Getting to Know… Cthulhu Dreamt | Interview 🎤

In the 348^th Q&A in our Getting to Know… series, Jake and Reed provide the inside scoop into the unique, multimedia concept project, Cthulhu Dreamt.

“Ithink it’s safe to say everyone in the group has very different musical influences, so we end up with a unique genre-bending result,” 🎙 Jake Myslinski of 🎙 Cthulhu Dreamt asserts, when asked about the distinctiveness of the band. 🎙 Reed Reimer, founder of this unique multimedia concept project that combines metal with cinematic orchestral and synth music, adds, “While it’s absolutely based in metal and different genres therein, we don’t let that stop us from writing a trap, or techno, or really any other type of genre, and folding that into the audio storytelling.” Cool 😎!  Like other Q&As, we get the inside scoop on the genesis, goals, musical influences, and of course, current, and future musical endeavors of Cthulhu Dreamt. Myslinski and Reimer answer our burning questions regarding the collective. So, without further ado, let’s jump right into 🎤 Getting to Know… Cthulhu Dreamt: Interview No. 348!

For those who may not be familiar with you, what would you say makes Cthulhu Dreamt distinct or unique? How do you rock the audience’s socks off?

Hi everyone, I’m 🎙 Jake [Myslinski], and I think it’s safe to say everyone in the group has very different musical influences, so we end up with a unique genre-bending result.

Hey Hype, 🎙 Reed [Reimer] here… So, I think we have a couple things that differentiate us, and that’s the eclecticism of the music we make. While it’s absolutely based in metal and different genres therein, we don’t let that stop us from writing a trap, or techno, or really any other type of genre, and folding that into the audio storytelling. We hope that when we bring the heavy, that’s what will get the heads bopping and the feet tapping.

Okay, let’s explore some juicy backstories. How did Cthulhu Dreamt form and what were some of the goals or visions you had early on?

Reed: We started just after COVID began… a couple of dudes I met on twitter (Jake and 🎙 Jeremy Myslinski) and I began writing riffs, and I began working on the overall backstory of the project with my long time writing partner, 🎙 Ben Larson. I wanted to make a heavy, concept project that would give me a no-holds-barred approach to process the loss of my daughter, and my friends were all on board with that. Once we started in, I randomly ran into an old friend who was exercising by my house, and the band pretty much solidified. 

Let’s talk more about goals.  Have your goals or your perspectives changed since first starting out? What do your aspirations or goals look like now?

Jake: For me personally, my goals haven’t changed a whole lot. My goal since this whole thing started was to write cool songs and have fun.

Reed: The first album definitely accomplished what I wanted it to. And it was so inspiring to me that I immediately began work on the follow-up, Liminality. The line-up also shifted a little with Jeremy dropping off, and another friend (Chris Durston) jumping in. The perspective of loss and grief then shifted to more closely dealing with depression. The nice thing about having a proxy like Cthulhu, is that it can embody all of those things that are out of our control as humans. And now, the project has grown massively from those first two albums; we’re currently developing a massive TTRPG (tabletop role-playing game) with game company Action Fiction, novel, comic book, and original soundtrack based within the world of Cthulhu Dreamt, and it’ll serve the story well and hopefully reach more folks who may find something within the music and story to identify with.

Cthulhu Dreamt (from left – Jake Myslinski, Reed Reimer, Ben Larson, Nate Berntson)

Everybody is influenced by somebody else. Whom would you consider some of your biggest musical influences and how are they influential?

Jake: I’d say my biggest influence is Opeth, I think Mikael’s on a whole different level when it comes to songwriting and heavy riffs. At The Gates, In Flames and melodeath in general is a major influence on my songwriting too. They were some of my favorite bands growing up, so I had to learn their stuff when starting on guitar.

Reed: For me, it’d be easier to list who doesn’t influence us lol. I can find so much to appreciate in all forms of creativity. For the sake of the interview, some of my biggest musical influences right now would definitely include Mastodon, Igorrr, Hans Zimmer, James Newton Howard, Northlane, Phase Meridian, and Crosses.

Ah, the fun stuff.  What’s your craziest tour story or the wackiest thing that’s happened during a performance?  Feel free to be creative.

Reed: Cthulhu hasn’t been a touring band yet… just studio. However, the current plan is to change that on the release of our third studio album.

Up until this point in your career, what would you describe as your favorite song you’ve recorded or performed live? What makes that song special?  

Jake: My personal favorite song of ours is 🎵 “The Awakening”. I’ve always thought about it as our Morbid Angel song and really caps off the first album with a bang.

Reed: For what we’ve released as Cthulhu Dreamt, I think the one that pulls on my heart strings most is 🎵 “A Broken Heart Feeds Two”. It’s basically saying goodbye to my daughter…

Cthulhu Dreamt (From left – Nathan Berntson, Reed Reimer, Ben Larson, Jake Myslinski)

Is there anything else awesome, cool, or left of center the world should know about you? Secret talents or surprising tidbits?

Jake: I played the clarinet for one year in middle school, the most metal of all band instruments.

Reed: Cthulhu Dreamt is only one of my projects. I write media music for a ton of different clients, and personal projects include everything from electronica to synth wave, to fully orchestral scores.

Closing out, what is Cthulhu Dreamt currently working on, promoting that you can share with us or want us to know about? We love secrets, but there’s no pressure. 

The biggest thing that I’d love folks to know about is the Cthulhu Dreamt TTRPG and Soundtrack going up to Kickstarter on March 28^th, 2023. The score is essentially finished and ready for release once the game is complete.

Thank you so much for sharing and taking the time to answer these questions, and best of luck moving forward. 

Thank you!! Cheers!

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Getting to Know… Cthulhu Dreamt: Interview No. 348  [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Cthulhu Dreamt; Tumisu via Pixabay]