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 a maverick effort where Nicolaides experimented with hip-hop production techniques.