It’s not uncommon by any stretch of the imagination to witness a band tackle environmental themes in some form or another. The state of the planet has increasingly become a topic that many conscientious bands have sought to take on in their own forms of heaviness with doom, in particular, has always excelled at delivery intensity of that variety to spectacular effect whether it’s on purpose or not. Even then, there are bands determined to go the extra mile and show us what they can do in contempt of what we as humans have done to our planet. Flipping the concept on its head a little bit, it’s within their latest EP that Undignified Cave embodies the fury of a world disappointed by the abuse of its children.

Plenty of times have we seen loads of bands turn their focus upon what the human race has inflicted upon the earth whether it’s in the themes of pollution, overpopulation, a mass extinction, greed, or any other sin one can fathom, but it’s not nearly often enough that we see an act come around and take into consideration what happens when the planet has grieved more than enough and thus transforms into an entity of primordial wrath. Through a dramatic display of doom that pulls more than a little from the realms of sludge and death metal to ensure that their madness contains just as much sorrow as it does primeval rage, Undignified Cave pulled no punches in the four scathing tracks of “Paradise Long Gone”. This is no song of a creature longing for revenge, but, rather, it’s in the drawn-out rhythms and unyielding heaviness that we see Undignified Cave claw towards a reality where there is only silence. In the face of such an overwhelming sound that by no means really does anything to offer any sort of innovation to the sound, the real power of “Paradise Long Gone” comes in its themes delivered by an impeccable delivery of a sound that can be quite tricky at times. Slow but meaningful in every lurching step forward, these are the echoes of a planet that seeks a long-desired peace through delivering judgement that can seem uncouth yet they are born out of abuse long-standing.

Thousands of years down the line, our world has finally answered us in turn with Undignified Cave a perfect vessel for such an unforgiving and terrifyingly fair destiny that mankind brought upon itself. With power unyielding and loads of presence in every given moment, “Paradise Long Gone” more than lives up to its very name.

LISTEN to “Paradise Long Gone” on Bandcamp here.