The band released their self-titled debut EP shortly after they emerged onto the local new wave scene, giving them the opportunity to play live shows while continuing to experiment with their sound. Blending different genres of indie, alternative/dark wave and electronic pop, the band carved out a unique identity and style that appealed to broader audiences. Within a short timespan, Astari Nite became a regular feature at several monthly parties and showcases – and also a favorite among South Florida’s club promoters and music fans alike.
The band’s follow-up EPs, Winter’s Gone and Requiem Mass, established them as a regular live act on the club circuit. Astari Nite headlined a steady string of shows throughout 2009-2011 and also opened for such noteworthy national acts as Peter Murphy (Bauhaus), Cold Cave, Modern English and Apoptygma Berzerk.
A highlight from this time period in the band’s history was their performance at Miami’s Ultra Music Festival in 2011. Ultra is one of the largest and longest running music festivals in the world, and draws hundreds of thousands of fans each year with headliners such as The Cure, Crystal Castles and New Order. This exposure catapulted their prominence on the local scene and garnered respect amongst their peers as a viable live act with dance appeal.
Using the Ultra experience and momentum, the band hit the road for their first tour in support of Requiem Mass, their third studio EP. On the tour they played shows at several venues on the East Coast of the U.S., with both the EP and the tour being well received at stops in Florida, Georgia, New York City and Philadelphia.
Astari Nite has also released several music videos, with the band showcased for the first time on screen in True Romance. This black-and-white video tapped into the lyrical world of singer/songwriter Mychael Ghost and was also featured on many prominent web-radio stations and music blogs.
Another fan favorite, Astrid was a video diary of sorts and documented the band on their first tour, as they made their way north from their native Florida up the East Coast. Astrid shows the band in a candid setting, experiencing many of the highs and lows associated with being on the road together for an extended amount of time.
It wasn’t until meeting with Grammy-award winning producer Stephen Thompson (Whitney Houston, Blues Traveler, Korn) that Astari Nite took their songwriting to a new – and slightly more mature – direction. Thompson seamlessly allowed for their style to find a natural home in the new wave/indie market.
After hitting the studio for months on end to find the right combination of feel and technique under Thompson’s direction, Stereo Waltz was released in 2013. The band’s first full-length album featured their acclaimed single, Pyramids. This song highlighted the band’s now-crystalized electro-dance sound and received many accolades from local DJ’s and critics. Pyramids solidified the band’s claim as a viable act on the brink of success, worthy of all the attention they were getting.
After undergoing several line-up changes, the band has come into its own with Mychael Ghost (Vocals), Michael Setton (Guitar), Monch Sallons (Bass) and Illia Tulloch (Drums & Keyboard). Their next EP is slated for release in late-2014 on Danse Macabre Records.
The Witching Hour
Astari Nite Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
As long as I can feel the warmth inside your soul
Swear that I will leave here
Swear that I will find a way to bring you home
At night - I always wait, always wait alone
To hear the sounds you make
Now I hang in shame
Knowing how I let you slip inside of me
Hopelessly, without you, without you
At night - I always wait, always wait alone
To hear the sounds you make
Your shadow speaks no more
At night I always wait, always wait alone
I'm letting you go
Breathing for life
Feelings are too soon
When all I want is you
All I ever knew was fear of losing you
The lyrics to the song "The Witching Hour" by Astari Nite speak of deep longing and desperation. The singer is consumed with a desire to be reunited with their lost love, promising to do whatever it takes to bring them home. The lyrics "As long as I can see you, as long as I can feel the warmth inside your soul" convey an intense emotional attachment to the subject of the singer's affections, suggesting that they are deeply bonded to them on a spiritual level.
The singer's desperation is further revealed in the chorus, where they confess to always waiting alone at night to hear the sounds their beloved makes, even though their shadow no longer speaks. This suggests a separation between the singer and their lover, as if they are holding onto a memory of them that has ceased to exist in the present. The singer is left hanging in shame, aware of how they have let their lover slip away from them.
All in all, the lyrics to "The Witching Hour" by Astari Nite paint a picture of a deeply emotional and uncertain time in the singer's life. They are consumed with a desire for their lover that is almost obsessive in nature, with the thought of losing them being their greatest fear.
Interesting facts about the song:
Line by Line Meaning
As long as I can see you
I desperately want to be able to see you
As long as I can feel the warmth inside your soul
Being able to feel the warmth inside your soul is incredibly important to me
Swear that I will leave here
I promise to find a way to leave this place
Swear that I will find a way to bring you home
I promise to find a way to bring you back where you belong, with me
At night - I always wait, always wait alone
Every night, I wait and hope to hear from you, but I'm always alone
To hear the sounds you make
I long to hear any sound you make, just to know you're there
Your shadow speaks no more
I used to feel like your presence was near, but now it's gone
Now I hang in shame
I feel guilty and ashamed for letting you slip away from me
Knowing how I let you slip inside of me
I regret how easily you were able to have an impact on me and how much you mean to me now
Hopelessly, without you, without you
I feel hopeless and lost without you, without your presence and your love in my life
I'm letting you go
I realize I can't continue holding on to you when you're not here, and I need to let you go
Breathing for life
I'm just trying to survive and keep going
Feelings are too soon
I'm overwhelmed with feelings for you, even though it's too soon to be feeling this deeply
When all I want is you
Despite everything, all I really want is you by my side
All I ever knew was fear of losing you
My only constant feeling was fearing that I would lose you, and now that fear has come true
Contributed by Nathan J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.