Unlock the Eternal Power of Heavy Music with Evergreens by Cavalcade: An Album that Radiates with Creativity.
Evergreens by Cavalcade
Heavy, multifarious, electric, ingenious, scintillating, and monstrously amazing. Each of these words fits perfectly when talking about Cavalcade’s latest creation, a double album called Evergreens. By definition, evergreen symbolizes immortality. Music is immortal. Music can be timeless when crafted with passion, precision, grace, and strength. On Evergreens, Cavalcade conjures both immortality and timelessness in the dark art of their songs.
For those unfamiliar with Cavalcade, they are a band that defies categorization. However, their music swims in the tidal pools of punk, sludge, black metal, grunge, dark ambient, industrial, power pop, and noise rock. The band hails from Lansing, Michigan. Cavalcade is Sean Peters (vocals, synths), Craig Horky (bass, theremin, other), Brad van Staveren (guitar), Cale Sauter (guitar, samples, keys), and Christian Urrabazo (percussion).
A well-written album contains music that is intriguing, catchy, and awesome. In this context, awesome means to inspire awe. Cavalcade hit the mark with each of the 17 tracks on Evergreens. After my first listen to this album (and by the way, I can’t wait to physically “spin” these discs), I thought, “How in the hell am I ever going to convey this gorgeous tumult of music?” Then I found the word ineffable. It means “Too great or extreme to be expressed or described in words.” This fits perfectly. The music on Evergreens defies description.
While I may struggle for words, I can’t deny the explicit passion in this music. Each song is a testament to truth. Cavalcade’s music on Evergreens radiates their commitment to crafting music, a diverse roiling cloud of elemental powers. They have created an album that is masterful, challenging, and bold. Let’s peek at a few songs that yearn for you to hear them.
Demons For The Truth
The opening opus at just over 7 minutes is “Demons For The Truth.” This one song gives you a portrait of things to come as you delve further into Evergreens. A subtle and soft guitar opens the door. Bass wet with reverb warbles as the drums fire muted shots into this foggy doorway as synths slither underneath. The vocals are hushed as if speaking just over your shoulder. You can feel the tension growing with every beat. In a rapid swell, the guitars engorged with distortion break in waves. The vocals rage with black hate as the demon reveals your true face. And then, as quickly as the storm erupts, it is gone. You return to the tension fog. The song revolves in tension and release to climax with a maniacal solo followed by a slow bleed.
The punk boot stomper romper is “Let It Go.” The guitars bite and slash. The drums and bass pounce and pummel. The guitar solo is frantic and discordant. Throughout this blistering attack, Cavalcade provides an underlying melodic drive that is captivating.
Shimmering in shoegaze is the title track, “Evergreens.” You can feel the sober forest’s dark embrace as you walk alone in wonder. The end scratches away into an oddly meditative synth-scape. “By Mide Side” reveals another side of Cavalcade with its disquieting malevolence embroidered into an anxious coat of ambient sounds. You feel your heart beating loudly as the guitar strings creak and groan. The haunting within this song is unnerving and yet quite reflective.
TollBridge
I love the song “Tollbridge.” The delicate ballad-esque beginning features understated acoustic guitars accented by soft vocals that suggest space and distance before the bridge kicks up full of distortion. It gives you the sensation of wandering in the rain as distant lightning strikes. A Mick Ronson inspired guitar solo with fierce distortion gives way to waves of electronic hypnosis. The chiming bell sends my mind toward a distant mountain peak where a cloaked monk is calling you to prayer.
“The Ballad of Evelyn Ankers” is an epic homage to the Queen of the B movies, who starred in many horror and thriller movies of the 40s, including “The Wolf Man” with Lon Chaney Jr. On this track, Cavalcade pulls out all the stops with a melange of crushing heaviness, blackened vocals, trance inducing electronics, throbbing bass, and exquisite drum work. It is a climactic conclusion to this most fascinating album.
You can get your copy of Evergreens by Cavalcade starting on November 4th. For a teaser, check out the video for “Demons For The Truth” Stay tuned to Cavalcade for upcoming release shows and witness the power of this outstanding album live.
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