Photo by: Nat Lacuna
Official press release:
Self-proclaimed post-skramz outfit Dreamwell will unleash their scorching Hymns for the Denial of God full-length on August 28th via Prosthetic Records.
Everything boils down to intent. In the wrong hands, social constructs like religion will divide us and diminish our potential for unity. Dreamwell unravels the contradictions, complications, and conflicts inherent within the misuse and weaponization of faith in a higher power on their third full-length offering, Hymns for the Denial of God. Rather than levy a black-and-white attack against religion, the Rhode Island quartet — vocalist Keziah “KZ” Staska, guitarist/backing vocalist Ryan Couitt, bassist Justin Soares, and drummer Anthony Montalbano — considers the nuances and what happens when an entity meant to unite ends up driving us apart.
Ripping back the curtain and exposing what’s underneath, the group tightly harnesses the turbulence of torrential screams, off-kilter riffing, and pit-splitting rhythms into a provocative, poignant, and poetic 10-track collection. KZ reveals:
“The title embodies the theme. In the past, I was so inwardly focused; most of our songs were about myself and whatever I was emotionally dealing with. I wanted to make a record that wasn’t extremely introspective. The album interrogates the negative impact of organized religion when it’s misused to justify violence, genocide, and hatred of others. It’s not a purely atheistic statement either. I’m choosing not to believe in a God who’s invoked to validate evil. The prevailing narrative in heavy music is often, ‘If you believe in God, you’re stupid.’ This isn’t our narrative. Believing in God isn’t wrong. I don’t think the mainstream God in the political landscape is the one we should be looking for though.”
The band has incited both a catharsis amongst a growing fan base and the applause of tastemakers since emerging in 2020. They organically evolved from Modern Grotesque (2021) to In My Saddest Dreams, I Am Beside You (2023). Flood Magazine praised how the latter, “twists the heavy-rock genre Rubik’s cube to introduce more confrontational metalcore sounds into the equation,” while Stereogum highlighted the lead single and attested, “‘Obelisk Of Hands’ takes Dreamwell’s sound in an epic metalcore direction before going full-on screamo meltdown at the end.” Beyond further praise from ChaosHour with Matt Heafy, Loudwire, Knotfest, and The Mountain Goats’ John Darnielle, BrooklynVegan raved, “In My Saddest Dreams, I Am Beside You is a post-hardcore triumph.”
In 2026, Dreamwell turned their attention towards what would become Hymns for the Denial of God. The group wrote together during in-person rehearsals, tapping into their chemistry. They also returned to Silver Bullet Studios in Connecticut in order to record with producer Chris Teti.
Opener “Hypercrucifixation” commences with the manic ramblings of a would-be street poet, recorded while the band were on the road. Murmurs of clean guitar slip underneath a prescient question, “What would you do if a voice spoke back?”Elsewhere, cymbals nervously skitter, feedback pinches, and a menacing bassline sets the tempo for “Carrion Birds On The Ark”. Power chords groan beneath KZ’s possessed delivery of a jarring singalong, “There’s a Virgin Mary water stain in the missing children’s poster.”
Lead single “Plath Vs. Kafka Vs. Romance” hinges on a seasick rhythm punctuated by piercing screams and the squeal of serrated distortion. The gnashing subsides and makes way for a disarmingly catchy chorus, “Flowers turn into ash whenever I let my voice be heard.” KZ elaborates:
“We wanted to embrace the more mosh-y early two-thousands style we’d been ignoring for a while. We hit it here. I wrote ‘Plath Vs. Kafka Vs. Romance’ at a time in my life when things were going pretty well for me. If I discussed being miserable in the lyrics, it would’ve been disingenuous. I don’t know how to write the songs I’ve come to be known for when things are okay though. It was scary to not know what my creative process was going to look like. I’m basically saying, ‘I wish I knew how to write songs about being happy, but I don’t. I don’t know what to do with my writing when I’m not miserable.’”
Watch Dreamwell’s “Plath Vs. Kafka Vs. Romance” video below. Stream the track HERE.
Dreamwell’s Hymns for the Denial of God will be released digitally. Find pre-orders HERE.
Hymns for the Denial of God track listing:
- “Hypercrucifixation”
- “Sissy Hate Machine”
- “Anti-Christ’s Testimony”
- “A Crisis Of Realization”
- “Apostates & Gentiles”
- “Plath Vs. Kafka Vs. Romance”
- “I Dreamt I Survived An Extinction Event”
- “Carrion Birds On The Ark”
- “Your Ichthys Decal Won’t Get You Into Heaven Anymore”
- “Cherub Rock Of Gibraltar”
