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 which doesn't exist anymore (SFR Yugoslavia), Tilen took an interest in music at a very young age, more than 30 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 and stood on the same stage as groundbreaking international acts like Destruction, Dissection etc. Fast forward many years, after hundreds and hundreds of shows played in 52 countries all over the world, countless world tours and many prestigious festivals (Wacken Open Air, 70 000 Tons of Metal, Sweden Rock, Sabaton Open Air, 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 received an invitation to play with pioneering thrash metal titans TESTAMENT, substituting for the iconic Steve DiGiorgio, where he started his collaboration with the founder & main-songwriter of the band, Eric Peterson.

Hudrap 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.

Tilen 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, one of the original death metal bands in the world and pioneers of progressive / technical death metal 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...) for which he wrote a bass guitar instrumental song entitled "Subvisions". The song creation marked Tilen as the ONLY songwriter next to Patrick Mameli in the last 30 years in Pestilence.

He 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 (30+), the world tour itself ended up being the longest ever in the history of Pestilence (93 shows in 2018 from January until December) and marked the most successful period of the band ever!

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 joined the band for the "Steelfactory World Tour" which started in Russia in October follwed by all other countries and continents in 2019 and 2020. Over a hundred shows worldwide. And then-> the Covid-19 pandemic. The band recorded a live album during 2020 infront of a live audience in Bulgaria in a 2000 old ancient theatre in Plovdiv as the ONLY band in the world! It ended up being a top 10 release on the official German charts! The band released a orchestral album in collaboration with the German Armed Forces during Covid-19 and stayed ultra productive. Tilen wrote 4 songs for the band's full length album "Game Over". After that, the project "Dirkschneider" got started again and Tilen performed the immortal ACCEPT classics on stage with Udo Dirkschneider infront of thousands of fans at open air festivals, including co-headlining the main stage at WACKEN OPEN AIR with Judas Priest in 2022. At the start of the album cycle for Game Over album Tilen decided to leave the band of his own accord after suffering a burnout phase. He wanted to pursue other interest in metal and not be confined to a single band.

Only a few months later Tilen received a personal call from the Metal Queen, namely the iconic DORO Pesch from Warlock. He played the final shows of her 2022 Warriors United-Warriors Forever World Tour and joined her in 2023 and 2024 as well.

In 2024 Tilen resurrected the first ever Slovenian heavy metal band, Pomaranča. It was entirely his concept to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the band, which happened on the 6 of June 2024 (D-Day) with a completely sold-out show in the countries premiere venue, Kino Šiška. Pomaranča sold the show out more than 1 month ahead of the concert, which is something that bands like Helloween, Accept, Sepultura, Exodus, Saxon and many other icons DID NOT manage to do in the same venue. The show was recorded for a future DVD release and awaits its release. A historic monument.

Most of Tilen's official recording projects are associated with his past and present bands. All information about released recordings can be found on the DISCOGRAPHY page. Tilen's recording endeavours have taken him across the world, he recorded in the USA, Germany, Sweden, The Netherlands in some of the most legendary studios ever. DIERKS STUDIOS in Stommeln, Germany (Scorpions, Tina Turner, Michael Jackson, Accept and countless others), TRIDENT Studios in California, USA (Machine Head, Testament, Heathen, Exodus, Sadus, Vile etc.), SpaceLab Studios (Rhapsody, Delain, Edge of Sanity...), just to name a few. All releases can be purchased via the bands’ websites and all official streaming channels.

In 2025 Tilen joined the newly formed project "SamorastniK" with members of Metalsteel and SkyEye, as well as formed his own power-trio project Aftershöck. 2026 brings new challenges and releases, as every single year before in the last 25 years. Follow www.tilenhudrap.com

for updates and news!!!

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