From A Nightmare Premiere Their Groove Metal Album ‘Doom State’

Debut albums are opportunities to make a statement, which From A Nightmare has taken full advantage of. Their debut full-length Doom State will officially drop on June 7th, but this is your exclusive first listen.

Featuring twelve tracks, the groove metallers have etched out their musical intentions with this impressive debut. It never once wavers for a moment. Right from the get-go, you know what kind of record this is. It’s a team of experienced musicians with the knowledge and background to crank it up and out. Which is not surprising given the pedigree of the quartet. Each member has a rich musical background, having played in bands from both Maryland and Pennsylvania.

With a statement on their arrival, the band states:

“The Doom State has been unveiled, and with it, the dawn of a new epoch rises. The Grind, that relentless pursuit of something greater, has brought us to this pivotal moment. Now, as we stand at the peak, the question looms: do we take the Bunny Slope or the Black Diamond? Let’s crank up the distortion and let the riffs roar because we’re not here for a leisurely slide down the Bunny Slope. No, we’re shredding the Black Diamond, where the thrill is real, and the stakes are high.

“This descent is not for the faint of heart—it’s a headbanging, adrenaline-fueled ride through uncharted territories. The Black Diamond is our victory lap, a testament to our resilience. It’s where we prove that the years of hard work weren’t just about reaching the top. It’s fast, it’s furious, and it’s the ultimate rush. So, strap in and hold tight.”

Recording an album, particularly a debut, always presents a number of challenges. This was the case for From A Nightmare with Doom State, considering how they went about it. Elaborating on the recording process, they comment:

“Creating Doom State was a unique endeavour. We worked really hard to develop a way to maximize our time during the writing and recording process. We each developed ways of recording ideas and sharing them via Dropbox. Reaper has been our DAW (digital audio workstation) of choice for our pre-production process. (drummer) Kyle (Zupko) recorded virtual midi drum tracks via a Yamaha drum module to Modern Drummer, a Kontakt plugin. We shared the files with (producer) Josh Clark at Dark Hollow Studio. Previously recorded drum tones from an earlier EP were used in conjunction with MIDI drums to continue progress throughout the pandemic over 2020-2021.

“A huge portion of the recording was done remotely, creating a method we now can’t live without. (guitarist) Jesse (Sweiger) recorded his guitar parts via Kemper and ultimately re-amped tones with classic amps in the studio. (bassist) Dave (Jacobson) used his Darkglass set-up for the heaviest and lowest bass tones. These tones combined give this album the warm and aggressive sound Doom State needed. Josh took the pre-production mess that we had, and turned it into something special with his acute ear for production, also handling all the mixing, mastering, and some midi drum edits too.

“This is a process proven to be very valuable for us, we have been really excited about what we’ve been able to create, and we will definitely continue using these methods moving forward as we continue to write and record new material.”

What helped make this recording process effective was the experience each member brought to the table. They previously played in established Maryland metal acts like Quarry, Epic Harvest, and Dead Atlantic. Musically, they intend to create a thick wall of sound, emphasizing each player’s skill and experience. It’s an aggressive approach featuring thunderous riffs, pulsating basslines, and powerful drum patterns. Their sound is intense and predicated on a collective approach to music. The band views themselves as the sum of their parts, where they get the most out of themselves and the music through unity and solidarity.

From A Nightmare ‘Doom State’ album artwork