Standing behind a bar, as the hours tick by, the drunken depravity grows deeper. It’s enough to make anyone pessimistic about human nature. Ben Haywood’s (guitar and vocals) of Dream Demon certainly felt that way when he penned “The Bargain”, the second track on their fourth release, ep 4.
With Scott Mercado (bass, lead guitar, and choral vocals) blend of defeated yet persevering tonality, the struggle of continuing easily hits home. As the literal bargain repeats, “I’ll stay alive for you if you stay alive for me,” John O’Connell (drums) builds mounting inertia. Robert Cheek (keyboard and production) and Michael Sparks (backup vocals) fill out the sound, lift the heaviness, galvanizing the song into a celebration of this resolution.
The band, all members of other West Coast bands, traveled thousands of miles to meet and record these deep explorations of the concept of death anxiety. Each member attempts to “untangle a web of depression, addiction, and isolation.”
It’s heavy but not crushing. The lyrical twists, like, “I see things for what they are: a never-ending line of one mores,” set up for the encouraging heart of the song. And together, the band’s bargain comes to life.
Stream “The Bargain” and the rest of ep 4 below.
Ben is an advertising Madman who spends his days with words and music. When he’s not writing for his supper, he’s eating it at some of NYC’s most interesting restaurants.
