Heavy Pendulum
2022 studio album by Cave In
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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 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | May 20, 2022 | |||
| Recorded | January–February, August 2021 | |||
| Studio | GodCity, Salem, Massachusetts | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 70:30 | |||
| Label | Relapse | |||
| Producer | Kurt Ballou | |||
| Cave In chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Heavy Pendulum | ||||
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| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 81/100[1] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
| Blabbermouth.net | 9/10[3] |
| Classic Rock |  [4] |
| Distorted Sound | 10/10[5] |
| The Guardian | [6] |
| Kerrang! | 4/5[7] |
| New Noise Magazine | [8] |
| Sputnikmusic | 3.5/5[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 (Stephen Brodsky, Adam McGrath, Nate Newton, and John-Robert Conners), except where noted.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "New Reality" | Cave In, Caleb Scofield | 4:41 |
| 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, Scofield | 4:27 |
| 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" | McGrath | 4:33 |
| 14. | "Wavering Angel" | 12:08 | |
| Total length: | 70:30 | ||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15. | "Moor" (Every Time I Die cover) | Keith Buckley, Jordan Buckley, Andrew Williams, Stephen Micciche, Ryan Leger | 3:53 |
| 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 (2022) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[22] | 97 |
| UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)[23] | 2 |