Dream Unending is the brainchild project of Tomb Mold’s bassist and guitarist Derrick Vella and Innumerable Form’s multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Justin DeTore, whose musical visionary brings tranquility and ataraxia in the form of doom metal/death metal. “Tide Turns Eternal” personifies the unique aspect of the duo’s creativity in an atmospheric field of melancholia. Dream Unending tends to emphasize the dramatic effects of the clean guitars and, imaginative synthesizers to create emotional depth by employing a chilling and moody experience that makes it one of kind among the other doom metal bands. From its opening intro to the final cut of the album the composition binds the slow death/doom style in a very compelling way.

As far as the songs keep you hooked to the slow pacing, the monolithic guitar riffs veil a darker and somber air of gloom. The short intro piece “Entrance” sets a brooding atmosphere where the lead guitars create an ambient feeling that is very emotive. The sonic elements come alive with the vivid phosphorus themes of unearthly realms. The following track “Adorned In Lies” has a deep guitar section that sounds almost mysterious and dark. With its melancholic pacing the vocals apply a ghastly style of growling. Brooding slowly in all the sullen tones of vibrant colors of the dying sun. Its shimmering melodies and the surmounting lead guitars ascending to the highest peaks to interact with the soft synthesizers.

Immense guitar riffs become the entire focus of each of the album’s monolithic tracks. “In Cipher I Weep” offers a paranormal experience with the cascading work of the guitars presenting such an enthralling piece of art when suddenly the gloomy synthesizer merges inextricably with the sentimental lead guitars. As mentioned, Dream Unending provides an atmosphere that is very close to bands like Evoken. Moreover, the tempo changes contain plenty of heavy riffs, deep growls offer hooks, and pounding drum beats lead to lethargic transitions. The lead guitars are laced into the musical composition. Even its somber rhythm imbues the song with melancholy and the crushing wall of sound leaves you with the rich surrounding of the instruments. 

Throughout the album, every pace balances the contrast between the guitars and the drums. “The Needful” brings something more exquisite for fans of doom metal. The elements of progressive rock and post-metal feel a little unpolished but they efficiently make the somber atmosphere exudes hallucinogenic images. Dream Unending tends to focus on the experimental and innovative style of doom metal. Simultaneously the songs evoke the elements of funeral doom metal where the guitars often break out from the funereal dirges to float across the progressive rock strains. They offer a dichotomy of dirge full sections that contrast with the elegant guitar chords. “Tide Turns Eternal” takes you on a voyage to astral plains beyond space and time. 

“Dream Unending” maintains the flow of the heavier sections and the drumming pace is just brilliant. With its crushing-paced tempo of double bass, and the vocals pouring out the anguish. A palette of dark emotions provides restless moments building up to a sudden calmness where the slow guitar hooks paint ethereal images of a new twilight. Psychedelic landscapes then build up to heavier tempo tinted with fine structure guitar notes made by eerie elements thus forming flickering musical patterns. Every song has heavy riffs and pounding drum beats, though there are some nuances of Evoken, the duo has captured the beauty of the atmospheric sections. “Forgotten Farewell” is another instrumental intermezzo that shows the ingenuity of the members, it begins with a sentimental guitar melody that flows gently when the guitar solos take hold of this track. 

In its spacious details and dramatic shifts of tone and textures “Tide Turns Eternal” is a breathtaking album well combined with ethereal melodies that burrow the melodic nuances of bands like Mourning Beloveth and Mournful Congregation. The duo has aptly mastered their craft on the debut album as they have mixed the monolithic riffs of doom metal with the atmosphere of funeral doom. The final track “Tide Turns Eternal” juxtaposes heavy doom/death dirges and the crushing drums. Its elegant guitar notes create a delicate layer when the deep growls echo powerfully.

Heavy concretized riffs fall like a mass of consolidated slab of crashing drums, though the juxtaposition of gothic doom style becomes elegant with the seemingly female vocals, whose soft melody gives a beautiful serenade at the end this monolithic track. Despite its repetitiousness and colorful musical patterns, Dream Unending’s debut album is highly recommended for fans of doom metal. 

Release Date: November 19th, 2021
Label: 20 Buck Spin
Tracklist:

1. Entrance
2. Adorned In Lies
3. In Cipher I Weep
4. The Needful
5. Dream Unending
6. Forgotten Farewell
7. Tide Turns Eternal