Wales’ own Dream State have, by all accounts, have spent 2017 in much of a dream state themselves. Following the release of their EP Consequences in 2015, the band started to pick up traction but it was in 2017 when they released single ‘White Lies’ that things really took off. The song quickly went viral and the band even found that at a gig in London they met a fan who had flown all the way from Egypt for the gig, saying that rather than waiting for them to come to Egypt they had simply decided to fly to London instead. The band cite multiple influences from Slipknot to Tool and Linkin Park but perhaps the best way of describing the band is to imagine blending Paramore and Alexisonfire with a massive amount of Red Bull. The band have a catchy, rough-around-the-edges blend of melodic hardcore that bounces and rages with equal measure. Vocalist CJ Gilpin yelps, snarls and croons in equal measure of an irrepressible blend of post-hardcore, punk, pop and metal that draws from the same template that made The Weird and Wonderful Marmozets such a breakout hit. When asked about their appeal and invitations to perform alongside bands normally considered far heavier, CJ says her favourite description of the band’s sound is emotional and raw; lyrically she draws from her own experiences such as a past drug addiction and her daily struggle with that and anxiety. Dream State’s music resonates on an emotional level, with a raw edge to the songs that belies the slick execution and otherwise often cheery sound of the band and despite having only six songs to their name, 2018 is very much shaping up to be the band’s best year yet. Check them out on Bandcamp here and check out viral hit ‘White Lies’ below!