Review Summary: If you want space rock you got it.
Cave In is a Boston, Massachusetts based heavy rock band that combines hardcore metal with psychedelia. But they didn’t always sound like an “emo-metal Radiohead” as the press annoyingly labeled them. For better or worse, every album in their catalog has its own unique twist. Take for example the density of their debut
Until Your Heart Stops which sounds in no way like
Jupiter. After the metal tendencies of the debut the band released some EPs that were surprisingly more on the alternative rock side. With their former lead singer gone Cave In was changing into something more experimental and ambitious. After a somewhat murky transition
Jupiter was the album that fused the metal roots with the psychedelic/alt rock sounds. This album garnered the band a fair amount of attention, and it’s no surprise why. Every song is not only memorable, but also distinguishable.
The total run time is 45 minutes which is just enough time to get its point across without being overlong. However,
Jupiter is not by any means shallow. Songs such as the title track and “Brain Candle” are more on the pop rock/slightly mainstream rock side of things but are definitely enjoyable. The real fun begins at track 2. “In the Stream of Commerce” is a fascinating slice of space metal. You can expect whammy guitar pedals, delay pedals, acoustic guitars, beefy drums, before the song explodes into an uplifting heavy outro. But let’s be honest here, Cave In doesn’t burst into full-on metal mode until track 3-- the aptly titled “Big Riff”. It definitely lives up to its name, but it isn’t just a boneheaded scream-fest. It even features some synthesizers that have an old school 70’s MOOG sound, complemented with the group’s usual atmospheric guitar playing. Then you get the section with screaming which is pulled off well. Bassist Caleb Scofield’s heavy screams are enjoyable to hear every once in a while like on this track. Lead singer/guitarist Stephen Brodsky’s performance at the end of the song is quite powerful. One of the guitarists busts out a dramatic guitar solo near the end to seal the deal.
The most complex song, and arguably the crown jewel of the album, tucked in around the three-quarter mark, is “Requiem”. It starts off soft with melancholy singing and clean guitar. This nine-minute monolith gradually crescendos like a river getting more and more rapid. There’s even a moment that is almost whimsical, as Brodsky utters the line “Why’d you have to die but leave a hundred alibis?”. After giving us a little taste of post hardcore riffing, the song progresses again leaving us with another glimpse of the group’s spacey, atmospheric sound.
“Decay of the Delay” is a simple instrumental with only two variations but the guitar melodies themselves will grab your attention and make you nod your head. Closing track “New Moon” shows the band using a little acoustic guitar yet again with what sounds like drums being played with mallets this time around. Instead of ending the album with a whisper, the band took the “end it with a bang” route instead. After going silent for a second, Brodsky screams the words “Hold my gaze!” with the whole band going in beast-mode. The soft guitar part at the beginning of the song is then played as the outro but this time more heavy to really pack that ending punch.
All in all this album is a must-have for fans of rock, post hardcore, and progressive rock. The production is slightly on the raw side, but that suits the overall theme and style. It should be more well known, but sadly it is a tad overlooked. One thing is for certain however.
Jupiter was most definitely ahead of its time.
