Thee Old Night is a Dark, Minimalist Folk trio based out of North Carolina and Richmond, Va, featuring members of Demon Eye, Lightning Born, Utah and Horsehead. The group blends elements of Psychedelia, Classic Country and Traditional Doom Metal into an unprecedented, spectral sound focused on melody, meditation, and the liminal spaces between established genre norms.
Watch the official video for the track “Precious Blood” through the YouTube player below:
The group began as a solo foray for Erik Sugg, following his years of fronting the celebrated Doom Metal outfit, Demon Eye and his work as a guitarist and songwriter for Ripple Records artists, Lightning Born. Delving into his long-standing love for the Imaginational Anthem school of acoustic guitar, Erik experimented with various elements of British Folk, vintage Psychedelia and classic Country, finding solace in the simplicity of rhythm and mournful melodies, allowing his voice to soar through lyrical explorations of human consciousness and the mystical notion of the “dark night of the soul.”
With a voice that often draws comparisons to Roky Erickson, rhythmically matched with Lou Reed’s minimalist strumming to the head-bobbing boogie of Billy Gibbons, Erik looked to the influence of fellow dark travelers, contemporaries like Nick Cave, Mark Langegan, Steven Von Till and Chelsea Wolfe, to voices of the past, like Townes Van Zandt, Hank Williams and Nick Drake. After a few solo performances throughout the Raleigh area, Erik opened doors for others to join him on his journey.
Cellist and Michigan native, Anne Polesnak, was a widely known and respected musician throughout the North Carolina triangle region, having played with Indie Rock outfits, Utah, The Ready Set and The Monologue Bombs. Erik reached out to Anne during the pandemic era, asking if she would lend her talents to his visions. As the COVID years waned, Anne and Erik got together for a joining of the strings. The powerful, low richness of Anne’s cello was the perfect accompaniment to Thee Old Night’s developing sound.
Kevin Wade Inge was a kindred Rock and Roll spirit to Erik during the late ’90s and early 2000s in Richmond, VA. wherein they split sonic duties as guitarists for the MC5-influenced Rock and Roll band, The Dragstrip Syndicate. Throughout the years, Kevin made a name for himself, not only as the skilled multi-instrumentalist for the beloved Americana rock darlings, Horsehead, but also as a go-to session musician for artists all across the sonic spectrum, (including the debut solo album from Windhand’s Dorthia Cottrell). His atmospheric pedal steel guitar, along with his keyboard wizardry, completed Thee Old Night’s unique musical dynamics.
Thee Old Night will release their self-titled debut in October of 2024 via Firelight Records. The group performs regionally throughout the southeast, gaining new listeners beyond the confines of genre, scenes, and traditional expectations of what music should be.
Pre-Order the album on Bandcamp: https://theeoldnight.bandcamp.com/album/thee-old-night
Tracklist:
01. Precious Blood
02. Shadows
03. The River, The Mountain
04. All Around Us
05. Red Like Crimson
06. Life in Pain
07. Sibyl
08. Leave the Day Behind
09. Salvation
10. Darling
LineuP:
Erik Sugg / Guitars and Vocals
Anne Polesnak / Cello
Kevin Wade Inge / Pedal Steel Guitar, Piano, Synthesizer
