soundbyte; 6/3/2025

written by c tuel

All the way to greatness…Again

Quite frankly, I have been waiting for this for longer than I can bring myself to admit. After every trial and tribulation the band has faced, Dance Gavin Dance is back in their fullest force, and carrying Andrew Wells as their lead clean vocalist into this era with them, as well as Sergio Medina as their bassist. And while it’s impossible to make an entire community happy, I’m thrilled - both of these individuals are a perfect fit in more ways that the character limit will allow me to express.

“All The Way Down” was given to us as the secondary single for the upcoming release Pantheon, being released through Rise Records. At its core, this is the evolutionary evidence of Dance Gavin Dance - and it astonishes me that after twenty years next November, after four different vocalists, the group finds new sounds with the same elements of their basic form of life. Also, you cannot start a song with a Mario Kart starting-type sound and have me not love it. Additionally, Mattias Adolfsson returns for the creation of their album art. Forgive the unprofessionalism - We’re so back.

Despite it being in my opinion the obvious evolutionary point for the group, “All The Way Down” is a lyrical masterpiece. And as someone whose therapist has confirmed that spite has kept them alive, I am so thrilled to hear the same from this song. It almost feels as if in a way, it’s meant to be that television recap of everything experienced in the last few years. Loss of all varieties, grief in all forms.

Dance Gavin Dance is back again, and in the most wonderful way. “Blue Dream” is on setlists again. I heard “Cuba” live after waiting for it for a decade. Sorry for folks who hate setlist spoilers, but Royal Ocean is being acknowledged. In 2025. It’s a little mind-boggling to me. If you’ve never caught them on tour, now is your opportunity to do so as they’re currently embarked on the “Return of the Robot” tour. They’ll be hitting North America with the incredible Dwellings, The Home Team, and Belmont - some of those talented folks you can even find on the magazine already.

Tickets can be purchased here, and their upcoming album “Pantheon”, can be pre-ordered here.