Welcome back to Finetuned! This one is an absolute gem. This has so many high highs, incredible drum grooves (and mixing), and SOARING vocals. I found this group in the last 12 months and DAMN what a find. The most recent record is the rec this week and I couldn’t be more stoked about it.
This week, we are chatting about dream fatigue 🤘
Gif by spongebob on Giphy
dream fatigue formed in Salem, Massachusetts, when drummer Matt Wood (known for his work in the heavy underground with Vein and Fleshwater) linked up with vocalist Jonali McFadden and a small circle of local musicians to build a project that blended the intensity of the New England hardcore scene with a more melodic, alternative-leaning sound. They came together fairly recently (2024) and have already been dropping some bangers for us. As a drummer, I really fucking love their sound.
Wood came from the heavier corners of modern hardcore and alternative metal, but the new project leaned toward something hazier and more melodic, more shoegaze. That collision became the band’s DNA. There is this tangible feeling of Paramore but on the heavier side - somewhat leaning in the direction of Slow Crush, Fleshwater (makes sense), and even soft parallels to Evanescence.
dream fatigue’s sound sits in that beautiful middle ground where distortion meets daylight. I say this in the essence of what this sound means to me. It feels distinctly dark, fuzzy - dissonant. But in the same exact moments its like opening the blinds and the sun shines through. At its core, the band blends alternative rock, emo pop, and grunge, but it rarely feels stuck in any one lane. The guitars churn, sometimes fuzzy and shoegaze-adjacent, sometimes crisp and rhythmic, while the drums carry a groove that pushes the songs forward without overwhelming their atmosphere. Over the top of it all, Jonali McFadden’s voice cuts through with clarity and emotional lift, turning even the densest arrangements into something anthemic.
There are subtle echoes of late-90s and early-2000s alt rock in the band’s DNA (bands like Hum or Incubus linger in the background), but dream fatigue aren’t just reviving those sounds. Instead, they twist those influences into short bursts of catharsis. The result is music that feels equally suited for headphones on a late-night walk or a packed room with amps humming. On no requiem, dream fatigue refine their formula into something tighter and more immediate. The seven-track record leans into short, punchy songs that move quickly but leave deep impressions. Guitars grind and shimmer in equal measure, while Matt Wood’s drumming anchors everything with groove and momentum.
There’s also an undercurrent of vulnerability running through the record. The lyrics often acknowledge uncertainty while still chase some kind of clarity. It’s the kind of writing that works because it feels conversational rather than poeticized: honest thoughts delivered through melodies big enough to carry them.
Why Listen? If you’re drawn to the current wave of underground alt rock that blends shoegaze haze, grunge weight, and emotional vocal hooks, no requiem is a perfect entry point. dream fatigue manage to compress a lot of feeling into very short songs, which makes the record feel punchy and replayable. Nothing overstays its welcome; every track feels like a spark rather than a slow burn.
Finetuned Rec 👇
This is one of the better grunge/shoegaze records I’ve listened to recently. It really blends sooo many elements of genres that all sort of just make sense together. The mix on the drums is also just chef’s kiss for this genre blending.
Enjoy the jams, Finetuners!
artist - dream fatigue
album - no requiem
album rating - 9.5/10
fave track - be your anchor
hon. men. #1 - no requiem
hon. men. #2 - spun
Thanks for reading here, Finetuners! I do hope you all have enjoyed this week’s Finetuned. I’d appreciate any insights, admiration, or otherwise. You can email me here: [email protected].
See you all in the next one! 🙌
(Sources: https://www.saladdaysmag.com/dream-fatigue-share-striking-new-single-spun/, https://stereogum.com/2486728/dream-fatigue-announce-new-ep-no-requiem-hear-spun/music/, https://femmusic.com/2026/01/02/dream-fatigue-be-your-anchor, https://slrmagazine.com/2026/01/28/dream-fatigue-announce-no-requiem-ep-out-2-13-share-striking-single-spun/, https://spillmagazine.com/spill-new-music-dream-fatigue-be-your-anchor/, https://theduckclub.com/artist/dream-fatigue/, https://www.behance.net/gallery/244107897/dream-fatigue-no-requiem, https://dazestyle.bandcamp.com/album/no-requiem