"If this could only disappear into a picture" has been the unwavering tenet for Drew Hamilton, the visionary behind Oakland-based art rock project Vigilis. A native New Englander and ex-New Yorker, Hamilton is an 8-string acoustic steel guitarist, songwriter, and audio engineer who has honed his craft for over a decade as a performer in the Bay Area, showcasing both his intimate songwriting and expansive, band-driven soundscapes as Vigilis, a heavy art rock trio — most recently featuring loop artist Matt Herman on Chapman Stick and drummer Daniel Triana.

Hamilton draws from the unfettered temperament of songwriters Freddie Mercury, Joni Mitchell, Brian Wilson, and Roger Waters; the harmonic language of composers like Ravel, Ives, Berg, Bartók, and Stravinsky; jazz pioneers Richie Beirach and Wayne Shorter; and literary giants Tolkien, Ray Bradbury, Philip K. Dick, and screenwriter David Milch. His sonic palate is host to a wide dynamic range, unusual yet familiar meters, guitar tones blending classic and modern colors, cinematic orchestral embellishments and subtle electronic sound design to augment the range of expression of the project’s memorable songs which unfold like continuations of stories, evoking the emotional depth of a novel or film.

Vigilis' forthcoming 2026 release, titled EMBERWOODS – The Severing, features legendary jazz fusion rock drummer, Simon Phillips (Protocol, Toto, The Who, Jeff Beck) who interpreted the arrangements with his own signature while performing and recording all of the drums to shape the sonic backdrop for part one of this new series.