The Dream Is Dead was an American hardcore punk band based in
Indianapolis
Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Marion ...
The concept behind The Dream Is Dead began in 2000 when Clark Giles (founder of Happy Couples Never Last Records) and long-time friend
Jason McCash
The Gates of Slumber is an American doom metal band from Indianapolis, Indiana. The group is better known in Germany and England than in their native United States.Circle City hardcore band Burn It Down) kicked around the idea of doing a project band dedicated to putting the threat and politics back into hardcore. A feeling of youthful rebellion and resistance to the status quo initially drew them to hardcore punk in their teenage years, and it was the integrity of the music that sustained their love for the genre.
Initial attempts to get the band off the ground failed but the breakup of Burn It Down left McCash without a band and revitalized The Dream Is Dead's prospects. Jared Southwick (from Indiana death metal band Harakiri) was recruited for guitar duties, eventually parting from his former band to devote his time fully to The Dream Is Dead. Alex Bond, fresh from the breakup of his screamo band The Sutek Conspiracy, completed the lineup on drums in September 2001.
Alex Bond left the band late in the Spring of 2002 and was replaced by local drummer Dustin Boltjes. By August, Boltjes was acclimated, and the band resumed a heavy regimen of touring.
The toll of being on the road and family responsibilities led founding member McCash to bow out in the fall of 2003. Beaten but not broken, the band resurfaced in early 2004 with former Ice Nine guitarist Dave Lawson on bass.
The bulk of 2004 was spent writing the band's first album, once again for Escape Artist. A short tour with fellow hoosiers Phoenix Bodies in late 2004 allowed them to polish the new material. In the meantime, in-demand Los Angeles producer and current Theory of Ruin guitarist Alex Newport (formerly of Fudge Tunnel and Nailbomb) was recruited to handle recording and production duties for the album. Having recorded several current indie staples for the likes of the Melvins, the Locust,
Mars Volta
The Mars Volta is an American progressive rock band from El Paso, Texas, formed in 2001. The band's only constant members are Omar Rodríguez-López (guitar, producer, direction) and Cedric Bixler-Zavala (vocals, lyrics), whose partnership forms ...
, and others, the band and the label felt he was the man for the job.
A short tour brought The Dream Is Dead to the west coast in March 2005, where they recorded their debut album, ''Hail The New Pawn''. In June 2007, the band announced it would be releasing a split 7-inch on
Relapse Records
Relapse Records is an American independent record label based in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. It was founded by Matthew F. Jacobson in 1990. The label features many grindcore, death metal, metalcore and sludge metal artists.
History
The label was ...
*Jared Southwick – guitar (deceased)
*Jason McCash – guitar (deceased; formerly of Burn It Down and The Gates of Slumber)
*Alex Bond – drums (now in Horsewhip)
On June 23, 2011, band member and guitarist
Jared Southwick
The Dream Is Dead was an American hardcore punk band based in Indianapolis whose music contained many anti-authoritarian themes.
Band history
The concept behind The Dream Is Dead began in 2000 when Clark Giles (founder of Happy Couples Never ...
, 34, died at a
Muncie, Indiana
Muncie ( ) is an incorporated city and the county seat, seat of Delaware County, Indiana, Delaware County, Indiana. Previously known as Buckongahelas Town, named after the legendary Delaware Chief.http://www.delawarecountyhistory.org/history/docs ...
hospital, from complications from a hepatic and renal condition he had been hospitalized for earlier that month; he suffered complications of the illness and his condition deteriorated.
Bass player Jason McCash died from a heroin overdose on April 5, 2014.
Discography
*''Letter of Resignation'' EP (2001, What Else? Records)
*''Taking Friendly Fire'' EP (2002,
Escape Artist Records
Escape Artist Records was an American independent record label formed in 1997 and based in suburban Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The label, which helped to launch the careers of bands such as Isis, Keelhaul and Time in Malta, ceased operations in ...
)
*''Revolution Summer'' split 7-inch with Find Him and Kill Him (2002, Happy Couples Never Last)
*''Split 7-inch w/Phoenix Bodies'' (2004, Melting Wing Records)
*''Hail the New Pawn'' (2005,
Escape Artist Records
Escape Artist Records was an American independent record label formed in 1997 and based in suburban Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The label, which helped to launch the careers of bands such as Isis, Keelhaul and Time in Malta, ceased operations in ...
)- pressed on cd and limited edition blood-splattered clear vinyl.
*Self-titled split 7-inch with The Gates of Slumber (2007,
Relapse Records
Relapse Records is an American independent record label based in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. It was founded by Matthew F. Jacobson in 1990. The label features many grindcore, death metal, metalcore and sludge metal artists.
History
The label was ...
)
Videography
*''Decade of Destruction'' DVD (2004,
XYZ Entertainment
XYZnetworks was an Australian media company that owned, operated and distributed eleven subscription television channels in Australia. XYZnetworks was jointly owned by Foxtel and Austar. Based in Sydney, they had roughly 170 employees, with offi ...
Lamb of God
Lamb of God ( el, Ἀμνὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, Amnòs toû Theoû; la, Agnus Dei, ) is a title for Jesus that appears in the Gospel of John. It appears at John 1:29, where John the Baptist sees Jesus and exclaims, "Behold the Lamb of God wh ...
,
Slayer
Slayer was an American thrash metal band from Huntington Park, California. The band was formed in 1981 by guitarists Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman, drummer Dave Lombardo and bassist/vocalist Tom Araya. Slayer's fast and aggressive musical style ...
, etc.
*''Pinnernation'' DVD (2007, XYZ Entertainment)
Demiricous
Demiricous is a death/thrash metal band from Indianapolis, Indiana formed by Nate Olp, Scott Wilson, Ben Parrish (of Upheaval), and Christopher Cruz. In 2005, they self-released a demo which caught the attention of Metal Blade. After the release ...