EVEALE - Dreamer (Ozzy Osbourne Cover Premiere)

Written by: The Administrator

I'll be honest. The reveal that nature-themed black metal band Eveale is comprised of Alex Loach and Steven Wiener (in the roles of The Moth/The Monarch of the Hillside and  The Newt/The North East Wizard Tyrant, respectively) wasn't a shock. Y'know, per se. Prior to said reveal, I was quite familiar with their work together, and their excellent debut two-track Lament of the Dryads / The Enemy did sound suspiciously like Alex Loach screeching vehemently over Steven Wiener's lush instrumentation. Needless to say, when the duo asked if we slumbering scribes would be interested in premiering their third track, there could only be one answer. After all, one does not refuse the churning gears of the Steve Weiner Industrial Complex. And otherwise, the promise of a (presumably) aggressive take on a classic somber Ozzy track was simply too tantalizing. 

And so here we are, pleased to present Eveale's cover of Ozzy Osbourne's Dreamer, which you can exclusively  enjoy here at ye olde Sleeping Village for several days before official release on Dec. 5th. Purely coincidentally, today would have been Ozzy's 77th birthday, so this entire affair feels like a very apropos albeit entirely unplanned homage. Give Dreamer a listen (or two!) below, and, as always, we'll meet you on the other side!

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So: how does a black metal band approach the sticky-sweet melancholy of Ozzy in his ballad bag? The answer is "with conviction." Dreamer is an inherently somber affair with an incredibly catchy hook, and on the basis of that foundation, Eveale absolutely deliver. Steve and Alex dive headfirst into the fray, maintaining the sincerity of the original track while not holding back in the vitriol department. 

By necessity, it is much harsher. Instrumentally, it drips with the vibrant-yet-blackened patina that Steve does so very well, and vocally, Alex is as fierce as ever. Ozzy wants a hug and reassurance, whereas Alex is a little more incendiary. "I'm just a dreamer, dreaming my life away" in Alex's venomous tone sounds less sad and significantly more spiteful, more urgent. Perhaps even more disgusted. Notably, however, the Eveale rendition of Dreamer does not lose the sense of emotional vulnerability that the original brings to bear. The guitar leans into aggression for emphasis, yet maintains a sense of crisp buoyancy throughout. It's a delicate balance, and is executed with the care that you can only come to expect from these two. Shoutout as well to the appropriately monikered Basher at Things for a delivering a drum performance that leans into the aforementioned urgency.

Dreamer was originally intended for use in a tribute compilation album, but when said compilation revealed that they would be using AI artwork, Eveale pulled the track, making clear their stance on the value of real art. A good reminder to abandon gen AI, industry folks, or you inevitably lose out. As it stands, then, this standalone cover serves as a delightful year-end amuse-bouche before the full course arrives. Eveale's debut full length, the enticingly entitled Enter The Woodland Realm, will be released via the venerable Fiadh Productions at some point in the spring of 2026. We'll be patiently waiting.
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Give Dreamer some love above, and check out Eveale on Ampwall!

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Eveale can be found at their Official Website, Ampwall, Bandcamp
Cover by: Alex Loach