Channeled is the creative outlet of Auckland musician Ben Ruegg, blending alternative rock energy with cinematic depth. His new album After (out November 7, 2025) is a labour of love – rebuilt from the ground up after years of reflection, loss, and rediscovery.
The songs began in 2020 after a near-fatal seizure, with every vocal take and lyric left untouched from those original sessions. Around them, Ben re-engineered and remixed the entire record, crafting a heavier, more expansive sound. Influenced by months spent studying the Book of Romans during recovery, the lyrics wrestle with faith, endurance, and the search for meaning through suffering.
Dedicated to his late father, whose belief in the band never faded, After stands as Channeled’s most personal statement yet – a story of survival, transformation, and the power of creating light in the aftermath.
Channeled are:
Ben Ruegg (guitar, vocals)
Michelle Anderton (bass)
Damen Newby (guitar)
Nico Leiseder (drums)
