31st August 2025

Review: “A Beginning” by Dreams Of Gray

The vocalist and guitarist of the well respected Abolisher between 1995-2007, Luis Rivera returned as the mastermind of Dreams Of Gray in 2022 and shared the projects debut EP “The World After“ a year later. An artist with a scientific mind as a Family Medicine Physician by trade, his insights into existential grief, how the living cope with loss and what lies between the living and the departed have been thought provoking in a Melodic Extreme Metal context. Two years on, a sophomore EP finds Rivera joined by Nicole Trinchero (Acroma, Sacred Darkness, The Nothing) on drums and Maria Kosma (Arkayic Revolt, Laniakean Fire, Emity Trap) on bass. Curiously the record is split, the title track “A Beginning” mixed and mastered by Josh Middleton (Sylosis, Architects) with the other two being handled by Scott Elliott at Chernobyl Audio.

Fusing together Melodic Death, Doom and Thrash Metal with “The World After“, this second chapter builds on the debut records emotional weight with the title track asking a deeply human question: When someone we love dies without seeing everything they hoped to see in life, how do those left behind begin to make sense of that loss? “A Beginning” wrestles with the unanswered questions restlessly, sonically finding the middle ground between Alice In Chains and Testament as Rivera pours his heart out. Trinchero and Kosma provide a solid platform with their rhythms, offering up a couple of surprisingly blackened moments in the process, the lyrical narrative resonating throughout. Continuing to ask the big questions “Beyond the Sky” finds Rivera wondering what lies beyond this life and what does peace look like for a restless soul? A Traditional Heavy Metal sound lies underneath the heavier elements with a knowing look in the direction of Iron Maiden as Dreams Of Gray build the mountain once more, the fusion of the melodic and the heavy whipping up a storm by the bitter conclusion. Rivera uses a pair of intertwining voices to great effect, combining clean and unclean vocals in time honoured fashion and the result is something equally as powerful and thought provoking as the opening cut. Black Metal elements rise to the surface once more with “Across the Endless Sea“, a tune with a more dynamic approach and a bolder chorus. A Viking anthem of poison chalice raising proportions, it’s a welcome addition as well as something of an experiment and not only works well but brings to mind Amon Amarth [7.5/10]

Track Listing