Customer Reviews

Until Your Heart Stops

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If someone were to lump Cave In together with the pedestrian hardcore acts like Hatebreed it would be a gross disservice to their ingenuity. Within the hardcore metal framework, Cave In's abrupt, whiplash-inducing changes of direction, monster instrumental chops, brilliant melodic ear, tension-building arrangements, and unbeatable experimental energy. "Moral Eclipse" is a bruiser of a song with disintegrating blasts of chug and switchback tempo-shifts...and that little demon lasts all of two minutes. Cosmic atmopsheres, tribal percussive fury, and straight-up metal savagery comprise "Juggernaught". "The End of Our Rope Is a Noose" is alternately brutal and melodic, with riff that would humble Iron Maiden's melodious insight. Hints of the "space rock" sound Cave In later adopted are here in embryonic form as well: the claustrophobic array of noises on "Controlled Mayhem then Erupts"; the spacey chords over the nasty percussive breakdown of "Halo of Flies"; or a few ambient "segues" throughout. Brilliant stuff, really. With eight minutes to its length, the title track coherently bounces from twisted guitar vertigo to outbursts of violence and more.

The production slaughters and the performances rip. The vocals are best when little more than primitive screaming, otherwise they're pulped in the mix or awkward (hard to believe Brodsky became a great singer somewhere between here _Jupiter_). Easily an all-time favorite of mine.

Combine equal parts Pink Floyd, Slayer, Radiohead and Converge. Shake violently and you get...the lastest Cave In cd "Until Your Heart Stops." Cave In has taken metal to places few dare to go. Following in the footsteps of fellow Bostonians Converge, they play that fast, technical, chaotic metal that the kids are into these days. Where Cave In is different than 99% of bands in this genre is that the lyrics mean something and make you think, and they dare to do it professionally. The production on this album, recorded at Converge guitarist Kurt Ballou's studio God City, is top notch. The CD pummels you with "moral eclipse," buries you with black metalish riffs on "until your heart stops" and tickles your ears with "juggernaut," which opens with the some of the prettiest harmonies I have ever heard on guitar. The prettiness continues on Segue 1, which features some lead guitar by Ballou. Then the cd finishes out with sheer brutal riffing and vocals. Their live show is also hard to top, the are entertaining, tight, and even tossed bagels to the audience once (I didn't get one, Brodsky throws like a girl!) They released a short EP this spring that ventures more into the psychadelic space rock sound, proving their songwriting dexterity. Look for their new full length to be out on Hydra Head Records sometime early in 2000.

Hardcore I feel is a genre swamped with potential. There are plenty of bands out there (Dillinger Escape Plan, Converge, Candiria, Deadguy and of course Cave-In) who have shown us how powerful hardcore can be while keeping the music itself above a basic three-chord simplicity. Other then a few notable and more famous bands able to take straight-up hardcore and make it work (Biohazard, Earth Crisis, Hatebreed, VOD...etc) the genre seems to be ruled by bands who show such potential but waste it away on generic hardcore, not that there is anything wrong with basic hardcore but enough is enough, a little diversity would go a long way. Until Your Heart Stops is quite possibly one of the greatest hardcore cds ever for so many reasons. It is played with utter conviction and skill (and don't forget, the band themselves are quite young, all around 20 or so) with a strong metal influence thrown in as well. You'll be smashed over the head with brutal songs like Moral Eclipse one second and then you'll hear something both soft and hard such as Juggernaut the next. However as good as this album is Cave-In have proved recently that they won't be held down by anyone as their new album Jupiter not only totally sheds any notions of what hardcore should sound like (mixing hardcore and progressive rock actually!) but is even better then this. Also check out their CD before this, Beyond Hypothermia. Its another excellent release from the Cave-In boys. If you have any interest in heavy music at all you should check these guys out, they are one of the greatest underground bands ever to exist, period.

Cave In's 'Until Your Heart Stops" is one of those records that will leave you saying "What the hell?". With some of the most technical metal songs that you could hear and an atmosphere that will keep you coming back for more, this album is a truely amazing venture through the hardcore / grind genre. The undeniable death origins of Cave In a strait forward with this release. Starting off with the punding "Moral Eclipse", probably the best track on the album, and busting though doors and breaking down barriers all the way to the end. As I have said before, "Moral Eclipse" is easily my favorite song on the album, its gring riffs and screaming vocals remind me of Pig Destroyer mixed with old Converge. The pulsating "Ebola" also ranks high. With its fast as hell drum work and amazing riffing it makes for an amazing song. The musicianship is very solid and strait forward, the lyrics are also great, the whole of the album is perfection. "Until Your Heart Stops" a staple in the world of hardcore, Cave In should be honored for making such great music.

As one who usually looks down on hardcore for its lack of originality and overhyped bands (Snapcase, Hatebreed...etc) I can safely say that even for those who disdain hardcore will love this amazing album. Its hardcore alright though it does have a lot of metal in it noted mostly in the occasionally lightning fast riffing that brings Slayer to mind. It sounds like a calmer version of The Dillinger Escape Plan (and also I must admit not as good, though who really is as good as DEP?). To those who like this I recommend Dillinger Escape Plan first and foremost and also Luddite Clone, Converge, Coalesce and Candiria

This isn't the Cave In that most are familiar with. No, this is Cave In before they developed their unique "Space-Rock" sound that is turning heads and gaining the attention of Major Labels (Their Major Label Debut Antenna comes out March 18th on RCA Records), though this is still an EXCELLENT album. It's a fine mix of Failure meets Earth Crisis (especially with the obviously inspired "segue" concept tracks). Personal Favorites include the rocking title track "Until Your Heart Stops", the mind bending "Halo of Flies", and the dark, complex "The End of Our Rope Is A Noose". Fans of Earth Crisis, Archangel, Eighteen Visions, Bleeding Through, Hatebreed, and Martyr AD will appreciate this hardcore full length!!!

After hearing 'Until Your Heart Stops' in my local record shop and being prompted to buy it by my friend I counted myself very lucky. For had it not been for being there at that moment and with my comrade I may never have stumbled across this gem. The record encapsulates everything that is great about that little genre known as "Noisecore." Brutal, heavy riffing, complex structures, beautifully growled/sung vocals and variation (not all songs meld into one complex "lets see how hard and fast i can play my guitar" track which some other "Noisecore" bands fall trap to). Every song on here is a feast for the ears and is worth checking out. For H/C fans who are put off by Cave-In's recent Rush tribute fever worry not, it is as similar to 'Jupiter' as Danielle Steel is to Kafka. For fans of Cave-In's recent stuff it is worth listening to purely to get a sense of their roots.

This record is intense, it's heavy, powerful and not for the meak, but it's also beautiful. One can be put off by the shear heaviness of this full length, but it's got some of the most amazing song writing, intricate and still interesting. It's clear that Cave In pushed the limits of heavy music with this one, and did create the best piece of music that gets lumped in with them. True it's hard core metal in the vein of so many others, however don't miss the moments of Pink Floyd and Rush-ness. There are some crazy time measures and changes, there are spacy, trippy parts. If one pays close attention to this, it should have been obvious the direction they would take on the next couple of records. Clearly they expended this genre and in the meantime created a work of perfection. Brilliant!

this album is way better than their first.. Brodsky is way better than all of the old singers combined. the guy who said beyond hypo is better is obviously a emo boy because this cd has no emo but it will still get you chicks

This album is extremely hardcore. There isn't as many "emo" breakdowns as on beyond hypothermia but the album has a different yet equally amazing sound. The producing is great, just sh** like effects. Buy this album and see them live, its amazing.