The current lineup of Novelists consists of Florestan Durand on guitar, Amael Durand on drums, Nicolas Delestrade on bass guitar, and Pierre Danel on guitar, who joined the band in 2021. Previously, Charles-Henri Teule served as a guitarist from 2013 to 2018, while Matteo Gelsomino was the lead vocalist from 2013 to 2020, later replaced by Tobias Rische from 2020 to 2023.
Novelists was formed in 2013 by brothers Amael and Florestan Durand. They were soon joined by Matteo Gelsomino, Nicolas Delestrade, and Charles-Henri Teule, following the dissolution of their previous band, A Call to Sincerity. In April 2014, the band released a demo featuring six songs. In July 2015, they signed with the record label Arising Empire, and in November of that year, their debut studio album, "Souvenirs," was released.
The band gained further recognition in June 2017 when they released the single "The Light, the Fire" and embarked on a tour with While She Sleeps and Northlane. Shortly after, they signed with SharpTone Records and released their second studio album, "Noir," in September 2017. Novelists continued their musical journey and released their third studio album, titled "C'est La Vie," in January 2020.
In April 2020, the band announced the departure of Matteo Gelsomino as the vocalist and initiated an online audition process to find a replacement. In October 2020, Tobias Rische, formerly of Alazka, was unveiled as the new vocalist. The band also signed with Out of Line Music in November 2020 and released the single "Lost Cause." They followed it up with two more singles in 2021, namely "Terrorist" and "Do You Really Wanna Know?"
Throughout their career, Novelists has showcased a metalcore sound infused with progressive metal and djent influences. They are recognized for their emphasis on clean vocals rather than screamed vocals, a deviation from traditional metalcore practices.
In 2022, Novelists released two additional singles, "Smoke Signals" and "Heretic," the latter featuring Florian Salfati from the band LANDMVRKS. On April 6, 2023, the band announced Tobias Rische's departure via their Instagram page.
Their fourth album, "Déjà Vu," was released on September 2, 2022, through Out of Line Records. The album introduced Pierre Danel as a permanent guitarist and showcased Novelists' penchant for accessible, pop-oriented approaches to heavy music. The album's songwriting demonstrated the band's ability to craft memorable hooks and satisfying choruses, with occasional mellow guitar passages adding depth to their sound.
On 6 April 2023, Novelists announced on their Instagram page that Rische had left the band. In September, it was announced that Camille Contreras was taking over vocal duties
2. Novelists is a music collective from Thompson, Canada. The collective consists of Alex King (vocals, percussions), Dollah 69 (vocals, guitars, keys) and Papyrus (vocals, keys, percussions, bass) and Sean Sean (keys).
Eyes Wide Shut
Novelists Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Keep us accustomed to this constant need of becoming someone
Feed our ego and make us self-centered suns of a selfish world
Lead us to the loss of selfhood
We'll behave like fucking mirrors in these crowded rooms
Make us the reflection of our thirst to consume
And let us drown
Caught in the shimmer of a misleading world this life becomes mirage
And strays at the surface like unable to die
Forever captive of our eyes
We gaze at the world
Our souls as deep as a gaping gulf
Covetous of what might be lying elsewhere
We worship the feeling born from the whims of a vivid dream and the love of our barren hearts
We seek ourselves on a fucking sea of screen
Fed of fictions
Growing dim
Damned to lose ourselves in a maze of lies and mirrors
Fed of fictions, growing dim
Keeping our eyes shut, facing our own end…
…We still believe we'll be saved
Caught in the shimmer of a misleading world this life becomes mirage
And strays at the surface like unable to die
Forever captive of our eyes
In "Eyes Wide Shut," Novelists explores the dangers of modern society's addiction to social media and self-promotion. The first stanza speaks to the popular culture's tendency to glorify the ego and self-centeredness. The constant need to consume and become someone feeds into a cycle of self-obsession and self-promotion that leaves people feeling empty and unfulfilled.
The second stanza touches on the idea of being trapped in a world that is nothing more than an illusion. The glamor and allure of society are nothing more than a mirage, a fleeting moment of exhilaration that never brings true satisfaction. In this world of constant consumption and self-obsession, people lose sight of who they truly are and become nothing more than a reflection of their own desires.
The chorus brings attention to the idea that people are forever trapped in this cycle of self-obsession and self-promotion, unable to break free. They are mesmerized by the illusion, caught in a cycle that leaves their souls feeling hollow and empty. The song's final lines paint a stark image of people with their eyes shut, wholly unaware of their inevitable end. Despite it all, people still cling to the hope that they will be saved.
Overall, "Eyes Wide Shut" is a commentary on modern society's obsession with self-promotion and consumption, warning listeners of the dangers of becoming trapped in a world of illusion and self-obsession.
Line by Line Meaning
Tame our addictions
Control our habits and dependencies.
Keep us accustomed to this constant need of becoming someone
Make us desire to constantly improve and strive to achieve higher status or success.
Feed our ego and make us self-centered suns of a selfish world
Boost our self-esteem and turn us into egocentric individuals in a society that prioritizes individualism.
Lead us to the loss of selfhood
Allow us to lose our true essence or identity.
We'll behave like fucking mirrors in these crowded rooms
We'll reflect others' behaviors and actions in social situations.
Make us the reflection of our thirst to consume
Cause us to represent our hunger and desire for material possessions.
And let us drown
Allow us to be overwhelmed and succumb to these destructive habits.
Caught in the shimmer of a misleading world this life becomes mirage
Trapped in the illusion of a deceptive reality, life seems like a dream.
And strays at the surface like unable to die
Life seems superficial and meaningless, unable to end or find true fulfillment.
Forever captive of our eyes
We are unable to escape the captivity of our own desires and perception of reality.
We gaze at the world
We observe and scrutinize the world around us.
Our souls as deep as a gaping gulf
Our inner selves are as vast and profound as a deep abyss.
Covetous of what might be lying elsewhere
Full of longing for what could possibly be found elsewhere.
We worship the feeling born from the whims of a vivid dream and the love of our barren hearts
We obsess over the emotions and excitement sparked by fleeting daydreams and the love of those who cannot reciprocate those feelings.
We seek ourselves on a fucking sea of screen
We search for our identities and validation through digital media.
Fed of fictions
Satiated by fictional tales and narratives.
Growing dim
Becoming less bright and less lively due to our unhealthy obsessions.
Damned to lose ourselves in a maze of lies and mirrors
Cursed to become lost in a world of deception and falsehood, constantly reflecting those around us.
Keeping our eyes shut, facing our own end…
Continuing to ignore reality and refuse to take action despite the impending consequences.
…We still believe we'll be saved
Despite our destructive behavior, we hold onto the illogical hope of being rescued or saved from our impending doom.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Dylan Gauthier
Novelists doesn't write music, they paint a beautiful portrait with the softer introduction, incorporate a blend of heaviness and melody with the screams, then those cleans and the rhythm section kick in and it's like you are now apart of the painting
truly a one of a kind band
Rob B.
Absolutely. Couldn't have said it better.
King Lykaon
I fucking agree with you my dude
Nik Nocturnal
Slaying it with every new release brothers <3
Oopsy Boops
Chocoslayc sounds like novilists too except it's rushian
Amin Korchi
Logan Bader Same for me ahah
DethMetlZomb
Check out the music on his page lol. (And by that I mean listen to Labyrinth)
Logan Bader
I can definitely tell we like the same music. You end up in every comment on every band video I like lol. 🤘
Amirul Islam
Make a cover of it
Deitthia
The first a few tones is enough to like this and every your song. Keep doing what you love. So melodic, I'm in love. Again. 🖤