Artist: Cave In
Album: White Silence
Label: Hydra Head

Put quite simply, I’m quite perplexed by the album. It goes through a prism of styles, ending on an entirely different note to how it sets out, and shouldn’t quite work but somehow finds a way to. Indeed, even for a band whose style has vacillated markedly over the years, White Silence is a surprising treat, held together by years of experience and presumably a fine sense of humour.

The title track comes first, and makes for an authoritative introduction. It’s instantly menacing and foreboding, almost deliberately designed to evoke a sense of malice and dread. To this end, the razor sharp guitar hysterics and vocal layering are extremely effective, and the song picks up momentum midway through as the other instruments chime in on the affair. It is, perhaps, a little too long but otherwise a stellar start.

“Serpents” aims to be heavy and takes no prisoners, diving straight into a melodic, crushing symphony. It whips by at terminal velocity with relentless force, a cacophony of drums and guitar that sound almost machine-like. The vocals don’t come in until the minute and a half mark, and they’re just as intensely merciless as the music. This is sharp, pristine metal, executed with dextrous precision – the varied background of the band showing vividly in support.

“Sing My Loves” is an 8-minute opus. It uses this time wisely, taking a while to find a footing. The opening is wayward and indecisive, and when it does begin to take shape it’s slow-burning but bores intent. It quite fortuitously mixes lighter vocals into the growling, preventing the length and heaviness of the song from becoming otherwise alienating, and indeed the clean singing strikes a pleasingly discordant note. It introduces a touch of otherworldliness complemented by a melodic solo line in the midsection, allowing the song to become more sensual and refined as the minutes play out.

Solid bass lines make me happy, and “Vicious Circles” sports a particularly majestic one. It’s set to a spiraling rhythm, the various instruments entering gradually so as to finally converge with a stunningly in-your-face sucker punch. This is sure of itself without being overbearing, adding a touch of class later on with an extended solo. “Centered” is a fun and invigorating exercise in controlled anarchy. It’s reckless, mayhem set to music but perhaps slightly more accessible than the preceding tracks due to its consistent, surging pace.

With “Summit Fever,” the album takes its first twist in what is to become a completely different direction. It’s a lot slower in tempo, forging a steadier path. The vocals do much to hold this together, appearing strong and confident yet restrained enough to allow the music equal balance. “Heartbreaks, Earthquakes” then is wildly divergent, sounding like some sort of ambient 1970s style darkwave on a sabbatical from the soundtrack to The Virgin Suicides. As a continuation of the album, it certainly adds invention, though it’s bizarre in its newfound simplicity. It sounds completely different, much lighter and more mainstream than the crushing sounds of the album’s opening act, replete with some vague whistling sounds and an indistinct atmosphere.

Iron Decibels is the point at which I got so confused that I decided to turn my sense of rationality off. This song is almost folk-like – in fact, it feels a bit country with a hint of harmonica and a sneeringly catchy guitar undertone. As the song plays out, there’s a slight techno-style pause for thought, giving way to breezy vocals. The rhythm is persistent and likeable however, despite the slightly dumbfounded air this is likely to leave you with.

“Reanimation” then strips the final metal trappings from the bone and ends things on a completely minimalist note. It’s delicate, musing dreamily with barely any music for most of its three and a half minutes. A brief interlude during which a barrage of sound hits in fades almost as soon as it arrives, leaving this song defined by one philosophical acoustic guitar gently accompanying the wistful vocals. It’s bizarre really, considering where the album began, but the sombre ending is strangely soothing – the title well chosen to exemplify an alluring re-imagining of sound.

White Silence will catch you off guard in a number of ways – firstly, by its defiant change indirection about halfway through, and secondly, by how much you’ll find yourself appreciating this. After a copious and suitably crushing start, things will fade gently into a harmonious epilogue which places more emphasis on artistry than security. It’s a bold and rewarding move for Cave In, who leave a solid mark with this release. Most recommended, especially for the vortex feeling you’ll come out with.

Rating: 8/10

• Author
• Recent Posts

James Shotwell

James Shotwell is the founder of Under The Gun Review. He loves writing about music and movies almost as much as he loves his two fat cats. He's also the co-founder of Antique Records and the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. You should probably follow him on Twitter.

Latest posts by James Shotwell (see all)

• 2015’s Most Underrated Films - December 29, 2015
• Passing The Torch: The End Of An Era For UTG - December 1, 2015
• UTG PREMIERE: Before The Streetlights – “Private Browser” - November 26, 2015