GREYSON NEKRUTMAN On Being Asked To Join SEPULTURA For Farewell Tour: 'There Was No Way I Could Say 'No''

In a new interview with Thomann's Drum Bash conducted at this month's Europe Drum Show in Friedrichshafen, Germany, former SUICIDAL TENDENCIES and current SEPULTURA drummer Greyson Nekrutman was asked how he goes about "mentally preparing" for a gig like SEPULTURA, where he had to replace Eloy Casagrande with less than two weeks' notice in early 2024. He said in part (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's interesting because SUICIDAL was my first foray into playing on big stages [and] at big festivals, and that was great. But the real challenge mentally was more so that transition. 'Cause I was in the band, and I was having a great time. And I got a call — Andreas [Kisser], the guitarist, called me himself and said the situation that there was no drummer anymore, and they needed a drummer. And the best way I can describe it, and I've said this a few times to my family and friends, is it was a decision of, like, [exhales deeply], one of those, 'cause it was, like, I knew I had to say 'yes', but I knew I was taking on so much responsibility. But I had to. There was no way I could say 'no', because the only thing stopping [me] was the fear. And it was hard… I remember practicing… Those few days were crazy. I spent maybe 13 to 14 hours [per day] —and I'm not even kidding — 'cause it was only, like, 10 days at home before I had to go to Brazil [for the first show with SEPULTURA]. So I spent those days practicing. And I remember halfway through that, it was probably two o'clock in the afternoon. I'd been playing since eight in the morning. And I was so frustrated 'cause I was trying to learn these songs and I was, like, 'I just need to go for a walk.' And I just went for a walk and I just got outta the house and I was, like, 'I have to do this, but it's gonna take so much strength to do it.'"

He continued: "Yeah, it's hard because your mind will play tricks on you. Honestly, I've been struggling with the fact of, like, people will come up to you and be, like, 'Oh, you're my favorite drummer,' or these kids at this thing will come up and say such nice things. And I'm always kind of, like, 'Why? I'm just a kid. I'm just a dude.' There's people older than me — tons of people who are way older than me — who say these things, and it's weird, because I don't view myself like that. Sometimes I wish I had a little bit of an ego, 'cause I feel like that would kind of protect you from those feelings. But it's hard. It's really difficult to accept the position that I'm in sometimes. And it's weird because, yeah, you stay very grounded, which is a great thing and I'm never not gonna be that way, but it's easy to be walked over too, 'cause people kind of can pull that thing over you where they can take advantage 'cause you are doing something huge and you are in a very privileged position and you're very high up at this level of things. It's like the professional sports level of music, basically. But it's just hard to remember that that stuff is deserved. So sometimes your mind can play tricks on you of, like, 'I don't deserve to be here.' 'Oh, I, I can't do this.' … But it's hard. It's certainly a difficult challenge at times."

Nekrutman officially replaced Casagrande in SEPULTURA in February 2024.

Greyson made his live debut with SEPULTURA on March 1, 2024 at Arena Hall in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

During a 2025 appearance on "The David Ellefson Show" podcast, SEPULTURA bassist Paulo Xisto Pinto Jr. praised Nekrutman, saying: "Greyson, he is a great guy. He has a very jazzy, totally different approach. I'm still adapting, learning with him day by day. Eloy was in the band for 13 years. It took me a while to really lock up with him. The easiest one, of course, was Igor [Cavalera, original SEPULTURA drummer], 'cause we grew up together. And then the other ones, I had to readapt, and even the way of playing, just to make SEPULTURA sound right. Each one is very unique and has their own particularities. That's why it's so nice.

"We've done some new recording with Greyson, and it sounds amazing," Paulo revealed. "[It's a] totally different approach, and it was, like, 'Don't try to be that much metal. Just be yourself. Be a jazz player. Try to bring into the metal your own style and you're gonna fly high, dude.' 'Cause he's amazing."

Asked by podcast co-host Joshua Toomey what it's like to have such a young bandmate in SEPULTURA, Paulo said: "Well, it's great, 'cause, it gave us new energy. And it's a way to exchange experience. Even though he's so young, he has his own experience that he can share with us. And to have the chance to be every day on stage, you learn more and more every day. So it's a great exchange, actually. It's beautiful. [I] love it."

SEPULTURA announced Casagrande's departure on February 27, 2024, explaining in a statement that he was leaving to join "another project", with Eloy later confirming that he is the new drummer of SLIPKNOT.

The news of Eloy's exit from SEPULTURA came just two months after the band announced it would celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2024 by embarking on a "farewell tour" which would cover the entire globe.

In SEPULTURA's statement, the remaining bandmembers expressed their shock over Casagrande's departure, saying they were "taken by surprise" that their now-former drummer would "abandon everything related to SEPULTURA" less than a month prior to the start of the tour.