Articles by "The Dreaming"
The Dreaming's Christopher is No Longer a Puppet but Rises Above It
Industrial hard rockers, The Dreaming, have been around for over a decade, since their formation they have come a long way, going through member changes, releasing material, playing shows and touring with plans on not stopping of course! Frontman vocalist Christopher Hall who was formerly the singer of other act called Stabbing Westward, took the time to discuss the band's past, present, and future, with some brief delay in discussing their third release to date, "Rise Again".
1. Introduce yourself, tell me what you do in The Dreaming, and how long the band has been together.
Christopher: I'm Christopher and I'm the singer and a song writer for the Dreaming. We have been together since 2002 and before that the drummer , keyboardist and I were in a band called Stabbing Westward.
2. Where is the band based out of and what is your music scene like there? Are there any local bands you could recommend?
Christopher: We are from from Los Angeles and it's a pretty cool music scene. there are constantly national acts rolling through town but the heart of the scene is the local bands. I really like We are the Riot , New Years Day, Die So FLuid and LIving Deadlights
3. Can I get a backstory on the band/ band biography?
Christopher: The band started as Stabbing Westward was breaking up. We've put out 3 albums and 2 EPs. We've toured extensively across the US with Trust Company, Flaw, In this Moment, Il Nino and Godhead just to name a few. Our members include Carlton from Orgy and Franccesca Destruct on bass.
4. What lyrical theme do you guys use in your music? What message do you want to send?
Christopher: I write a lot of songs about heart ache and regret. about looking back on your life and seeing all the things you left behind unfinished. but I try and balance that out with songs about living in the moment and not being afraid of the future.
5. What bands have influenced your band and its sound?
Christopher: Ministry, NIN, Skinny PUppy the Cure, Birthday Massacre and Journey.
6. How did you guys come up with your band name?
Christopher: It's from a comic book called the Sandman by Neil Gaimen
7. You recently signed with Goomba Music, what made them be your label of choice? What do you think they will bring to the table for The Dreaming?
Christopher: Actually we are on Metropolis records which are home to Skinny Puppy, Combichrist, Peter Murphy, Front Line Assembly, and Birthday Massacre just to name a few. Metropolis has given us the freedom to make the music we want to make without any pressure to try and homogenize our sound to fit into a generic rock radio format. they've also supplied the infrastructure to get our music heard by more people than on our own.
8. Where are you in the process of the new album?
Christopher: It's done and it came out 2 weeks ago. It's called Rise Again.
9. Do you have a producer in mind with whom you'd like to work with, if so whom?
Christopher: I produced the record myself along with Walter and Carlton our keyboardist and guitarist. we had Rhys Fulber of Front Line Assembly mix the record and do some additional production. he was amazing to work with. so creative.10. When did you start writing for this album?
How was the songwriting process different/similar to previous The Dreaming releases?
Christopher: It was very different since adding the original keyboardist from Stabbing Westward. it really brought the electronic / industrial sound to the forefront in a way I couldn't achieve before.
11. Do you plan to use any new instrumentation you've never used in the recording process before?
Christopher: Not really. we like to stick with what we know and understand.
12. Can you go into one or two tracks on the new album? If so, can you give us the track title and brief description of how the track sounds and how it came about?
Christopher: Still Believe is a song about regrets. looking back on someone you let go from your life and then constantly wondering if you had made a mistake. I wrote the song while strumming an old Stabbing Westward song so it was sort of inspired in that way.
Alone is sort of an anthem to the lonely ostracized nerds of the world. It's an attempt to communicate that we are all alone but we don't have to be. I wrote the words and melodies many years ago and I've been waiting for the right music to come along. Walter wrote the music many years ago but didn't have any vocals for it. when we started working on this record he played me the track and I immediately thought of the lyrics to alone. the 2 pieces fit like a jigsaw puzzle.
13. How would you describe the overall sound of the new album? How does it compare to Puppet?
Christopher: I think it's better. I think the songwriting is better and more consistent. I think the production is light years beyond puppet. I think Walter really captured the missing electronic elements that I've been searching for on the last 2 records.
14. When can we expect the new album to be released?
Christopher: Haha 2 weeks ago because I suck and didn't do your interview on time.
15. What are your upcoming touring plans?
Christopher: We are touring the west coast in early march and then the rest of the US in June.
16. Will you be road testing any of the new material?
Christopher: Yup. We will be playing 8 of the new songs along with our Garbage cover that was a bonus track.
17. Where hasn't The Dreaming toured and where would they like to go?
Christopher: Australia!
18. Do you remember your first show with The Dreaming and what was it like?
Christopher: It was a the GIG on Melrose and it was pretty dismal.
19. The Dreaming has been around for 11 years now did you guys celebrate in anyway for the 10 year mark?
Christopher: Nope. I don't think we were aware it had happened.
20. The Dreaming has seen it's course of band members over the years, but do you ever seen the original line-up to ever reunite?Christopher: I really consider Johnny, myself, and Carlton to be the heart of the original lineup. Brent sort of comes and goes depending on how green the grass looks elsewhere, but the core of the band up until now has been Carlton and I writing the music and Johnny playing the drums. We are very happy to have Walter in the mix and I feel confident that he will be in the band until the end. And of course we love having Franccesca around who wouldn't.
21. Recently you've sung songs of your former project, Stabbing Westward, do you ever see the actual band to come back together?
Christopher: Nope not as Stabbing Westward. But if you saw SW on the Darkest Days tour the year Save Yourself came out it was me and Johnny and Walter on stage so this is the closest you will ever get.
22. What can the fans expect to see from you in the future?
Christopher: More music and more shows hopefully.
23.Where can we listen to your band and where can we buy your stuff?
Christopher: iTunes, Metropolis.com, Amazon.
24. Any final words of wisdom?
Christopher: I don't think I've ever had any first words of wisdom. Haha!
The Dreaming Releases Album Artwork and Tracklisting for New Album "Rise Again"
The Dreaming will be returning with what will be their third album "Rise Again" due out February 10th, 2015 via Metropolis Records. The album's artwork and tracklisting as well as pre-orders are available below and HERE.
TRACKLISTING:
1. Alone
2. Painkillers
3. Kisses Taste Like Death
4. Empty
5. Promises
6. Blink of An Eye
7. Still Believe
8. Throw It Away
9. Destroy
10. Rise Again
The Dreaming Releases New Song and Video for "Alone"
The Dreaming has released a new song called "Alone" off their upcoming album "Rise Again". Check it out HERE.
The Dreaming's Winter End of the Year Tour
Los Angeles rockers The Dreaming will embark on a short winter tour to promote their latest release "Puppet" which is the follow-up to their previous release "Etched In Blood".
TOUR DATES:
11/30/Loveland CO The Outta Bounds Saloon
12/2/ Rockford IL Bar 3
12/3/Ft Wayne IN Pieres W/ Egypt Central
12/4/Battle Creek MI Planet Live
12/6/Barrington IL (Chicago Burb) Penny Road Pub
12/7/Madison WI Frequency
12/8/St Paul MN Station 4
12/9/Fargo ND The Nestor Tavern
12/12/Sauget IL (St Louis) Pops
The Dreaming - Puppet
Distortion, chorus structure, anthem chants, roaring guitars, with blast beating drum rhythms really is what describes The Dreaming's The Dreaming’s entire new album. The title track, "Every Trace", "There Will Be Blood", "It's No Good", and "Solo Crucifixion" are all songs that indeed taken The Dreaming's musical abilities to a whole another level of creativity. Hall told Revolver Magazine the differences he saw between this release and his last efforts, "I felt our last album strayed away from the sound we originally set out to make. This was a combination of influences from our producer, mixer, manager and newer members of the band. I really liked our first record but I feel like Puppet better captures the vision [drummer] Johnny Haro and I originally had.
We set out to make music that was heavy and dark but very melodic with strong songs. We really wanted to recapture some of the electronic sounds that were a part of Stabbing Westward and Econoline Crush that seemed to get lost on the first Dreaming album.
So my goal on this record was to learn everything I could about producing and engineering, so I could maintain creative control over the album and not let too many outsiders get involved. The one outsider who really helped was Eddie Wohl who mixed the record. He helped make my production work sound polished and helped shape the overall sound of the record in the mix. We had several members come and go during the recording process and each of them left their mark on the songs in different ways. It was a very long record to make due to my learning curve on how to record and produce, but I think it was worth it in the end."
With this said, “Puppet”, is an achievement in an assortment of ways it takes a step forward rather than back igniting a reality that Hall and the rest of his band mates saw possible and will now see totally fit.
The Dreaming Release Brand New Video for "Every Trace"
Los Angeles rockers have preimered their all new video for the song "Every Trace" at Revolver Magazine's website and the comes off their follow-up to 2008's 'Etched In Blood". "Puppet" will be dropped November 1st via Epochal Artists/EMI. Frontman Christopher Hall spoke with Revolver Magazine and said that the song is about ghosts and the concept for the video was used in a fight film "The Hammer" that tells the tale of deaft UFC fight Matt Hamill. Check it out below.
The Dreaming Streaming Self-Tilted Track Off New Album!
Hollywood, Californians The Dreaming got their start in 2002 and soon after released several EP's which lead to their debut LP "Etched In Blood" in 2008, in which lead to extensive touring. Later on down the line the band changed their route with new members and then began to write new material for their follow-up release. This would not see the light of day until 3 years later now November 2nd see's the dawn of "Puppet" the second full-length from The Dreaming! "Puppet" is streaming on Noisecreep which also includes an interview with the guys and what they had to say in regards to their ALL NEW material!
THE DREAMING Signs With EPOCHAL ARTISTS RECORDS
Formed in 2005 by frontman Christopher Hall, the voice behind platinum rock outfit STABBING WESTWARD, THE DREAMING assembles and all-star roster of musicians including Johnny Haro on drums (ex-ECONOLINE CRUSH, STABBING WESTWARD), guitarist Eric Griffin (ex-MURDERDOLLS, WEDNESDAY 13), and bassist Martin Kelly (ex-LIVING DEAD LIGHTS). Since its inception, THE DREAMING has toured relentlessly with the likes of ILL NINO, GODHEAD, RA, TRUST COMPANY, FLAW, JULIEN-K, POWERMAN 5000 and WEDNESDAY 13.
"After the death of STABBING WESTWARD, Johnny and I immediately put all our heart and soul into THE DREAMING. We spent a lot of time working on our songs and live show in hopes that we would find the right team to get behind this band. After several years bouncing between managers and potential labels, we found a proper home with Epochal Artists Records," commented Christopher Hall. "Epochal Artists Records understood what we were trying to do, they believe in our music and they are ready to work our album for the long haul. I am so proud to be the first release on E.A.R. and so excited to be releasing 'Puppet' with them at the helm."
The Dreaming – Etched in Blood
Since their formation just eight years ago Hollywood rockstars The Dreaming have been hitting it hard and heavy since "Etched in Blood" hit the streets in its release of 2008. But before that the band had released four EP’s all of which frontman Chris Hall states that their first had sold over 7,500 copies internationally. Altogether the band has sold close to 30,000 copies. The first of the four was sold in limited qualities of only 500 and only those lucky enough to receive one through the band's old website or get one at one of their showcases was very considerate.
"Etched in Blood", came about in 2008 since then it's 11-tracks of electro based heavy metal hard rock material has given wave to quite an audience. "Dead to Me", "Bullet", "Ugly (Beautiful)", "Let It Burn", and "Sticks & Stones", is what makes this album stand out above all the other releases. Like for instance take “Dead to Me”, this solid electro metal tune is built upon a solid ground of hard hitting tempo beats with fast pacing guitar riffs that keeps the energy full and focused. Whereas “Let It Burn”, lays all of these methods out keeping the music at a stable base being not so driven.
“Ugly (Beautiful)”, and “Bullet”, play out to being quite the competitors having the same momentum of energy that makes the songs go through so fast you wouldn’t even know when one song ends and the other even begins. Their made up of fun energetic rhythms it’s hard to resist. Lastly comes “Sticks & Stones”, that pulls off a rather bouncy effect that keeps the music in that techno electro beat keeping it all synced together really gives this tune that extra kick.
Once their second album “End in Tears”, comes out in the spring time of the New Year the outlook should become better than ever. For The Dreaming this is just the beginning.
