NIGHT THIEVES

“’Metaxis’ is about understanding what truly brings peace and happiness.”

“The album feels like a culmination of everything we have learned.”

“We wanted to create something with meaning throughout.”

“The raw emotion comes from the vocal expressions more than the words.”

“Being in the moment is what helps deliver the song.”

“We would never want to stifle the emotion that comes out naturally.”

“Accessibility doesn’t necessarily mean compromise.”

“What you are hearing is people coming together.”

“Genre is only a tool to describe sound.”

“A chorus should feel like an epiphany.”

“Live, the emotion becomes a blend between band and audience.”

“We are all our own worst critics.”

With ‘Metaxis‘, Night Thieves deliver a debut album that feels less like a first step and more like a fully realized emotional statement.
Balancing atmosphere, heaviness, vulnerability, and explosive energy, the band explore themes of identity, transition, duality, and human connection without ever sacrificing intensity.
In this interview with Fok ’bs’, Jess (vocals) and Rick (bass) speak about emotional honesty, songwriting dynamics, genre boundaries, and the meaning behind an album built around the idea of existing ‘in between‘.
The title ‘Metaxis‘ suggests a state of being in between.
What does that concept mean to you personally, beyond its philosophical roots?
Jess: “For me, it’s about learning and accepting every experience that shapes my feelings and perspectives, especially when it comes to understanding and connecting with others and myself. It’s very easy to judge people and character, have strong feelings about conflict – but fundamentally it’s about what we can feel connected to that helps us understand what we truly want to find peace and happiness, which might not be what we think on the surface.”
Your debut doesn’t feel like a starting point, but more like a statement already fully formed.
Did that clarity come naturally, or was it something you had to fight for?
Jess: “The album feels like a culmination of everything that we have learned and feeling comfortable in our own skin. Our previous EP ‘Polarity’ did continue a journey of concept into another with the album, we had these types of ideas, but it didn’t entirely happen organically. It took many ideas, and a lot of effort to make sure we create something with meaning throughout.”
Rick: “Over our previous EPs we have also grown as people and as a band, knowing each other’s strengths and finding a really good way of writing and working.”
Jess, your vocal delivery moves between vulnerability and force with striking precision.
How do you decide when to hold back and when to let everything break loose?
Jess: “Some of it is directed during the writing sessions in terms of what sound or emotion is wanted for certain arrangements in the music itself. I will use that direction where I can with creative licence by using different vocal textures to achieve it. At the same time, I am considering how my vocals contribute to the dynamics throughout each song, while thinking about what I am expressing and leading the listener through. For me, these things are very important because they are the ingredients for expressing and getting someone to feel our stories and experience.”
There’s a strong sense of control in your songwriting, even in the heaviest moments.
How do you prevent that control from suffocating the raw emotion?
Jess: “The raw emotion still comes from the vocal expressions more than the words, even though they are the vehicle. I personally don’t feel I can technically control my singing in that way, it doesn’t help me either. The vocals were not that precise on our writing or demos, but we picked moments where the vocals really cut through the emotions we wanted to express. I personally find being in the moment when singing ironically what helps deliver the song even on a technical level.”
Rick: “As a band unit the control might come from ensuring we are locked in and working as a unit but we would never want to stifle the emotion that comes out naturally from each person as that is what makes it sound like us.”
Compared to ‘Polarity‘, this album feels more focused and deliberate.
What shifted in your mindset between those releases?
Jess: “We basically had more room! ‘Polarity’ is very much a prerequisite of ‘Metaxis’, the songs on the EP were describing opposite worlds like ‘Through The Looking Glass’ and starting to question the two realities with ‘Collide’. ‘Metaxis’ goes on to the journey of moving in between, but with an album, we have more space to create a structure for that journey and share so much more. It also created a little bit more pressure at the same time to make sure the album was cohesive so that the listener could experience the journey from start to finish, through every track.”
The album balances accessibility with weight.
Do you ever feel tension between writing something catchy and something uncompromising?
Jess: “Sometimes, it can be a tricky process to balance. I don’t like creating something just to sound good but with no genuine meaning behind it, so I don’t tend to settle half-way for that. However, I don’t think that accessibility necessarily means a compromise, all that means is that you can create something that connects to a wider audience.”
Rick: “For any release we go in with the attitude of what we want to hear. The band has a huge range of influences, so we want all those aspects of our music taste to shine. There’s never any tension between being heavy or catchy because at the end of the day what we write is showcasing us and what we love. That duality comes from each member contributing so what you are hearing is your people coming together, so nothing else sounds like it.”
Tracks like ‘In Between Pt.1 & Pt.2‘ hint at duality and transition.
Are these themes something you consciously explore, or do they emerge naturally from the writing process?
Jess: “A bit of both. We have had connecting concepts floating through our previous releases. Once we had developed a few songs for the album, we were able to shape and focus on the themes more. That then gave us direction of where we wanted to take the rest of the songs.”
Collaboration, like on ‘See You On The Other Side‘, adds new dimensions.
How do you ensure external voices enhance rather than dilute your identity?
Jess: “In this case, it was through careful songwriting and some compromise with melodies and arrangements during production to make it work. It wasn’t actually originally planned this time round but later, a few band members wanted something with a heavier collab with a song on the album. Given the challenge and short space of time left, it was all about how to practically create space and synergy to complement distinct vocals without compromising on the song too much. This song felt like the better one to rewrite the chorus with a type of call and response structure to give distinct voices, and some layering, which luckily came out really well in the end.”
Your sound sits between alt-metal, modern rock, and something more atmospheric.
Do you see genre as a tool, a limitation, or something irrelevant altogether?
Jess: “It’s only a tool to give an idea of how we sound through descriptions, but it can be a hindrance where it’s used for algorithms on platforms, because it limits accessibility for those trying to discover new music. The other challenge is if an artist or band changes genre. That can be controversial either way, but I’ve seen someone who’s cross genres being listed in something completely different.”
Rick: “Hopefully this works in our favour as we cross many genres. At the end of the day I would say it’s irrelevant what genre we fit and not something we particularly care about. It can only be limiting if people decide it is.”
Live, your music seems built for connection and release.
How different is the emotional experience of a song on stage compared to in the studio?
Rick: “It’s such a different experience in the studio and live. In the studio you are focussed on making sure the songs sound like you imagined and you are putting your emotion into each song because it’s a one sided process. Live, the emotion is a blend of what you out in on stage and the reaction from the audience, it’s much more tapping into the energy of the room and feeding back between the musician and the audience.”
Jess: “You have the audience there with you and that can make such a difference.”
There’s an anthemic quality to many of your choruses.
What makes a chorus feel ‘earned‘ rather than just big?
Jess: “When it feels like an epiphany after being led into it from the verse or pre-chorus. It feels like something you arrive at in a satisfying way.”
Rick: “It also needs to be something the audience connects with and looks forward to hearing throughout the song. It’s the moment in the song the audience has to anticipate so when it kicks in, especially after a breakdown, the audience welcomes it and resonates with that part of the song.”
The band has built momentum quickly.
How do you stay grounded while everything starts accelerating around you?
Jess: “Very easily, we are all our own worst critics! We are all very passionate about what we do, and while it’s very rewarding to receive praise on our releases and performances, we’re still very reflective about what we’re putting out to the world, and what we want to do next.”
If ‘Metaxis‘ captures a moment of being in between, what do you think lies on the other side for Night Thieves?
Jess: “Something we will continue to figure out.”
Rick: “Being on the other side of releasing an album, we learned a lot about what we can do and we can push ourselves further and further. The first steps have been to bring ‘Metaxis’ to a live setting and then it’s progressing in our song writing, knowing we’ve set the bar now and we need to exceed what we have already achieved, so watch this space!!”
With ‘Metaxis‘, Night Thieves have crafted an album that moves confidently between atmosphere and aggression, introspection and release.
Rather than chasing trends or fitting neatly into genre expectations, the band focus on emotional truth, connection, and evolution.
And if this debut is any indication, Night Thieves are only beginning to explore what lies on the other side.
by Fok ‘bs‘

track-list:
Obsidian
Mycelia
Home
Freer
Running (Out of Time)
In Between Pt.1
In Between Pt.2
See You On The Otherside
The Game
Maritime

Night Thieves are:
Jess Moyle – vocals
Paul Andrew – guitar, synths
Rick Hunter-Burns – bass
Ryan Delglyn – drums

Night Thieves live in concert 2026:
May29th The Star Inn (with Black Orchid Empire) Guildford/UK
Jun6th Metal Pride Festival London/UK
Jun20th The Fighting Cocks (with RUE-NA and Henka) Kingston/UK
Jul5th SOS Festival Oldham/UK
Jul24th Northants Rocks Festival Finedon/UK
Jul26th Hammerdown Festival Worthing/UK

discography:

London’s rising alt-metal force Night Thieves step into 2026 with a debut that refuses to hold back.
‘Metaxis‘ arrives not as a tentative first statement, but as a fully formed, high-impact release – dense with crushing riffs, precision-driven hooks, and the kind of anthemic choruses built for packed rooms and raised fists.
It’s an album that captures a band already moving at full speed, sharpening the sound they began shaping on their 2024 ‘Polarity‘ EP into something heavier, tighter, and far more deliberate.
Working once again with producer Romesh Dodangoda, Night Thieves lean into a broader, more polished sonic identity without sacrificing their raw edge.
The result is a record that balances weight and accessibility, threading aggressive alt-metal intensity through melodies that stick long after the final note fades.
There’s a clear sense of control throughout ‘Metaxis‘ – every breakdown lands with purpose, every chorus feels earned, and the pacing never drifts.
The release of the single ‘See You on the Other Side‘, featuring Jessie Powell, adds another layer to the album’s dynamic range.
The collaboration injects both contrast and emotional depth, expanding the band’s palette while reinforcing their ability to craft tracks that resonate beyond sheer heaviness.
It’s a standout moment that hints at the band’s willingness to evolve without losing their core identity.
Momentum has been building quickly around Night Thieves, with strong backing from major outlets and a growing live reputation forged alongside acts like Marisa and the Moths and Chuggaboom.
But ‘Metaxis‘ is where that promise crystallizes into something tangible.
It’s not just a debut – it’s a declaration.
Night Thieves aren’t testing the waters.
With ‘Metaxis‘, they’ve already dived in headfirst – and they’re clearly aiming to stay there.

Massively appealing heavy alt-rock four-piece NIGHT THIEVES are poised to climb higher with their blistering new EP, ‘Polarity‘, out on Friday 19th January.
The UK rockers will also deliver their deeply alluring new single and video, ‘Through The Looking Glass‘, which arrives on Friday 12th January.