A few months ago, the band Thundertruck was formed, featuring two former members of Soundtruck — guitarist Vassilis Panagopoulos and singer Nikos Melas (who also sings for Ganzi Gun) — along with the well-known drummer Mark Cross, currently a member of Tower Of Babel and formerly of Firewind, Outloud, Tainted Nation, God’s Army, among others, and with a past stint in Helloween.ωThe lineup is completed by guitarist Stratal (formerly of Potergeist) and bassist Christos Verginis.
A natural question arises: are Thundertruck a continuation of Soundtruck, since their names are similar — and what will their musical style be, given that their material is still being recorded? Vassilis and Mark clear up the mystery. Interview by: Υiannis Dolas
Rockpages.gr: Are Thundertruck a continuation of Soundtruck with Vassilis and Nikos? The new name seems to suggest so at first glance…
Vassilis Panagopoulos: No, they’re not a continuation of Soundtruck. It’s a completely different project — different sound and a completely different approach to music overall. Nikos and I have known each other for many years and have worked together in Soundtruck.
The truth is, we were searching for a name and ended up with Thundertruck simply because we liked it a lot as soon as it came up. We wondered whether it might remind people of Soundtruck, but we quickly got over that — we just liked the name!
Rockpages.gr: How did your collaboration with Mark Cross come about? What’s it like working with a musician of his caliber?
Vassilis Panagopoulos: I’ve known Mark for many years and have enormous respect for him.
At some point, we spoke on the phone about possibly working together through his record label, and we met for coffee. We had a long talk, and I realized he’s someone who understands the music industry very well and is extremely passionate about it. Most importantly, I felt that our views aligned and we had great chemistry. So, I took the initiative, made him the proposal — and the rest is history.
Working with a musician like Mark is completely different from what I was used to before.
His approach is very different, and his standards are extremely high. What still impresses me every time we meet for a session is that, even though he’s a drummer on a completely different level, he always works for the song. He focuses on how to make the song more interesting, always emphasizing power and groove.
Rockpages.gr: How did you find Stratal and Christos Verginis?
Vassilis Panagopoulos: I’ve known both of them for many years. I knew Stratal from Potergeist — I’m very good friends with those guys — and we also play together in another project. He’s a great guitarist, but more importantly, he’s a great person, and we get along really well. He’s full of creative ideas and has a very structured way of thinking about music.
I met Christos through a drummer friend of mine, Iakovos, and we’d jammed together in some rehearsals. I realized he’s a musician full of energy and ideas who wants to create things. So when the time came, I made the offer — they both accepted, and we’ve been working together since.
Rockpages.gr: In your recent live shows, you performed Soundtruck songs. Do you plan to keep doing that, or will they eventually be replaced by your new material?
Vassilis Panagopoulos: Yes, that’s true — at some recent festivals we played in Europe, we included Soundtruck material. That happened because we didn’t yet have our own songs ready, and the festivals couldn’t wait. We don’t plan to keep doing that, though, since this is a completely different band.
Right now, we’re writing songs and will soon start recording our debut album. Also, on December 22, we’ll release the first Thundertruck single, so people can get to know the new band.
Rockpages.gr: You’ve been spending time in the studio on new material. How would you describe your style?
Mark Cross: Yes, when you create something new, you need time to find your identity and your sound. Musically, Thundertruck are definitely rock and hard rock, and we’ve explored elements from many genres. We set a goal — a direction with some classic and also more modern touches — in sound, riffs, etc. “Brutal” doesn’t fit us, but the production is a bit heavier.
It’s a very collaborative band — everyone contributes ideas. We avoid the common trend where one person writes everything and the others just follow. That’s never worked for me — it doesn’t produce good results. We carefully selected the members of the band for what each can bring. So far so good! So compositionally, you can tell there’s variety in the music, the sound, and our performance — which George Florakis (ex-Raw Silk) and I strictly oversee as producers. We wanted a production, not just an album.
Rockpages.gr: When will we see your first official release, and what will it be?
Mark Cross: I have my own label in the UK, CMP Records Ltd, and we’ve agreed to release our first single around Christmas — to pave the way for the album release in spring 2026. I believe there will also be a music video. We’ll soon announce the song title.
Rockpages.gr: There’s a lot of talk these days about the use of AI in music. What’s your opinion?
Mark Cross: Terrifying! I spent a week trying to get AI to produce something I had in mind — it wasn’t exactly what I wanted, but still scarily good. I think for two or three compositions, if you give it a direction, some riffs, and lyrics, you can get something decent — but after that, it becomes predictable and boring. You start seeing how the algorithm thinks.
Unfortunately, many people who lack creativity or can’t play instruments will use it — though I suspect even skilled musicians will start using it to save time and reduce production costs. But nowadays, people don’t even care about what they’re listening to. You sit at a coffee shop, hear some background music — you can tell it’s AI-generated — and the owner just made his own playlist to avoid paying IFPI royalties. Shit, man — we sit in the studio, work on riffs and melodies, sweat over making great songs before recording them. Old school and costly! But that’s how we learned, and that’s how we keep doing it — because that’s how real music is made: in the rehearsal room, with sweat, beers, girls, and everything a rocker needs! You feel me?
Another big problem today is that people think music is free. Who realizes that a good production can cost £15,000 or more and take months to complete? Weeks and months of work — and then you go to a studio that costs £1,000 a day just to get the right sound. We’re going crazy, man! That’s why music has become so monotonous — every album sounds the same. A good record just costs. Who cares?
“Come on, AI does the job just fine” — that’ll be the answer. And now you can even have an AI girlfriend… one that doesn’t talk back! What else does she do? I don’t want to know!
Me, I prefer the rehearsal room!
Rockpages.gr: What’s the “ceiling” for a Greek rock/metal band in 2025? Can a Greek musician make a living solely from music? Would it be easier abroad?
Mark Cross: It’s hard to survive anywhere these days — not just as a musician, but especially as an artist.
It has nothing to do with being Greek or not. Whatever you do, you have to set clear goals and stick to them. It takes persistence, patience, self-confidence — and if you’ve got a bit of madness in you, even better!
Every beginning is harder now. The economy’s down everywhere, prices are up, there are wars, political instability, visas, high production costs — and not always profits. Quality is dropping in many areas. Cheap mass-produced goods sold at inflated prices — same thing in music. AI, sampling, triggers, home recording, fast and cheap productions — everything sounds the same. Who cares.
In other countries, the professional environment is stronger — companies and audiences that “get” rock music. Greece is a small country, and rock isn’t exactly part of its folklore. We live in a world of marketing and mindless consumption — if you can invest heavily in media, you might get something back. And not just on Facebook, Insta, or TikTok — Jesus! We’re talking about real marketing — online and in mainstream media.
For a new artist, it’s very difficult to break through. If you’ve got a 30-year back catalog, it’s easier — and if you’re older, even better: you can do a reunion and fill venues. “Last tour! Last tour!” …and five years later, they’re still doing their “last tour” — and they’ve released a new album just to have something out! Who wants new music or new bands? You have to know the business inside out and have tough skin to make a difference. What does that mean? The old guys sell tickets easily with little effort — the new ones struggle… And then they’re told, “We also need to advertise?” Well, let him pay for it… let’s just go grab some beers!
But hey — it’s not all bad. The big reward comes when the album is finally released, and if you’re happy with the result — you win! Unless you join a big band — then, problem solved… for as long as it lasts!
Rockpages.gr: Closing up, could you each name three albums that shaped your musical identity?
Vassilis Panagopoulos: For me personally: Ozzy Osbourne – Bark at the Moon, AC/DC – High Voltage, Whitesnake – Slide It In.
Mark Cross: For me, definitely: Deep Purple – Made in Japan, Led Zeppelin – Physical Graffiti, Rush – Moving Pictures, Kiss – Alive II, The Who – Live at Leeds.
