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Kill The Music

Kill The Music
Reviews
KTM Podcast
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Editorials Interviews Guest Blogs Retrospectives Show Reviews Track By Track Photo Galleries Album Streams Spotify Playlists Career Spotlight Unsigned Spotlight Top 10 Countdowns The Daily Complaint
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Guest Blog: Behind The Scenes of Staytus’ “The God, The Artist & The Creator”

Recording The God, The Artist & The Creator was a turning point for me. I walked into Revolver Studio with a mix of anticipation and nerves—this was my first time working with Grammy-winning producer Mikal Blue, and I wanted the track to feel vulnerable, melodic, and a little mysterious. Before stepping into the studio, I had already built the foundation of the song and collaborated with Patrick “Embryo” Tapu, who created those noisy, waveshaper-driven guitar textures that gave the track its haunting edge. Once we began shaping everything together, the song quickly evolved into something richer and more atmospheric than I ever imagined.

The studio itself added to the experience: the vintage instruments hanging on the walls, the sharp and dedicated interns handling the setup, and guitarist Anthony Laurie of Thredge contributing additional layers that deepened the arrangement. Photographer Jessica Christian (@Lovesquish) captured the entire process behind the scenes, which made the day feel even more creatively alive.

Mikal brought a new level of intensity and dimension to the track. His approach was part technical mastery, part pure instinct—he pulled out an impressive array of compression hardware and pedals that I had never seen used at once, and somehow every choice added depth without overwhelming the melody. He helped sharpen the emotional tone and gave the song a subtle nu-metal bite while keeping it true to its vulnerable core. Working with him pushed me to be more original, experimental, and confident. I could literally feel my creative identity expanding.

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It was also my first time collaborating with Jeff Friedl, and his drumming instantly shifted the emotional arc of the song. Jeff has this charismatic, humorous presence that lifts the whole room, and his rhythmic choices—energetic, bouncy, and incredibly groovy—gave the track its heartbeat. He and Mikal clicked right away, swapping stories and industry connections between takes, which made the entire session feel collaborative and dynamic.

The vocals were the most intimate part of the process. This track is softer and more open than some of my earlier work, so capturing those close, melodic moments mattered. We focused on getting the performance to feel almost like a private confession, keeping the emotion front and center and letting the arrangement wrap gently around it.

By the time we wrapped, the song felt like a snapshot of everything that happened inside that room: the experimentation, laughter, vulnerability, intensity, and the creative chemistry between everyone involved. I’m incredibly proud of what we built together, and I hope listeners can feel all the heart and honesty woven into every second of it.

Newer:ZP Theart (Ex-DragonForce, Etc.) Premieres “Dark To Light” Music VideoOlder:Monosphere Premiere “Anomia” Video
PostedDecember 12, 2025
AuthorJordan Mohler
TagsGuest Blog, Staytus, Jeff Friedl, A Perfect Circle

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