DOWNLOAD Ever Dream's discography HERE:
soundcloud.com/ever-dream
The Darkest Time is a strange album in that it doesn't do anything especially different from any band like it. There's no gimmick, there's no pretense of being particularly extreme or transgressive or strange, no playing to any alternative crowd. What makes The Darkest Time unique is that it is extremely good at what it sets out to do, and delivers a tight, dense package of heavy metal that is extremely catchy, evocative, and manages to get your blood pumping without the need for extreme speed or extreme heaviness. All of this is achieved with what I believe to be their single biggest strength, something that can't be replicated through sheer skill, although they have that in spades - That strength is energy.
Ever Dream, a band of Spanish origin, have some of the most infectious, delicious, full-hearted energy I've heard from a band possibly ever. Whenever I listen to this album, I hear the spirit of every player on it on full display - From the vocals of Celeste which put power metal belters to shame with her rebellious and playful attitude and versatile voice, to the potent drumming of Noel Rodriguez that thrusts forward the music in ways that make you feel as though you could leave the stratosphere, to the critically soulful guitar-playing of Fran Arregui and Yuyi , all served by the undercurrent of bass and keys by Marcos Vidal and Fran respectively pushing the momentum forward. That's the best word for it, really. There is so much momentum and power behind this music that for all intents and purposes isn't necessarily that heavy in terms of its weight, but in the way it carries itself, and the directions in which it takes the listener.
When I first discovered Ever Dream, I was pretty young, and it's been over a decade since it came out to find itself languishing in such obscurity it is genuinely criminal. When you go to Ever Dream's TH-cam page, which thank God exists otherwise even less people would know of this band, you'll find viewership of maybe 500, 1000 tops. They thankfully have a Soundcloud, from which you can download their entire discography free of charge. I will link that in the description. Ever Dream are probably the band that truly ignited my passion for preserving music that has no voice in the world, no preservation on online platforms, and lies forgotten in the store rooms where they may never find an owner. Stuff like this, right here, needs to reach people's ears, at least once, and the fact that it continues to be forgotten is an aberration to me that can't be ignored.
What's even more tragic is that the band appears to be disbanded or on hold. They have not released anything since their single Diamonds, which is also available on TH-cam and Soundcloud, and it appears doubtful that they will reunite to create a sophomore effort, meaning that this tightly packed album rich with a density of quality stands as their sole output other than Diamonds. And while not many have heard that legacy and far fewer carry it forward by listening to it, what a legacy to leave behind. Many bands who are important to the genre only release one record, and while Ever Dream are not a pillar of the genre, I genuinely believe they should be, as the quality of their work and the sheer listenability of The Darkest Time is something that many top-billing bands wish they had to their names.
When I say this is probably one of my favorite albums of all time, that might seem like an exaggeration. There are albums that are more important than this, sure. There are some that are catchier than this, mhm. There are ones that are more respected than this... But this is probably my ideal for what heavy metal should be, at the end of the day. Bearing beauty without sacrificing its soul, bearing artistic merit without veiling itself in the pretense of art. This is real good shit, and you should listen to it. On loop.
Look, dude, it's free on Soundcloud. You can't beat that. Just listen to it!
I DO NOT OWN EVER DREAM OR ANY OF THE MUSIC I FEATURE ON MY CHANNEL. THIS MUSIC IS SUBJECT TO EVER DREAM’S COPYRIGHT AND WILL BE REMOVED UPON REQUEST!