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]
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]
"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.[4]
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]
"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.
