Earlier this year, Los Angeles-based indie rockers Beware Of Darkness released their debut album, titled Orthodox, via Bright Antenna Records.  Orthodox is a body of work heavily clouded with imagery and inspiration drawn from literary figures such as Sylvia Plath, Emily Dickinson, and David Foster Wallace. Throughout Orthodox, chief songwriter and frontman Kyle Nicolaides delivers scathing lyrical content in a snarling howl. Powered by the album’s lead single, “Howl,” a song that has just cracked the top five at Rock radio, Orthodox is incredibly potent and precise, a collection of songs whose lyrics are meant to evoke reactions.
2013 is continuing to be a busy year for the members of Beware of Darkness – Kyle Nicolaides (vocals, guitar), Daniel Curcio (bass) and Tony Cupito (drums) – with “Howl” continuing to climb the rock radio charts along with North American and UK tour dates. Having already shared the stage with the likes of The Smashing Pumpkins, Soundgarden, Stone Temple Pilots, Social Distortion, Deftones, Silversun Pickups, Tegan and Sara, Metric, AWOLNATION, Hollywood Undead, The Wombats, Middle Class Rut and others, the band are looking forward to performances on UPROAR and a string of UK festivals this fall (dates below).
Ghettoblaster caught up with all three members of the band to discuss their favorite records; albums they’ll presumably be taking on the road with them during their current run of dates.  This is what the trio told us about their faves from Jeff Buckley, Tom Petty, and Red Hot Chili Peppers.
What is your favorite album?
Kyle: For the past year, it’s been Grace by Jeff Buckley.
Tony: I wouldn’t really say that I have a favorite record. I enjoy some records for different reasons and moods. I am a big Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers fan, enjoy the record Damn The Torpedos. (I also enjoy the soundtrack for the film No Country For Old Men.)
Dan: Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Californication.
Do you remember when you received or purchased the album?
Kyle: I remember buying a used copy of it from Amoeba, listening to it once and thinking, “oh this isn’t very good, and putting it away”. Then I remember giving it another chance and slowly over time it grew on me, and I listened to it every day for four months. The best records are the ones slowly crawl and grow on you.
Tony: I don’t remember purchasing the album, I feel like life didn’t start until I heard it.
Dan: 2003 after becoming a big fan.
What is your favorite song on the album?
Kyle: “Mojo Pin”
Tony: “Lousiana Rain”
Dan: “Around the World”
What is it about the song that resonates with you?
Kyle: There’s such a spirituality to this song. Everything about it. It’s soulful, it’s bluesy. The chord progressions, and the way it climaxes. It’s mesmerizing. There are certain songs for me that find a way into your soul, almost effortlessly seeping in and they give you this sense of comfort and safety and assurance. Some songs can suspend you, lift you up, and cozy you into this euphoric womb. It’s a similar feeling to being a child, and being terrified of the dark and scared to go sleep, and just in the worst of it your mother comes in with warm milk and sits with you and comforts you, and then you know you’re safe.
Tony: The feel, it has a melodic sexiness to it.
Dan: The bass lines are some of my favorite ever. And the lyrics are the story of my life.
Have you ever covered a song from the album?
Kyle: No, but I’ve learned how to play most of them.
Tony: No.
Dan: Yes I’ve covered songs off the album with other previous bands.
What is it about the album that makes it stand out against the band’s other output?
Kyle: He never got a chance to make others.
Tony: Its very cozy and warm feeling, the tones are superb.
Dan: This particular album was made after the reunion of John Frusciante. He left the band due to drugs and disappeared. When he returned, sober, it was just like “let’s just move in together and get lots of pets”.  There was just this explosion of chemistry after years of being away from each other. You can hear it from the very beginning of the album to the end – they were all very happy.
Have you ever given a copy of this record to anyone?  What were the circumstances?
Kyle: I gave a copy to my friend Vanessa from the band Diamonds Under Fire. She came over for tea and we were talking music, and she hadn’t heard the record.  Also, I’ve had to buy myself 6 copies because I wanted to keep it in my car at all times and I would lose it, or wear it out.
Tony: I haven’t given it to a special someone yet.
Dan:  Don’t think so, but I know I recommend it to everyone who hasn’t heard it.
Which of the records that you’ve performed on is your favorite?
Kyle:  Orthodox.
Tony: As of right now our record Orthodox is my favorite. There are some unreleased and released EP/records I’ve recorded on that I do enjoy as well.
Dan: Orthodox.
What is your favorite song on the album and why?
Kyle: “Salvation Is Here”. It gives me that feeling I described earlier.
Tony: I enjoy our single “Howl”.
Dan: “Ghost Town”
(Catch Beware of Darkness at one of the following dates:
08.13 – Saratoga, NY @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center
08.14 – Mansfield, MA @ Comcast Center
08.16 – Bristow, VA @ Jiffy Lube Live
08.17 – Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center
08.18 – Columbus, OH @ The Basement
08.19 – Detroit, MI @ Shelter
08.20 – Toronto, Canada @ Molson Canadian Amphitheatre
08.23 – Leeds, United Kingdom @ LEEDS Festival
08.25 – Reading, United Kingdom @ READING Festival
08.27 – Tulsa, OK @ The Vanguard
08.28 – Dallas, TX @ Gexa Energy Pavilion
08.31 – Albuquerque, NM @ Isleta Amphitheatre
09.01 – Englewood, CO @ Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre
09.02 – Salt Lake City, UT @ USANA Amphitheatre
09.04 – Sparks, NV @ Sidelines Bar
09.05 – Nampa, ID @ Idaho Center Amphitheater
09.07 – Quincy, WA @ Gorge Amphitheatre
09.08 – Ridgefield, WA @ Sleep Country Amphitheater
09.11 – San Francisco, CA @ Shoreline Amphitheatre
09.13 – Irvine, CA @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Irvine
09.14 – Phoenix, AZ @ Ak Chin Pavillion
09.15 – Chula Vista, CA @ Sleep Train Amphitheatre
09.21 – Fort Myers, FL @ JetBlue Park
10.31 – Pomona, CA @ Rob Zombie’s “Great American Nightmare”)