There’s no denying it, as beautiful as they can be, the holidays are pretty stressful. Hell, all the giving, getting, and family photos often stress people out to the point of having a very specific kind of dream: the stress dream.
You know, the one’s where you’re constantly counting or tracking something, but then your dog shows up but you need to get them home, or your dead grandparent shows up and won’t stop distracting you with ‘the truth’ regarding a family recipe so you lose count, and you wake up stressed.
We have been having a lot of those lately, to the point of even waking up from one this weekend and saying to ourselves “oh shit, we need to write up that Stress Dreams piece” before even realizing the band’s name wasn’t even Stress Dreams – it was Stress Spells. Now, it’s difficult to imagine getting so stressed that we are using spells and witchcraft to fight it off, but also we’re pretty open minded. If it helps, we’re in, and Stress Spells actually provides a radical escape from holiday cortisol levels with a chaotic, jagged hardcore sound that feels needed, even essential as we round out 2025.
Check out the exclusive stream of “Too Little, Too Late” below:
The band’s new record Hearts Never Tire comes out this February – here’s more info on the single from the band’s Jack Carino:
“Too Little Too Late” was a difficult song for me to write at first. The song is about looking at yourself in the mirror and feeling disappointed. It’s hard to think about that time in my life and where I was as a person without wincing. It was a painful transitionary period where I was constantly second guessing and doubting every decision I made. I think many younger, creative types tend to map out a “five year plan” for themselves when they’re straight out of high school. School and suburban life being that one infuriating and incessant barrier between them living out their righteous punk rock fantasies. Everything you think, feel, and believe, seems like life or death. Anyone living outside your code of ethics and values is a poser or a sell out. You compare yourself to other people not much older than you who have already accomplished so much and wait, mostly impatiently, for your turn to prove yourself. Then you actually get your opportunity and it doesn’t turn out the way you expected.
Sometimes being thrown into adulthood dulls that spark in you. I found myself in the peak of my youth making excuses and compromises for myself. Frankly, it felt like I was rotting away from the inside and turning into the kind of washed up burn out I would have loathed as a teenager. The track articulates the feelings of regret; that your fiery spirit and time had been wasted away. It’s about calling yourself on your bullshit and recognizing all of your contradictions and hypocrisies. It’s an anthem for your inner teenager telling you off and pleading with you to get it together.”
Jack’s words, and the song itself, will no doubt strike a chord with people of all kinds as we take stock of a year that truly defied belief. Making a difference in the world on your own terms is as important as ever, and songs like “Too Little Too Late” are a good reminder that it’s almost never too late to give it a shot. If you miss bands like Botch, The Chariot, or The Dillinger Escape Plan, Stress Spells are sure to satisfy your cravings, and most likely relieve a fair amount of stress along the way.
(Thanks for reading! If you’re looking for more music, check out our Bandcamp compilations here. If you like us, or possibly even love us, donations are always appreciated at the Buy Me A Coffee page here, but if you’re in a generous mood you can also donate to folks like Doctors Without Borders, the PCRF, Charity Water, Kindness Ranch, One Tail at A Time, Canopy Cat Rescue, or Best Friends Animal Sanctuary that could probably use it more – click on their names above to check ‘em out if you’re so inclined. Thanks again!)