Hey remember how I ambitiously said there would be a couple of these last week… and then a week and a half went by? Yeah. My bad. But I have good news! If you missed the release of Hymns for the Denial of God in late August, the latest from self-proclaimed post-skramz crew Dreamwell, you get another chance right now. And you’re going to want to spend some time with this one, as Vince so effectively articulated as well. And since we do have the review up for you to read, we can skip my one sentence summaries of what these albums sound like and jump right into the good stuff… the responses from KZ (vocals) and Ryan (guitars). So take the jump, hit that Bandcamp embed, and watch a video or two along the way. You’ll be glad you did. Catch ya next time!

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How and when did you first get into playing music, or metal more specifically, and how did your band get its start? Any pushback from family/those close to you?

KZ: I started playing guitar my freshman year of high school and I really sucked at it, but I still tried to play guitar in my first band when I was 19. After a while, we couldn’t find a vocalist, so I agreed to put down the guitar and learn how to yell. I think I always knew it’s what I actually wanted to do, but I didn’t trust myself to have the confidence to front a band. Years later, I was in a band called Lymphoma Twins, and we played with Dreamwell. I got Ryan to play with us for a little while, so we got connected. After their original vocalist departed, Ryan asked me if I wanted to try out. I came with a performance-ready version of “Painting Myself a Darker Day” on a week’s notice, and that was that.

My mom just wishes I would sing more. 

Ry: I’ve been playing guitar since I was 7 or so, music was always around me, my dad played guitar.  I had always been exposed to heavier music at a young age but it took until high school for me to finally start playing in bands.  My junior year Ramsay (our original vocalist) and I had formed a band that ended up breaking up right after we graduated. We eventually went on to form Dreamwell with Justin after getting connected by mutual musicians in the scene.

How would you describe your band and what you play to someone who is completely in the dark?

KZ: I always tell people that I suspect won’t understand genre terms that it’s like if hardcore were louder and more self-loathing.

Ry: screamo bullshit

Is there anything about your latest album or about your band that no one will find in any interview or review that you care to divulge?

KZ: The demo title for “Sissy Hate Machine” was “Davey Havok’s Mustache” because that’s how the riff sounded to us.

Ry: “Cherub Rock of Gibraltar” went through a major re-write in the studio. An entire part was cut because upon playing it for the first time Teti turned around and said “what the hell is this motley crue sunset strip shit? no I can’t let you do that.”

Any funny stories from playing shows / tours / festivals, etc?

KZ: We invented a game we play sometimes called Stick Tire. We were waiting for a tow in Texas after our tire exploded, and we were pulled over next to a service road. Every few minutes, a car would come, and when we could see it in the distance, we would take one of our stickers from merch and put it adhesive-side up in the road and try to line it up with where we thought the car would drive over. The goal was to get the sticker to stick to the tire. It took several tries, but I eventually was the first winner. 

Ry: Justin started this tour prank on Chris Teti from TWIABP where he would swap out his trumpet with a cucumber when he wasn’t looking. After we finished recording this album it was Teti’s birthday and Justin Instacarted a bag of cucumbers to his studio.

What do you see as some of the great things happening in and around the metal scene (yours or just in general) and what are some of the worst things happening right now?

KZ: The scene in Providence is alive again. It’s a really young crowd of people who really seem to live for going to shows and are so excited about the bands they love. It’s incredible. I think in general, this current generation of younger people, like late teens to early 20s, are just so passionate about music. Discovering new bands, going to shows even if they don’t know anyone just because it’s something happening in their city, doing deep dives into older bands, understanding the history. It’s awesome.

Worst is the same as it has been for like 20 years now – pop bands using distortion to trick people into thinking they’re metalcore.

Most folks have passions for a cause or causes that are close to them. What, if any, are some of the most important issues (social/political/humorous/etc.) for you / your band and how do you insert those issues into your music? 

KZ: We have always been outspoken as individuals and a group about homophobia, transphobia, racism, and the ongoing genocide in Palestine. Because I had made a conscious decision on this album to write less about myself and my own life, I made certain to include these positions in the music as well on this album. 

Do you have day jobs or hobbies you want to share? 

KZ: We’re all working people. Anthony is an electrician, Ryan makes juice, I lead the back of house in a vegan restaurant, and Justin does something I could never hope to explain with aerosol manufacturing.

What advice do you have for music critics and outlets out there? How can we all better serve the genre in the eyes of a hard-working musician?

KZ: The only thing that comes to mind is this review we got of our first record “Modern Grotesque” where the author couldn’t figure out what the title meant and decided to make that my problem. He decided that I was just using five-dollar words for the sake of it and that the title was just “the new bad” in fancier language. And then he criticized me for it? I just remember thinking like, man, it’s fine you don’t know “grotesque” is a literary term, but making up an answer and then printing it like it’s gospel is a crazy way to do journalism in my opinion. So, I don’t know, just make sure you’re researching? If you’re writing a review or an article and you are uncertain about something, especially if it’s a smaller band who’s probably pretty accessible by email or Instagram DM, maybe just ask them? Something like that.

Any specific long term goal(s) in mind?

KZ: Just to tour more, at this stage. Our hope is to start breaking into more support slots. Of course the long term goal is to somehow make this thing self-sustaining but we try and just stay in the present and enjoy where we are.

When you’re not obsessing over your own material, what are some of your favorite albums to listen to currently?

KZ: Lately, I’ve been listening to “Aethiopes” and “GOLLIWOG” by billy woods, “Grace” by Jeff Buckley, “Kindly Now” and “Birthdays” by Keaton Henson, “The Sunset Tree” by The Mountain Goats, “Wallsocket” by Underscores, and “The Con” by Tegan and Sara. 

Ry: “Hum of Hurt” by Converge, “ACQUE” by Radura, “Some Are Lakes” by Land of Talk, “Lunger” by Stay Inside, and “Totem” by Pygmy Lush

What is the near future outlook for you or your band? Any specific events on the horizon that the masses should be aware of?

KZ: This album release is everything to me right now, honestly. We’re really excited about it. Other than that, we’re already planning the next one. 

Summarize your band in one word.

KZ: Miserable. 

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Many thanks to KZ and Ry for the time!

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Hymns for the Denial of God is out now through Prosthetic Records. For more on Dreamwell, give them a follow on Instagram or Facebook.