Nox Novacula (L-R: Dav Tafoya, Charlotte Blythe, Ezra Bolotin, Zu Leika). Photo by Anne K O’Neill.
In the way back machine of May, Nox Novacula delivered an incendiary performance at this year’s edition of Northwest Terror Fest. During the set, Seattle’s Deathrock darlings slipped in a couple of unfamiliar numbers, and ever since, this boy has been hanging on singles such as ‘Cursed’ and ‘Flood’ with bated breath. Three tortuous months later, the wait is over, and the band has given us the full album premiere right here, right now.
Formed in Seattle in 2017, Nox Novacula has consistently delivered dark, gothic, punk ‘n roll with a distinctly modern approach to personal and political struggle that places the band on their own tectonic plate of purgatory. Their self-titled demo in 2018 made waves in the Seattle music scene, leading to performances at renowned festivals like Near Dark, Out From the Shadows, and San La Muerte. The release of their ‘Hitchhiker/Drug’ 7” in 2019 expanded their audience, culminating in the reissue of their early works on ‘The Beginning’ LP by Poland’s Batcave Productions. Their first full-length album Ascension, released in 2019 on Paris’ Manic Depression Records, marked a creative turning point for the band and established their prominence in gothic rock.
Dark, danceable, and deeply resonant, Feed the Fire showcases the band’s growth and experimentation with a broader palette of electronic elements. Album opener, ‘Plague,’ begins with a synthesized funeral dirge before transitioning into their signature tense, nail-biting punk sound. Vocalist Charlotte Blythe’s virtuoso performances guide listeners through tales of despair, dissonance, and action that soar alongside the searing guitar of Zu Leika and the formidable rhythm section of Dav Tafoya (bass/synth) and Ezra Bolotin (drums).
Tracks like ‘No Forgiveness’ and ‘Sirens’ deliver anthems that sit comfortably alongside the works of Death Cult or Skeletal Family, while ‘Stay’ ventures into fully synthesized contemplation, highlighting the band’s compositional versatility while remaining faithful to their genre’s 1980s forebears. The involvement of Matt Bayles, who previously worked with the band on their debut album ‘Ascension,’ has once again brought their music to life with phenomenal sound quality.
Charlotte Blythe shared with Decibel, “Feed the Fire is our second full-length album, our first release with Artoffact Records, and, in our humble opinion, the best work we’ve done so far as a band. We are incredibly excited to be able to share it with the world. We poured a lot of ourselves into this album; it’s a testament to both tragedy and triumph. A call to not only survive but to try and find joy despite the impending darkness that permeates day-to-day life in these times.”
Preorders for Feed the Fire are available here, and the band is currently on tour supporting the album (dates below). If they’re coming through your town, this is a can’t-miss show.
Nox Novacula Feed the Fire Tour Dates:
8/6: Salt Lake City, UT – International
8/7: Denver, CO – HQ
8/8: Kansas City, MO – miniBar
8/9: St. Louis, MO – Sinkhole
8/10: Indianapolis, IN – Healer
8/11: Bloomington, IN – Bishop Bar
8/12: Louisville, KY – Art Sanctuary
8/13: Cleveland, OH – No Class
8/14: Youngstown, OH – Westside Bowl
8/15: Pittsburgh, PA – Skull Fest
8/16: NYC-1, NY – TV Eye
8/17: Providence, RI – Boiler Room
8/18: Wallingford, CT – Cherry St. Station
8/20: Richmond, VA – The Warehouse
8/21: Cincinnati, OH – DSGN Collective
8/22: Chicago, IL – Burlington Bar
8/23: Milwaukee, WI – X-Ray Arcade
8/24: Minneapolis, MN – Uptown VFW (James Ballentine VFW Post 246)
8/25: Fargo, ND – The Aquarium
8/27: Missoula, MT – Zacc
8/28: Spokane, WA – Warbox
