Though it grew on me eventually, Cane Hill’s self-titled debut EP in 2015 was a difficult one to swallow. It’s a pretty solid EP, but less than 2 years ago, the whole “nu-metalcore” thing was pretty in, with some bands doing it well (Issues, My Ticket Home, Sylar) and others who took a more deriative form of the genre (Gift Giver). It took the band’s debut full-length for Rise Records, Smile, for the band to really resonate with me – and having listened to a couple tracks off the album and seeing them at Warped 2016 really cemented Cane Hill as a band that I quickly became addicted to – their live performance is a particular strong point.
While Cane Hill is now into recording their 2nd LP, Smile is still an important listen in the grand scheme of things. It’s the band’s ballsier forays into experimenting and introspection that really stand out. “French 75” from the band’s debut EP was fantastic, but tracks like the emotive and vulnerable “St. Veronica” (which is described in great detail below) and album closer “Strange Candy” (which is a slow burning song that’s also a dead ringer for Alice In Chains) show that Cane Hill are far more than a band that decided to hop on the nu-metal revival train – they have an original sound. And while that sound is reminiscent of bands like Korn/Slipknot/Coal Chamber, they have a serious weapon in vocalist Elijah Witt. The future is coming soon for Cane Hill – but which way will they go? If they prove to be as versatile as they are on Smile, it’s going to happen soon. I mean, they are touring with Hellyeah and Kyng this summer, so perhaps the band will keep gaining some serious traction.
If you’re not already listening to Cane Hill, you should probably do so. Though most listeners are apt to notice the nu-metal influences in the band, vocalist Elijah Witt remind me most of all, of the late Alice In Chains frontman Layne Staley. As arguably the most important metal vocalist of the early to mid 90’s, this is a massive compliment.
