Grief blesses us with the responsibility of double living. As we move forward and others do not, it is our mission to live for both of us, and in doing so, keep their spirit alive long after their physical form has left this planet. For the members of dweller. — Vocalist/Lyricist Juan Aguilar, Guitarist Kevin Ultsh, Drummer Greg Rocco, and Bassist Steven Murillo — that duty comes in the form of music. 

Hailing from Brooklyn, New York, dweller. began as an idea between like-minded friends with varying musical backgrounds. The songs came together quickly, turning from riffs to jams almost overnight. Despite the struggle to find the right vocalist, Dweller set out to record their debut EP starting with instrumental sessions at Vudu Studios with Producer Billy Mannino, but then tragedy struck.

All The Things We Carry, dweller.’s captivating debut EP, channels their collective pain and grief from recent years into a cathartic listening experience. The band leans into their emotions with a mix of sonic influences ranging from modern alternative to 90s grunge. It’s heavy music for people dealing with heavy emotions, yet ambient enough to comfort those in need of solace. If you ask them, it’s what needed to happen.

“Bryan recorded his parts before he passed,” Kevin explains. “A big part of getting this record done was about closure and honoring our friend. After we met Juan and we began to work together, this material took on new meaning. He had no connection to us before joining the band and never met Bryan, but we found common ground through our shared experiences.”

Juan agrees. “Everything the band sent me was exactly the kind of music I was hoping to make. The story they told me was powerful, and it’s represented in the songs, but it’s also not necessarily my story to tell. I have my own experiences with death and grief, so I tried to honor and connect our stories through those shared feelings.”

To finish the record’s vocals, the band once again worked with Mannino, only this time at Two Worlds recording studio. The resulting product is a deeply emotive work of tribute and respect created with honest intention. Over the course of five tracks, dweller. looks into the abyss that follows any great loss and refuses to become one with the darkness. For all the sadness and loneliness that permeates throughout the material, the band never lost hope. If anything, they cling to it. 

With the first chapter of their story finally ready to be told, dweller. is already looking ahead as they gear up to release their music videos and for live performances to kick off 2023. 

- written by James Shotwell

“All The Things We Carry” out everywhere March 2023.