Biography

Tilen Hudrap is a bassist, songwriter, producer, multi-instrumentalist, backing vocalist, originating from a small southern Central European country Slovenia with a population of less than 2 million. Born at the end of the 80's, when Slovenia was still an important part of a federation that actually doesn't exist anymore (SFR Yugoslavia), Tilen took an interest in music at a very young age, more than 25 years ago. Playing different instruments throughout his childhood years and participating in all kinds of musical oufits like classical orchestras et cetera already by the age of ten, he took an interest in rock music at an early age as well, through his dad's vinyl albums by Black Sabbath, Status Quo, Deep Purple and Thin Lizzy. He bought his first bass at the age of 12 and entirely self-taught himself to play during long, sleepless nights, alongside his favorite (especially "live") albums and formed his first band shortly thereafter, only a few months after he started playing. An afficionado of all musical genres (and all metal subgenres), Tilen developed a vast knowledge of different kinds of music at an early age. He played his first international festival show at a young age of 15!, where he already shared the stage with groundbreaking acts like Destruction, Dissection etc.

Fast forward many years, after hundreds and hundreds of shows played in 37 countries all over the world, countless world tours and many prestigious festivals (f.e. 70 000 Tons of Metal, Sweden Rock, BYH, Hellfest, Alcatraz and many, many more) Tilen reigns as the only full time professional international metal musician from the ex-Yugoslavia area. Having joined the US heavy metal legends VICIOUS RUMORS as the first ever European musician in the history of the band (as a permanent member) set a new standard and later, after recording a studio album, a live album and a DVD with the legends from the bay area and having worked with world-famous producers like Juan Urteaga (Machine Head, Exodus, Testament, Heathen...) he played with pioneering thrash metal titans TESTAMENT, where he started his collaboration with the founder & main-songwriter of the band, Eric Peterson. Tilen appeared on Eric's solo project with the Canadian artist Leah (with artwork by Jan "Örkki" Yrlund (Manowar) and appeared as a guest on the newest release of Eric Peterson's side project, Dragonlord. He joined German thrash metal legends PARADOX and recorded the album "Pangea", for which Paradox worked with the renowned artist Claudio Bergamin (Judas Priest, Halford...). Death metal legends PESTILENCE utilized Tilen's playing a few years later, he joined the band as a permanent member and recorded the highly-acclaimed album "Hadeon", mastered by Dan Swäno (Opeth, Bloodbath, Ghost...) and appeared on the accompanying world tour that followed the release of the album and brought the band to tens of countries all over the world. Being recognized as one of the main go-to metal bass players in the world, Tilen received a call from the U.D.O / Dirkschneider camp in 2018 and joins the band for the "Steelfactory World Tour" which starts in Russia in October with all other countries and continents to follow in 2019!

Tilen Hudrap uses and plays: Spector bass guitars, EMG pickups, Darkglass Electronics overdrives, Straptight Straplocks, Dunlop strings, Ampeg amplification.