Janus aren’t the kind of rock band that’s satisfied with writing songs about getting wasted and partying hard every night. Just look at the concept behind their last album, ‘Red Right Return.’ The set took inspiration from the 1920s Russian Constructionist art, while the title refers to the famed nautical term that captains use when returning to home port safely.

Janus’ new release, ‘Nox Aeris,’ carries that same tradition of complexity and depth of message. ‘Nox Aeris,’ which is Latin for “night air,” comes from a period in the 14th century when the plague was killing off the European population and people believed going outdoors at night would make them susceptible to the disease.

The title is meant to represent the darkness and mystery in Janus’ latest collection, and while the concept may be a bit hard to take in, the Chicago boys would have it no other way.

“We try to write music that we think is interesting and, conceptually, we like to put as much thought into what we’re saying with the artwork and the titles and the themes in our records, the same way we do our music,” Janus frontman David Scotney tells Loudwire. “We want those things to be just as intellectually stimulating for us and our fans as the music itself.

“We like the fact people may have to do some scratching and digging to get their heads wrapped around a concept we’re trying to put out there.”

Fans can scratch and dig all they want up until ‘Nox Aeris’ hits stores on March 27 via Realid / Warner Music Group. Check back soon for Loudwire’s full interview with the singer David Scotney.

More From 96.3 The Blaze