Cave Suns – No Guards (2021)
We might say that Cave Suns was formed nine years ago when friends Kit Endean (guitar), Mike Hill (bass) and Ewan Mclaughlin (drums) began playing together; however, that isn’t exactly true. The beginning of the band was triggered in 2012, but it was when guitarist Daniel Foggin joined the group in 2019 that Cave Suns presented their current line-up. Merging the sounds of The Doors, Dead Meadows, Deep Purple and Grateful Dead, the lads bring old-school stoner-rock to modern-day society with a unique edginess. The latest addition to their repertoire is No Guards.
A two-disc four-song EP, No Guards has a strong live studio vibe combining dynamic guitars, pounding drums in the instrumental tracks. Yep, that’s right, no vocals included but you won’t be disappointed. Proving bands do not need to sing to turn a person’s head, No Guards incorporates hard rock, psychedelic rock, punk rock, grunge and some dream-pop into the mix. Beginning with the track ‘Dunder Salt’, Cave Suns introduce you to their raw and brutally abrupt style with a sophisticated arrangement with strong layers and textures. Adopting a live studio session design, each of the instruments has a dominant place but come together as a united whole. I guess Aristotle was correct when he said that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
Next, we move on to ‘To Who It May Concern’. A harder, heavier and more profound track than ‘Dunder Salt’, there is a strong nod to rock bands from the 60s and 70s. The drums are particularly prominent showcasing Ewan Mclaughlin’s drumming skills, as well as the band’s ability to interweave instrumentation and support each other. Taking a turn, we head to ‘Essesse’ that is predominantly guitar-driven with a hard-hitting poppier approach (for lack of a better word). The immediate transition from forceful sounds to a more dream-pop meets punk-rock design highlights the lads’ versatility and flexible artistry.
Ending with ‘13th Celebration’, Cave Suns wrap up their metamorphic journey with a trippy, smoke-filled track. Spanning 10 minutes for only one song, you need some patience; however, the passion shown in this powerful music keeps you entranced. Approximately 20 minutes in its entirety, No Guards is a mind-bending blast of music and is something everyone needs to experience. Trust me on this!
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