Over the years, a wide range of musical acts have graduated from the University. Praetorius is one of these musical acts. The heavy metal band is comprised of twin lead guitarists Sam Defilipp and John Sayres, vocalist Elliot Madre, drummer Dan Nusz and bassist Adam Wamsley.

Praetorius is gearing up to release the band’s debut album, Taste Death.

Technician: What’s the band’s history?

John Sayres: Dan and I knew each other through high school. Over one summer, we were living in a house at the beach. Dan wasn’t too much into heavy metal — he was more like rock’n’roll and …

Elliot Madre: He was more into industrial stuff.

John Sayres: We jammed just for something to do. We came back to N.C. State and we wanted to make it for real. We met up with Elliot in 2005. Our original bass player lived in the same dorm as Dan and I did. We were a four-piece for a while. Sam joined at the end of 2006. We started playing our first shows. Our first show was Oct. 17, 2006.

Elliot Madre: He remembers the date! I’m like ‘Sometime a couple years ago’!

John Sayres: We’ve played around thirty shows since then.

Technician: What are some of your influences?

John Sayres: All of us have our influences from the 70s and 80s in metal and rock’n’roll. I’m the main songwriter, me and Sam are. Metallica, Iron Maiden, Megadeth, those are the biggest three. I don’t try to sound like them, but those are my top three.

Sam Defilipp: The core of the band is John’s riffs — he introduced Dan to the more thrashy and heavy side of metal. Me and Elliot bring a lot more of a rock’n’roll influence to it, like Guns N’ Roses, Van Halen, and Ozzy and [Elliot] have the 70s influence of Deep Purple.

Technician: What albums do you listen to for inspiriation?

Elliot Madre: Appetite For Destruction!

Sam Defilipp: It’s a different answer for all of us.

John Sayres: Between all five of us, I think we can agree on three albums, Appetite for Destruction, Master of Puppets and Rest in Peace.

Sam Defilipp: Rest in Peace by Megadeth, Master of Puppets by Metallica and Appetite for Destruction by Guns N’ Roses.

Technician: Where can people purchase your debut album, Taste Death?

Sam Defilipp: It will be available through the band’s Web site, Praetorious.com and Myspace.com/praetorious. It will also be available on Itunes and Amazon.

Elliot Madre: — and our shows!

Technician: What are your plans as a band?

Elliot Madre: Take over the world!

John Sayres: Put the album out and once it is out, it will tear the heads off of everybody. I want to be the biggest metal band on the planet!

Elliot Madre: The immediate next step is play regionally.

Praetorius will take its next step with a CD release show Sept. 6 at the Volume 11 Tavern. Local metal bands, VIPER and HEPHYSTUS, will open.