Review: Cane Hill - Too Far Gone

Review: Cane Hill – Too Far Gone

Arriving just 18 months on from their debut album, Louisiana quartet Cane Hill have returned for a second crack at the whip. Having led an apparent “nu-metal revival” on ‘Smile’, ‘Too Far Gone’ sees use of their collective and personal experiences to produce a record that builds on their previous foundations. Most notably, the realisation of the long-term damage their occasional use of LSD and alcohol could have serves as the spine of what becomes ‘Too Far Gone’.

Although they’ve often denied their nu-metal tendencies, KoRn-esque intensity and Slipknot-inspired blasts suggest Cane Hill have accepted and even embraced, being linked to the once-popular genre. The titular track kicks off ‘Too Far Gone’ with a heavy stomp as Elijah Witt proclaims “are you mad you can’t be like me?” ‘Lord of Flies’ chugs along in a similar fashion and brings an effective hook to the table. While ‘It Follows’ could easily be mistaken for a KoRn song.

For all their nu-metal characteristics, Cane Hill do explore their possibilities throughout ‘Too Far Gone’. ‘Singing In the Swamp’ is a stirring slab of 90s grunge rock before ‘Erased’ treads along with intimate vocals and an atmospheric bassline. It’s here where Witt’s versatility as a vocal becomes apparent. Alongside ‘Why?’, he impressively executes soaring melodies in front a backdrop of wiry guitars.

Undoubtedly, there is an intensity that threads ‘Too Far Gone’ together. ’10 Cents’ is a thrashing blast as Witt bluntly confesses “all my heroes are dead now”; a realisation of the result of his sobriety. ‘Hateful’ pulsates with a mix of frantic gang vocals and James Barnett’s twisting guitars. While ‘The End’ is carried with a doom-laden cloud over it.

If Cane Hill are aiming to shake off the nu-metal tag, then they’re heading in the right direction. Having been heavily hyped up in the past, they’re gradually living up to their potential. ‘Too Far Gone’ captures a band in a promising transition.

3.5/5