“I never sleep, I’m not at peace.”
It has just been under a year since Dream State announced the departure of vocalist CJ Gilpin and guitarist Rhys Wilcox, leaving Aled Evans as the sole remaining of the popular London-based group. With their imperfect yet heart wrenching releases of Primose Path and Recovery making them a much loved act within the UK, it seemed to difficult to envision what would come next.
At the tail end of 2022, the unexpected return of Dream State came about. With a fresh line up of Jessie Powell (vocals), Jake Bowen (bass) and Tom Connolly (drums) alongside Evans, the revival that nobody expected was upon us. Then, with new single “Taunt Me“, Dream State threw themselves and their fans into their new era without abandon.
The debut single displayed a somewhat connected sound to Dream State’s past, while ushering in something that felt new for the band. Its vocal hooks not seeming to stray far from what could be found on “Monsters“, yet what underlined that took on a completely different look. A punk-esque element has been injected into the quartet, with Powell‘s raspy and distinct vocals that will certainly split opinion, most notably on the track’s harsh moments.
With “Taunt Me” and “Comfort In Chaos” it is difficult to dig deep into any specific faults these tracks may have, as they are perfectly serviceable tracks that are decently put together for what they are. Yet, I can’t shake the feeling that there is little of note that makes this new version of Dream State seem exciting or engaging. Further, the crux of UNTETHERED‘s issues may be that what they are aiming for is simply an already-occupied, well-trodden market by other UK acts.
In contrast, however, final track “Chain Reactions” is somewhat of a saving grace, delving into the more melancholic side it feels more natural to Dream State. With the vocals comprising mostly of cleans, its lyrics are complimented with some pleasant riffs. It leans into the vulnerability that they made their name for and is all the better for it, and yet all the same as the previous two tracks, it doesn’t seem to strike the chord that previous material did.
With the EP totaling at three songs, it would be unfair to put a conclusive judgement on this new era of Dream State at this moment. They are faced with a monumental task of transitioning on from a much loved era in the face of outright adversity. However, it feels like much more than this was required to fully establish this new chapter for the group. This leaves UNTETHERED with a lingering question: are these the last gasps of breath for Dream State, or a choke of water coming out the lungs in the unsteady birth of something new?
4/10
Unthered is out February 3rd via self-release, and can be pre-ordered here.