Local Review: Dysregulation — Self-Titled

Dysregulation
Dysregulation
Goldenspike Records
Street: 11.13.2025
Dysregulation = Alice In Chains + My Bloody Valentine (or slowdive + Sonic Youth)

Endless, dark gray rolling clouds shroud the night above. Looming, concrete skyscrapers rise above the sea of dirty, cramped streets. Any kind of relief from the dread of outside is going to be inside, and even then, you will find cramped, tight, fuzzy, loud scenes that make your body uneasy and want to escape. It doesn’t matter which direction you turn — you will find your mind and body on edge with blood pressure rising and anxiety mounting. Is the first image in your mind the famous Seattle, home of the dirtiest and roughest grunge of the ‘90s? Well then, how about Salt Lake City? The mountains echo with the dirt-covered, grime-splattered energy of Dysregulation’s DIY garage band grunge.

Dysregulation: Local Review of Their Self-Titled EP

Dysregulation is composed of Sammy Jones (drums), BJ Barrett (guitar) and Brooke Bolick (bass). All members of the band show up for the vocals and writing, while Barrett handles the mixing and mastering. Dysregulation is aptly named after emotional dysregulation, where a person is not able to properly regulate and manage their emotions, leading to mood swings, temper, confusion and numbness. They have very well translated their feelings and struggles into their debut EP, with both the lyrics and overall sound managing to sound like they are coming straight from their skulls with all the chaotic fuzz and brain zaps included. 

Runaway and Sobriety

“Runaway” starts off with a frantic hi-hat, warped guitar tones and despondent vocals before rocketing off with dual vocals and a frenetic tambourine on top of it all. The singers also pour out their struggles with dysregulation, expressing how worthless and mistreated they feel and their desire to run away from it all. It all comes together to be a giant, dripping wall of guitar effects and drums that ooze and tower on top of you.

“Sobriety” kicks off with a scratchy and tiny acoustic guitar akin to Kurt Cobain’s Montage of Heck, before being drowned by a gigantic guitar and choir vocals. They then sing about their struggles with alcohol and how they used it to push down their traumas while society keeps hurting. They take pills and medicine to manage their struggles, while society’s neglect further numbs them. All members of the band go crazy on this track, with Jones’ booming drums and explosive cymbals, Bolick’s rhythmic and rolling bass and Barrett’s intense and furious guitar solos.

Dispossessed, Love at First Fleeting and Turn of the Screw

“Dispossessed” starts with a haunted pipe organ and noisy guitar feedback. As both come into focus, the rest of the band joins in before the vocals come in and split to a haunting layered echo effect that goes through the rest of the song. The band layers on sounds and effects, intensifying the dread and anxiety in the lyrics and pulling the listener into the swirl of worry and fear. “Love at First Fleeting” lets the doom and heavy gloom go a bit, but keeps up the tension by going to a more groovy, goth sound while keeping up the high energy of math rock bands. The vocals match too, as both singers sound unaffected and yet pleading for just a little bit of love.

“Turn of the Screw” is a very straightforward grunge rock track, with some tight guitar and drum parts before cascading over themselves in the chorus as the lyrics go on about the feeling of medication and trying to pretend to be fine while everything is going to hell. 

Dysregulation Channels Emotional Chaos Into Art

Jones, Barrett and Bolick have channeled the turmoil and pain that comes from not being in control of your emotions and made it into a dizzying flood of fuzzy distorted guitars, thick hypnotizing bass, chaotic tumultuous drums and emotional vocals. Across the five tracks, the band shows they have the skills and also artistic talent to get that feeling across and into your own skull. It’s a dizzying and frightening wave that I have not felt in a minute, and although I don’t miss it personally, the band nonetheless did a fantastic job making the project a trippy, grunge sound for the Salt Lake area. —Connor Kraus

Read other reviews by Connor Kraus:
Review: Thien Dragon — CHAOS DRAGON
Local Review: The Madeline — Peaceful Uncertainty/With Senses Wide Open