
Artistically speaking, what challenges have the last two years presented you with?
The last two years have been intense, both creatively and personally. Artistically, the biggest challenge has been holding onto depth in a world that demands speed. Social media moves fast, trends change overnight, and there’s constant pressure to release, post, and promote – sometimes before the art is even ready. But my work doesn’t come from that kind of pace. I need time to think, to feel, to build a concept that actually means something. One of the hardest lessons has been learning to protect the creative process, even when it feels like I’m falling behind in a system that rewards visibility over vulnerability.
On a personal level, I’ve had to navigate some heavy emotional terrain. ‘The Sound of Inevitability’ was born from themes like death, isolation, burnout, and change. Translating those experiences into instrumental music – in a way that felt honest – forced me to dig deeper than ever before. Sometimes, the real challenge wasn’t writing the music… it was being brave enough to feel what I needed to feel, to remember what I’d buried. Some of those memories were hidden deep, almost forgotten, covered in dust.
And when you start brushing off that dust… your hands get dirty again… And of course, living in two worlds, as both a musician and a project manager leading digital teams, adds another layer of complexity. But that dual life has taught me a lot about discipline and flow: how to create structure for the art, and find freedom within that structure.
What are the next steps for your project? Anything exciting on the horizon?
Absolutely, I’m just getting started. ‘The Sound of Inevitability’ was never meant to be the end; it’s the first chapter of a much larger story. Next up, I’m working on expanding the universe around the album, visually, narratively, and musically. I’m developing several ideas to bring the Sound of Inevitability into visuals, storytelling, and performance. I’ll, of course, keep everyone posted about this through my social media channels, so stay tuned.
On this note, I’m also planning to release instrumental playthroughs, behind-the-scenes content, and bring this music on stage, merging my cinematic approach with a live setup that feels immersive, intense, and personal. And creatively, I’ve already started sketching ideas for the next album, which will continue to explore transformation, but from a different angle. Let’s just say, if Inevitability was about surrendering to the storm, the next one might be about what you build from the wreckage. So yes, lots of exciting things ahead, I think it is clear, Music is not a project for me, it’s a living, breathing ecosystem, and it’s evolving every day.
