Cold Cave, ‘A Little Death to Laugh’ – Song Review

Cold Cave mastermind Wesley Eisold turned some heads earlier this month when he revealed the new lineup of his darkwave tour de force. Now backed by a supergroup of sorts that includes drummer London May (Glenn Danzig's Samhain), bassist Hunter Burgan (AFI) and guitarists David Scott Stone (LCD Soundsystem, the Melvins) and Cody Votolato (Blood Brothers), Cold Cave will be a powerful live force on the road this fall during their upcoming North American tour with the Divine Fits. But how will this five-piece sound in the studio? For a taste, check out the new Cold Cave tune, 'A Little Death to Laugh.'

Part of a three-song 7-inch the new Cold Cave line-up recorded specifically for the fall tour, 'A Little Death to Laugh' can be seen as a halfway marker between the band's second album, 'Cherish the Light Years,' recorded by the previous lineup and released last year, and the as-yet-untitled follow-up, which the current Cold Cave is tracking for release sometime next year.

But while the new Cold Cave sounds like a dream team on paper and are sure to kill it on the road, it may take time for them to find their footing in the studio. 'A Little Death to Laugh' finds Eisold's Ian Curtis-like bellow intact, and the sonic textures backing it are up to par. But the overall songwriting isn't, and the group's formerly dynamic melodies and hooks are replaced by a repetitive progression that's more bleak and boring than blissful and transcendent.

Cold Cave plan to road test new material on tour with the Divine Fits, so expect them to have the kinks worked out before album number three is completed. In the meantime, there are sure to be some growing pains as Eisold whips his promising new group into shape.

Listen to Cold Cave's 'A Little Death to Laugh'