EPK – Nightwraith – The Candlelight (2025)
Publicist – Jon Asher – jon[@]ashermediarelations[.]com
Band: Nightwraith
Single Title: The Candlelight
Release Date: December 19, 2025
Label/Distribution: Self-Release
Location: Denver, CO, USA
Genre: Blackened Progressive Death
“‘The Candlelight’ has a straightforward black n roll sound, and is extremely catchy. While it lives in a space closer to ‘classic heavy metal’ than ‘death metal’, we think our fans will appreciate the hooky songwriting and abundance of harmonized guitar riffs. We wanted this single to be something that is revisited multiple times, rather than something that is listened to once and moved on from. To accomplish this, we took great care in crafting a song that has somewhat of a pop-structure, but blackening it enough that it can be regarded as a great standalone heavy metal track.” – Nightwraith
For fans of Tribulation, Kvelertak, Mastodon, Enslaved, Judas Priest
Nightwraithband.com | Facebook.com/nightwraithband | Instagram.com/nightwraithband | Youtube.com/@nightwraithband5142 | Twitter.com/nightwraithband
Nightwraith.bandcamp.com | Spotify | Apple Music | Soundcloud.com/nightwraithband
Band: Nightwraith
Single Title: The Candlelight
Release Date: December 19, 2025
Label/Distribution: Self-Release
Location: Denver, CO, USA
Genre: Blackened Progressive Death
Single Recording Credits:
• All songs performed by NightWraith
• All songs written by Benjamin Pitts and NightWraith
• Produced/Engineered by: Jacob St. Amand
• Additional production by Van Labrakis at 210 Studios, San Francisco
• Mixed/Mastered by: Van Labrakis at 210 Studios, San Francisco
• Album Artwork by: Nate Burns
• Layout by: Rob Burelson
Band Line Up:
Benjamin Pitts: Vocals/Guitar
Isidro ‘Spy’ Soto: Drums
Igor Panasewicz: Guitar
Lauren Vieira: Keyboards/Synthesizer
Jacob St. Amand: Bass
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About The Single Artwork:
The artwork was created by Nate Burns (@revoltingworship), a talented tattoo artist and illustrator based in Columbus, OH. For ‘The Candlelight’, he drew an other-worldly woman who is conjuring some Bacchanalian ‘party’ magic. The piece is done all in pen and looks incredible, especially in the details of the hands and dagger. Then our friend Rob Burelson put the finishing touches on the layout, making it really stand out as a dark and engaging piece of art.
About the single as a whole (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY):
“The Candlelight” showcases a different side of NightWraith. It’s lean and hook-forward, but still carries the ‘blackened’ sound that they’re known for. Lyrically, it’s a snapshot from a wild and carefree era in Ben’s life, when he lived in DIY punk houses. Instead of nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake, the song treats his memories like honest postcards, so the emotion still lands even if the listener doesn’t carry the same experiences.
Musically, it moves with a confident, mid-tempo swing. The drums are driving and heavy with lots of double bass, the guitars deliver ear-grabbing harmonies, and there’s a melodic theme you’ll find yourself humming for hours later. There’s some grit around the edges, too, namely in the vocal lines that cut through with some bite. The arrangement carries momentum with evolving keyboard melodies in the verses, a chorus that really sticks, and an ending that crescendoes into an instrumental 3-part harmony.
Born in Ben’s memories and sharpened in a room with the full band, “The Candlelight” stands on its own as a sing-along ripper, with a payoff that will call for multiple spins.
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STORY ANGLES / FUN FACTS ABOUT THE BAND:
1: NightWraith has over 100 years of combined musical experience, because we’re all old, haha!
2: One time, someone tried to break into our van through the side window, but the joke was on them because the door was busted and did not open! Unfortunately, we had an out-of-town show a few days later, and the exhaust system clogged up on our way home. So we were moving at a max speed of 35 mph all the way home, with a broken window, at night, in the dead of winter. It was so cold that Igor and Caleb had to pull out the emergency blanket to stay warm, which was actually kind of adorable.
3: Ben and Spy used to play together in a legit Dethklok tribute band! And Joey (Wayfarer), who did the guitar solo on our song ‘Invocation’, was the ‘Swisgaar’ of the band and executed all of those leads note-for-note – super impressive!
4: Lauren has perfect pitch. It can be argued that this is a meaningless talent, but it is impressive nonetheless!
5: Igor runs several restaurants around Denver/Boulder named Quiero Aerepas, and serves authentic Venezuelan street food. Igor is also the only member who previously made a living as a professional musician – in South America!
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L-R – Benjamin Pitts – Vocals/Guitar, Lauren Vieira – Keyboard/Synth, Jacob St. Amand – Bass, Igor Panasewicz – Guitar, Isidro “Spy” Soto – Drums
Photo Credit – Josh Massara – @permanent_ephemera_photo
NightWraith is a melodic death metal band from Denver, CO that explores the genre with an eclectic and intuitive approach. Their music encompasses poignant themes: 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.
The band was formed in 2016 (Benjamin Pitts, Isidro Soto, and Igor Panasewicz) without any preconceived notion of genre, allowing them to develop their sound organically. The members of NightWraith had already been musical companions for over a decade in the Denver scene, but their lineup achieved 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 but were still developing their sound and being called to a new musical frontier.
Pulling inspiration from a wide array of bands and genres, NightWraith refined their sound into something unique by adding a full-time keyboard player (Caleb Jose Tardio). “Writing new material with keys in mind made us want to sound like we were taking all the heavy parts from bands like Carcass and Enslaved, and combining it with the warmth of classic bands like Thin Lizzy and Blue Oyster Cult”, explains Ben. NightWraith released their sophomore album, Offering, in the spring of 2022, which received praise from critics and was supported by a number of live performances.
As NightWraith continued to evolve, the engineer for Offering (Jacob St. Amand) entered the band on bass, and they refined their sound even further. Fall of 2024 saw the release of their 3rd full-length studio album, ‘Divergence’. This new iteration of songs captured their vision more closely and cleverly used analog synthesizer tones to give the album a ‘film score’ type of quality. Ben explains: “Musically, the songs on Divergence are melodic and emotional. But the drums are fast with lots of big rock fills, double bass, and blast beats, so it has a driving pace and ‘classic’ metal tone. The keyboards and synths are the icing on the cake, though, and really color the album in a nostalgic, 80s type of way.”
With the addition of keyboard player Lauren Viera (Dreadnought) in 2025, NightWraith is excited to be releasing their new single “The Candlelight”, capturing a sound that is melodic black ‘n roll with a classic heavy metal nod. They are currently writing their 4th full-length album, which is being described as the most mature writing and darkest songs of their almost decade-long career.
Discography:
2025 – The Candlelight (single)
2024 – Divergence – LP
2022 – Offering – LP
2019 – Self-Titled – LP
2017 – Demo – cassette
Allegeon, Khemmis, Venom Inc., Orbit Culture, Abigail Williams, Warbringer, Nite, Vale of Pnath, Bewitcher, Glacial Tomb, Xoth, Of Feather and Bone, Green Druid, Cyborg Octopus
What the press has said about Nightwraith:
“Striking a delicate balance between the baroque stylings of a band like Dimmu Borgir and the more grandiose melodies of Inexorum, Denver’s NightWraith brilliantly capture the majesty of black metal on new single Perpetual Night. Drawing lyrical inspiration from 1927 sci-fi movie Metropolis – clips of which pop up in the music video – the track is a showcase of bald ambition and songwriting craft, playing up to the underground’s most aspirational aspects, hinting at bigger things to come on new album Divergence, out September 13.” – Metal Hammer (Perpetual Night off album Divergence 2024)
“ Few American melodeath bands can hang their hats on a record that’s as creative, engaging, and just plain fucking fun as Nightwraith has done with Divergence. These guys are going places.” – NoCleanSinging (Album Divergence 2024)
“As you’ll quickly discover, in its opening phase it (Whispers of Dragonflies) presents an unusual amalgam of futuristic swirling keyboards and full-throttle blackened ferocity replete with raking chords, hammering drums, and scalding vocals. But it does begin changing, like a musical chameleon. Those changes include a beautifully ringing guitar melody backed by shimmering synths, musing bass tones, and gripping drum fills, and fronted by somber and melancholy singing with a bit of grit in the gears. That phase is a sublime experience, made even more sublime by a guitar solo that sounds like a beguiling prog-rock throwback. The intensity builds again, but without sacrificing the music’s increasingly head-spinning beauty, and that paves the way for the afore-mentioned concert-flute solo, which is flat-out mesmerizing. As also mentioned, the song then loops back to its beginning — hammering, slashing, scalding, and swirling once more, fierce but also glorious. The song is presented with a beautifully filmed video of the band performing the music. Enjoy!” – NoCleanSinging (Whispers of Dragonflies off album Divergence 2024)
“One thing that has done better than nearly all of their musical peers was throwing convention out the window and running it over a few times with their truck. This album stands out as one of the most unusual I’ve ever heard. It masterfully blends the raw intensity of fierce Black Metal with the soothing presence of smooth keyboards and intricate guitar harmonies. The contrast between the harsh vocals and the melodic, atmospheric layers creates a unique listening experience that feels both powerful and unexpectedly harmonious, pushing the boundaries of what music can offer. 10/10″ – Metal Temple – Album – Divergence 2024)
“The tracks from the band’s upcoming album, Divergence, which What’s Left Records is releasing on September 13, are a mix of blackened death metal and prog. Caleb Jose Tardio’s (keyboards and synthesizer), Igor Panasewicz (guitar), Isidro “Spy” Soto (drums), Jacob St. Amand (bass) and Benjamin Pitts (vocals and guitar) have been at it since 2016 and call what they do “blackened dad rock.” But NightWraith isn’t your father’s metal.” – Denver’s Westword (Album – Divergence 2024)
“Denver’s Nightwraith seems to get labeled as a melodic death metal band everywhere, but the sounds you’ll find on their third album “Divergence” are so much more diverse and bountiful, with proggy dashes of synths alongside a healthy dose of black metal in a rather folky, airy Enslaved-style. Add to that some cool guest parts like the baritone sax in ‘One Flower’ or Dreadnought’s Kelly Schilling adding a mesmerizing touch to ‘Whispers of Dragonflies’ with her flute, and you’ve got a diverse and unique cocktail that’s inherently Nightwraith. Don’t miss out on the Bandcamp/CD only bonus track either – a very surprising rendition of Pink Floyd’s ‘Us and Them’. ” – The ProgSpace (Album – Divergence 2024)
“As far as melodic death metal goes, NightWraith have to be one of the nerdiest bands on the block. Granted, the subgenre is already the geeky nephew of the acne-ridden linebacker that is death metal, but Divergence takes it even further by embracing progressive rock and heavy metal. It gets to the point that songs like “Whispers of Dragonflies” and the title track edge closer to the melodic and emotive progressive rock of the ’70s, albeit with tighter runtimes and the looming promise that NightWraith can crank up the aggression at any moment. They adopt the mindset that jam sessions can happen whenever and build their tracks around that potential. Therefore, songs tend to begin slowly and unspectacularly, but then venture down the tri-forked path of harmonic noodling, death metal riffing, and big metal energy without a compass. Divergence is September’s most unassuming album, easily.” – Consequence Heavy (Album – Divergence 2024)
“An album to seek out if you are curious about a band that ebb and flow between extreme metal oriented passages and a variety of what might be described as atmospheric laden and highly melodic progressive rock.” – Progressor (Album – Divergence 2024)
“‘Divergence’ is a smorgasbord of musical influences that takes a core of black metal and shapes into something melodic and progressive. It’s great for sitting down and listening to in full, but if you don’t have the time (or the patience) for that, there’s still tracks that you can dip into without losing the magic that NightWraith have worked hard to create here. For me, I can see myself coming back to this for more listens in the future and ‘Perpetual Night’ in particular is likely to get played to death over the next few weeks for sure!” – Uber Rock (Album – Divergence 2024)
“Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, NightWraith cross Metal sub-genres with consummate ease. 8.5/10″ – Metal Noise (Album – Divergence 2024)
“Hailing from the Mile High City, Colorado natives Nightwraith have returned with their third death metal masterpiece Divergence. Even with the addition of more melodic elements and themes than their 2022 album Offering, Nightwraith have still kept to their simplistic yet brutal nature. When it comes to the genre, we know what to expect: heavy guitars, fast drums and a melting bass line. Nightwraith have managed to break these expectations very subtly such as having a saxophone solo in “One Flower,” or having a John Carpenter-style synth intro in “Whispers of Dragonflies.” The musical range in Divergence is vast enough to keep things fresh and interesting all while still keeping the classic elements of the genre. 4/5” – Heavy Music HQ (Album – Divergence 2024)
““Divergence” displays everything you’d want from a really pleasurable easy listening, Proggy rock album. Lovely rhythms, guitars that tell a story, harmonies, easy does it on the overdrive, and just generally satisfying music, in The Allman Brothers Band style… but with thundering drums, and Death Metal growls straight out of the “How To Sing Like David Vincent” handbook!” – Ever Metal (Album – Divergence 2024)
“Fruitless let us know immediately what this technically very knowledgeable band has to offer. Light experimental guitar work, nice soloing, well-thought-out rhythm parts, ugly screams, clean vocals and virile keyboard playing already culminate on this opening track. It strengthens my mind and it is also my firm belief that this band will still be recorded by a (groter) label. Listen to the opening measures of the very good Perpetual Night. It does something to me Borknagar in their heyday thinking. What a solitary work too, wonderful to see that blast in between. Great!’ – Zware Metalen (Album – Divergence 2024)
“When you think of melodeath and meloblack, you normally think of Scandinavia, right? You don’t normally think of…Denver? Well, the 3rd album from this Colorado outfit is some of the best I’ve heard in those genres in 2024. Featuring past and present members of In The Company of Serpents, Primitive Man, and Ashen Horde; the band takes their influences and creates an album unlike what you’ve heard before. I can hear the likes of Dissection, Insomnium, Novembers Doom, Nightingale, and much more throughout all while feeling like this was the album they wanted to create. It’s a journey of an album that you never know what direction it is going to take and those are always my favorite kinds of albums. This is one of those albums that could easily stand the test of time. Give it a shot now to make sure it will be remembered as it should, a groundbreaking masterpiece.” – Heavy Debriefings (Album – Divergence 2024)
“Please, do not take the shrill album cover as a one-to-one representation of NightWraith’s music. The painted satyr in an post-apocalyptic city speaks nothing of the expansive and precise metal on Divergence. Layered between blackened death metal passages are melodic, synth-heavy segues that form a mature offering from the Denver group.” – Invisible Oranges (Album – Divergence 2024)
“The ringing guitar and keyboard instrumental that opens the song (Beguiler) is magically inviting, but only one feature of a richly tapestried piece that moves through many moods and musical variations. As the song ebbs and flows, twists and turns, it crosses through shade and sun, traversing the gloom of sorrow, seething with tension, and spinning the mind with extended guitar jams that dart and dance, slither and swirl, and become trippy, bluesy, and occult. While all that happens, the rhythm section are putting on their own show. The bass hums and pulses, meanders and invigorates, and the drumming ranges from neck-snapping back-beats to open-handed blasts, with plenty of electrifying fills in the spaces between. Variations mark the vocals as well, which veer from rasping blackened snarls to guttural growls.” – No Clean Singing (Nightwraith – Offering 2022)
“Nightwraith brings their own unique blackened heavy metal to the table with their new record Offering. It’s an extremely cool listened rife with throat-shredding vocals, classic rock organs, and of course dizzying stringwork.” – Metal Injection (Nightwraith – Offering 2022)
““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—vocalist/guitarist Benjamin Pitts, drummer Isidro Soto, guitarist Igor Panasewicz, keyboardist Caleb Jose Tardio and bassist Jerry Hilger—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.” – Decibel Magazine (Nightwraith – Offering 2022)
“The ‘Blackened Dad Rock’ of Denver’s NightWraith A new metal subgenre.” Westword (Denver) (Nightwraith – Offering 2022)
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