CAVERN: BrooklynVegan Premieres “Grey” From Maryland Atmospheric Post-Rock Trio; Powdered Full-Length To See Release Later This Month

[Photo by Karlo Gesner]
“The songs released from CAVERN so far are like a mix of Deafheaven/Alcest-y black metal, early 2000s post-hardcore, and sludgy shoegaze, and Rose’s soaring clean vocals add a major dose of melody and accessibility… If you like music that’s equal parts heavy and melodic, you should not sleep on these songs.” — BrooklynVegan
Stream CAVERN’s “Grey” HERE.
BrooklynVegan is currently streaming “Grey,” the latest single from Maryland-based atmospheric post-rock trio CAVERN. The moving track is featured on the band’s upcoming full-length, Powdered, set for release August 28th.
Writes BrooklynVegan, “The songs released from CAVERN so far are like a mix of Deafheaven/Alcest-y black metal, early 2000s post-hardcore, and sludgy shoegaze, and Rose’s soaring clean vocals add a major dose of melody and accessibility… If you like music that’s equal parts heavy and melodic, you should not sleep on these songs.”
Elaborates drummer Stephen Schrock of the track, “As far as the writing goes, we like to just go with what feels right. I can remember this song taking a little longer than usual to finish because I just wanted the drums to serve the song but not be boring which is a common struggle for any musician whilst writing, I suppose. I hate cymbals as well, so I always try to keep things interesting without relying too much on cymbals. Fuck cymbals.”
Adds bassist/vocalist Rose Heater, “It took some time to figure out how to write vocals for CAVERN when I first joined. I wanted to be sure I was complimenting but not over complicating the prominent guitar melodies that [guitarist] Zach [Harkins] writes. Vocally, ‘Grey’ is a good mix of following already present guitar melodies and adding subtly different secondary melodies… Even though my lyrics end up being pretty heavy in content, they are always the last step in the writing process. The lyrics for each song usually begin with a random phrase that keeps repeating in my head that goes along with the melody. Once that phrase is present, I just build off it. I don’t always know where the lyrics are going to go. It’s kind of like riding a wave and building a puzzle at the same time. ‘Grey’ ended up being reminiscent of the duality that is present in love, whether it be self-love or love for another person.”
Stream CAVERN’s “Grey,” exclusively at BrooklynVegan, at THIS LOCATION.
Recorded at GodCity Studio in Salem, Massachusetts with the legendary Kurt Ballou (Converge) and Zach Weeks and mastered by Magnus Lindberg (Cult Of Luna), Powdered will be released independently on digital and vinyl formats.
For preorders and to stream previously released single “Dove,” visit the CAVERN Bandcamp page at THIS LOCATION. Fans of Mazzy Star, Hum, and the like, pay heed.
CAVERN was forged in 2012 by best friends Zach Harkins and Stephen Schrock. Over the span of eight years, they’ve toured North America and recorded four albums. While the band’s first two offerings – their self-titled 2013 debut and 2014 EP Tales Of Ruin – were a fusion of heavy progressive-leaning instrumentals and abrasive post-hardcore vocals often compared to the early work of Mastodon and Baroness, their third record – 2015’s Outsiders – was the band’s first instrumental effort. Teeth Of The Divine hailed a record that was, “harder than Russian Circles, more energetic than Pelican, and more progressive than anything post-American Don Caballero.”
Following the release of OutsidersCAVERN spent a few years touring and writing their fourth record, Eater, which was unveiled in 2018. Teeth Of The Divine again weighed in championing the band’s, “untouchable melodies, tough musical turns, and unpredictable songwriting,” that, “wraps its arms around you and take you for the ride.” Shortly thereafter, the band saw the addition of Rose Heater on vocals and bass in late 2018. This updated lineup spent nearly two years writing and touring their newest material. This year welcomes their first full-length as a trio with Powdered. In an ever-changing world, CAVERN continues to challenge themselves and their listeners with a sound that keeps people guessing.
For CAVERN coverage contact liz@earsplitcompound.com.