We Listened To “Dream II” And Tell You What It’s About | Adorned Graves Have Released A New EP
The German band Adorned Graves is one of the bands we’ve liked the most in recent times. They possess the raw power of uncompromising, aggressive Metal. With a blend of traditional Heavy Metal and Thrash Metal, they’ve managed to create a sound that truly surprises and moves even the deepest fibers of any self-respecting metalhead.
Not too long ago, we reviewed the EP “Dream I”, a release that blew us away but left us wanting more—simply because it contained so few tracks. Fortunately, Adorned Graves aren’t resting on their laurels and have just released the follow-up to that album, titled “Dream II”, once again featuring Craig Cairns of Tailgunner on vocals, but this time with Dale Thompson of Bride, Herbie Langhans of Avantasia, Firewind, Sinbreed, etc., and Fede Vogliolo as guest musicians.
But before we dive into what “Dream II” is all about, we think it’s worth sharing a bit of Adorned Graves’ history so we can get to know them better. The band hails from the German city of Kaiserslautern (known as K-Town). They love the sound of old-school Metal from the late ’70s, ’80s, and early ’90s. They started out as a traditional Thrash band, but they weave in other elements such as Epic, Doom, Death, and traditional Metal. Beyond that, Adorned Graves prefers to be called an “Old School” Metal band.
The band was founded in 1993, when the Graever brothers, Cailen and Deafon, began to take music more seriously. As crossover, grunge, and alternative metal began to dominate the market and became hugely popular, the traditional sound had all but disappeared. The brothers decided to fight back musically and formed their band, called “Ascension.” Under that name, they played a few very small shows and finally changed their name in 1998 to “Adorned Graves”, later recording a demo titled “Demo ’98.” Although the cassette or CD-ROM was distributed only privately, it has all the hallmarks of “the Graves”: an epic, melodic intro, furious passages, and dark, apocalyptic moments.
The band’s turning point came in 2011, when guitarist and producer Wormser joined the brothers. The chemistry was immediate, and the newly formed trio began working on new material. Heiko Axel, known as “Dewwel” (from the band Souldevourer), joined them for live shows and to record a cover of Saint’s “Accuser” for a tribute album.
2015 marked the release of their first official release: the EP titled “The Hand Of Death”, which showcased the more technical side of “The Graves” and their anthem “Adorned Graves”, and in 2017, they released their much more epic debut album, “Out From The Depth Of The Grave.” This allowed them to delve into deeper and more intense territory, both in their lyrics and their music. In addition to the band’s signature anthem “Adorned Graves” and the song with which they usually open their concerts, “Opus One”, the album features tracks that showcase the band’s current signature “The Graves sound”, such as “Primal Ocean”, “Psalm 88”, and “Gorge of Liwija.” This work embodies the element of water in the music. Symbolically, the aquatic world of this album deals with life, death, new life, and resurrection. The story is based on ancient Eastern imagery drawn from the Book of Jonah.
Meanwhile, throughout 2018, “The Graves” performed several concerts in Germany, Switzerland, and Sweden, and two years later they released “Being Towards A River”, an EP conceived as direct and forceful Speed/Thrash Metal, serving as both a complement to and a contrast with their debut album. They felt that this new work had a more fluid flow than their complex debut album. During the creative process, it evolved into something more. That was when the idea of the river as a symbol of life and time emerged. The main sources of inspiration have been the writings of the Old and New Testaments, which are referenced in the lyrics. The album is a traditional, old-school Metal album that pays homage to this fascinating genre in many of its stylistic variations. The setting is linked to the natural flow of a river, from its wild, fast, and furious source—with rapids and waterfalls in the high-mountain region—through its meandering course across plains and valleys, until it reaches the estuary, almost calm and majestic, where it flows into the sea.
By 2023, “The Earth Hath Opened Her Mouth” had a new story to tell: a long journey through valleys, gorges, and beautiful landscapes. Having left the watery world behind, the “Adorned Graves” set out on new paths on dry land. During their musical journey, they soon realized they needed some serious help. They called for assistance, and their plea was heard by well-known vocalists who joined them for many stretches of the way. It’s a grand, epic tale and a blend of their last two releases: Epic, Doom, and Thrash in the classic “Grave style”, featuring numerous collaborators.
Back in 2025, “Adorned Graves” signed a contract for an LP and an EP with the famous Australian label “Soundmass” to release a very special vinyl edition—which includes remixed, remastered, and new vocal versions of the best songs from their albums. The title “WOUTA” is a neologism coined by Cailen and is intended to sound like an ancient human word denoting primordial water. It also sounds like “Wouter”, which means “warrior” or “he who reigns”, and like “Wut”, which means “rage.” The EP “Dream I” is intended to be a celebration of Adorned Graves’ 10 years of music, as 2015 was the year their first EP was released. The band thought it would be nice to compose songs that could have been released 40 years ago, in 1985. Adorned Graves are known for the variety in their music and for returning to their roots. This EP showcases the band in a more authentically traditional Metal vein: 100% old-school Metal, just as we know it from bands like Dio, Priest, Maiden, or Helloween.
And since the guys had such a great time traveling back in time—celebrating 10 years of Adorned Graves recordings and paying homage to the kind of music they grew up with—they continued writing old-school ’80s-style music. This resulted in five more tracks, old-school in musical style but with a fresh sound, and enough material for a second EP or a follow-up EP. This was released under the name “Dream II”, featuring a slightly adapted logo and continuing the successful collaboration with Soundmass in 2026.
In that sense, “Dream II” continues in the vein of the previous “Dream I”, an album that, personally, we found to be full of power and metallic intensity. This is evident right from the start with “Disaster”, a track also chosen as the lead single for Adorned Graves’ new release, which moves at a fast pace with plenty of thrash-inspired chords but with a clear hint of warrior-like Heavy Metal brimming with vitality. Craig Cairns’ contribution adds that essential touch of old-school Metal, but Adorned Graves’ appeal doesn’t stop there. The epic, almost Metal-anthem-like quality is evident in “On The Edge”, where the man behind the mic is none other than Dale Thompson of Bride, who seems to embody the early, classic version of his band.
The vibe shifts almost entirely toward classic Metal in “Dream II”, the title track of this new EP. Vocals on this track are handled by the well-known Herbie Langhans, whose mid-tempo delivery and vocal timbre give the song a feel reminiscent of Dio or Helloween.
The most intricate and elaborate track on “Adorned Graves” is “Light Side Of The Grave”, a song in which the epic and doom influences are undeniable. Fede Vogliolio’s dark vocals play an essential role, lending the track that incredible sense of majesty that makes it an indispensable part of the album.
To wrap up this short EP, we have “Starry Night”, with Craigs Cairns once again on lead vocals, delivering a track that captures the most classic and traditional aspects of Metal, featuring beautiful passages that truly make it one of the best tracks on an EP that, like its predecessor, is an interesting collection of great songs.
The thing about Adorned Graves isn’t about the style they’re trying to achieve. Their greatest strength is knowing how to write good songs, full of emotion and diverse sensations. With varied influences from classic metal, but without stopping there—Adorned Graves’ horizons clearly extend far beyond that.
The foundation is well-constructed and rooted in traditional, hard-hitting Heavy Metal. From there, Adorned Graves is able to forge its own unique identity, built on strong songwriting.
It’s worth noting that both “Dream I” and this recent “Dream II” will be released later as a special vinyl edition under the title “Dream Eye”, before the band returns to the “Graves style” for which Adorned Graves are known on their previous full-length albums. But for any fan of traditional, hard-hitting Heavy Metal, both EPs are major works worth noting—ones that never falter or disappoint, quite the opposite.
Finally, I must highlight two statements the band has made official, which clearly illustrate their character. First, that “Adorned Graves have never and will never use AI for writing and recording music!”—something we praise and applaud!—and second, that “Adorned Graves are against any forms of religious and political extremism. We stand and fight for human dignity and charity: Behold we are Adorned Graves!”—another stance we fully share. In fact, I think that every day I listen to them again, I become an even bigger fan of the band.
Below, we’ll share the official “visualizer” video for the track “Disaster”—the lead single from this new release—as well as their social media channels and how to purchase this new EP…
https://soundmass.com/product/dream-ii/
https://www.facebook.com/AdornedGraves
https://www.instagram.com/adorned_graves
