Dream or Nightmare

This album was long awaited by me. I'd heard about it's progress for some time and heard samples from it, but nothing would prepare me for the total feeling of pleasure I experienced when I heard the finished works. Dream Or Nightmare is a band of serious minded musicians from Cleveland Ohio. They write their music with a distinct edge of epic proportion and story telling. I'd almost say Dream Or Nightmare was a progressive metal band, but then along comes the thrash and death influences followed by inspirations of power metal.
Four main tracks are prevalent on the CD with two unnamed bonus tracks at the end and each song paints a picture, a chapter in a book of ever changing plot lines and endings. The sad hopes of Lost Wish echo and multiply within the fatalistic Self Inflicted Gunshot Wound To The Head and it's as if Tomorrow Aside is a summing up of the previous two songs and their grim message. But then comes Conflicting Addiction which could almost be an appendix to everything laid out in the first three tracks. Maybe I'm looking too deeply in to this when I should just sit back and listen to the excellent musicianship that holds throughout this album. But for those of you who like to become immersed within great lyrics, Light Burning Bright Till The Dawn with take you on a journey of speculation and analysis.
Rating *****
Go to CD Baby now and obtain this album. - Gramie Dee

I can see why DREAM OR NIGHTMARE has been getting nothing but praise on their current release "Light Burning Bright Till The Dawn," I was impressed from the first bar of notes played and onward. Though this is only a four-track CD, it's still impressive, it'd be even more impressive if it was a full-length album, especially with spine tingling tracks like "Conflicting Addiction" and "Lost Wish." This album was a long time coming, and I've been anticipating it's release for what seems like years - though it probably hasn't been, it just feels that way! The one thing I hope this band never does, is change it's style of music from what is heard on this album - this seems like the perfect stream of music for them. Every once in awhile you'll come across a band and listen to their album and the first thing you think is: "this band was MADE to play this style of music!" That's the impression and feeling you get when you listen to "Light Burning Bright Till The Dawn." Other bands you can compare DREAM OR NIGHTMARE to? Well, I can't actually think of any off the top of my head! That's not to say they're 100% unique in any way, they just don't strike any comparisons in my mind to other bands in the industry of today or in the past. Their music is attractive and I know I'm going to be listening to this album for a long time coming, hopefully they'll release many more like this in the future! - Wednesday Elektra

DREAM OR NIGHTMARE has been included on the multimedia release "Recorded History", a comprehensive rock music encyclopedia on CD-ROM which contains over 620 pages of text (bios, reviews, photos) concerning the history and bands of the rock genre from 1954 to present (ranging in style from The Rolling Stones, to Venom, to The Offspring - all the various types of rock are represented). The disc also includes a full length video and over 53 minutes of music; 4 of the 13 featured songs are taken from DREAM OR NIGHTMARE's 2002 demo.
"Recorded History" was released and is being distributed worldwide by The Emperor Multimedia Corporation/The RRCA (Canada). It has also been included in a number of public libraries internationally. For more concerning the disc and for ordering info, see: http://rrca.diskery.com.
DREAM OR NIGHTMARE will also be participating in Emperor's current multimedia project titled "The Polishing of Metal" (one song, bio, and photos). It's the same format as "Recorded History", but more extensive and specific to the metal genre. - The RRCA/Derek McDonald

Hailing from Ohio, billed as metal and definitely on the edge of something great. The release of "Light Burning Bright Till the Dawn" exemplifies progressiveness, heart, experimentation and what can be accomplished when four guys write their own book. This is their own product from writing to production to cover art. Heavy guitar times 2, distorted, heavy bass, keys, one massive drum set and two different styles of vocals set this cd up for one hell of a ride into the "Dream or Nightmare" realm. Not containing themselves to the RAWR, RAWR style of today's overdone metal scene this band has established a sound that is their own, new in feel and progressiveness. Using dual guitars to riff and rhythm every chord as an assault on your being, the dual vocals are fresh in the manner as there is no RAWR, RAWR going on. One is more melodic the other a gritty, heavy style. Lyrics can be heard, thoughts are felt and a dark sense of existence leaves you asking is it "Dream or Nightmare". From a melodic to a down right in your face construction of music, this is a must have!
I am not a big metal fan, now I have found a metal band worth listening too. - Michael from www.tvtranzmission.com

Dream Or Nightmare is the band you don't expect; formed in 1999, they went through several lineup changes until the official debut CD, "Light Burning Bright Till The Dawn": four heavy metal songs hard to define, full of every musical influences and with the will to set a far-from-the-cliches style. One thing Dream Or Nightmare cannot be blame for is banality; I often receive CDs promising bombastic music and bullshit, innovation, new styles but at the moment you turn it on they just implode and reveal their mediocrity. Dream Or Nightmare certainly do not belong with these kind of bands. The opening track "Lost Wish" just sticks this truth in your mind: the band is able to commute from soft fragments to harder ones, in a continuos style changing not easy to feel but damn present. Who could put together gothic rock and Machine Head heavy-artillery (including guitar harmonics, obviously)? Few bands, that's for sure. Dream Or Nightmare did it, and they did it well; "Self Inflicted Gunshot Wound To The Head" is the most complete instruction booklet for anybody which want to put death metal and piano in the same song.
These four American guys are a surprise, indeed; fresh and unique, easy to catch up a wide range of fans without being ridiculous. The mixing is not up to the standard of the song, but it's a detail that does not compromise the quality of the album, full of genuine artistic class.
Take Machine Head, Annihilator, gothic rock, classic metal and mix it
together; harsh and bad mix? Not for Dream Or Nightmare. Highly recommended. - Daniele

Artist: Dream or Nightmare
CD Title: Light Burning Bright Till The Dawn
1. "Lost Wish"
This Dream or Nightmare song identifies the listener with the final thoughts of someone who has been denied happiness. Not allowed to exist, the culprit eavesdrops on the victim. The victim tries to explain the situation to no avail. Yet has a Last Wish to be Free, even a Dream is DENIED! The victim still tries to explain and fades into the void. This song is great in its subject matter. It invites you to the world of Heartache and doom. Sure will kick your ass. Heavy, Clean, it measures pain. In the Metallica, Black Sabbath vein. 4 stars
2. "Self Inflicted Gunshot wound To The Head"
This Dream or Nightmare song explores the story of a suicide. as if the Victim is Screaming for someone to feel what it feels. Most definitely Kicks your ass, with forged Steel toed boots even. Demands the attention of mercy, Crawling through Misery it shines. With a heavy blast of Iron Maiden, Early Black Sabbath, Metallica Induced Sonic metal Crunch. But a very Dream or Nightmare style all in itself. 5 stars
3. "Tomorrow Aside"
This Dream or Nightmare song relates to morbid feelings of someone who has lost their senses of thought, well being, & time. Seems the victim is responsible in a way, yet has others to blame. Almost a crack addiction meets Depression. It ventures into an interesting sound. Refreshing and heavy at the same time. Reaches into old Queensryche influences, Dream Theatre textures. But definitely innovative and pure Dream or Nightmare. 5 stars
4. "Conflicting Addiction"
This dream or nightmare song has lots of energy, I honor the truth here. Sure do respect just how Dream or Nightmare tells it like it is. this song is a scary reality, set into music the correct way. Developing themes, yet clear, clean, and 20 ton heavy guitar work folks.
4 1/2 stars
---My CD has additional tracks (13)
Note track 12.
This track sounds like life support gone wrong.
The subject meets the Horned one, interesting movie like effects.
Awesome production. Thumbs up.
Note track 13
This is Brilliant! It seems the victim is us. Awakening from a Bad dream.
Brings us back to the Album Theme. resurrection from the dead.
5 stars
Buy this album folks, you'll be so glad you did. - Bahama Kin

I got this CD from the band and I was really impressed with them so much. I get a feel for their music. It has sort of a hard gloom to it. They have a great guitar sound and they have skills. Jim Arnold & Joe Sims do more than just play the guitars. They offer a different sound that is lacking a little out there. You can tell that they want to have their own sound and are not like everyone else. Russ Kirk, the drummer, is an awesome drummer and you can here the years he has had behind the skins. He has a talent to hit the right drum at the right time and has a great touch. And you cannot forget Dave Rhynard, the bass player. A lot of bass players are neglected but I think he is the heart of the deep sound that they have. The vocals are a thing that I am so very impressed with because all the guys in the band sing {lead or backing}. That to me shows that they don't do the leader thing and all are into being a part of the band instead of guys standing in the background.
With the first song "Lost Wish", it gives you the start of a deep Gothic metal song and they never let up on any other songs. The song "Tomorrow Aside" has to be one of my favorites because it has the mental state of listening to the song and looking at the sky and having flashes of life and death. They give it a slow gloomy feel and then kick it into gear but it still has the same feel throughout the entire song. This is one of the best CD's I have heard and glad to have in my hands. I like to say it was a great job Dream or Nightmare and I know that me and thousands of other gloom metal heads out there should be keeping an eye on you guys. We will be looking forward to hearing more in the future. And to the people, keep an ear open for those hidden tracks. - Robert Beneux

Fans who recall the '80s Ohio metal band Axemaster will be pleased to know that the crunchy guitar sound of Joe Sims is alive and well in his new project, Dream or Nightmare. Forming his new band in 1999, Joe & Co. have released two demos prior to Light Burning Bright Till the Dawn, though it is this latest release that showcases the band at their collective best. Not only has the songwriting progressed, but vocal duties have been taken over by guitarist Jim Arnold and bass player Dave Rhynard. This shared approach to lead vocals is a risk, to be sure, but it pays off big in terms of variety and listenability.
Reminding me a bit of Pepper Keenan (Corrosion of Conformity), Jim has a fluid baritone that enhances the slightly doomy feel of the lead-off track "Lost Wish". Embodying versatility, Jim's keyboard accents add a "nightmarish" aspect to the track. Dave's bass lines, which are both elaborate and prominent, prance just beneath the surface of the crunchy riffs and buzzsaw leads to give the song a significant amount of groove without sacrificing the ominous tone of the music. "Tomorrow Aside", one of my favorite tracks on the EP, begins with a very Gothic sounding piano intro and an acoustic strum. The dark piano carries through the tune, complementing Jim's vocals and very fine leads from both Jim and Joe. I found this track to exhude quite a progressive vibe, what with the fair number of time variations and complex beat patterns from drummer Russ Kirk and Dave's shimmering bass lines. Even so, the menace of the vocals and the meaty riffs leave no question as to the tune's heaviness factor. Lyrically one of the most self-examining tracks on Light Burning Bright Till the Dawn, "Self Inflicted Gunshot Wound to the Head" features Dave Rhynard as the lead vocalist. With a slightly higher tone than Jim, Dave nonetheless has a more gritty approach to his singing and is the perfect choice to deliver the subject matter of this song. Both Dave and Jim effectively convey, depending on the needs of the moment, despair, anger, and intimidation - making the band's choice not to pursue a new vocalist a wise one.
Besides the four named tracks on Light Burning Bright Till the Dawn, the disc contains two full hidden tracks. The first is an eerie soundscape of industrial-edged keyboards and bass guitar, coming across as something that would be a perfect fit for a Rob Zombie movie. Following that is my favorite track of the album, which is as far as I know untitled. Featuring a string accompaniment, a strong vocal performance from Jim, and Dave Rhynard on the 12-string guitar this track blends innocuous sound effects to create a dire atmosphere that is, however, quite infectious. Throughout the song I couldn't help thinking that it sounds like something that Alice Cooper would have put together. It's not fast, not hard, not raw, but still imparts an addictive feeling of somber tragedy. Definitely a quality track that I hope rises from it's "hidden" status here to make it as a numbered track on the bands next release.
Dream or Nightmare is, ultimately, a band that defies categorization. Their music conveys a predominantly dark mood, but does so through a variation of tone, melody, and vocal styles. They are definitely a band on the rise, garnering attention not only locally but nationwide. Check out the band's website for clips from Light Burning Bright Till the Dawn and listen for yourself. - Harvest Moon Music

Dream or Nightmare? That is the question. With Light Burning Bright Till The Dawn, the emphatic answer is a little of both, creating a quality metal release. It is one-part progressive, two-parts heavy and an extra part speed metal. That’s just enough of each to create a unique album worthy of purchase from any type of headbanger.
This has three guitarists playing soft clean acoustic, powerful twelve-string, heavy dark riffing and manic speed metal shred leads and much more. The keyboards are well placed and highlight the songs like on “Lost Wish.” Arnold creates a hellishly eerie industrial metal sound with his keyboards on the hidden track number 12. Vocalists Arnold and Rhynard have distinct voices and do well throughout especially on “Tomorrow Aside” and the second hidden track, number 13. There are a few spots where the vocals are oddly timed, but it seems to be on purpose. That however can be trimmed up on the next release and it takes little from the whole quality work.
The album is just an enjoyable listening for any metalhead and cannot be put into any genre, which usually is a death sentence for bands trying to be unique. In this case, The Dream or Nightmare boys have effortlessly achieved uniqueness as seen on the second hidden track number 13, where a stringed instrument plays beautifully after acoustic electric guitar then a heavy riff takes over the song, then the whole concept is repeated.
Russ Kirk plays some mean skins and Dave Rhynard carries his 12-string guitar into the fray several times. Rhynard also handles bass duties and shines on several tracks as well especially “Lost Wish.” Founder and lead guitarist Joe Sims adds some quality lead guitar work and makes this axe-wielding triumvirate complete. The lyrics like “Head hung low breath seeps slow” will ignite the song’s meaning in your heart.
Finally, the best song title of the year by far is the bands second cut, “Self Inflicted Gunshot Wound To The Head.” The bottom line boys and girls is that this disk needs to be in your CD player ASAP - Matthew Hoffman

This was a very cool CD except for the fact that it was too short! I really enjoyed the journey these songs took me on. The power driven metal groove and strong lyrical writing. I really liked the duality of vocals both heavy and melodic. I think that blended in with the intense instrumentation that combines progressive and melodic metal. Definitely an introspective CD. A must have. - Angela