Just over one year since the tragic death of bassist Caleb Scofield, Cave In have released "All Illusion," the stirring lead single from their upcoming final album with Scofield titled Final Transmission.
The band's first in eight years, this record is the follow-up to 2011 LP White Silence, and was finished in the months following Scofield's fatal automobile accident. The material that makes up Final Transmission was originally intended as demos, and features Scofield performing on all of the nine songs, including the gorgeously melancholy work, "All Illusion," which you can hear above.
The record's opening title track features a voice memo left by their late comrade the last time he saw them for a band rehearsal. "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."
"When I look back at our email correspondence about the demos, Caleb had a really crystallized view of how to navigate the whole thing," guitarist-vocalist Steve Brodsky reveals of the direction of the new record. "He was really digging the stuff that was spacey, heavy, a little bit weird, but with very pretty melodies and hooks — which is a very surface-level way of looking at Jupiter. So I think he was encouraging us to embrace what we've always been good at and what sets us apart from our contemporaries. That's what made Jupiter a turning point for the band. So there was definitely that creative motion to slip back into the spacesuits."
"Getting these mixes back was really hard," Brodsky continues. "I don't think I've cried so much putting together any record. I've definitely felt like bursting into tears while I was working on things, but this was actual water being shed. I don't try to look too deeply into how these things work, but these recordings are some of our last moments spending time with him."
Half of the proceeds from the album will go to Scofield's wife and two children. Last fall, friends and bandmates joined members of Isis, Old Man Gloom, Pelican, and more at a series of tribute shows to celebrate Scofield's life.
Final Transmission is due out June 7th via Hydra Head record. Pre-order here.
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
