Dream Death Somnium Excessum

The only thing better and more exciting than the idea of a new Dream Death record is the fact that it's actually pretty incredible. Dream Death has always been a standout band to me, even before I was a true fan of doom metal. One of a large handful of bands of their time who bothered to sound truly original and unique, write some damn good songs at it. They were also one of those mysterious flash in the pan bands. They released one incredible record, 'Journey Into Mystery' in 1987, and almost immediately ended up losing members and reforming as Penance, another great band, but one I have not had an emotional connection to the way I have Dream Death. (Penance also begat the otherworldly Argus, but that's another story) Listening to 'Journey Into Mystery' today, it sounds like a beta blueprint of countless bands who have come after. I would not be shocked if Obituary used this band (along, obviously, with Celtic Frost) as the basis of their sound. They also predate sludge metal while showing many similarities; barked vocals, mixtures of hardcore punk, thrash and Black Sabbath worship. When you hear a fantastic band is putting out a new record after 25 years, there is little to do but wait anxiously. How incredibly easy is it to shatter the reputation you've had for that long? Apparently, in Dream Death's case, it's pretty hard. This new record, Somnium Excessum, is a relief, and a masterpiece. Despite a darker, slightly less raw tone, the intensity is still as present as ever, and the updated production values are more than welcome. What is also welcome is the music which has changed very little from the first record. Complex riffs snake back and forth, occasionally dropping a pure headbanging fury moment (the end of 'Them'.....wow). The vocals are still gruff, but also still clear and up front, still giving the songs a raw, punkish edge. I can't think of any true complaint about this record other than the length. If the songs weren't lengthy, it would basically be an EP. I demand more! It's a perfect companion piece for it's younger brother record, and shows passion, maturity, controlled and logical progression, and just plain smokes. 3/01/2013 With the quality and consistency of metal releases, especially in the death and doom metal genres 2013 has dished out to us up till now you'd think it was a missing year from the 1980's. Jumping on the bandwagon which includes bands like Convulse and Brutality in none other than legendary Pennsylvania doomsters 'Dream Death' who have awoken after more than two and half decades of stupor to unleash upon us yet another weighty magniloquent assault that is a genuinely malevolent affair. To me, their debut album 'Journey into Mystery' is the perfect definition of an underground cult album, in the sense not many know about the album, even those who have a rather subterranean taste is music, but those who have had the pleasure of listening to it can not only laud it's superior song writing and originality, but also recognize the titanic amount of influence this band may have had on the upcoming death metal and doom metal scenes. The album was a transition between the glorious aggressive violent thrashing days of the 80's and the second wave of doom metal which gave rise to some of the most exalted and influential doom metal acts like Saint Vitus and Candlemass. If you ask a person not well versed in heavy metal, what heavy metal is, his answer will probably be something in the vein of harsh guitars and a noisy sound. Well, it is pretty much the same here and it is a wonderful experience. If asked to describe Dream Death's music I would describe it as an assimilation of the heavy, distorted yet simple riffing style of Celtic Frost, along with the rawness and approach of bands like Brocas Helm and Cirith Ungol drenched in the compact aggression of early NWOBHM-tinged Slayer. Though influences are many, Dream Death is utterly original in nature and do not come off as a copycat band. This brings us to the bands' second full length 'Somnium Excessum' which is basically Latin for 'Dream Death