Hello, everyone! Welcome to the hub for my Deep Dive project Establishing Screamo Canon: From Chaos to Catharsis! 2025 was the Year of Screamo and, while I didn’t quite get to my goal of covering Screamo from the 90s through 2015, getting through the 90s wound up being a Herculean feat in and of itself. I’m quite proud of this accomplishment! The series will continue indefinitely as I have time for it, but getting it up onto the website was very important. Please refer to the Overview post for more information about the series and the various sub-series within.
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I Have Dreams - Three Days ‘Til Christmas | Screamo Hall of Fame Class of 1999 Nominee
Release Information:
1999
Independent
Tallahassee, FL (Southeast)
Runtime: 15:53
Tracks: 5
Band Members:
Allen Compton (Vocals)
Mike Peters (Vocals)
Mike Hanson (Guitar)
Ben Seals (Bass)
Clayton Rychlik (Drums)
At a Glance:
Screamo, Metalcore, Midwest Emo, Dynamic, Energetic, Melodic
Musical Analysis:
Taking the bones of Screamo with emotionally intense screamed vocals and dynamic song structures, I Have Dreams concocted a formula all their own with plenty of chugging Metalcore riffage and the melodic sensibilities of Midwest Emo. Many of the songs swing jarringly between driving, intense sections, brutal breakdowns and clean, slightly cheesy concentrations of vocal and guitar melody. The entire record is gently wrapped in immutable youthful energy and raw, confessional emotional outpouring.
Historical Analysis:
The core of this band came together a year earlier, releasing a demo under the name New Ethic. Tragically, one of their guitarists would die young, leading to the formation of I Have Dreams and their sole release in 1999. This record serves as a tribute to their fallen friend, carrying on his musical legacy and allowing the young band members to express their deepest and saddest sentiments, the true basis of many great Emo artists.
Although a beloved cult classic now, it really took the Zoomers to bring this out of obscurity. While one of the best and most heartfelt releases of the entire 90s in Screamo, this one will be remembered as a hidden gem, not a Hall of Fame tour-de-force.
Lyrical Analysis:
With the aforementioned passing of this band’s former friend, the entire project revolved around their shared grief. After all, each band member was quite young during their time as I Have Dreams and DIY Hardcore was their outlet. Much like grief, the EP struggles as an emotional tide between bitter pain and joyous reverie. Grieving communally has allowed for healing, but the loss of their friend destroyed the future they all had together. The lifelong friendship has permanently shaped them as individuals, but the pain of grief leads to forgetting his face. Ultimately, the gratitude they have for him as a special part of their lives transcends the grief over losing their loved one. Grief strengthens love and vice versa.
Despite utilizing some truly playful screaming and cheesy clean vocals, the emotional vulnerability and rawness of the lyrics lead to well-earned catharsis. These are possibly the most personal lyrics on a release that we’ve covered yet.