Doomed Confessionary: Ryan, Ethen & Michael (Rūdus)
Photo credit: Sonia Marie Parga
Rūdus is a new heavy band out of Houston, Texas blending doom, psych rock, and stonegaze. Think somewhere in the orbit of Earth, Jesu, Boris.
Founded in 2021, the trio consists of Michael Phillips (drums), Ethen Scruggs (bass) and Ryan Weston (guitar).
Rūdus have released their self-titled debut album on July 21st, 2025 through the local micro-label Reverse Tower – it’s fully independent and self-recorded. Mastered by James Plotkin at Plotkinworks.
Can you please say a few words about your band?
We’re Rūdus, three friends from Houston who bonded over a love of heavy, atmospheric music and started jamming back in 2021. It’s Ryan on guitar, Ethen on bass, and Michael on drums. Our sound blends stoner metal, shoegaze, doom, post-rock, and whatever else we’re into at the moment. Hopefully kinda messy and beautiful.
What was the biggest challenge for the band?
Finding the right lineup was a challenge, it took a couple years before Michael joined, and once he did, things really started forming. From there, the biggest hurdle has been distilling our wide-ranging interests into something that feels uniquely ours, and carving out time that works for all of us to do the work of writing- ya know with the demands of work and life and scheduling; not to mention the chaos of the world and our brains
What can you be most proud of so far?
We’re proud that we kept going. We stayed open, creative, and actually finished and released our debut album, something we talked about for years before it became real.
What was your biggest regret?
If we had to name one, it’d be wishing the album had come together faster. Although the time we took definitely shaped the music. Or maybe not practicing as much as we should.
What was the best concert/tour so far and why?
We all chose different shows, which is kinda cool. Our debut show in November 2024 was huge for us, friends and family packed in, the sound was great, and we got to present years of work in the way we always imagined.
A few months back we played a small show in an unconventional venue for which we modified our set to be more ambient and psychedelic and that actually is informing our writing for our new ep in a really unexpected way.
More recently, our set at Black Magic Social Club stands out – it was the week Ozzy died, and we closed with »Fairies Wear Boots«.
What was the biggest surprise on the music scene for you?
How difficult it can be to book shows in Houston. Dates fill up way in advance, communication can be a grind, and it sometimes feels like you have to be the squeaky wheel to get anywhere. We’ve also noticed how genre loyalty can be intense – which makes it tricky to find other bands whose sound clicks with ours.
What is currently in your heavy musical rotation?
BIG|BRAVE, Whirr, Weedeater, Mephistofeles, Worm, Mrs. Piss, Gore, Moloch.
What was the best advice you’ve ever been given as a musician?
Pick up your instrument every day – even if you’re just noodling. And don’t apologize for your playing. It’s just about staying connected to the art and keeping your confidence intact while you try new things.
What are your guilty pleasures?
Trash food, Dr. Pepper, BBQ chips, sunflower butter and raspberry jam fold-overs, old corny horror movies, Traitors (the reality show) and musicals.
Can you say something more about the current music scene in Houston?
Houston’s huge – nearly 9,000 square miles – and its music scene is just as spread out. Instead of one central community, there are tons of micro-scenes with their own “in” crowds. The heavy scene leans toward faster genres of metal, and slower, more atmospheric heavy music is harder to find. We are definitely still looking for our people. That being said, we’ve found some kindred bands that have become friends and are building from there.
Where can we see you live this year (concerts/tours)?
We’ve got a show coming up at Black Magic Social Club in Houston’s East End, We’re aiming to tour regionally – hopefully north and central Texas and maybe Louisiana – and we’ll definitely be playing once our vinyl release is ready.
What are your plans for the future as a band?
Keep writing, recording, and releasing as much music as possible. Promote and play the album, get on the road for some short tours, and continue finding our people. We’re working on a new EP now.
How can people best support your band?
Come to our shows, listen to the album, and if it clicks with you, share it or reach out to us – we love hearing from people who’ve connected with it. Merch and physical copies of the album are coming soon.
Do you have any message for your listeners?
You’re sexy, hot, smart, cool people and we love you.
Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well