Release Date: July 14th 2023. Record Label: Interstellar Smoke Records. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl
Part II - Breach: Tracklisting
1.Breach 07:22
2.Primordial Basin (feat. Susie McMullan) 08:05
3.A World Bereaved 08:13
4.Skeletal Wastes (feat. Johannes Behndig) 06:56
5.Sea of Rust 07:06
6.The Pulse (feat. Susie McMullan) 06:05
Review:
Psychedelic Doom/Stoner Metallers Cavern Deep return with their new album Part II - Breach is an album that revels within it’s Lovecraftian lore with a more powerful style of Prog Rock that was only hinted briefly on their acclaimed 2021 self titled debut release. This album is more about Psychedelic vibrant energy with a slightly darker style of Mastodon-esque sludgy sounds appearing within the gloomier elements of the record. This is a concept album exploring the Archaeologist's journey who featured on their debut album.
Opening track Breach perhaps takes a Crack The Skye approach but Cavern Deep plays that classic Swedish Doom/Stoner Metal energy that so many great bands have used as well. The music is atmospheric and full of subtle cinematic Psychedelic touches that moves between the finer levels of the Doom/Stoner Metal mythology being played at a great pace. There’s a world-building environment to this album which starts off within this excellent track. Add the epic vocals and Cavern Deep play a subtle style of thrilling Doom/Stoner Metal grooves that retain a haunting energy to them.
Second song Primordial Basin features Susie McMullan of Brume fame who brings an ethereal presence to the album with her delicate vocals that ride the Post-Doom world with touches of Alt Metal imagery behind them. The music from Cavern Deep becomes slightly gothic and more emotional but there’s still epic moments of pure aggressive Doom/Stoner Metal energy even when the music changes into a Post-Metallic sound.
Third song A World Bereaved opens with Ambient sounds before the fabulous vocals appear allowing Cavern Deep to explore sounds inspired by YOB and Pallbearer. I maybe totally wrong with this one but I can hear a twinge of Type O Negative energy throughout this track. The bleak and nihilistic vision of the lyrics and the stripped back approach of how the music is delivered allows this to be one of the most interesting and standout parts of the album. The music is unapologetically slow and allows the listener to become more aware with the ambient and atmospheric surroundings being played around them.
Fourth song Skeletal Wastes sees the band team up with Sarcophagus Now member Johannes Behndig for a more theatrical and adventurous ride into the darker realms of Cavern Deep’s creative psyche. The instrumental work is impressive yet again with gloomy guitars and prog metal exploration on the more heavier parts of the track. Things do become more Psychedelic on the second half with Cavern Deep adding trippy glitches and ambient sounds that feels like a different band is playing but allows the band to explore the Cosmic energy further that appeared on their debut release.
The final two songs Sea Of Rust and The Pulse (feat Susie McMullan) are less theatrical than the other tracks on the album. This time sees Cavern Deep focus upon playing classic sounding Doom Metal grooves with a heavy reliance on Prog Rock/Metal tricks of the trade mostly on Sea Of Rust. I absolutely adored the “QUIET vs LOUD” dynamic of this part of the album. As the band know when to explore the harsher aspects of their music and when to pull things back for a more uplifting and hopeful sound which they do the most on the outstanding final track The Pulse.
Part II - Breach is a major step-up in quality for Cavern Deep compared to their debut album. As this album has a much deeper and observed creative narrative that allows the band to play haunting and original sounds of their own that brings a fresh adventurous spirit to the Doom/Stoner Metal scene.
If there is a Part III then it has a lot to live upto. As this album could be Cavern Deep’s most defining release to date. Outstanding. End Of.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to Cavern Deep for the promo.
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