Gore. is a brand-new band with a unique and interesting approach to Metal music. The Texas-based group will be releasing their debut EP “A Bud That Never Blooms” on the 24th of October but have already made an impact with their released singles, showcasing their distinct brand of Metalcore, highlighted by Haley Roughton‘s standout, powerful vocals. Speaking of which, we had the privilege of chatting with Haley about her band, her background in music, the upcoming EP, and more. Enjoy reading this interview with Haley Roughton of Gore.
Reuel
Hi Haley! It’s great to chat with you. How are you today?
Haley Roughton
Same with you. Can’t complain! Got a roof over my head 🙂
Reuel
Good to hear 🙂 Your new EP, “A Bud That Never Blooms,” is set to be released next month. How excited are you about this upcoming release?
Haley Roughton
I am definitely nervous-excited. Being nervous means you care, so I guess that’s not a bad thing. So much work has gone into creating, funding, and pushing this EP. That’s not much different than any other band, but of course, it feels immensely special to me as it’s my first EP ever.
Reuel
That’s definitely exciting! You’ve already released three tracks from the upcoming EP. Are you happy with how your fans have responded to these songs?
Haley Roughton
Fans have a funny way of surprising you. I was convinced that Pray would take a minute to catch on, and it blew up practically overnight. I fully expected Babylon to explode and it hasn’t (yet). Regardless, our fans are so kind and supportive, and I couldn’t be happier for the reception. We have some fans that have consistently been with us since day one, and I am forever grateful for them.
Reuel
In your view, what sets Gore apart from other Metalcore bands or even Metal bands in general?
Haley Roughton
I think a couple things set us apart: 1) the vision and aesthetic and 2) the vocal style. Our message of conveying all sides of femininity is I think what truly sets us apart – there is so much art out there of women being strong and tough in a masculine-dominated space, and while that has been important in order to create space for women in the scene, I want to bring the delicate, nurturing side of femininity to the forefront with this band. I think a lot of metalcore right now has a sleek, industrial look (which is great), but I wanted Gore. to be particularly feminine/delicate yet disturbing and distorted in the same space. Vocally, I try to bring different Rock and R&B stylings into my delivery to set us apart from the sounds of other bands out there.
Reuel
This is a perfect description! The journey of creating a record includes many stages, from writing and recording to marketing. What was your favorite part of making “A Bud That Never Blooms,” and what was the most challenging?
Haley Roughton
My favorite part of making ABTNB was recording the vocals. How you sell the words you sing is everything in conveying a certain mood, and selling the meaning of the song. I would play with so many different things, down to slight variations in vibrato and mouth shape. It took a long time but was beyond worth it.
My least favorite part has to be the social media grind – posting every day, sharing stories every day…. Even though we’ve met our fans through that work and I am grateful for that, nothing sucks the creative life out of you more than “what do I post today to make people want to listen to my band?”. I have tried to make it into a creative art form in itself to make it feel more sincere, but at the end of the day social media is so tiring at times.
Reuel
Totally understandable. If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?
Haley Roughton
I will keep it to present artists – Conor Ryan Mason from Nothing But Thieves. NBT’s songwriting surpasses nearly every rock band I have heard today, and Conor’s voice is haunting. The use of operatic elements in rock songs tickles my brain just right, haha
Reuel
What are your thoughts on the representation of women in heavy music today, and what steps do you think can be taken to promote greater inclusivity and support for female musicians?
Haley Roughton
Being that I am writing this during the announcement of Linkin Park’s new singer and Spiritbox’s new single dropping, I can say without pause that there’s still work to be done for inclusivity. Being a woman still seems to be the difference between comments like “this song sucks” and “this song sucks, AND I don’t like female vocals in metal” or “is it a trend to have a woman in a band now?” Like, come on. Women in music isn’t any more of a trend than men in music. With that being said, we really have come a long way. Every day I feel like I am being treated a tad more equally to my male counterparts.
Reuel
Thank you so much for your time, Haley! Is there anything you’d like to add before we wrap up this interview?
Haley Roughton
I hope that any young minds that read this know that they can absolutely do whatever they want in this world, if they want it badly enough 🙂 Thank you for having me!
