Gavin Steele, the founder of the scorching new Metal band , ‘Vow of Ruin’, is being hailed as one of the most devilishly divine new visionaries on the genre’s scene. After interviewing Steele, via YouTube, I realized that any attempted introduction, whether extravagant or simple, would actually detract from the raw interview itself. I have never introduced a Scorpius Magazine feature in this manner before. However, suffice it to say, the interview will speak for itself.
Scorpius: What can you tell us about Vow of Ruin’s origins?
Steele: Vow of ruin started very much as a personal exploration born from the desire to confront and express intense emotional experiences, through music. Early compositions were crafted alone with a focus on layering aggressive guitar riffs, atmospheric orchestration, and haunting melodies. The goal was to create something that didn’t just play loud or fast, but actually conveyed the psychological and emotional weight of the themes which I was exploring, such as loss, despair, trauma, and the faint glimmers of hope that emerged from the darkness, but are quickly snatched away by my internal battle with, among other things, depression and PTSD. Related to military service. Those early pieces were almost cinematic in scope. I quickly realized that the music itself could tell stories in ways that words alone could not. As the project developed, I began connecting with vocalists and other musicians, within the Salt Lake valley, who shared both technical ability and emotional sensitivity, in order to bring those ideas to life. Looking specifically for musicians who drawn to and connected with those ideas on a deep level. Incorporating a full band allowed the compositions to breathe in new ways. Live drums replaced programmed drums on stage. Live drums added a sonic depth that couldn’t otherwise be replicated by any other means, and collaborative input from others refined the orchestration. The themes of our upcoming albums explore the descent into darkness, the confrontation with internal struggles, and the painstaking process of emerging on the other side. Our name, “Vow of Ruin,” encapsulates that journey. It acknowledges the necessity of hardship as part of a larger cycle of transformation. At least for me it does. It also speaks of the ethos of the band. Music for us is not just a vehicle for catharsis. It is also a reflection of the process of dismantling and rebuilding. Overtime, the band name has become more than a personal statement. It has become a framework for how we approach composition, performance, and collaboration. It reminds us that intensity, chaos, and emotional rawness are not merely aesthetic choices for us. They are tools for communicating the complexity of the human experience, as a whole.
Scorpius: How would you describe ‘Vow of Ruin’s’ sound?
Steele: Describing our sound in simple terms is tricky because Vow of Ruin has always been about more than existing within one, single sub-genre. Instead, we allow the lyrics to determine the specific genre that best serves the intended emotional weight. At its foundation though, we play progressive death metal, which also allows us to combine technical proficiency, complex song structures, and aggressive tonality. Within that framework, we explore subgenres, textures, and atmospheres that serve the story and emotional weight of each album. We also incorporate cinematic and orchestral elements to make the music feel immersive, as if the listener is experiencing the narrative first-hand. This allows us to explore complex psychological and emotional territory without ever sacrificing the intensity that metal demands. By blending aggression with narrative depth like this our sound becomes a vehicle for storytelling as well as raw emotional expression. So, describing Vow of Ruin’s sound requires describing both its technical side and its emotional intent. It is metal that is not only about brutality but it is also about exploring inner darkness, existential fears, and the transformative potential of confronting these themes. Each song is crafted to pull the listener in, challenge them, confront them, and hopefully leave them with a lasting impression of intensity, reflection, and catharsis.
Scorpius: Paul Migliacci is the current lead singer of ‘Vow of Ruin’. We asked him what the most powerful influences are for him as a vocalist.
Migliacci: I’ve been singing since I was a child. I was a choir kid and have done a lot of vocal jazz, baroque and even sang in a barbershop quartet. I’ve only been singing metal vocals for about a year now and in spite of my history with vocals, metal techniques are a different beast all together. I would definitely consider myself a beginner and maybe only 30% to where I want to be. I grew up on grunge, nü-metal, and bay area thrash. I’ve always felt influenced by singers like Layne Staley, Chris Cornell, Maynard James Keenan, and Chester Bennington. As I’ve learned new techniques, my primary influence has become Mikael Åkerfeldt of Opeth. Although I sound nothing like him, I aspire to mix melodic and heavy elements. Beautiful haunting cleans with harsh brutal growls is one of the most satisfying listening experiences I’ve ever had. In truth, if people hear my vocals and find them satisfying in any way, I would feel blessed.
Scorpius: Who are the most powerful influences in your life as an artist/musician. Also, can you tell us why and how?
Steele: Influences for Vow of Ruin extend across multiple realms of metal reflecting both musical taste and philosophical intent. On the musical side we draw from black metal, death metal, melodic metal and progressive metal. Mishuga’s Polyrhythmic approach and technical mastery has inspired our complex rhythmic structures, pushing us to challenge ourselves in precision and timing while maintaining intensity. Our music doesn’t sugarcoat or resolve trauma artificially. Instead, it depicts and confronts the struggle honestly, with all of its intensity, chaos, and despair.
Our lyrical influences come primarily from our own lived experience. During a period of confronting personal trauma, the writing of the songs became a form of processing, understanding, and alchemizing. Themes of despair, confrontational inner demons, and existential exploration immerged naturally and are critical to the identity of Vow of Ruin. From a composition and arrangement standpoint: One of the biggest things that has shaped how the music itself is formed in terms of my own contributions in terms of orchestral arrangements is found in symphonic black metal, where Dimmu Borgir has been a significant influence to those ends. I recall that a childhood friend of mine had introduced me to them through their albums Spiritual Black Dimensions and Enthrone Darkness Triumphant. They were the first band that I can clearly recall ever hearing such a dynamic capable of carrying the weight of an orchestra without losing any of the brutality of the music itself.
Additionally, much of the rhythmic aspect of Abyss in its full form is inspired by a mix of Thomas Haake and his work on Meshuggah’s album Obzen while at the same time, some of the more metalcore-adjacent music on the album is inspired by early-2000s As I Lay Dying (prior to all of the controversy that had come out about Tim Lambesis… I’m separating art from artist here).
From a standpoint of being on bass and vocals, I have to credit me even getting on bass and even into metal by the works of Metallica – specifically with Jason Newsted and Cliff Burton, with Newsted specifically shaping the power and drive when I began to approach the bass.
Regarding the set you heard at our concert, you attended, Eclipse was the first song on the setlist. Eclipse explores the profound emotional landscape of despair, self-destruction, and the allure of suicidal ideation, interwoven with fleeting moments of defiance and potential transformation. The opening verse establishes a somber and introspective tone, depicting an individual engulfed by the overwhelming weight of darkness. This imagery resonates with the experience of feeling trapped in a mental state where depression is all-encompassing. It attempts to artfully capture the raw, haunting beauty of despair and it’s potential to catalyze transformation. In this case, darkness is not merely an adversary, but becomes a powerful agent of change, serving to shape us in profound and enduring ways. The act of turning from the light serves as a powerful metaphor of surrendering to hopelessness. For some, this can represent a coping mechanism. Retreating from a reality, in an attempt to numb emotional pain or fill an inner void. This surrender reflects the seductive nature of suicide, which can falsely appear as a means of escape from unbearable suffering. By portraying the excessive weight of existence, the song seeks to give voice to the internal struggle that many face but often feel unable to express. It highlights the complexity of these emotions, suggesting that within the darkness there may still be brief flashes of defiance or yearning for transformation. Serving as a reminder that even in the depths of despair, the possibility of change remains.
The second verse dives deeply into the suffocating weight of despair, capturing the experience of mental health experiences in general, but more specifically, depression. The metaphor for relentless change symbolizes the persistent burdens individuals carry, whether they are emotional, existential, or situational. These chains embody personal struggles, feelings of worthlessness, guilt or self-doubt. Also, external pressures, like societal expectations and scars of unresolved trauma. Being lost in shadows evokes the disorientation of isolation, often felt during these times were finding direction or connecting with others seems impossible, amplifying the sense of loneliness or alienation.
The chorus intensifies the emotional depth with the phrase, “echoes of sorrow,” capturing the ensuring and inescapable presence of pain. These echoes suggest that past wounds and grief continue to resonate, haunting the individual and compounding their struggles. The plea to merge with the abyss and drown in shadows, conveys a profound yearning to succumb to suicide. Portraying a desire to escape emotional suffering by surrendering to ideation as the only way to find relief when hope appears unattainable. However, the contrasting image of a phoenix rising, introduces a glimmer of resilience and transformation. While this rebirth emerges from the ashes of aguish, it does not erase the pain. It acknowledges that growth comes at a cost, leaving permanent scars. The chorus becomes a metaphor of a destructive yet transformative journey of confronting despair and the internal battle associated with overcoming it.
Check out Vow of Ruin on YouTube and follow them on Instagram and Facebook
