Photo by Niko Paroissien-Arce
Rugburn, an alternative metal band from Eugene, Ore., performed for the KWVA Sunday live session on December 7, 2025. This performance marked the band’s first time on air, but followed several house show appearances, and closely succeeded their appearance at Ghost Town Outfitters on November 21, 2025, alongside lo.quality, Toothache, and Early Morning Ramblers. The physical crowd consisted of a handful of KWVA community members for whom the band showcased several of their original, unreleased songs, along with covers from artists like Alice in Chains and Radiohead. The size of the radio listenership was impossible to gauge, but the flashing green light in the studios – indicating a listener was calling into the station – remained persistently visible from where we were sat. People wanted to talk to Rugburn! Luckily, after the treat of a show, I was able to sit down and chat with all four members of the band about their inner workings.
“Pill to Swallow,” a Rugburn original, was easily the star of the show. Hayden Drew, the band’s vicious drummer, mimicked the heavy metal chugging sound of an electric guitar in a similar way to Night Verses’ Aric Improta. Through the band’s lead, Levi Brown, I nearly heard the rich, sweet vocals of Dredg’s Gavin Hayes. Jensen Corella, bassist, juggled syncopated rhythm after syncopated rhythm, able to turn on a dime. Schaefer Terstriep, guitarist, peeled back all those layers to find a dirty core. It was a track reminiscent of post-metal, heavily layered in darkness, and perfectly fit for winter in a small town.
Though a relatively reserved group of guys offstage, they truly held nothing back for this number. Reserved, yes, but very giddy to get to talking about music. Terstriep explained that he and Brown penned their parts separately before coming together to create this song, serving as the band’s principal composer and songwriter, respectively. “Lennon and McCartney,” Drew chimed. Terstriep noted that he ultimately holds most of the power in tone because he is the one with the guitar, pedalboard, and growing collection of pedals. So, if you are wondering what to get Terstriep for the holiday season, consider this a gift guide.
Brown’s lyrical composition proved to fall more on the angsty side of emotion, especially apparent in the themes of heartbreak and destruction foundational to another of their original tracks, “Control.” Corella immediately stuck out to me more as the odd one of the group – opting for jazz riffs rather than metal, with Paul Desmond on the brain. Terstriep commented that this jazz background works to the band’s advantage as Corella grooves as he sees fit, further carving the band’s unique metal sound. When I arrived at the station to find Corella quietly thumbing the bassline of “Multi-Family Garage Sale” by Land of the Loops, I knew I was in for a treat.
Music and performance are rampantly accessible in the Eugene area, and have become increasingly more so as new musicians continue to take the stage. Take a page out of Drew’s book: He began his student career at the University of Oregon going to house shows, hoping one day to be on stage himself. Cut to December 7, 2025, where I witnessed him shred on a mustard yellow drumset to the tune of Black Sabbath while live on air. Not only is Eugene’s music scene accessible, but it has proven to bring about an unexpected level of community. Terstriep gushes about Narcissist, Hearing Loss, and Von Mono – other bands from the Eugene and Portland area. “We need to get stage presence like that,” Terstriep exclaimed about Von Mono.
Rugburn has gone through several eras, beginning as a casual outlet for jamming between Drew and Terstriep during their freshman year of college, while Terstriep continued writing his own music on the side. The band took its current shape over the past year, when the pair reconnected and committed to a shared goal of creating and performing music. Around the same time, Corella and Terstriep had been jamming together independently, aiming to form a different band under a different name and sound – specifically, indie hip-hop. But, as many bands do, they drifted toward a different sound. Slowly, Terstriep began to write melodies and chords while Brown wrote the lyrics, and they began intermingling to create a new sound. But why the name “Rugburn”? Well, the answer is simple. Rugburn was a name suggested by the band’s former drummer. When he graduated, he took his drumsticks, but the band kept the name, and the rest is history. Terstriep’s role within KWVA as production coordinator, he admits, did help in getting the band scheduled for this live session. “Nepotism works,” chimed Drew.
Ultimately, they hope that their covers serve as an exhibition of their technical skills and satisfactorily preface their original music for audience members – capturing them with something they know, and hopefully prompting them to stay for something they don’t. Where can you catch Rugburn next? Though they do not have any upcoming performance plans set in stone, you can keep up with their shenanigans through their Instagram account @rugburn_band_ and find the mastered version of this KWVA live session on the KWVA Soundcloud.