Out of Birmingham, United Kingdom comes a band from the post-hardcore genre that brings the mid-2000’s back to relevancy, and not only that a band called I, The Dreamer is here to make a statement in the United Kingdom and beyond! On September 15th, I, The Dreamer released their EP entitled “Shadow Hearts” via Standby Records!
Forming in 2016 and off of their momentum with their single “Battle Scars”, I, The Dreamer have been having fans begin to take notice with their outpouring of emotions in their vocals, universally relatable lyrics, and blending elements of metal, metalcore, and emo into their unique post-hardcore sound.
“Shadow Hearts” starts off with a somewhat haunting yet quite heavy track entitled “Rise”. I was immediately left awestruck with the harmonics in the guitars and the tempo changes in the introduction of this song. The vocals sound like Alex is standing on your feet and screaming in your face. I absolutely love the trade-offs in the vocal arrangements between the screaming and the clean singing. The song touches on overcoming obstacles and challenges and about rising again(no pun intended). This track is a most excellent way for new fans to take notice on what I, The Dreamer brings to the table.
“Echoes” takes on a more melodic touch, which showcases the diversity of the band, especially for a band that is relatively new to the game. The clean vocals and how the guitars and rhythm section intertwine with each other showcases a level of maturation for I, The Dreamer, especially considering that they’re pretty new to the game. In this track, I probably would have done without the screams in the second verse of the song. I get that they’re a post-hardcore band, but I felt that it somewhat took away from the song. With how well it flowed in the melodic parts, I would’ve kept it that way.
“Fearless” starts off with the screams and the harmonics. This track is the strength of the album. It just seems to really trade off well between the screams and the clean vocals, and it’s impressive on how I, The Dreamer seems to change tempos without it sounding choppy and nonsensical. The guitar solo during the bridge of the song really builds to a climatic point in “Fearless”, which seems to make the EP flow. “The Black And White Of Sleepless Nights” shows how emotions can compound as they build up and they do a solid job of utilizing their arrangements in order to properly convey those emotions in that song.
Overall, this is a great EP for fans to get to know who I, The Dreamer is. While it sounds raw for the most part, I think more attention needs to be paid to the mixing and mastering portion of the record. I wanted to hear more emphasis on the rhythm section in some parts in order for I, The Dreamer to be able to showcase their full potential of the album. Overall, “Rise” and “Fearless” are the standout tracks and I see all kinds of potential in this band out of Birmingham, United Kingdom. The tempo changes are what is essential in this genre and I, The Dreamer has that down to a science already. The sky is the limit with this band! However, I want to hear more moments such as the guitar solo in “Fearless” and the killer intro in “Rise” in order for I, The Dreamer to become a mainstay in this genre. I do believe that will come in time for I, The Dreamer. I give this EP a 7 out of 10 stars. It’s a good quick listen, but I need it to stand out more. Here is the track listing below.
“Shadow Hearts” by I, The Dreamer
- Rise
- Echoes
- Fearless
- The Black And White Of Sleepless Nights
- A Dangerous Thing
“Rise” by I, The Dreamer
Check out I, The Dreamer at the following locations:
www.facebook.com/ITheDreamerOfficial
www.instagram.com/ITheDreamerUK
On Saturday, October 21st, I, The Dreamer will be providing support for TheCityIsOurs, Invisions, and Revealer at The Victoria in Birmingham, United Kingdom. For tickets and further information, click here.
