Nightsteel hail from Greece – and play Power Metal. The band was founded by bassist Bill Sam. Shortly afterwards, he was able to get his friend, drummer Mike Foudotos, interested in the project. I can’t say whether we’re dealing with a complete band here. After all, a number of different singers can be heard on the self-titled album debut. Instrumentalists such as the two guitarists Jasmin M. (elsewhere in the press release it also says Jasmin C.!) and Igor Paspalj don’t seem to be part of the permanent line-up either. I can’t even find any consistent information about the release date. Apparently, a pre-production was already released in August 2024. The songs were later remixed with other (guest) singers. So, questions upon questions. And founder and bassist Bill Sam has answered these questions.
MHF: Hi, I’m Rainer and I write for the Metalheads Forever magazine. Thank you for letting me do this interview with you. How are you doing?
Bill: Hi Rainer, thanks a lot for having us! We’re doing great, really excited about everything that’s happening with the release of Nightsteel. It means a lot to us to share our music and connect with people like you.
MHF: You are still a young band. Please introduce yourselves briefly.
Bill: We’re Nightsteel, a group of friends who share a deep passion for old school metal. We might be a new band, but each of us brings years of love for music into this project. Our songs on this album talk about battles, struggles, and personal moments. We’re just getting started, and we’re excited for what’s ahead.
MHF: Although, as I wrote in the introduction, I’m not entirely sure if Nightsteel is actually a full band. Please say a few words about the guest vocalists.
Bill: Nightsteel is a full band, but for our first album we had to be a bit flexible. Originally, Travis Wills was supposed to sing the entire album, but due to his schedule he couldn’t record all the songs. So, I had to find other singers who could match the feeling and style of the remaining tracks. We were lucky to work with some amazing vocalists who really brought the songs to life.
MHF: Jasmin and Igor don’t seem to be permanent members either? What is their status? And which is correct – Jasmin M. or Jasmin C.?
Bill: Jasmin M. is the right name. Both he and Igor made a big contribution to the album. Igor is a great musician with his own established career, so it was an honor to have him with us. I definitely hope to collaborate with him again someday. Still, there are some key members who will stay for the next Nightsteel album, since we‘ve found a strong chemistry together.
MHF: Do you intend to establish a permanent band line-up with which you can also play live gigs?
Bill: Yes, we do want to have a permanent line-up, but right now it’s hard to play live shows because we’re all in different countries. It makes rehearsals and organizing gigs a bit tricky. We’re working on it, though, and we really look forward to playing live when the time is right. The core members have great chemistry, and we’re excited to bring Nightsteel to the stage when we can.
MHF: Please describe the sound of your music. Do you have any musical influences?
Bill: Our sound is a mix of powerful old school heavy/power metal and melodic hard rock, with an intense energy – so you’ll hear a lot of passion and drive in our songs. Our influences come from many old school bands of the ‚0s, with some of them like Judas Priest, Savatage, Helloween, Queensryche and Riot. We want our songs to be melodic, with guitar solos that are sadly missing in today’s music scene. It’s all about bringing back that classic sound and energy.
MHF: Your debut album was apparently released twice – in different versions. In August 2024 and April 2025. How do the two versions differ?
Bill: Well, not exactly. In August 2024, we put the demo songs on Bandcamp to see how people would react. It might not have been the most traditional approach, but it was our first time doing something like that and we were excited to share the music as soon as possible. At the same time, we were working on the official recordings with full production. The official release came out on April 11, 2025, with a bigger sound, a bigger production, and some major changes that made it exactly what we had always envisioned. We cannot compare the official release to the demos in any way – there are significant differences in many parts that make the album sound the way it should.
MHF: What made you decide to re-record the songs in part?
Bill: We didn’t re-record any of the songs. We were already in the studio recording the songs properly when we put out the demos. Maybe we should have just put out some demos, but that’s how we felt at the time.
MHF: How satisfied are you with the album? And which of the two versions is your favourite?
Bill: We’re really happy with how the album turned out. It was a long process, but it was totally worth it. There are not 2 versions, for those who are a bit confused, but only the official version. We didn’ t intend to release the demos at any point, but to showcase what was to come. The official release captures the true essence of what we wanted to do from the beginning, with the right production and all the details we had in mind.
MHF: Are the songs all written by Bill Sam? Or do other musicians also have a part in the compositions?
Bill: Yes, all the songs on the album were written by me, Bill. But the other band members really helped bring them to life with their talent. Their input in the arrangements and performances was essential to make the songs sound the way I imagined. So, while I wrote everything, it’s definitely been a team effort in the end.
MHF: What was the reaction from the press and fans?
Bill: The reaction has been really positive overall. The press has been supportive, and we’ve gotten a lot of great feedback from the fans too. People seem to really connect with the energy and passion in the music, and that’s something we’re really proud of. Of course, not everyone has the same taste, but we’ve received more love than we expected, and it’s been amazing to see people enjoying what we’ve put out there.
MHF: Will you also be presenting the album live?
Bill: As I mentioned earlier, it’s going to be difficult to play live shows for now, since we’re all in different countries. But it’s not impossible, and it’s something we’d love to do in the future. We’re focused on getting everything in place first, and once we’re able to make it happen, we definitely want to bring the music to life on stage.
MHF: What will happen next with Nightsteel? Is a successor already planned?
Bill: Right now, our main focus is to make Nightsteel known to as many people as possible around the world. We want to get our music out there and build our presence. We’re already thinking about the next album, but for now, it’s all about spreading the word, connecting with fans, and letting people hear what we’ve created. Once we’ve made a bigger impact, we can start planning for live shows and further projects.
MHF: Thank you once again for the interview. Is there anything else you would like to say to your fans at the end?
Bill: Thanks so much Rainer for your support and for taking the time to listen to our music! To all the fans out there, we just want to say: never stop chasing your passion, never stop believing in the music that moves you, and always stay true to yourself. We’re here to make music that speaks to your soul, and we can’t wait to see you all at a show one day. Keep rocking with us, the best is yet to come!
Nightsteel are:
Bill Sam – Bass, Songwriting, Backing Vocals
Travis Wills – Vocals, Backing Vocals
Igor Paspalj – Lead guitars
Jasmin M. – Guitars, Keys
Craig Cairns – Vocals, Backing Vocals
Rob Lundgren – Vocals, Backing Vocals
Mauro Elias – Vocals, Backing Vocals
Mike Foudotos – Drums
Discography:
Nightsteel – Album 2024 / 2025
Social Media:
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/nightsteelband
Bandcamp – https://nightsteel-gr.bandcamp.com/album/nightsteel
Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/intl-de/artist/4cJK4pYCAC4UEAW78lAXzZ
YouTube Music – https://music.youtube.com/channel/UC_EC97qt0ipZrCh9BwPAoLw
YouTube Video: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmiUWlwwdNAS54dk3mMtc2Q
