PATRICK GALANTE Ex-ICE NINE KILLS Drummer Opens Up On Identity, Recovery, And Reinvention With Loyal To The Craft

Former ICE NINE KILLS drummer Patrick Galante delivers one of his most candid and introspective interviews to date in a new episode from Loyal To The Craft, filmed inside the Loyal Lounge. Titled Leaving Ice Nine Kills Was the Wake Up Call I Needed, the conversation captures Galante at a pivotal point in his life, reflecting on the moment he stepped away from a band that had defined him for years. What followed was not an ending, but a reckoning — one that forced him to confront burnout, addiction, and the cost of living entirely on the road.

Throughout the episode, Patrick speaks openly about reaching 500+ days of sobriety and the realization that finally made lasting change possible. He describes how touring slowly eroded his sense of home, turning life into a nonstop cycle of flights, venues, and suitcases. The familiar work hard / play hard culture of touring masked deeper struggles, until the pressure became impossible to ignore. Walking away from ICE NINE KILLS became the catalyst for rebuilding his health, relationships, and sense of self.

A central thread of the interview is identity — and how deeply it can intertwine with success. Galante admits that being the drummer for Ice Nine Kills wasn’t just a job, but his entire identity. Untangling himself from that role was painful, but ultimately necessary. He also highlights the importance of real support systems, including guidance from Matt Greiner of August Burns Red, whose perspective helped reshape Patrick’s understanding of balance, longevity, and purpose within heavy music.

Now approaching touring, creativity, and community from a healthier, more intentional place, Patrick Galante’s story resonates far beyond one band or one scene. This Loyal To The Craft interview stands as a powerful reminder that growth sometimes begins with stepping away, and that redefining success can be the most difficult — and rewarding — journey of all.