Most guitarists play notes … Gus G breathes fire into them. From the quiet streets of Thessaloniki to the world’s biggest stages, his strings tell stories unspoken. Each riff is a spark, each solo a storm, and together they light a path that will never fade.
by Christina X
photos by Iro Kalligeri (@irokalligeriphotography)
Gus G, or Kostas Karamitroudis in Greece, was forged by the heavy metal gods in Thessaloniki of the ‘80s and his passion was evident, from a young age. Young Gus, at just 18 years old, left to study in one of the most prestigious of all time schools of music, Berklee. However, that wasn’t cutting it for the young music star, who had dreams of becoming the shredder he is today, in the metal world. Gus has noted that during his time in Berklee, he met one of his biggest inspirations to date, Joe Stump (well-known American guitarist, named one of the best in the planet by guitar experts).
As the years went by, Gus, with his ever-growing spark, joined forces with a lot of distinguished names of the scene, such as Mystic Prophecy, Nightrage and Dream Evil, and he contributed to many records such as the 2002 hit by Dream Evil “Dragonslayer”. Yet, in 1998 (in 2002 as a full band) the journey of Firewind began – it was Gus’s own power metal band, that was coming from Thessaloniki to rock us all. The demo “Nocturnal Symphony” was his first attempt at releasing the sound of Firewind as we know it today, with much success. In 2002, now as a full band, they were becoming even stronger and wider known – “Between Heaven and Hell” marks the true beginning of their intricate journey. Firewind continued to release creations, with the next one being “Burning Earth”, an excellent addition to their already growing discography. They were unstoppable, by 2008, three more albums were into the world, titled “Forged by Fire”, “Allegiance” and “Premonition”.
A new chapter arose in 2009, when the Greek guitar hero got the news that he would be accompanying the Prince of Darkness himself, Ozzy Osbourne, on the road. A dream came true, as one might say, and Gus was gloriously included in the short list of the guitarists who managed to cooperate with Ozzy! Gus wasn’t lucky, he was skilled, determined and ready to rock. In 2010, he contributed to the Grammy nominated album “Scream”, a creation that hyped Gus’s rise to stardom. All the way to 2017 (releasing albums with Firewind too) Gus accompanied Ozzy Osbourne on tour, and together they have graced the covers of famous metal magazines all throughout the world!
As that chapter dawned, Kostas became even more determined, releasing records with Firewind (“Immortals” being where the band had their rise) and the self-titled record in 2020. Gus took a leap, a quantum leap, and released his own solo records, “I Am the Fire” in 2014, “Brand New Revolution” in 2015 and, you guessed it, “Quantum Leap ” in 2021.
He has been featured as a guest musician on many other artists albums including Bruce Dickinson, Arch Enemy, Doro Pesch, In This Moment, etc.
What made Gus G so famous, you might ask. Well, his precision, his ability to convey storytelling through guitar so beautifully, his skilled composing and writing and even his stage antics such as playing the guitar while holding it above him, all got Gus G in the stardom of fame he is today.
Greece and Thessaloniki’s own Kostas, has been one of my country’s biggest prides in the scene and I understand why. To do what he did, to step up like he did, it took a lot of courage and determination and he had it all.
My first brush with Gus G was a lot of years down memory lane – my first concert, Gus G in Drama, Mylos Club, and I will truly never forget it. I had the pleasure of watching Firewind’s 25th anniversary show, now all grown up and in Thessaloniki, and I have one thing to say: Gus truly bewitches you with his playing!
Gus G. & Friends (Ronnie Romero, David Ellefson, Tore Østby and Roy Khan) are going to play in Rock Hard Festival Greece on the 13th of September, 2025, at Technopolis (Athens). Don’t miss this extraordinary event! Secure your tickets now!
