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How Hybrid Artist Hitslut Is Twisting up the Metal Genre

Hitslut Artist Interview

By Sarah APublished 5 years ago 7 min read
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The other day I had the pleasure of interviewing hybrid terror metal guitarist Mr. Slut aka Hitslut. He has been bringing a unique sound over on the blockchain's Musicoin and combining styles of genres with elements not often heard together like Terror, Metal, Acoustic, and electronic music. Read on to find out Why music may never be the same.

Sarah: Please give an introduction and little back story to our readers including Who are you and Where are you From?

Hitslut: I'm HitSlut aka. Andy Flynn or 'Hit' or even 'Mr.Slut' for formal gatherings. I'm from Southern Ontario, Canada. I'm a music artist/multi-instrumentalist. I'm a guitarist essentially that expanded into making multi-instrument produced tracks. I've made of music for most of my life. My first band was a metalcore 3-piece called Fetus Magnet, there's still one 30 minute track called "The Heavy Shit" that is on my soundcloud, it's hard af and live.

Those were crazy times. Later, I was in a grunge-rock 4-piece band comprising of the same members plus a bassist, we were called 'Sweet Chops,' we were very Nirvana, Silverchair and Modest Mouse sounding and we'd occasionally squeeze in the Fetus Magnet sound here and there for effect we played all over Ontario, won many battle of bands competitions and had ridiculous amounts of fun.

After that I recorded an album called Wired For Sound with MM LeBlanc at his studio in Hamilton, ON and we were called Flynn Leblanc Union aka. FLU. It sounds like a heavy metal Radiohead with LeBlancs talented vocals sounding eerily like Rob Halford from Judas Priest in some parts. After that album, I've been producing my own tracks of diverse styles fused together into some scary soft melodic pieces, terrifying horror soundscapes and crazy hard metal stuff. It's very guitar centralized in a lot of it, but I have many beats that never needed guitars in the end, but they're all still designed to have guitars.

Sarah: How would you describe your style to someone who has not heard you before?

Hitslut: I just mainly use a hashtag #hitslut because I don't know what to call it but the genre hits acoustic & electric guitar, rock, metal, terror, electronic with classical & video-game music undertones. Not necessarily in that order. Essentially, I make atmospheric acoustic and electric guitar music accompanied by analog synths with live/digital drums.

Sarah: What about your creative process, What can you tell me about that and the end goal you keep in mind while creating?

Hitslut: I usually focus on finding subtle, discreet little vibes in my recordings that could usually be overlooked, buried or even considered a mistake then focus on moving that lost little micro-moment of chaos into a different "musical ecosystem" that can manifest a juicy vibe. I'm always prepping for a potential crazy guitar part, which may have been lurking in the ambiance somewhere about to rip. Starting with the subtle, almost subliminal sounds and allowing them to exist for a second, the creative juices start flowing until I have to grab the guitar and jam on the vibes, and that guitar track will result in a gold mine of unique samples just from observing the little chaotic parts under a microscope.

l try to build up the vibes until they feel convincingly like another dimension as if you're in the tune itself existing in two places at the same time, a genuine zone. The end goal is an attention-grabbing, intense and catchy track with replay value.

Sarah What projects do you currently have in the works? Any EPs, Albums, or Collab?

Hitslut: Don't forget The Fuzz Heady & Hitslut collab is coming!! There is a Hitslut EP on the way, but I have some collabs to do first.

Sarah: OH REALLY! NO WAY That is awesome! I'm a big fan of Fuzz Heady he is blowing up right now in the Psychedelic music scene. So who would you say are your biggest influences?

Hitslut: Ultimately my Dad, he kept me constantly diversifying by listening to the furthest thing from one thing to the furthest thing from that. I guess from that, I got into the habit of tripping out my strictly metal listening friends, by covertly playing spice girls speed-core metal riffs, and they'd freak and headbang all over the house, and then I'd subtly start singing it to reveal it was a death metal Spice Girl's song until it was obvious and there'd be a conflict in their eyes for a few seconds..then they'd be like "What!?!?! That ruins my life but play it again!" Pantera is a major one, I took in every little thing Dimebag did with the guitar, I savored every little sound he made Dimebag could just slay.

I liked vibing out to Mike Patton's work, running into Mike Patton on the street in Toronto when he was on the Peeping Tom tour was an inspiration beyond belief he was my god, and that day was basically a miracle. Secret Chiefs 3, Primus, Buckethead, NIN, Nirvana and Marilyn Manson. Those are all the main influences.

Sarah: On your Soundcloud, You have some really trippy cool music. Have you had any experiences that have helped contribute to your unique sound?

Hitslut: Lol.....hmm.. I have had weird time-lapses where I'd start on a beat and zone out and it's like just, done, all of a sudden, sometimes it's catchy as it is so I leave out adding guitars, that happened with my track "Uhhuh_."

Thinking about it though, the main experience was definitely when my Dad passed away from kidney cancer, I've always had a thing for keeping some darkness in even the most cheery sounding pieces, but after he passed, every instrument got permanently darker and I've accepted that. I still find ways to accentuate the uplifting sections even in the darkest pieces.

Hitslut Music

Sarah: Which of your tracks are you most proud of and why? (Please included links)

Hitslut: I've included a few:

  1. Hitslut—"Nine Lives" (I'm proud of how the guitar part brings out a feeling of nostalgia)
  2. Hitslut—"Higgledy-Piggledy" (I'm proud of this for being heavy it still comes across as fun and exciting instead of just evil)
  3. Hitslut—"Kamikaze" (I'm proud of the vibe of this improvised live jam with me and my drummer Connor Smith): https://choon.co/tracks/0hrkvhlryxc/kamikaze/
  4. Hitslut—"Trilliums" (I'm proud of how angelic this sounds)
  5. Hitslut—"Had We" (I'm proud of how people never guess this is all guitar)
  6. Hitslut—"Uhhuh_" (I'm proud of this hiphop beat, its fun to freestyle to)
  7. Hitslut—"Kinda Like Heroin" (I'm proud of the double-entendre in this track)
  8. Hitslut—"Serpent Repents" (I'm proud of taking the time to play with reversing guitar tracks)

Sarah: What is the local music scene in your area like?

Hitslut: I'm not far from Toronto and the music scene has always been good there.

Sarah: What are your plans for the future?

Answer: Getting into video game soundtracks has always been a big goal of mine. Making more music with other artists and touring. I wouldn't rule out a record deal if a dope opportunity arrived, although cryptocurrency music platforms seems to be what's up so I joined Musicoin and Choon and I'll always be on Soundcloud, I've met a lot of awesome people I've collaborated with with and had a lot fun on Soundcloud over the years

Sarah: Here is a fun one, If you were stuck on a deserted island and could only bring 3 albums to listen to forever what would they be?

Hitslut: Irony is a Dead Scene by Dillinger's Escape Plan with Mike Patton, California by Mr.Bungle, Antichrist Superstar by Marilyn Manson

Sarah: Last question! Where do you think the future of music is going?

Hitslut: Crypto currency music platforms will be a big part is my guess I jumped in on that early with Choon and Musicoin. The future genres seem to continue swinging back and forth through all the trends/phases, where old is new again and then new is old, and fusing clever bits of evolution along the way. It seems to be heading into a dope guitar phase, and I have lots of tripped out guitar work ready just in case.

Sarah: Finally if you want to give a shout out to someone or a message to our readers what would it be:

Hitslut: Shout out to my mom Mary (love ya mom) and my spacey friend Fuzz Heady. And the readers should all buy guitars and effect pedals, and extra strings.

Don't forget to give him a follow on social media.

HITSLUT Music & Social Media Li

interview
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About the Creator

Sarah A

Mystifying the mind one article at a time :-)

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