At times violent and volatile, and at times heartbreakingly vulnerable, Dreamwell have not just created a collection of songs; they have sculpted an album in the very truest sense
Dreamwell are a good band. Even prior to this album, this was a well established fact.
The Rhode Island based five piece erupted onto the scene with their disconcerting and unapologetic debut ‘Modern Grotesque’, taking a distinctly skramz style and expanding upon it with an ambitious, melodic style to create a body of work that was as raw as it was focused; a frantic panic attack of righteous fury.
Since then, the band have gone on to sign with Prosthetic Records, and with this label, worked on releasing their sophomore effort, ‘In My Saddest Dreams, I Am Beside You’. Expectations were pretty high; as said, Dreamwell are known as being good at what they do. But frankly, even so, I was taken aback by just how phenomenal this album would prove to be.
‘In My Saddest Dreams[…]’ is a harrowing piece of art that examines the complexities of love and mental health, tying these concepts together through a crumbling relationship and the emotional destruction left in its wake. At times violent and volatile, and at times heartbreakingly vulnerable, Dreamwell have not just created a collection of songs; they have sculpted an album in the very truest sense.
From the tender, cracking introduction of ‘Good Reasons to Freeze to Death’ that launches into the sonic explosion of ‘Studying the Greats in Self Immolation’, to the thunderous beat down of ‘Body Fountain’ that plunges into the haunting ‘I Dream’t of a Room of Clouds’, every moment is heavy with purpose, with Keziah Staska’s lyricism being utterly soul rending in its emotional potency.
On top of that, Staska’s vocal delivery is quite simply some of the finest in the heavy scene. Their ability to switch effortlessly from a subtly menacing spoken word to a delirious and frenzied scream, such as on the frankly insane track ‘Blighttown Type Beat’, is magical to behold. The climax of ‘Lord Have MRSA on My Soul’ is another moment that sears itself into your brain, as Staska repeatedly declares, with the ferocity of a thousand suns, ‘Your God will declare you unclean’.
This is all, of course, saying nothing of the musical performances of the other band members. Intricate, complex, weaving passages implode with cataclysmic force into breakdowns that hit like a brick to the face. The lengthier tracks, such as ‘It Will Hurt, and You Won’t Get to Be Surprised’, are kept exciting and engaging throughout thanks to impressive musical performances that echo the sentiments of the lyrics perfectly.
The instrumental ‘Reverberations of a Sickly Wound’ gives these musicians a real chance to shine, fully immersing the listener in the complex fury of Aki McCullogh and Ryan Couitt’s guitar work, and the so often thunderous rhythmic section in the form of Justin Soares and Anthony Montalbano. It will do you well to remember these names; it’s hard not to imagine them becoming post-hardcore legends.
By the final painfully cathartic moments of ‘Rue de Noms (Could Have Been Better, Should Have Been More)’, Staska ripping out their heart from their chest with the line ‘I know it’s pathetic how much of my happiness hinges on the the thought of being loved’, one thing is clear: Dreamwell are incredibly, incredibly important.
Yes, ‘Modern Grotesque’ was a great debut record, but it cannot be understated just how incredible this follow-up is; the progression for this outfit is astounding. ‘In My Saddest Dreams, I Am Beside You’ is a heartbreaking piece of art that goes down as one of the finest releases of 2023, an album that demands you listen to it from start to finish, before taking a deep breath and hitting that repeat button.
‘In My Saddest Dreams[…]’ is an important record. And Dreamwell are an important band.
RATING: 91/100 – Excellent
For Fans Of: La Dispute, Ithaca, Chalk Hands, ourfathers., Sunflo’er
Physical copies of the album can be purchased here.
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