When we sleep, we all have dreams. Exciting and raw to scary and anguished, the dreams are always there… lurking.

But, the question remains… what do dreams sound like?

I found that they are visceral and positively dripping with emotions that we may not feel until something triggers your synapses to aurally fire with a resounding cacophony.

Nick DePirro of Night Verses

The sound of dreams was encapsulated in Night Verses‘ set at the Big Room Bar recently. From bombastic speed to ethereal wave-filled melodies, the Los Angeles trio treated the crowd to a set of hyper-technical musicianship that reminded one of a mix between Dream Theater and Animals-era Pink Floyd. If a Jackson Pollack painting had a soundtrack, this band would write the score.

Comprised of Nick DePirro (guitar), Reilly Herrera (bass) and Aric Improta (drums), the band launched into their set with the blistering-paced Copper Wasp from their fourth album, From the Gallery of Sleep (released June 29, 2018). Full of dark undertones, their technical proficiency was on full display.

Reilly Herrera of Night Verses

The midtempo styling of Vice Wave carried an almost ethereal quality, reminiscent of the previously mentioned Dream Theater, albeit heavier and more “weighty.” The ominous sonic undercurrent made one feel as if you were running towards, or perhaps away from something to be feared.

The dream-like opening to Trading Shadows belied the heavy, frenetic pace that assaulted your ears when they kicked the song into high gear. It had a melodic bossa nova/Spanish flair to it, with Improta standing midway through to get the crowd going.

Turning 180 degrees, the fast-paced, post-industrial apocalyptic waves of Earthless erupted from the p.a. The trance-like beat induced serious head-bobbing from the enthralled audience.

The penultimate number, Infinity Beach had the trio channeling their inner-Pink Floyd, with DePirro’s guitar sounding as if David Gilmour was tickling our senses. This track could easily have been mistaken for a B-side to almost any track from Floyd’s 1977 album, Animals, albeit a bit heavier.

Aric Improta of Night Verses

Herrara stepped to the microphone at the song’s conclusion to say, “Thank you very much. We’re Night Verses.” This was the only time when any pf the trio spoke to the crowd.

They closed out their set with the hard, heavy and fast pace of No. 0, the staccato beat of Improta’s drums giving the slight impression of the influence of jazz on the band. At points within the song, there was an almost cyberpunk feel that had you feeling as though the world were crashing down around you.

Throughout their six-song set, the audience was crowded around the stage, paying rapt attention to the technical aspects of the trio. When they were finished, those in attendance showed their approval, wanting more from them.

The soundscapes these three musicians are able to weave, along with their unobtrusive use of effects and sonic montages, left this writer hoping they decide to return to Columbus sooner rather than later.

Credit all images: Samantha Toale/MIMC

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Setlist

1. Copper Wasp
2. Vice Wave
3. Trading Shadows
4. Earthless
5. Infinity Beach
6. No. 0

Night Verses – Earthless