Byronic Sex & Exile is a project formed by Joel Heyes (Action Directe/Quasimodo/1919) in 2015, committed to reconnecting goth music to its romantic and revolutionary roots and the cultural legacy of the gothic. Musically epic and deep, with strong influences from '90s gothic rock such as the Horatii, Nosferatu. Suspiria, and London After Midnight, lyrically the project deals with themes of passion, insurrection, and doomed personal ambition, and leans heavily on the gothic literary tradition.

Following on from debut releases 'Crimes of Passion' (E.P, 2015) and 'Under the Gaze of an Indifferent God' (E.P, 2017), debut album 'Gothism' (2018) was released to good notices throughout Europe and was accompanied by a full UK tour in September 2018. Another full UK 'Gothism tour took place in April-May 2019, followed by the premier of a new show 'The West Yorkshire Gothic Songbook' in August. Byronic Sex & Exile appeared at Goth City Festival in October 2019, the first 'Goth At The Brewery' event at Whitby in November and premiered a show of acoustic & protest songs in York on 5th November. A further UK tour took place in November-December 2019

A mini-album 'Opera of the Wastes' was released on new year's day in 2020, which was followed by a new album 'Cu Foc' in April and single 'The Bells' in October.