Cavern Deep is back in action.
Formed in 2019 in Sweden by Max Malmer (bass/vocals, Zonaria, Folkmord, Karmanjaka), Kenny Oswald Dufvenberg (guitar/vocals, Gudars Skymning) and Dennis Sjödin (drums/keyboards), the band developed a debut album in 2021 before tackling Part II – Breach, their second album, released in collaboration with Bonebag Records.
The first track is Breach, a sizzling, catchy wave of saturation occupied first by a few melodic heady leads, then by eerie clean vocals. The sound slows down and is adorned with some disturbing keyboards leading us to Primordial Basin, where the sound becomes darker and more ominous to welcome Susie (Brume), giving its rhythm a touch of plaintive sweetness. The combination of the two voices remains melancholic while offering more seizing surges, then A World Bereaved blows an icy wind over electronic sounds before letting haunting riffs support the soaring vocals. We’ll also note the tortured piercing lead parts, also found on Skeletal Wastes, where the band is joined by Johannes Behndig to feed this massive heavy desolate sound where voices reign. The break features much calmer tones, but is also disquieting, before the massive final where saturation resurfaces to lead us into Sea of Rust and its haunting elements. The filthy riffs finally welcome majestic vocals to create a heady mix of cosmic keyboards before the sound slowly fades out to let The Pulse present its oppression, accompanied by extremely soft vocals, creating a captivating contrast which lets the band move forward at its own pace to this slightly psychedelic final.
There’s also a very long bonus track, The Attuning, where they welcome Monolord’s guitarist/vocalist Thomas Jäger, who helps them refine their heavy Doom approach, letting musicians lay down some very dirty Blues-influenced leads before the chorus picks up, or fades away forever.
Cavern Deep‘s sonic approach is unique, combining slow, heavy Doom with more electric and sometimes slightly mad influences. Breach will surprise, frighten and amaze you, then fade away before our eyes.
85/100