Beware Of Darkness

Inspired by the crunchy blues-based riffs of Led Zeppelin and the minimalist thunder of two-piece alt-rock bands like the White Stripes and the Black Keys, Beware of Darkness is a vehicle for the songs and guitar work of Kyle Nicolaides. Initially, the lyrics of songs like "Howl" (from 2013's Orthodox) and "Muthafucka" (from 2016's Are You Real?) matched the strutting style of Nicolaides' music. As he developed a more introspective outlook, inspired in part by his long-term struggles with depression, his songs became more personal. His music developed a greater sophistication on 2024's Lose Your Mind, Gain Your Soul, though his classic rock-inspired guitar still sat front and center. 2024's Suicidal in Paradise was an maverick effort where Nicolaides experimented with hip-hop production techniques.Hailing from Santa Barbara, California, Beware of Darkness was formed in 2010 by vocalist/guitarist Kyle Nicolaides (aka Kyle Nicolai) and drummer Tony Cupito, who met at a club where Nicolaides was playing a solo acoustic set. The two were eager to form a rock band, and they adopted the name Beware of Darkness from the song of the same name by George Harrison. They played shows with a handful of different bassists before Daniel Curcio joined the lineup, and the group was soon touring throughout California, playing shows with Stone Temple Pilots, Bush, Deftones, and the Wombats. In 2012, the same year they appeared at the SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas, Beware of Darkness signed with Bright Antenna Records, and they released their debut EP, Howl. The title track became a favorite with fans, and it was included on their first album, 2013's Orthodox. "Howl" became a hit, rising to number six on the Mainstream Rock chart, and another track from Orthodox, "All Who Remain," would peak at number 19. The band's new success led to a number of major festival appearances, including the Reading and Leeds Festivals in the U.K., and a spot opening for Smashing Pumpkins on their 2013 European tour. An EP, Sanctuary Season, was released by Bright Antenna in 2015, and the following year, the group's second LP, Are You Real?, appeared. The song "Muthafucka" didn't get much radio play, thanks to its title, but it became a major streaming success for the band, and three other tracks -- "Dope," "Summer Daze," and the title song -- were issued as singles. While Tony Cupito was the credited drummer on the record, Hayden Scott actually played on the sessions, and in 2017 Lionel Forrester, Jr. officially replaced Cupito behind the drums. In October 2019, Beware of Darkness released a single, "Bloodlines," but the following March, they revealed on social media that they were breaking up. Later that month, they delivered two songs, "Millennials" and "Infinite in Your Arms," as a farewell gesture to their fans. (The band also parted ways with Bright Antenna and would release their future music independently.) Nicolaides seemingly walked back the band's retirement with a handful of digital releases, including 2021's Devotionals (a set of acoustic versions of BOD favorites) and Live at Resident (taken from a Los Angeles concert in 2016), as well as 2024's Sketches and Meditations, a three-hour-plus collection of demos, home recordings, and outtakes. In the midst of this, Nicolaides published his first book, Thank God for Depression: Make Depression the Best Thing to Ever Happen to You, a memoir of his journey to mental health. In 2024, he posted a video online declaring that Beware of Darkness were done, and marked the occasion with two final LPs. 2024's Suicidal in Paradise was a departure from the band's usual approach, with Nicolaides' voice and guitar accompanied by electronic backdrops informed by hip-hop. And Lose Your Mind, Gain Your Soul was filled with songs rooted in Nicolaides' experiences with depression, with a more polished sound that still reflected his group's hard rock heritage.
© Jason Lymangrover & Mark Deming /TiVo