A lot can happen in three years. Genres can change, morph, and even break up with each other. Rock, metal, and hardcore are no exception to the rule, and the band that utilises that unholy trinity to it’s full potential is Cave In.
Their first full studio album in nearly a decade, Heavy Pendulum sees the Massachusetts quartet take a leap of faith with the addition of Converge/Doomrider/Old Man Gloom bassist Nate Newton. Standing in the shadow of Caleb Scofield, who passed away during the early stages of the band’s previous record Final Transmission, is no easy feat. Heavy Pendulum however, lives up to its name in sound, sonics, and sentiment.
Opening track ‘New Reality’ strikes close to home in its tribute to Caleb, acknowledging his physical absence whilst still honouring his spiritual presence. The thick, sludgy, confrontational riffs also welcomes Nate with open arms and a newfound perspective. Heavy hints of doom and destruction penetrate tracks ‘Blood Spiller’ and ‘Careless Offering’, like a slithering and spiralling nightmare of a distorted and inverted Wonderland of mass media hysteria and empty political promises and propaganda. With “wicked words at play”, the transition into the gyrating panicked riff of ‘Floating Skulls’ morphs into a hypnotically twisting and taunting vocal melody.
The majority of Heavy Pendulum’s musicality and vibe matches that of its song titles, and the title track hits the nail on the head. Nate’s bass lines laboriously swing with a great weight from side to side as John-Robert Conners pummels his drums with lead arms, the sheer effort palpable through time and space. Stephen Brodsky and Adam McGrath’s twin guitar work alleviates some of the doom and gloom pressure, bringing an air of relief before the mass of Chronos himself catches up again.
‘Blinded by a Blaze’ mimics that of a long, punishing trek through the desert sands of an unknown location. The wah-wah pedal works overtime to bring the mirage of “long is the road leading to you” to life. Almost like a continuation of that perilous journey, a Black Sabbath ‘War Pigs’ intro barrels its way into ‘Nightmare Eyes’, the bass taking the lead like a rolling black storm cloud of terror and nightmares.
A two-minute effects-riddled instrumental is not something you were aware was needed, however ‘Days of Nothing’ offers a welcomed respite. Like a fever dream, the guitar noodling does much to soothe the soul. Dazzling harmonies meander through ‘Waiting for Love’ with flange guitar dive bombs simulating the emotional action of the track’s title. Hand claps, preachy lyrics, and an acoustic guitar gives ‘Reckoning’ a southern drawl and blues tinge to it, making it somehow, ironically, more upbeat than anything else on the record.
And just as well, because album closer ‘Wavering Angel’ is 12 minutes of both ethereal bliss and existential crisis-inducing anxiety. Even at a dozen minutes though, it doesn’t outstay its welcome and passes the time by ebbing and flowing before breaking into a tidal wave and dissipating again. Heavy Pendulum is already 13 tracks of an emotional yet exhilarating rollercoaster, but the album’s closer is in a class all of its own.
Showcasing the detriments of life, Heavy Pendulum is a cathartic and necessary experience of bludgeoning riffs, crooning vocals, and cumbersome melodies. The sands of time can be cruel, yet the balance tips irrevocably in Cave In’s favour.