Photo by Holden Kudla
Denver, Colorado-based melodic death metal unit NIGHTWRAITH today unveils their latest video for “Genesthai.” Now playing at Decibel Magazine, the track comes off the band’s upcoming full-length, Offering, set for release on March 25th through Reaping Scythe Records.
A sonic experience that is both aggressive and textural, the songwriting on Offering is deliberate, concise, and thoughtful, while remaining heavy enough to please the death metal audience for which it was intended. Pulling inspiration from a wide array of bands and genres, NIGHTWRAITH has been refined into something truly unique. “It’s like we took all the heavy parts from bands like Carcass and Enslaved and combined it with the warmth of classic bands like Thin Lizzy and Blue Oyster Cult,” explains founding member Benjamin Pitts. “It has been really fun inserting rock guitar and organ tones into a genre that typically avoids these types of sounds.”
Notes Pitts of latest single, “Genesthai,” “During the process of writing this song, I knew we were making something special. The chorus is reminiscent of some early 2000s material from bands we grew up listening to, like Poison The Well and Cave In. It has an emotional element to it that I don’t often hear from bands that identify as death metal. There’s some fun guitar work in this track, especially in the bridge section where there are two different melodies that sit on top of each other perfectly. The lead section, written by [guitarist] Igor [Panasewicz], holds influences akin to the styles of guitar legends like Eddie Van Halen and Glenn Tipton. There are also acoustic guitars that serve as rhythm accompaniment during the lead section, which is all very ‘on brand’ for our style of blackened dad rock!
“The production of the video is much more artistic and serious than our previous video release, ‘Hedonic Adaptation,’ he continues. “I think this showcases our range and I love how it primarily focuses on us playing our instruments, rather than us just ‘rocking out.’ It kind of ties together with the song’s lyrical theme, which is basically death of the ego. The line, ‘the ego dies,’ is important to the song because it means that we are able to see beyond ourselves and realize the bigger picture: that everything is connected and life is fleeting, yet beautiful. I love how the visual concept of the video revolves around water, this is also part of the lyrical theme and represents how we are constantly moving in parallel with our surroundings and becoming part of something greater than our individual selves.”
Writes Decibel, “Denver quintet NIGHTWRAITH’s use of flowing water as a dominant theme in the video of new track, ‘Genesthai,’ works perfectly with the song’s fluid movement between musical themes. ‘Genesthai’ opens with quiet echoey guitar picking and synth washes before gradually building in intensity and reaching full blast-beat fury. Throughout the six-minute track, NIGHTWRAITH shift comfortably between more extreme death- and black metal-influenced passages and a more classic metal gallop, all while maintaining a strong melodic sensibility. It’s dynamic, intricate and, well, it flows.”
View NIGHTWRAITH’s “Genesthai” video, courtesy of Decibel Magazine, at THIS LOCATION.
View the band’s previously released video for “Hedonic Adaptation” at THIS LOCATION.
Offering was tracked at The Shadow Temple, engineered, mixed, and produced by Jacob St. Amand and mastered (to 1/2” tape) by Pete deBoer at World Famous Studios. The record comes cloaked in the cover art of Jerianne Fulton and includes guest vocals by Grant Netzorg of In The Company Of Serpents on the track, “The Snake And The Rope.”
Offering will be release on CD, vinyl, cassette, and digital formats. Find preorders at Reaping Scythe Records at THIS LOCATION or the official NIGHTWRAITH Bandcamp page at THIS LOCATION.
NIGHTWRAITH was formed in 2016 without any preconceived notion of genre, allowing them to develop their sound organically. “Gone are the days of trying to be the fastest or heaviest band,” says Pitts. “We’ve already done bands like that and now we just want to write music that is fun to play and meaningful to us.”
The members of NIGHTWRAITH have been musical companions for over a decade in the Denver scene, but this lineup achieves its own unique approach to aggressive music, inspired by but not limited to the past. After releasing a self-titled album in 2019, NIGHTWRAITH gained notoriety and played shows with heavy hitters like Khemmis and Green Druid, but they were still developing their sound and being called to a new musical frontier.
During 2020, a year filled with anxiety and isolation, the band would finally have the time and freedom to create the next chapter of their story. As NIGHTWRAITH continues to evolve, it’s clear that their ambitions are soon to pay off. Exploring the death metal genre with an eclectic and intuitive approach,
Offering is expressive, inventive, joyful, and sorrowful encompassing poignant themes like seeking the sublime in nature, being genuine in a deceptive world, and living with the idea of death — concepts that unite us all as people. Using haunting melodies and triumphant anthems, NIGHTWRAITH offers listeners a sonic pilgrimage into the heart of being human.
NIGHTWRAITH:
Benjamin Pitts – vocals, guitar
Isidro Soto – drums
Igor Panasewicz – guitar
Caleb Jose Tardio – keyboard, synth
Jerry Hilger – bass
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