Gus G.

Greek heavy metal guitarist Konstantinos Karamitroudis, better known as Gus G, built an extensive career performing with numerous acts including Mystic Prophecy, Nightrage, Arch Enemy, Dream Evil, and Ozzy Osbourne’s band.

Born in Thessaloniki in 1980, he drew early motivation from his father, a vocalist whose large collection of rock albums prompted him to start playing guitar at the age of ten. Four years later he enrolled for formal instruction at a conservatory in his hometown, then departed Greece at eighteen to attend the Berklee College of Music. In 1998 he assembled a demo under the name Firewind to demonstrate his skills, which soon opened doors to stints with Nightrage, Dream Evil, and Mystic Prophecy. After completing one album with each ensemble, he revived Firewind as a permanent band. A 2009 phone call from Ozzy Osbourne’s camp led to an immediate audition to succeed Zakk Wylde, resulting in an on-the-spot offer. Karamitroudis began his solo output in 2014 with I Am the Fire, releasing Brand New Revolution the following year and Fearless in 2018. Firewind remained inactive for an extended period after losing its vocalist, yet resurfaced in the late 2010s to issue its ninth studio album, also titled Firewind, in 2020. His fourth solo effort, Quantum Leap, appeared in 2021.