Caged View

Reviews

Caged View New Fuel for an Old Fire EP

Great, new post-hardcore that sounds like great, old post-hardcore. QUICKSAND, SNAPCASE, HELMET, HUM, and others are cited as references, but if you listen to one minute of the record, that all becomes abundantly clear. The sound and production choices are spot-on for the ’90s sounds that influenced this killer EP. Almost every track here feels like a standout, with “Survival Pending” feeling like a true centerpiece. Most of the songs also clock in at under two minutes, so even the mid-tempo offerings here don’t feel like they’re dragging through the mud. One of the best records/bands so far this year that I had zero previous exposure to prior to hitting play. Well done.

Caged View Demo 2022 cassette

San Francisco’s CAGED VIEW has released two volumes of online demos from 2022 together here on one single tape, totaling seven songs of melodic post-hardcore. The band lists a number of heavy bands from the late ’80s and early ’90s as influences, but to my ears, it’s mostly FUGAZI-worship with a few detours here and there, which isn’t a bad thing! “Back Light Reflection” stands out in particular, featuring a feedback-laden opening complete with creeping bass line before the full crunch of guitars and nasally yelping vocals kick in, leading to a chorus that is surprisingly catchy. “Push” is cool as well, with a fairly punky direction that sounds like DAG NASTY and other Revolution Summer bands. Not my usual thing, but I dig it.