Dream Death were formed in Pittsburgh in 1985 by Brian Lawrence (guitars, vocals), Mike Smail (drums) and Ted Williams (bass). Shortly after, Terry Wetson joined the band as the second guitarist.
They released a couple of demos and in 1987 their debut album, Journey into Mystery, came out through New Renaissance Records. The album showcased their trademark Celtic Frost / Black Sabbath mixture with an overall atmosphere of pure anger.
Around 1988, Ted Williams left the band, and Richard Freund joined on bass, recording the 1988 demo Ode to Sorrow. Shortly after, the remaining members changed the band name to Penance. Penance were one of the most influential bands of the early 90s traditional doom metal revival with their debut album The Road Less Travelled.
In 2011, Dream Death reunited with the 1988 line-up. Since then, they have released a compilation album and a couple of new full-length albums, as well as several live appareances.
More recently, High Roller Records reissued Journey into Mystery.
