Greg Puciato didn’t set out to have a solo career. In fact, a few years ago, he didn’t even know it was on the table. But as he explains, the chaos of life – and his own need to constantly create – forced him into it. “I didn’t finish Dillinger and think, ‘I’m gonna make solo records,’” he shrugs. “It just happened.” Now, two records deep, he’s carving out a space for himself that’s equal parts catharsis and chaos.
His latest solo effort, Mirrorcell, hits like a disorienting fever dream, blending metal, grunge, and everything in between. “I didn’t plan it,” he admits. “I just write. Sometimes you’re digging for a pterodactyl and find a brontosaurus.” The title track alone feels like riding a rollercoaster through Puciato’s psyche, every scream and guitar riff fighting to stay ahead of whatever personal hell he’s exorcising.
And just when you think the guy can’t surprise you anymore, he drops a guitar solo that sounds like a full-on breakdown. “I’m not a shredder,” he laughs. “I approach guitar the way I do vocals – just trying to emote.” He talks about how his years with Dillinger honed his ability to push his voice to the brink, and how playing with Alice in Chains’ Jerry Cantrell brought out a whole new layer. “You can’t spend two years playing with Jerry and not soak up some of that vibe,” he admits. “But it’s weird. Like, one day I’m watching him figure out how to deal with a snake in his yard by calling Slash. It’s just… normal.”
Puciato’s voice on Mirrorcell is as unpredictable as ever, bouncing from raw screams to delicate melodies, sometimes in the same song. “I don’t think about it as characters,” he says. “It’s just me, morphing through the song. Like a blob, you know?” He’s got no patience for keeping things neat and tidy, and he’s definitely not trying to cater to anyone’s expectations. “I’m just steering into whatever’s exciting,” he shrugs. “If I feel like playing guitar, it’s a guitar record. If I’m into electronics, it’ll be that. No rules.”
Looking back on his 20-year career – from Dillinger to his ever-evolving solo path – Puciato doesn’t regret a thing. “You’ve got to steer into what feels right,” he insists. “When it’s working, you go with it. If it’s not, move on. It’s just survival. Like Jerry figuring out the snake situation – you make the call, get the answer, and keep moving.”
With Mirrorcell out now, Puciato is clearly in his element – somewhere between genius and chaos, ready to burn it all down and build it back up again.
Listen to the interview above and then check out the videos below.
