Album Of The Week-"Back From The Dead "-Dream Death (2004)

The "Album Of The Week" is "Back From The Dead" by Dream Death.

This band brings back some great memories. I remember seeing this band a few times at the Electric Banana in Pittsburgh, Pa. This place was pretty much a dive, but staged some pretty awesome bands during the seventies and eighties. I saw many shows there amongst mostly pretty sparse audiences, which made it all the better. One of the most incredible bands to play there was Dream Death. The band put out an awesome brand of Doom/Death metal and this album pretty much sums it all up combining all 3 of their demos on one album. Do yourself a favor and check out this largely overlooked but unbelievable band at their undeniable best.

"Combining elements of both thrash and doom with traditional metal styles and a hoarse, hardcore vocal style, Pittsburgh, PA's Dream Death were among the more unique underground metal acts of the 1980s. Brian Lawrence (vocals/guitar), Terry Weston (guitar), Ted Williams (bass), and Mike Smail (drums) formed Dream Death in 1984 and promptly recorded their first demo, entitled "More Graveyard Delving." This, along with regular gigging in local clubs eventually led to a deal with second-division thrash specialists New Renaissance Records, which released the group's debut album, Journey Into Mystery, in 1987. The album gained many positive reviews but little promotional support from New Renaissance, and when Williams defected to local thrash band Eviction, the remaining members of Dream Death drifted apart. Drummer Smail would resurface a few years later on the first album by English doom gods Cathedral, and all but Williams would later go on to found the enduring doom metal band Penance." (Ed Rivadavia, All Music Guide)

Review:

"Combining elements of metal, doom, hardcore vocals, and speed, Dream Death gained popularity among the metal underground in the eighties, have returned to release Back From the Dead. Back From The Dead, compiled and produced by Mike Smail (drums) is the official release of the three Dream Death demos recorded in the mid to late eighties. The band's 1987 release, Journey Into Mystery, on New Renaissance Records, is considered an underground classic. After Williams’ departure from Dream Death, Mike Smail (Penance, Internal Void and Pentagram), Terry Weston (guitar), and Brian Lawrence (guitar and vocals) reformed with a slightly modified line-up under the name Penance. Lawrence left Penance after two releases, but Penance continues today with Smail as the only remaining original member. In addition to Penance, Smail has also lent his drumming skills to Cathedral, Silver Tongued Devil, Internal Void and the legendary Pentagram." (Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles)

Track Listing:

01. Sealed in Blood
02. Rhaizes Shadows
03. Meet thy Maker
04. Wolves Bane
05. Under the Blood Red Moon
06. Dream Death
07. Journey Into Mystery
08. Back From the Dead
09. The Elder Race
10. Method to Madness
11. Bitterness & Hatred
12. The Unseen
13. A Wayfarer's Tale
14. Born to Suffer

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For fans of: Trouble, Pentagram, Celtic Frost, Angel Witch, The Obsessed, Witchfinder General, Candlemass, Black Sabbath.

The band just released "Pittsburgh Sludge Metal" which features the very first Dream Death gig live at the Electric Banana circa 1986 with excellent soundboard quality audio. Songs are mostly from their first demo plus covers of Angelwitch and Celtic Frost exclusive to this live set only.