Dayseeker

Sad rock. That’s usually how frontman Rory Rodriguez describes it to curious newcomers.

But there’s more to DAYSEEKER than melancholy. Formed in Southern California and forged in adversity, Dayseeker evolved from post-hardcore upstarts into one of the most emotionally resonant and stylistically agile bands in heavy music today. Their songs don’t just process grief, heartbreak, and trauma — they transform them into something magnetic, powerful, and ultimately empowering.

“I always felt out of place growing up,” Rodriguez says. “But when I picked up a guitar, it was like I already spoke the language. Music became the only thing I felt truly connected to.”

That connection wasn’t just inspirational — it was a lifeline. “My mom had a pretty serious struggle with addiction,” he continues. “There were nights I’d sit alone in my room with a boombox, just zoning out. It felt like the music saw me, like I wasn’t invisible. I think I’ve always wanted Dayseeker to offer that same feeling to someone else — a safe place. A reminder that they’re not alone.”

Since 2012, this spirit has defined the band. Rodriguez, guitarist Gino Sgambelluri, bassist Ramone Valerio (who joined in 2017), and drummer Zac Mayfield (who joined in 2022) prioritize emotional truth over trends, connecting through authentic passion, sonic innovation, and lyrical vulnerability.

2019’s Sleeptalk marked a creative turning point — a dreamy, immersive reintroduction that saw the band doubling down on melody, atmosphere, and introspection. That shift continued with 2022’s Dark Sun, a devastatingly personal album shaped by the death of Rodriguez’s father. Dayseeker graced the cover of Outburn and drew enthusiastic praise from Alternative Press and alt-rock radio.

Heavier than pop-rock, more heartfelt than the average metalcore, and much too emotionally rich and nuanced for easy categorization. The profound resonance of the band’s music with fellow outsiders worldwide is evident in their 600 million+ streams. And it’s palpable at every show, from sold-out headlining runs in theaters to tours with Pierce The Veil, Bad Omens, and Ice Nine Kills.

“We’ve always just made what we wanted to make,” Rodriguez explains. “It’s cool to see the scene shifting in recent years. You don’t have to fit a mold to find success. It’s given us a lot of freedom.”

That sense of creative reverie pulses through Dayseeker’s sixth full-length album, Creature in the Black Night. Produced by Daniel Braunstein (Spiritbox, Silent Planet) and mixed by Zakk Cervini (Blink-182, Bring Me The Horizon, Lorna Shore), the album is Dayseeker’s most immersive and intentional record to date — eerie, cinematic, and threaded with a dark (and sexy) emotional current.

While not a concept album in the traditional sense, Creature in the Black Night exhibits thematic cohesion, from its shadowy visual identity, Grim Reaper iconography, and ominous atmosphere, to how its songs unfold like chapters. “There’s a horror-inspired vibe that took hold early on,” Rodriguez explains. “It wasn’t planned. But once it started showing up in the songs, we leaned into it.”

“Crawl Back to My Coffin,” “Cemetery Blues,” “Forgotten Ghost,” “Meet the Reaper” – the song titles alone paint a vivid picture. But while death looms over the record, it’s rarely meant literally.

“There’s a track called ‘The Living Dead’ that sounds like it’s about dying,” Rodriguez says. “But it’s really about emotional numbness. Through therapy, I realized I’ve spent most of my life compartmentalizing — just surviving. That zombie imagery became a way of expressing that disconnect. The kind where you know you should be feeling something, but you don’t.”

Audiences got their first taste of the album via “Pale Moonlight” and its intensely cinematic music video, directed by Jensen Noen (Falling In Reverse, Architects, Black Veil Brides). “‘Pale Moonlight' is about giving into your vices,” Rodriguez said in a statement accompanying the song’s release. “It's about the addiction to things that you know are toxic for you, but you simply can't stop yourself.”

Other songs explore betrayal, mistrust, and the emotional toll of letting the wrong people get too close. “There’s anger in this record. There’s some jadedness,” Rodriguez admits. “But there’s confidence, too. I’m more self-aware than I used to be. And I’m learning to protect that.”

Fans expecting a sorrowful descent into depression might be surprised — Creature in the Black Night has sharper edges, heavier riffs, and a newfound sense of clarity. “There was this idea that we’d get more and more commercial over time,” Rodriguez says. “But I think the opposite happened — we’re riffing more, I’m screaming more. And it feels good. It feels honest.”

That honesty — emotional, creative, and personal — remains Dayseeker’s most potent weapon.

“People wait months to see us,” the singer acknowledges thoughtfully. “They buy tickets. They deserve our best. And that means putting everything I have into the music, every night.”

Dayseeker hasn’t just evolved. They’ve ascended.