Before their next album, Cave In began experimenting with their sound with Creative Eclipses, a five-song EP which indicated a new space rock direction. Their next album was Jupiter, released in 2000. The album received a good deal of press including a feature in Spin Magazine, in which they were described as an "emo-metal Radiohead," which Cave In would reject. The album also caught the attention of major labels who began courting the band after its release. The band released the six-song EP Tides of Tomorrow on Hydra Head Records before accepting a deal from RCA Records.
In 2003, Cave In released their major debut album Antenna. It had more success than their previous albums and earned them a spot on the second stage of 2003's Lollapalooza tour. After Lollapalooza, they toured Europe in support of Foo Fighters and Muse. Shortly after, the band began to revisit their metal roots during concerts, and new heavy material led to a mutual agreement to cut ties with RCA Records. Cave In returned to Hydra Head Records and released Perfect Pitch Black on September 13, 2005.
Following the release of Perfect Pitch Black, Conners departed from the band due to an injury and temporarily relocating to Germany. He was replaced by Converge drummer Ben Koller. In November of 2006, Cave In announced an indefinite hiatus.
In April of 2009, Cave In announced that they had ended their hiatus. With Conners back in the band, they had recorded a four-song EP titled Planets of Old which was initially made available on vinyl at their reunion show on July 19, 2009 at Great Scott in Allston, MA. The EP was released on CD in January 2010 with a bonus DVD of the show. The band released their fifth album White Silence on May 24, 2011.
After tours in support of White Silence, Cave In entered an undeclared semi-hiatus state as all of the band members shifted focus on their other respective side-projects. Brodsky had moved to New York City and formed Mutoid Man with Ben Koller and bassist Nick Cageao, Conners and McGrath had formed Nomad Stones, and Scofield was a member of Old Man Gloom and his own band Zozobra. On December 7, 2014, they performed live for the first time in 3 years, opening for Doomriders' tenth anniversary show. They wouldn't begin formally writing new material until February 2018.
On March 28, 2018, Caleb Scofield was killed in a car accident in Bedford, New Hampshire, on his way home from jamming with Cave In in their Boston rehearsal space. The band then put the new album on hold in favor of touring in honor of him, his wife, and their two children. Major memorial performances included a Boston show with Converge, a Los Angeles show with a one-off reunion of Isis, and an acoustic performance with Brodsky and McGrath at that year's Jacob Bannon-curated Roadburn Festival. This set was recorded and released as Live at Roadburn 2018: Tribute to Caleb Scofield.
On January 2, 2019, Cave In announced plans to release their first studio album in eight years. This album was released as Final Transmission on June 7, 2019 through Hydra Head Records. Mixed by Andrew Schneider, mastered by James Plotkin, and with artwork by Aaron Turner, it consists of practice-space demos featuring Scofield on every song. Hydra Head has been mostly inactive since 2012 but, as the band's main home for the majority of its career, they worked together to release this album. Half of the proceeds will be given to his wife and children.
Big Riff
Cave In Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Only to burn up both our hands
And we will find out what's to know...
In warning winds, the truth will blow
You might find I'm feeling all the guilt
Dragging out the hours, all deceived
Both are harmless and haunting to me
As a cancel out zero
Like you were young again
A man you haven't seen in years
Resurrecting your deepest fears
Returns a favor unto himself...
By turning us the other cheek
You're just a coat of red in Hell
Tired of turning us away
You might find I'm feeling all the guilt
And now remember your heroes
As a cancel out zero
You were never the one to break away
Dragging out the hours, all deceived
And now remember your heroes
As a cancel out zero
You were never the one to break free
You turn your eyes to gray
You turn your eyes away
You
You're another coat of red in Hell
Kill this child to make sure I've raised him well
On a concrete road to recovery
'Cause I'm knocking over every cone
In front of me
The song "Big Riff" by Cave In explores the theme of chasing something you desire without considering the consequences. The opening lines, "And we continue to chase the sun, only to burn up both our hands," depict the notion of the pursuit of something that is beyond reach or unattainable, yet continuing to relentlessly chase it irrespective of the consequences. The following line, "And we will find out what's to know… In warning winds, the truth will blow," suggests that the pursuit might eventually yield knowledge and understanding, but it will come at a cost.
The lyrics then shift their focus to the emotions of guilt and deception. The lines, "Dragging out the hours, all deceived, both are harmless and haunting to me," evoke a sense of remorse for the actions that have been taken or the situations that have emerged. The reference to heroes being a "cancel out zero" further suggests that where these heroes may provide inspiration, they may also cause disillusionment. The closing lines of the song, "On a concrete road to recovery, 'cause I'm knocking over every cone in front of me," provide a sense of determination to move forward, despite challenges and setbacks, to attain redemption.
Line by Line Meaning
And we continue to chase the sun
Despite the consequences, we relentlessly pursue our desires.
Only to burn up both our hands
Our unwavering pursuit of our desires brings us pain and suffering.
And we will find out what's to know...
Our quest for knowledge will not be in vain.
In warning winds, the truth will blow
The truth will be revealed in moments of crisis and adversity.
You might find I'm feeling all the guilt
I am grappling with feelings of guilt and remorse.
Dragging out the hours, all deceived
Time seems to drag on endlessly as I struggle with my inner turmoil.
Both are harmless and haunting to me
Although they cannot physically harm me, my guilt and deceit haunt me relentlessly.
Now remember your heroes
Look to those you admire for guidance and inspiration.
As a cancel out zero
Do not be discouraged by your own perceived failures or shortcomings.
Like you were young again
Approach life with the same youthful optimism and energy you had in your youth.
A man you haven't seen in years
A long-lost acquaintance from your past resurfaces.
Resurrecting your deepest fears
This person brings to light your most profound anxieties and concerns.
Returns a favor unto himself...
The individual is motivated by self-interest in their actions towards you.
By turning us the other cheek
They display a passive and non-confrontational attitude towards us.
You're just a coat of red in Hell
You are trapped and suffering in a difficult situation.
Tired of turning us away
We are exhausted by rejection and avoidance.
You were never the one to break away
You have always been trapped or constrained in some way, unable to make significant changes in your life.
You turn your eyes to gray
You become apathetic and disengaged, losing interest in the world around you.
You turn your eyes away
You deliberately avoid or ignore difficult situations or unpleasant truths.
You're another coat of red in Hell
You continue to suffer in a difficult and painful situation.
Kill this child to make sure I've raised him well
Take extreme measures to ensure the success and well-being of someone you care about.
On a concrete road to recovery
Slowly and steadily working towards improvement and healing.
'Cause I'm knocking over every cone
With determination and persistence, I am overcoming obstacles and challenges in my path.
Contributed by Madison B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.