Nearly seven years since the release of White Silence and a year since the passing of bassist Caleb Scofield, Cave In will return with Final Transmission, scheduled to release on June 7 on Hydra Head.
Last March, the band was rehearsing new material when they received the tragic news of Scofield's death in an auto accident. In part, the record is inspired by a text message with a voice attachment, received from Caleb a month before this death, introducing a melody concept for a new song.
“Hearing his voice fucks you up a little bit,” says guitarist Adam McGrath. “We were surprised to get it from him, actually, but we thought it was great. And that was it. In a weird way, it’s the end of the story as far as our relationship together.”
The new record starts off with that voice memo, and each of the nine songs on Final Transmission includes Scofield's work.
“Adam, Steve [Brodsky] and I would sometimes get together to work on stuff when Caleb couldn’t make it,” drummer J.R. Conners adds. “But the next time Caleb would be there and the songs turned into something else. It became much more of a Cave In project than it was before he showed up. He had weird rhythms that none of us would ever come up with or think to try, which turned the material into a different thing. He had a huge hand in these songs.”
The group first envisioed Final Transmission as a demo collection, but ultimately fully realized the songs instead. Recording and mixing was an emotion experience, the band stresses. Half of all proceeds will benefit Scofield's wife and children.
“I feel really lucky to have this record,” McGrath adds. “I love it, but I don’t like listening to it. I’m sure I’ll listen to it eventually, but right now it’s difficult. Just hearing him play kills me. I’ll miss him forever.”
Final Transmission Track listing
1. Final Transmission
2. All Illusion
3. Shake My Blood
4. Night Crawler
5. Lunar Day
6. Winter Window
7. Lanterna
8. Strange Reflection
9. Led To The Wolves
Live Dates:
October 19 - Boston, MA @ The Sinclair w/ Miltown
