DREAMEATER – “Bleed” (debut EP)


DREAMEATER
Debut EP: Bleed
Release: 14th August 2020

The Post Metalcore unit from Andover, DREAMEATER have dropped their latest tantalizing EP in BLEED. Clocking under 20 minutes of listening, the 5 track EP is a hellraiser, with heavy beatdown influence incorporated into the group’s already prolific skillset.

They released two music video in promoting the release of the EP and perked the ears of any ambient infused heavy metal enthusiast to come across it.

Shatter was released as the first single off the EP. A fitting introduction with its captivating dissonant lead and groove. They switch things up with from the first verse with much more ferocity, blending in melodic parts sustaining the emotion of the song. It aptly set the pace for the rest of the EP.

The single for In Death released a month later, and the music video took the same imagery from Shatter, stepped it up another level for the second chapter. The song itself is the first on the EP and takes on a completely different persona, hitting us hard with the Post Hardcore rhythms raging from the very first second. The dissonance on exhibit in Shatter makes a return but in a different flavour, this time around, the expression is darker. In Death is a blast with rough edges, with a fantastic slow outro ring out.

DREAMEATER doubles down on the formula for In Death and delivers just as epic a song in the record’s title track – Bleed. The dark tone is brought to the fore and plays a bigger role than on the previous songs. It’s much slower as well, and that plays well with the song’s ever present eerie expressions. The only exception being a hectic build up to the wallop of a breakdown.

So far Bleed, as an EP, has done an exceptional job in compressing a lot of variety and experimentation into only three songs, and with Decay we experience the culmination of these learnings merge together with styles more familiar to the diehard fan. There is a constant high lead which I will admit got a bit much to bear on repeated listening, but that aside, this is one of my favourite song on this release. I am a sucker for well executed clean vocal hooks, and Decay meets that criteria and that is not even half of it.

After our detour from the slamming rhythms, we are reminded what this record is all about. Eternal, the final song of the release, brings us back to earth with a pulsating song loaded to the brim with those transcending dark melodies.

In summary Bleed is very solid EP, with a lot of potential. DREAMEATER flexes a lot of talent in the direction their experimentation have taken. My only fault being that it’s over too soon, and leaves us frothing out the mouth for more.

– Franco Rootman (The Basic Human Principle)