Nate Eberhardt describes his music as 鈥渇orged in ancestral fire,鈥� drawing from the artists who shaped him long before he ever picked up a guitar.
鈥淚 think by playing the blues and by honoring my ancestors, it translates to my music now,鈥� Eberhardt said.
That reverence for lineage sits at the heart of Nature Nvoke, Eberhardt鈥檚 Afrofuturist post-punk and darkwave project.
Launched in 2019 as a solo endeavor, the sound blends moody synths, jagged rock textures and expressive guitar work.
鈥淎frofuturism is paying homage to your ancestors,鈥� he said. 鈥淢y ritual in doing that is studying the electric church of Jimi Hendrix. That's the way we honor the past and the future in the present to bring forth for the future.鈥�
This week Eberhardt is putting out a new, four-song EP called 鈥淓choes in Eternity鈥� 鈥� his first full-band release.
Behind the scenes, Eberhardt鈥檚 creative process often begins alone with intimate guitar sessions that layer acoustic and electric textures.
Effects pedals and electronic elements come later, transforming early ideas into demos that feel expansive and abstract.
Nature Nvoke grew into a full band when bassist Josh 鈥淢ekhi鈥� Burton first joined the project as a videographer, before teaching himself bass to support Eberhardt鈥檚 improvisational style.
鈥淚 know what punk is, but I never really heard post-punk, what that really consists of,鈥� Burton said. 鈥淚 wanna hear what else we can do with it, what different sounds we can make.鈥�
Burton also leads the project鈥檚 visuals, ensuring Nature Nvoke鈥檚 aesthetic carries as much meaning as the music itself.
Drummer David 鈥淐oach Dave鈥� Parks completes the lineup, grounding the group鈥檚 exploratory sound with rhythmic precision.
Building buzz through word of mouth
Eberhardt grew up in South Euclid, playing saxophone and singing in choir.
He studied at Cuyahoga Community College, where a recording arts technology class became his gateway to pursuing music more seriously.
Around the same time, he found himself drawn to guitar-heavy sounds, some of which he discovered while playing the 鈥淕uitar Hero鈥� video game.
English post-punk, indie-rock band Bloc Party was a major influence around this time.
Between 2016 and 2018, Eberhardt played bass in several post-punk and hardcore bands, cutting his teeth in Cleveland鈥檚 DIY scene.
But it was his deep dive into the music of his heroes that pushed him toward the front of the stage.
鈥淚n punk music, a lot of times people are like, 鈥楴o solos! Save the solo,鈥欌�� Eberhardt said. 鈥淏ut Jimi [Hendrix] is a solo master. His improvisation is just second to none.鈥�
That philosophy now shapes Nature Nvoke鈥檚 live performances, where songs are rarely played the same way twice.
Guitar solos stretch and morph, guided by instinct as much as structure.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 something I interpret into my songwriting 鈥� I feel like I can shut my eyes, connect with the earth and play the music I want to hear,鈥� Eberhardt said.
Turning his passion into a full-time pursuit, Eberhardt eventually left his job as a cashier at Trader Joe鈥檚, where he had been quietly building an audience with customers, one conversation at a time.
鈥淚鈥檇 be like, 鈥楬ey, how鈥檚 your day going?鈥欌�� he said. 鈥淭hen I鈥檇 ask what kind of music they were listening to. If they said, 鈥楴ine Inch Nails,鈥� I鈥檇 be like, 鈥極h, you鈥檇 totally love this band 鈥� check it out, it鈥檚 my band.鈥欌��
He said word of mouth was how his band began gaining traction among the local community.
He and Burton worked together at Trader Joe鈥檚, which is also where the conversations to collaborate began.
鈥淛osh, he would be like, 鈥楬ey, we got a show coming up, we're about to play Waterloo. Come up to that,鈥欌�� Eberhardt said. 鈥淎nd people would actually pull up and be like, 鈥楳an, I love your music.鈥欌��
Rising from the ashes
In 2024, Eberhardt released the album 鈥淒oors of Perception鈥� after several years of deciding where he wanted to go as an artist.
鈥淐OVID-19 re-shifted a lot of things for me,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 was thinking more electronic pre-COVID. I had signed a record deal with Mannequin Records thinking I was going to be like this electronic guy in Berlin prior to that.鈥�
The label deal ultimately fell through, but Eberhardt said the challenges of the pandemic and uncertainty about his career ultimately helped him come out of his comfort zone 鈥� and find sobriety.
鈥淕rowing up, I thought that I needed that to cope with anxiety of being a stage guy, being a front man,鈥� he said. 鈥淓verything I went through during COVID, all of it went into the fire. It made me better.鈥�
"I want to be a pioneer. I want to be the first one to plant that flag."Nate Eberhardt
Over the past year, Nature Nvoke has reached new listeners through performances at Cleveland鈥檚 IngenuityFest, Waterloo Arts Fest and Larchmere PorchFest.
For Eberhardt, the goal extends beyond visibility.
鈥淲hen we come together, it feels powerful for Cleveland,鈥� he said. 鈥淏y me loving what I love to do, people love to watch me do that. And other people who feel that same freedom, they want to feel it too. I want to be a pioneer. I want to be the first one to plant that flag.鈥�
That sense of purpose helped earn Eberhardt recognition as a 2025 Panza Foundation artist, which is an honor he values as much for the mentorship and validation as the financial support. The local awards support a few independent musicians like Eberhardt each year.
Combined with resources from organizations like Music Cares, it鈥檚 helped make a full-time music career sustainable.
鈥淭hese are people who built our scene, and I look up to them,鈥� Eberhardt said. 鈥淚t was like the ultimate reassurance that I'm doing the right thing, and I never wanted to let them down.鈥�
Despite the challenges and uncertainties, Eberhardt said it鈥檚 important to keep chasing your dreams 鈥� a sentiment that Burton echoes.
鈥淵ou know, anything's possible. I say this all the time, 鈥楯ust keep grinding,鈥欌�� Burton said.
