Heavy Pendulum

Heavy Pendulum is the seventh studio album by American rock band Cave In, released on May 20, 2022 through Relapse Records.[10] This is the band's first album with bassist/backing vocalist Nate Newton, though late bassist/vocalist Caleb Scofield still has a presence on the record.[11]

Heavy Pendulum
Studio album by
Cave In
ReleasedMay 20, 2022
RecordedJanuary–February, August 2021
StudioGodCity, Salem, Massachusetts
Genre
Length70:30
LabelRelapse
ProducerKurt Ballou
Cave In chronology
Final Transmission
(2019)		 Heavy Pendulum
(2022)
Singles from Heavy Pendulum
  1. "New Reality"
    Released: March 15, 2022
  2. "Blinded by a Blaze"
    Released: April 5, 2022
  3. "Blood Spiller"
    Released: April 26, 2022
  4. "Reckoning"
    Released: May 10, 2022
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic81/100[1]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Blabbermouth.net9/10[3]
Classic Rock[4]
Distorted Sound10/10[5]
The Guardian[6]
Kerrang!4/5[7]
New Noise Magazine[8]
Sputnikmusic3.5/5[9]

Background

In July 2021, Cave In signed to Relapse Records and announced its seventh studio album will be released through the label.[12] The album's title was revealed as Heavy Pendulum with the release of the single "New Reality" on March 15, 2022.[13] The album's second single, "Blinded by a Blaze", was released on April 5.[14] The album's third single, "Blood Spiller", was released on April 26.[15] The fourth single, "Reckoning", was released on May 10; the song was written entirely by guitarist Adam McGrath.[16]

The album was produced by Converge guitarist Kurt Ballou, who produced Cave In's debut Until Your Heart Stops.[17]

"New Reality" features a riff that was written by late bassist/vocalist Caleb Scofield in 2011. Additionally, "Amaranthine" features lyrics that were written by Scofield.[5]

Musical style and lyrical themes

Revolver described lead single and opening track "New Reality" as leaning "into the quartet's sludgier inclinations."[18] Jon Hadusek from Consequence referred to the song's riff as "heavy sludge and stoner metal."[19] Second single, "Blinded by a Blaze", has been described as post-metal.[20]

Nicholas Senior of New Noise Magazine described the album as stoner metal, comparing it to Red Fang.[8] Additionally, the album has been noted as having a strong grunge influence[7][9] and "employing a wide-ranging amalgam of brooding post-grunge and "Creeping Death"-era Metallica thrash".[2]

"Blood Spiller" was written in response to several events that occurred in 2020. Frontman Stephen Brodsky stated:

If you laid out the timeline for 2020 like a recipe, it might look something like this: global pandemic + lockdowns + worldwide protests over the wrongful death of George Floyd + election year = cocktail for end times. Somewhere in that concoction, we found ingredients for a new Cave In album. Blood Spiller is the sound of us swallowing it, getting ripped on the horrors within, and coming down to reflect on it through song.[21]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Cave In, except where noted

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."New Reality"Cave In, Caleb Scofield4:41
2."Blood Spiller" 4:01
3."Floating Skulls" 3:39
4."Heavy Pendulum" 5:09
5."Pendulambient" 1:58
6."Careless Offering" 4:55
7."Blinded by a Blaze" 7:39
8."Amaranthine"Cave In, Scofield4:27
9."Searchers of Hell" 3:53
10."Nightmare Eyes" 7:05
11."Days of Nothing" 1:50
12."Waiting for Love" 4:32
13."Reckoning"Adam McGrath4:33
14."Wavering Angel" 12:08
Total length:70:30
Japanese bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
15."Moor" (Every Time I Die cover)Keith Buckley, Jordan Buckley, Andrew Williams, Stephen Micciche, Ryan Leger3:53
Total length:74:23

Personnel

Cave In

  • Stephen Brodsky – lead vocals, lead guitar
  • Adam McGrath – rhythm guitar, backing vocals, lead vocals on "Reckoning"
  • Nate Newton – bass, backing vocals, tambourine
  • John-Robert Conners – drums
Production
  • Kurt Ballou – production, mixing
  • Zach Weeks – assistant producer, additional mixing
  • Richey Beckett – artwork

Charts
Chart performance for Heavy Pendulum
Chart (2022) Peak
position
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[22] 97
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)[23] 2

References
  1. "Heavy Pendulum by Cave in". Metacritic.
  2. Christopher Monger, James (22 May 2022). "Heavy Pendulum – Cave In". AllMusic. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  3. Lawson, Dom (17 May 2022). "Reviews - Heavy Pendulum". Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
  4. Jeffries, Neil (May 20, 2022). "Cave In: Heavy Pendulum album review". Classic Rock. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
  5. Heasley, Ellis (May 16, 2022). "ALBUM REVIEW: Heavy Pendulum - Cave In". Distorted Sound. Retrieved May 18, 2022.
  6. "Cave In: Heavy Pendulum review - an unapologetically fierce beast". The Guardian. May 20, 2022. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
  7. Blum, Jordan (May 20, 2022). "Album review: Cave In - Heavy Pendulum". Kerrang!. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
  8. Senior, Nicholas (May 18, 2022). "Album Review - Cave In - Heavy Pendulum". New Noise Magazine. Retrieved May 19, 2022.
  9. Rowan5215 (May 16, 2022). "Review: Cave In - Heavy Pendulum". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved May 18, 2022.
  10. Rogers, Jack (March 16, 2022). "This Is Everything You Need To Know About Cave In's New Album 'Heavy Pendulum'". Rock Sound. Retrieved April 6, 2022.
  11. Sacher, Andrew (March 15, 2022). "Cave In detail new album 'Heavy Pendulum,' share lead single "New Reality"". Brooklyn Vegan. Retrieved April 6, 2022.
  12. Sacher, Andrew (July 22, 2021). "Cave In sign to Relapse, releasing new album in 2022". Brooklyn Vegan. Retrieved April 6, 2022.
  13. Brannigan, Paul (March 15, 2022). "Cave In announce new album Heavy Pendulum, share single New Reality". Louder. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
  14. Weaver, James (April 5, 2022). "Cave In release new music video for 'Blinded By A Blaze'". Distorted Sound. Retrieved April 6, 2022.
  15. Rettig, James (April 26, 2022). "Cave In - "Blood Spiller"". Stereogum. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
  16. "Cave In premiere new single 'Reckoning'". Lambgoat. May 10, 2022. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
  17. Law, Sam (March 16, 2022). "Cave In talk new album Heavy Pendulum". Kerrang!. Retrieved April 6, 2022.
  18. "Hear Cave In's Sludgy New Song "New Reality"". Revolver. March 15, 2022. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  19. Hadusek, Jon (March 15, 2022). "Cave In's "New Reality" From New Album Heavy Pendulum". Consequence. Retrieved May 3, 2022.
  20. Mahmud, Abir (April 6, 2022). "Cave In Share New Song "Blinded By A Blaze'". New Noise Magazine. Retrieved May 3, 2022.
  21. Heasley, Ellis (April 27, 2022). "Cave In release new music video for 'Blood Spiller'". Distorted Sound. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
  22. "Swisscharts.com – Cave In – Heavy Pendulum". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
  23. "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
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