DREAMS OF GRAY Venture Into Heavy Melodic Waters In "Across The Endless Sea"

March 1, 2026

DREAMS OF GRAY's "Across The Endless Sea" is powerful with high intensity while also incorporating catchy chorus vocal melodies, and elements from other subgenres such as characteristics of black metal guitars. Accompanied with a cinematic lyric video, "Across The Endless Sea" considers the interconnected nature of our lives. We are all on our individual paths through life and while some connections are long-lasting, others may only be fleeting.

On the lyrical theme, vocalist and guitarist Luis Rivera explains, "the song glimpses the idea of the interconnectedness of life. You are not just you; you are connected to others, some of whom are still here, while others have departed. You, too, are on a journey. You, too, are a connection for others."

DREAMS OF GRAY's newest EP, A Beginning, marks a new chapter of sonic exploration leading further into melodic realms across extreme subgenres. Led by Luis Rivera, the project's sound draws from a wide array of melodic death and doom, along with elements of thrash and traditional heavy metal. On the EP Rivera was joined by Maria Kosma on bass, with drums on "A Beginning" performed by Nicole Trinchero, and drum programming on "Beyond the Sky" and "A Beginning" by Scott Elliot.

Produced by Luis Rivera, "A Beginning" was recorded, mixed and masted by Josh Middleton at Josh Middleton Studio. "Beyond the Sky" and "Across the Endless Sea" both recorded at Chernobyl Audio Studio and mixed and masted by Scott Elliot.

About DREAMS OF GRAY:
DREAMS OF GRAY was devised by Chicago, IL, based musician and composer Luis Rivera (ABOLISHER) in 2022. In the following year, the project released their critically acclaimed debut EP The World After. DREAMS OF GRAY seeks to draw from the wealth and breadth of metal subgenres to create something distinctive and memorable. The project enables exploration of often dark themes notably, of loss, grief, personal struggles and the shadowy aspects of wider society.

The release of A Beginning in late 2025 saw DREAMS OF GRAY hone their sound further through a developed compositional style that doesn't restrict or confine their creativity. Inspiration is found in the likes of PARADISE LOST, AMORPHIS, IN FLAMES and DARK TRANQUILITY. DREAMS OF GRAY's music intentionally ebbs and flows dynamically, containing fierce riffs and high energy, as well as a deep focus on melodies and vocal delivery to produce something truly engaging and immersive.

Connect with DREAMS OF GRAY:
Bandcamp: https://dreamsofgray.bandcamp.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Dreams-of-Gray-100090219272895/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dreamsofgray/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dreamsofgray
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/10SZBmhCP8bJHMX5lyCshB
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/dreams-of-gray/1662301376

OUT NOW - Dreams Of Gray - A Beginning

September 7, 2025

Emerging from the shadows of grief, reflection, and the raw beauty of metal, DREAMS OF GRAY returns with their new EP, A Beginning, set for release on September 5th, 2025. Based in Chicago, IL, this one-man project helmed by Luis Rivera first turned heads with the 2023 debut The World After—an independent release that earned praise from the global metal press. Critics from highlighted the debut's sharp songwriting, emotional weight, and its fusion of melodic death, doom, and thrash metal. Now, A Beginning builds upon that foundation and pushes the project’s boundaries even further.

Though DREAMS OF GRAY began as a solo endeavor, Rivera has always surrounded himself with top-tier collaborators to bring his compositions to life. On A Beginning, he is joined by Maria Kosma on bass, Nicole Trinchero on drums for the title track, and Scott Elliot, who handled drum programming on "Beyond the Sky" and "Across the Endless Sea" while also contributing engineering, mixing, and mastering to both. Meanwhile, Josh Middleton took on engineering and mixing duties for "A Beginning", as well as mastering the track. The result is an EP that feels cohesive but unpredictable, aggressive yet melodic, and deeply personal without ever losing sight of metal’s cathartic power.

The EP opens with "A Beginning", a track that embodies the thematic and sonic range of the release. It flows from haunting melodies into crushing intensity, shifting gears between clean vocals and growls, mid-tempo movements and furious headbanging riffs. Its lyrical content wrestles with existential grief—how the living cope with loss, and what unresolved questions remain after someone we love is gone. Rivera's performance here is dynamic, moving between softness and fury, crafting a song that challenges convention but never forgets to move the listener.

"Beyond the Sky" follows as the EP’s most direct track—a high-energy explosion rooted in death metal and thrash. It’s an anthem for the live stage, but beneath its furious pace is a meditation on the soul’s journey through eternity. The song blends brutal riffs with melody in a way that fans of IN FLAMES, AMORPHIS, or DARK TRANQUILITY will appreciate. Here, Rivera asks the big questions: What lies beyond this life? What does peace look like for a restless soul?

Closing the EP is "Across the Endless Sea", perhaps the most dynamic composition in the DREAMS OF GRAY discography so far. While it offers some of the EP’s fastest passages, it never sacrifices melody. In fact, the chorus showcases new approaches to Rivera’s clean vocals—experimental, memorable, and emotionally resonant. There’s even a trace of black metal’s influence in the guitar textures, cleverly reworked to serve the EP’s broader melodic vision. Lyrically, the song explores the interconnectedness of life—how we are all part of a web that links the living with the departed, and how each of us carries others forward across our own seas.

What sets DREAMS OF GRAY apart is not just the fusion of genres—from melodic death and doom to thrash and heavy metal—but Rivera’s refusal to create throwaway music. Every riff, every lyric, and every vocal line is deliberate. There is elegance within the aggression, clarity within the chaos. His music invites you to headbang, yes—but also to reflect, to feel, to connect. Lyrics are intelligible by design, encouraging listeners to engage deeply rather than just react sonically. A Beginning isn’t just a collection of songs. It’s a statement of intent: that melody, melancholy, and metal can coexist with integrity.

This EP arrives after a journey as unpredictable as the music itself. Outside of metal, Luis Rivera is a Family Medicine Physician—an artist with a scientific mind, balancing a high-pressure career with a relentless drive to create. Formerly an electrician and a member of ABOLISHER (a band with acclaim in Metal Maniacs and Brave Words and Bloody Knuckles back in 2002), Rivera took a long pause from music to pursue medicine. Now, with that chapter stabilized, he returns fully committed to his artistic vision.

For those who long for a new voice in melodic extreme metal—one that remembers the spirit of PARADISE LOST, the introspection of OPETH, and the energy of SLAYER—DREAMS OF GRAY offers something vital, something that sounds familiar yet undeniably new. With A Beginning, this project redefines what it means to start again.

About DREAMS OF GRAY:

DREAMS OF GRAY is the melodic extreme metal project of Chicago-based musician and physician Luis Rivera. Blending elements of melodic death, doom, thrash, and traditional heavy metal, the music is as emotionally resonant as it is sonically intense. Founded in 2022, DREAMS OF GRAY quickly made an impact with the independently released debut EP The World After in 2023, earning critical acclaim across the international metal press.

Known for its compelling fusion of melody and heaviness, DREAMS OF GRAY stands out for intelligent songwriting, deeply human lyricism, and an uncompromising creative vision. Rivera’s music confronts themes of loss, grief, resilience, and existential reflection—delivered through dynamic vocals and powerful, layered instrumentation.

Now joined by a cast of talented collaborators, DREAMS OF GRAY continues to evolve with the upcoming EP A Beginning (2025), a bold and immersive follow-up that further refines the project’s genre-defying sound. Whether you’re drawn to the introspection of OPETH, the melodic fire of IN FLAMES, or the weight of PARADISE LOST, DREAMS OF GRAY offers something uniquely honest and unforgettable in today’s extreme metal landscape.

Connect With DREAMS OF GRAY:

Bandcamp: https://dreamsofgray.bandcamp.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Dreams-of-Gray-100090219272895/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dreamsofgray/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dreamsofgray
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/10SZBmhCP8bJHMX5lyCshB
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/dreams-of-gray/1662301376

DREAMS OF GRAY Unleashes New Single "Beyond The Sky" Ahead of Upcoming EP

July 12, 2025

Emerging from the shadows of loss and into the full light of artistic rebirth, DREAMS OF GRAY announces the release of their blistering new single, “Beyond the Sky”, from the upcoming EP A Beginning, arriving September 5, 2025. The track is an unapologetic riff-driven anthem that asks deep spiritual questions while channeling the fury and force of melodic extreme metal at its most raw and relentless.

“Beyond the Sky” is the most direct and aggressive track on A Beginning. It is a headbanger’s delight rooted in death metal and thrash, yet laced with DREAMS OF GRAY’s signature melodic sensibility. It is fast, it is loud, and it is destined to open live sets. Beneath the savage riffs and relentless pace lies a meditation on the eternal: a soul adrift, seeking peace in the life beyond.

Based in Chicago, DREAMS OF GRAY began as Rivera’s solo project after a long hiatus from music. Formerly of ABOLISHER, a band praised in Metal Maniacs and Brave Words and Bloody Knuckles, Rivera stepped away to pursue a career in medicine. Now a Family Medicine physician, he brings the same intensity to music that he brings to his patients. A Beginning marks a powerful return.

Joining Rivera on A Beginning are elite collaborators: Maria Kosma (bass), Nicole Trinchero (drums on the title track), and Scott Elliot, who provided drum programming for “Beyond the Sky” and “Across the Endless Sea”, while also handling engineering, mixing, and mastering for both songs. Josh Middleton contributed engineering and mastering on the opening track “A Beginning”.