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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.[9] 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.[10]

Heavy Pendulum
Studio album by Cave In
Released	May 20, 2022
Studio	GodCity, Salem, Massachusetts
Genre	Sludge metal stoner rock progressive metal post-metal space rock
Length	70:30
Label	Relapse
Producer	Kurt Ballou
Cave In chronology
Final Transmission (2019) Heavy Pendulum (2022)
Singles from Heavy Pendulum
"New Reality" Released: March 15, 2022 "Blinded by a Blaze" Released: April 5, 2022 "Blood Spiller" Released: April 26, 2022 "Reckoning" Released: May 10, 2022

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Blabbermouth.net	9/10[2]
Classic Rock	[3]
Distorted Sound	10/10[4]
The Guardian	[5]
Kerrang!	4/5[6]
New Noise	[7]
Sputnikmusic	3.5/5[8]

Background

In July 2021, Cave In signed to Relapse Records and announced its seventh studio album will be released through the label.[11] The album's title was revealed as Heavy Pendulum with the release of the single "New Reality" on March 15, 2022.[12] The album's second single, "Blinded by a Blaze", was released on April 5.[13] The album's third single, "Blood Spiller", was released on April 26.[14] The fourth single, "Reckoning", was released on May 10; the song was written entirely by guitarist Adam McGrath.[15]

The album was produced by Converge guitarist Kurt Ballou, who produced Cave In's debut Until Your Heart Stops.[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."[17] Jon Hadusek from Consequence referred to the song's riff as "heavy sludge and stoner metal."[18] Second single, "Blinded by a Blaze", has been described as post-metal.[19]

Nicholas Senior of New Noise described the album as stoner metal, comparing it to Red Fang.[7] Additionally, the album has been noted has having a strong grunge influence.[6][8]

"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.[20]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"New Reality"	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"	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"	Adam McGrath	4:33
14.	"Wavering Angel"		12:08
Total length:			70:30

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

References

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