Coming off the success of their abrasive 2021 release, Presents, San Francisco hardcore heavy-hitters Jeromes Dream releases their third sharp and melodically impressive full-length album The Gray In Between.
To say that San Francisco hardcore heavy-hitters Jerome's Dream have had a long and enriched history with hardcore is an understatement. Having shared history with bands like Orchid, Saetia, Reversal of Man, and Pageninetynine, The band was active from 1997 until 2001 before coming back together in 2018.
The interlude "Cosmos In Season" adds a beautiful contrast to Jerome's Dream intense musical style, highlighting a gentler, more ethereal side similar to math rock bands like A Picture of Her. This then moves into the best track on the record, "AAEEAA." From its frantic guitar rhythms, subtle twanging guitar picks, and kinetic percussive energies, Jeromes Dream displays a different high-impact vitality on this album with this track.
Now the band is back with their new release, The Gray In Between, with Leary (Loma Prieta) making his guitar debut. Mixed and mastered by Jack Shirley (Deafheaven, Quicksand, Joyce Manor), The Gray In Between is a powerfully imposing and melodic hardcore passage of unrelenting fear and anxiety that shows how much the band has grown and matured over the years.
From the beginning, The Gray Between Us is massive and emotionally turbulent with the opening experience, "Conversations: In Time, On Mute." An outpour of intensified guitars and pulsating drums, Jerome's Dream has taken their signature sound and aggressively enhanced it tenfold. From the ashes of time spent away from the hardcore scene, Jerome's Dream shows from the first track that they are back, confident, and more lively than ever.
"Stretched Invisible From London" continues to advance its destructive nature underpinned with finely tuned melodic cadence as it effortlessly dances into the highlight, "South By Isolation." One of the most mellifluent tracks on the record, Jeromes Dream does a beautiful job intermingling such delicate elements with scathing, raw-throated vocals.
The interlude "Cosmos In Season" adds a beautiful contrast to Jerome's Dream intense musical style, highlighting a gentler, more ethereal side similar to math rock bands like A Picture of Her. This then moves into the best track on the record, "AAEEAA." From its frantic guitar rhythms, subtle twanging guitar picks, and kinetic percussive energies, Jeromes Dream displays a different high-impact vitality on this album with this track.
"The Future of Memory" impressively delivers a sharper and technically superior side to the band's style, showcasing a more edgy pzazz to their instrumental makeup before diving into the finale interlude and track, "Often Oceans." and "The Last Water Pearl." Euphonic and atmospheric, "Often Oceans" transports us into the final volcanic track, "The Last Water Pearl." An explosive blend of cyclopean guitar riffs, honeyed guitar tones, and some of the best-agitated vocals on the record, Jeromes Dream puts The Gray In Between to a close.
The Gray In Between is an amazing example of using opposing and resonant components in their music. Jeromes Dream incorporates unique guitar riffs and time variations to add complexity, richness, and flavor to their sound, which makes them stand out above most traditional hardcore experiences. For their third album release, Jeromes Dream exceeds what it means to be heavy in the hardcore genre without compromising your integrity or identity.