Cave In is an American
rock
Rock most often refers to:
* Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids
* Rock music, a genre of popular music
Rock or Rocks may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
band that formed in 1995 in
Methuen, Massachusetts
Methuen () is a 23 square mile (60 km2) city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 53,059 at the 2020 census. Methuen lies along the northwestern edge of Essex County, just east of Middlesex County and just south of ...
. The band's lineup solidified with the 1998 release of ''
Until Your Heart Stops
''Until Your Heart Stops'' is the debut album by metalcore band Cave In. It was released in 1999 on Hydra Head Records. ''Until Your Heart Stops'' has been regarded as a landmark release in the metallic hardcore genre.J. Bennett, "Who's That Gi ...
'' through
Hydra Head Records
Hydra Head Records was an independent record label that specializes in extreme metal music, founded in New Mexico by Aaron Turner (the frontman of Isis) in 1993. It had another imprint, Hydra Head Noise Industries, which specialized in experiment ...
, and their early albums were prominent in the
metalcore
Metalcore (also known as metallic hardcore) is a fusion music genre that combines elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. As with other styles blending metal and hardcore, such as crust punk and grindcore, metalcore is noted for its use of ...
scene. The band later experimented with other genres, receiving mainstream recognition for their 2003
RCA Records
RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also A ...
album ''
Antenna
Antenna ( antennas or antennae) may refer to:
Science and engineering
* Antenna (radio), also known as an aerial, a transducer designed to transmit or receive electromagnetic (e.g., TV or radio) waves
* Antennae Galaxies, the name of two collid ...
'' and its lead single "
Anchor
An anchor is a device, normally made of metal , used to secure a vessel to the bed of a body of water to prevent the craft from drifting due to wind or current. The word derives from Latin ''ancora'', which itself comes from the Greek ἄγ ...
," which had an overall
alternative rock
Alternative rock, or alt-rock, is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from Popular culture, mainstre ...
style. The group went on hiatus in 2006, later reforming in 2009 with the release of the ''
Planets of Old
''Planets of Old'' is an extended play released by American alternative rock band Cave In. This EP is the first release of new material from the band since their split in 2006. Additionally, this is the first Cave In release to feature Adam McGra ...
'' EP, followed by the ''
White Silence
''White Silence'' is the fifth studio album by the American rock band Cave In. The album was released on May 24, 2011 through Hydra Head Records. ''White Silence'' was listed as one of ''Decibel'' magazine's most anticipated albums of 2011.
'' ...
'' LP in 2011, both of which saw a return to Cave In's earlier and heavier sound.
History
Formation and early releases (1995–1998)
Cave In was formed by Jay Frechette and
Stephen Brodsky
Stephen Brodsky is an American rock musician best known as a member of Cave In, Mutoid Man, New Idea Society and Old Man Gloom. He also has a solo career and is a former member of Converge, Kid Kilowatt, Parasite and Pet Genius.
History
Stephe ...
in early 1995. They named themselves ''Cave-In'' as a homage to the
Codeine
Codeine is an opiate and prodrug of morphine mainly used to treat pain, coughing, and diarrhea. It is also commonly used as a recreational drug. It is found naturally in the sap of the opium poppy, ''Papaver somniferum''. It is typically use ...
song, ''Cave-In'', from the album ''
Frigid Stars
''Frigid Stars LP'' is the debut album by American indie rock band Codeine. It was released in August 1990 on Glitterhouse in Europe and in Spring 1991 on Sub Pop in the US. The album was released to generally positive reviews and is regarded as ...
''. The initial line-up consisted of Frechette on vocals, Brodsky on guitar and vocals, Adam McGrath on second guitar, JR Conners on drums and Justin Matthes on bass. They would soon release a demo and a handful of split 7-inch releases with bands such as Gambit,
Piebald
A piebald or pied animal is one that has a pattern of unpigmented spots (white) on a pigmented background of hair, feathers or scales. Thus a piebald black and white dog is a black dog with white spots. The animal's skin under the white backgro ...
and Early Grace, and see Matthes briefly replaced by Andy Kyte. 1997 saw Cave In's first release; a self-titled 7-inch on
Aaron Turner
Aaron Turner (born November 5, 1977) is an American musician, singer, graphic artist, and founder of label Hydra Head Records. He is most widely known for his role as guitarist and vocalist for the post-metal bands SUMAC and Isis, while also pa ...
's
Hydra Head Records
Hydra Head Records was an independent record label that specializes in extreme metal music, founded in New Mexico by Aaron Turner (the frontman of Isis) in 1993. It had another imprint, Hydra Head Noise Industries, which specialized in experiment ...
. Following that release, the band embarked on a three-week
East Coast
East Coast may refer to:
Entertainment
* East Coast hip hop, a subgenre of hip hop
* East Coast (ASAP Ferg song), "East Coast" (ASAP Ferg song), 2017
* East Coast (Saves the Day song), "East Coast" (Saves the Day song), 2004
* East Coast FM, a ra ...
tour, with a handful of dates supporting
Morning Again
Morning Again is an American metalcore band from Florida. They were known for their metallic sound as well as for their straight edge, vegan, anti-religious and anti-government ideals. The band was a "sister band" to Culture, often switching m ...
and
Bird of Ill Omen
Damien Zev Moyal (born September 25, 1976) is an American vocalist, lyricist, musician, songwriter and designer. Originally from Amstelveen, North Holland, Netherlands, he moved to the United States as a child and grew up in Miami, Florida wher ...
. That tour was, however, cut a week short due to Jay Frechette's prior obligations to join and tour with
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
-based
Ten Yard Fight
Ten Yard Fight was an American straight edge, football-themed band formed in 1995 in Boston. Along with In My Eyes and Floorpunch, they spearheaded the youth crew revival in 1997. Ten Yard Fight's "official" last show was in Boston on October ...
. After Frechette returned from a month on tour with Ten Yard Fight it was a mutual decision for him to leave Cave In and to join Ten Yard Fight full-time. At this point, Dave Scrod stepped in for a short-lived tenure as interim vocalist. In 1998, most tracks from previous 7-inch releases and recordings were compiled to form ''
Beyond Hypothermia''.
''Until Your Heart Stops'' and ''Jupiter'' (1998–2002)
Two weeks before the band was to record their first proper full-length, Scrod left the band, pushing guitarist Stephen Brodsky to a position as vocalist, and
Caleb Scofield
Caleb Mark Scofield (October 6, 1978 – March 28, 2018) was an American musician who was a bassist and singer mostly known for the alternative metal band Cave In, and his own sludge metal band Zozobra. Caleb was also a part of the sludge band Ol ...
filled in the then-vacant position on bass. Their 1998 debut studio album ''
Until Your Heart Stops
''Until Your Heart Stops'' is the debut album by metalcore band Cave In. It was released in 1999 on Hydra Head Records. ''Until Your Heart Stops'' has been regarded as a landmark release in the metallic hardcore genre.J. Bennett, "Who's That Gi ...
'' featured Brodsky as lead vocalist. The album's release was followed by extensive touring.
Before their next full-length, Cave In began experimenting with their sound offering ''
Creative Eclipses'', a five-song EP which indicated a
space rock
Space rock is a music genre characterized by loose and lengthy song structures centered on instrumental textures that typically produce a hypnotic, otherworldly sound. It may feature distorted and reverberation-laden guitars, minimal drummin ...
direction the band would then pursue for several years, as opposed to their metal roots. Then, in 2000, they released ''
Jupiter
Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the List of Solar System objects by size, largest in the Solar System. It is a gas giant with a mass more than two and a half times that of all the other planets in the Solar System combined, but ...
'', receiving a good deal of press. The band was featured in ''
Spin Magazine
''Spin'' (stylized in all caps) is an American music magazine founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione, Jr. Now owned by Next Management Partners, the magazine is an online publication since it stopped issuing a print edition in 2012.
Histor ...
''s "Sound Advice" section, where their new sound was described as "emo-metal
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band formed in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke (vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards); brothers Jonny Greenwood (lead guitar, keyboards, other instruments) and Colin Greenwood (bass) ...
", though the band themselves rejected this categorization. ''Jupiter'' also caught the attention of major labels, who began courting the band after its release. The band released a final six-song EP for Hydra Head titled ''
Tides of Tomorrow'', with an even further-expanded melodic approach, before moving on to
RCA Records
RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also A ...
.
RCA Records and ''Antenna'' (2003–2004)
In 2003, the band released ''
Antenna
Antenna ( antennas or antennae) may refer to:
Science and engineering
* Antenna (radio), also known as an aerial, a transducer designed to transmit or receive electromagnetic (e.g., TV or radio) waves
* Antennae Galaxies, the name of two collid ...
'', their debut for RCA. ''Antenna'' had more success than previous albums and Cave In was chosen to play the second stage on the 2003
Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza (Lolla) is an annual American four-day music festival held in Grant Park in Chicago. It originally started as a touring event in 1991 but several years later made Chicago the permanent location for the annual music festival. Musi ...
tour. After Lollapalooza, Cave In toured Europe in support of the
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters are an American rock band formed in Seattle in 1994. Foo Fighters was initially formed as a one-man project by former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl. Following the success of the eponymous debut album, Grohl (lead vocals, guitar) re ...
and
Muse
In ancient Greek religion and mythology, the Muses ( grc, Μοῦσαι, Moûsai, el, Μούσες, Múses) are the inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge embodied in the ...
. Shortly after, the band began to revisit their metal roots during concerts, and new heavy material led to a mutual agreement to cut ties with RCA Records shortly after.
''Perfect Pitch Black'' and hiatus (2005–2006)
Cave In returned to Hydra Head Records and released ''
Perfect Pitch Black
''Perfect Pitch Black'' is the fourth studio album by American rock band Cave In. The album was released on September 13, 2005 through Hydra Head Records, and was the band's final release before going on hiatus in 2006. Cave In later reformed in 2 ...
'' on September 13, 2005.
Following the release of Perfect Pitch Black, Conners departed from the band, due to an injury and temporarily relocating to
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
, and was replaced by
Converge
Converge may refer to:
* Converge (band), American hardcore punk band
* Converge (Baptist denomination), American national evangelical Baptist body
* Limit (mathematics)
* Converge ICT, internet service provider in the Philippines
*CONVERGE CFD s ...
drummer
Ben Koller
Ben Koller (born July 29, 1980) is an American drummer who has played with Converge, Mutoid Man, Killer Be Killed and All Pigs Must Die. He started playing a full drum kit at age 14.
Musical career
Early bands (1997–1999)
Koller played i ...
. According to postings o
Hydra Head Recordswebsite news, Adam McGrath was temporarily listed as "ex-Cave In guitarist" in his new band Clouds.
In November 2006, Cave In announced that they were officially on hiatus.
Reformation, ''Planets of Old'' and ''White Silence'' (2009–2016)
In April 2009, Cave In publicly announced they had ended their more than three year hiatus. The band recorded a new four-song EP, ''
Planets of Old
''Planets of Old'' is an extended play released by American alternative rock band Cave In. This EP is the first release of new material from the band since their split in 2006. Additionally, this is the first Cave In release to feature Adam McGra ...
'', that was originally exclusive to vinyl from
Hydra Head Records
Hydra Head Records was an independent record label that specializes in extreme metal music, founded in New Mexico by Aaron Turner (the frontman of Isis) in 1993. It had another imprint, Hydra Head Noise Industries, which specialized in experiment ...
, and first made available at their reunion show on July 19, 2009, at Great Scott's in Allston, Massachusetts. The EP was later released on CD in January 2010 with a bonus DVD of Cave In's reunion show. Two songs from the EP, "Retina Sees Rewind" and "Cayman Tongue", were released through iTunes. Cave In chose to make ''Planets of Old'' a short EP instead of a full-length because it was less expensive and faster to record and release. Commenting on the duration of recording, Steve Brodsky stated, "we didn't really wanna make a big deal out of it. In the past, we've had more than a couple instances of spending far too long into making a recording.
..It was a good exercise for us to give ourselves a very strict amount of time to record and then move on."
Looking forward, Brodsky announced in a January 2010 interview that Cave In will be more selective about their touring schedule, and that future releases from the band might be more focused on a digital medium.
Brodsky uploaded a live audio recording of a new song titled "Centered" in July 2010 on YouTube. The song comes from Cave In's recording sessions for an upcoming studio album, and first since ''Perfect Pitch Black'' in 2005. The new album ''
White Silence
''White Silence'' is the fifth studio album by the American rock band Cave In. The album was released on May 24, 2011 through Hydra Head Records. ''White Silence'' was listed as one of ''Decibel'' magazine's most anticipated albums of 2011.
'' ...
'' was released on May 24, 2011, through Hydra Head Records.
Shortly after tours in support of ''White Silence'', Cave In entered an undeclared-hiatus state as all of the band members shifted focus on their other respective projects. On December 7, 2014, Cave In performed live for the first time in 3 years, opening for
Doomriders
Doomriders is an American stoner/ sludge metal band from Boston, Massachusetts. The band has released three albums on Deathwish, Inc. The band's vocalist/guitarist Nate Newton also plays bass in Converge and guitar in Old Man Gloom. Jebb Riley ...
' tenth anniversary show.
Death of Caleb Scofield and ''Final Transmission'' (2017–2020)
Cave In engaged in at least two "jam sessions" in late 2017 and early 2018 with "some new stuff in the works," presumably for a planned new release.
On March 28, 2018, Scofield died in a car accident after striking a toll booth on the
Everett Turnpike
The Frederick E. Everett Turnpike, also called the Central New Hampshire Turnpike, is a toll road in the U.S. state of New Hampshire, running from the Massachusetts border at Nashua north to Concord. The Everett Turnpike is named for Frederick ...
in
Bedford, New Hampshire
Bedford is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. At the 2020 census, the population was 23,322, reflecting a growth of 10% from 2010. Bedford is a suburb of Manchester, New Hampshire's largest city.
History
In 1733, the P ...
.
The band played and scheduled a series of benefit shows to raise money for Scofield's family, with his brother Kyle Scofield and Nate Newton of
Converge
Converge may refer to:
* Converge (band), American hardcore punk band
* Converge (Baptist denomination), American national evangelical Baptist body
* Limit (mathematics)
* Converge ICT, internet service provider in the Philippines
*CONVERGE CFD s ...
covering his parts. Scofield's side project, Old Man Gloom, shared the bill at each event, with Brodsky taking Scofield's place in its lineup. The 2018 shows also featured an encore set of Zozobra songs, performed by a revolving lineup of musicians who had participated in that project.
On January 2, 2019, Cave In announced plans to release a new studio album. The band released its sixth studio album ''
Final Transmission
''Final Transmission'' is the sixth studio album by the American rock band Cave In. The album was released on June 7, 2019 through Hydra Head Records. ''Final Transmission'' is Cave In's first studio album in eight years since 2011's ''White Silen ...
'' through Hydra Head on June 7, 2019. The album is composed of practice-space demos that all feature contributions from Scofield and were finished with mixing by Andrew Schneider and mastering by James Plotkin.
Signing to Relapse and ''Heavy Pendulum'' (2021–present)
Cave In signed to
Relapse Records
Relapse Records is an American independent record label based in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. It was founded by Matthew F. Jacobson in 1990. The label features many grindcore, death metal, metalcore and sludge metal artists.
History
The label was ...
in July 2021 and released their seventh studio album through the label on May 20, 2022. The album title was revealed in March 2022 as ''
Heavy Pendulum
''Heavy Pendulum'' is the seventh studio album by American rock band Cave In, released on May 20, 2022 through Relapse Records. This is the band's first album with bassist/backing vocalist Nate Newton, though late bassist/vocalist Caleb Scofield s ...
'', and the announcement was accompanied by the release of a single titled "New Reality". The album's second single, "Blinded by a Blaze", was released on April 5; the song's music video was released the same day. The third single, "Blood Spiller", was released on April 26. The fourth single, "Reckoning", is the first Cave In song to be fully written by guitarist Adam McGrath and was released on May 10.
Members
Current members
*
Stephen Brodsky
Stephen Brodsky is an American rock musician best known as a member of Cave In, Mutoid Man, New Idea Society and Old Man Gloom. He also has a solo career and is a former member of Converge, Kid Kilowatt, Parasite and Pet Genius.
History
Stephe ...
–
lead vocals
The lead vocalist in popular music is typically the member of a group or band whose voice is the most prominent melody in a performance where multiple voices may be heard. The lead singer sets their voice against the accompaniment parts of t ...
,
lead guitar
Lead guitar (also known as solo guitar) is a musical part for a guitar in which the guitarist plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs and chords within a song structure. The lead is the featur ...
,
bass
Bass or Basses may refer to:
Fish
* Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species
Music
* Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range:
** Bass (instrument), including:
** Acoustic bass gui ...
(1995–2006, 2009–present)
* Adam McGrath –
rhythm guitar
In music performances, rhythm guitar is a technique and role that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with other instruments from the rhythm section (e.g., drum kit, bass guitar ...
, backing vocals,
keyboards
Keyboard may refer to:
Text input
* Keyboard, part of a typewriter
* Computer keyboard
** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping
** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware
Music
* Musi ...
(1995–2006, 2009–present)
* John-Robert Conners –
drums
A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...
, keyboards, guitar
(1995–2005, 2009–present)
*
Nate Newton
Nathaniel Newton (born December 20, 1961) is a former American football guard in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys and Carolina Panthers. He also was a member of the Tampa Bay Bandits of the United States Football League. He p ...
– bass, backing vocals, guitar
(2018–present)
Former members
* Jay Frechette – vocals
(1995–1997)
* Dave Scrod – vocals
(1997–1998)
* Justin Matthes – bass
(1995–1997)
* Andy Kyte – bass guitar
(1997–1998)
*
Caleb Scofield
Caleb Mark Scofield (October 6, 1978 – March 28, 2018) was an American musician who was a bassist and singer mostly known for the alternative metal band Cave In, and his own sludge metal band Zozobra. Caleb was also a part of the sludge band Ol ...
– lead vocals, bass
(1998–2006, 2009–2018; died 2018)
*
Ben Koller
Ben Koller (born July 29, 1980) is an American drummer who has played with Converge, Mutoid Man, Killer Be Killed and All Pigs Must Die. He started playing a full drum kit at age 14.
Musical career
Early bands (1997–1999)
Koller played i ...
– drums
(2005–2006)
Timeline
Discography
Studio albums
* ''
Until Your Heart Stops
''Until Your Heart Stops'' is the debut album by metalcore band Cave In. It was released in 1999 on Hydra Head Records. ''Until Your Heart Stops'' has been regarded as a landmark release in the metallic hardcore genre.J. Bennett, "Who's That Gi ...
'' (1998)
* ''
Jupiter
Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the List of Solar System objects by size, largest in the Solar System. It is a gas giant with a mass more than two and a half times that of all the other planets in the Solar System combined, but ...
'' (2000)
* ''
Antenna
Antenna ( antennas or antennae) may refer to:
Science and engineering
* Antenna (radio), also known as an aerial, a transducer designed to transmit or receive electromagnetic (e.g., TV or radio) waves
* Antennae Galaxies, the name of two collid ...
'' (2003)
* ''
Perfect Pitch Black
''Perfect Pitch Black'' is the fourth studio album by American rock band Cave In. The album was released on September 13, 2005 through Hydra Head Records, and was the band's final release before going on hiatus in 2006. Cave In later reformed in 2 ...
'' (2005)
* ''
White Silence
''White Silence'' is the fifth studio album by the American rock band Cave In. The album was released on May 24, 2011 through Hydra Head Records. ''White Silence'' was listed as one of ''Decibel'' magazine's most anticipated albums of 2011.
'' ...
'' (2011)
* ''
Final Transmission
''Final Transmission'' is the sixth studio album by the American rock band Cave In. The album was released on June 7, 2019 through Hydra Head Records. ''Final Transmission'' is Cave In's first studio album in eight years since 2011's ''White Silen ...
'' (2019)
* ''
Heavy Pendulum
''Heavy Pendulum'' is the seventh studio album by American rock band Cave In, released on May 20, 2022 through Relapse Records. This is the band's first album with bassist/backing vocalist Nate Newton, though late bassist/vocalist Caleb Scofield s ...
'' (2022)
Side projects
*
Mutoid Man
Mutoid Man is an American heavy metal band formed in 2012 in Brooklyn, New York City by Cave In vocalist/guitarist Stephen Brodsky, Converge drummer Ben Koller and bassist Nick Cageao (with High on Fire bassist Jeff Matz replacing Cageao in 202 ...
(Cave In and Converge member side project)
*
Kid Kilowatt
Kid Kilowatt was an American rock supergroup formed in 1996 and dissolved in 1997, including members of Cave In, Converge and Piebald. They wrote only one album, '' Guitar Method'', first released by Second Nature Recordings in 2003.
Stephen Bro ...
(Cave In and Converge member side project)
*
Old Man Gloom
Old Man Gloom is an extreme metal band originally formed in Santa Fe, New Mexico, but now based in Massachusetts. The group, formed by Aaron Turner of Isis and Santos Montano, expanded to become a sort of supergroup in the Boston hardcore and ...
(Caleb Scofield's side project)
* New Idea Society (Stephen Brodsky's side project)
* Pet Genius (Stephen Brodsky's and J.R. Conners' side project)
* Sacrifice Poles (Cave In's instrumental alter-ego)
* The Octave Museum (Stephen Brodsky's side project)
*
Zozobra
The Zozobra (also known as "Old Man Gloom") is a giant marionette effigy constructed of wood, wire and cotton cloth that is built and burned prior to the annual Fiestas de Santa Fe in Santa Fe, New Mexico, United States. It stands high.
As i ...
(Caleb Scofield's side project)
* Clouds (Adam McGrath's current project)
* Stephen Brodsky (Solo projects, also released as Steve Brodsky and Stove Bredsky)
* Nomad Stones (Adam McGrath's and J.R. Connors' side project)
References
External links
*
Lazy-i Interview: September 2003Adam McGrath exclusive interview on peta2Stephen Brodsky contemplates the entire Cave In catalog
{{Authority control
American alternative metal musical groups
Alternative rock groups from Massachusetts
Metalcore musical groups from Massachusetts
American post-grunge musical groups
American post-hardcore musical groups
American progressive rock groups
Heavy metal musical groups from Massachusetts
Musical groups established in 1995
American space rock musical groups