Ever since they banded together in 2018, NITE has carried the torch for Bay Area metal with pride. In the three years since their last Marshall-fueled venture, the San Franciscans have wisely tripled down on their trusted arsenal of blackened heavy metal. "...it will take a crowbar to pry this song out of your head", No Clean Singing wrote about the high-flying lead single from the band's upcoming third album.
With its epic slow burn, the latest single from Cult of the Serpent Sunstill conjures the trailblazing spirits of old. But "The Mystic" shines a light on what separates this band's particular blackened alchemy from mere imitation brew.
Listen to "The Mystic" below:
Cult of the Serpent Sun comes out March 14, 2025 on Season of Mist.
Pre-order & Pre-save
https://orcd.co/nitecultoftheserpentsun
After two swashbuckling albums, NITE's classic weaponry still shows no signs of rust. The title track off Cult of the Serpent Sun slithers with all the leathery glory of '80s heavy metal gods. Their new album was guided by what they harnessed while storming the stage at Northwest Terror Fest and Hell's Heroes VI, but its "more is more" philosophy also led them to explore new dimensions.
"Time / Space", Van Labrakis chants as "The Mystic" unfolds as if shrouded by frozen smoke.
NITE's new single highlights the band's blackened edges. Melodic riffs drip like candle wax. Drummer Patrick Crawford pops and pings as if leading a midnight procession. "Red, black and white", Labrakis summons from his spell book while Avinash Mittur stretches his Rickenbacker bass into a hypnotic groove.
Cult of the Serpent Sun pits the band against the shadowy mythologies that have long laid dormant beneath society. But even amidst its freshly blackened perils, NITE emerge victorious. As the flames rise higher and higher, Scott Hoffman's guitar solo illuminates "The Mystic" like a beam of light climbing through the shadows. "Fire / Bring me to life".
"As above, so below", NITE says about "The Mystic". "Black and white, the checkerboard of space and time. Duality as the vehicle of human consciousness. Beyond all our achievements as a species in science, art and philosophy, still our biggest achievement, our alchemical triumph, our magnum opus as humans, is our most animalistic ability to procreate. To cheat time. To cheat death".
NITE's classic weaponry shows no signs of rust on their third album. "The Last Blade" draws first blood amidst an acoustic flurry before thrusting onto the offensive. "The aim here is not to replicate that era but to explore and evolve," Labrakis told Decibel when asked about the band's influences. Cult of the Serpent Sun honors the trailblazing spirits of old by honing what separates this band's particular alchemy from mere imitation brew. "The Mystic" expands their sonic palette, featuring a slow-burning bass line that stretches time and space into a hypnotic portal. With its whirling and enchanted melody, "Tarmut" glimmers like a desert mirage.
"We play a traditional style of heavy metal, but the blackened element takes us in a different direction," Labrakis says. His road-hardened voice stands resolute in "Carry On," denouncing the perils of war. "Dream on and find who you are," he beckons on the album's triumphant closer "Winds of Sokar."
On Cult of the Serpent Sun, NITE guards the altar of blackened heavy metal with sharpened blades and axes raised.
Lineup:
Van Labrakis: Guitar / Vocals
Scott Hoffman: Guitar
Avinash Mittur: Bass
Patrick Crawford: Drums
Recording studio
210 Studios San Francisco and The Hoagie Container
Production credits
Recorded by Van Labrakis
Produced by Van Labrakis and Nite
Mixed and mastered by Van Labrakis at 210 Studios San Francisco
Cover artist
Adam Vick
Available formats
Digital download
CD Digipack
12" Vinyl Gatefold (Black)
12" Vinyl Gatefold (Red with black splatters)
12" Vinyl Gatefold (Red and black marbled)
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https://orcd.co/nitecultoftheserpentsun
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