DREAM DEATH - Journey Into Mystery LP (Black Vinyl)

Dream Death was one of the more interesting cult bands in the late 80s metal scene. Having had a short initial run, the band members eventually found greener pastures in Penance but have also enjoyed their status with a recent reunion. While 2013 would see the release of their sophomore album Somnium Excessum, this 1987 effort is the only full-length from their prime and has proved to be an influential though obscure listen.

It’s no exaggeration to say that Dream Death didn’t really fit into a particular scene in their early days. Their style of doom was more unhinged than Saint Vitus or Pentagram but wasn’t as extreme as the sludge and death/doom that they would help inspire. Instead, they played an odd fusion of doom and thrash metal with Celtic Frost, Slayer, Venom, and the obligatory Black Sabbath as influences.

These cues can be heard in the riffs and muddy production job, but the vocals are where it stands out the most. Clearly inspired by Tom G Warrior with some Tom Araya inflections here and there, guitarist/vocalist Brian Lawrence has a harsh bark with an almost spoken word approach. It can run the risk of sounding bland but it definitely fits the filthy atmosphere in a way that a standard death grunt just couldn’t.