Cavity - "Somewhere Between the Train Station and the Dumping Grounds", 1997

While largely considered the second full-length album by Cavity, "Somewhere Between the Train Station and the Dumping Grounds" is in fact a compilation; while side A of the vinyl featured a 1996 studio session comprised of 5 unreleased songs and 1 track that previously appeared on a 7-inch, side B was nothing more than 5 extra songs (out of the original 6) taken from the 1993 "Live on WFMU" demotape. Cavity wasn't new to this sort of operation; the band just released "Drowning" the year before, a compilation featuring the debut album "Human Abjection", a couple of tracks from a 7-inch, and 4 unreleased songs. To make things even more confusing, the track divisions in the CD version are completely off, with songs split in the middle and other mistakes, making it hard to understand when a song finishes and another starts; additionally, by rewinding track #1, there's an entire hidden track featuring a live show recorded in 1997. The current version on the streaming channels seems to feature the correct tracklist, but the bonus live show is missing.

The 6 studio songs on "Somewhere Between the Train Station and the Dumping Grounds" have a total running time of about 21 minutes; therefore, without counting the extra live stuff, it could be considered an EP. Still, it's probably some of the best material the band ever released. The songs are pretty much in the vein of the 4 unreleased tracks showcased the year before on the "Drowning" compilation, but featuring even more sludgy, southern-tinged riffs that definitely sound like a Floridian answer to Eyehategod; from the menacing bass guitar intros and breaks to the Sabbath-infused grooves and the nihilistic punk attitude, the similarities with the New Orleans legends are undeniable, but Cavity plays with such conviction and unbridled ferocity that it doesn't sound like a sterile copy. Rene Barge's vocals are still absolutely abrasive and completely unintelligible, but who cares about lyrics, right? While citing one song or another wouldn't make much sense, being very consistent in style and quality, I can say that "Goin' Ann Arbor", "Open Transom", or "Shake 'Em on Down" could easily be included in a "Best of sludge metal" collection.

The radio session from 1993, rounding out the record, is a worthy addition to take a peek into the early style of the band, featuring a setlist comprised of songs from the '93 demo as well as from the debut album "Human Abjection"; the sound is pretty good overall, and the performance is tight enough. The same could be said for the hidden bonus live show, 28 minutes of aggression and nightmarish feedback, displaying a more than acceptable sound quality for a live bootleg of the time. 

"Somewhere Between the Train Station and the Dumping Grounds" is a worthwhile release, but it escapes me why the band didn't compile the 6 new songs on here and the 4 on "Drowning" instead of splitting them over two different records; or even better, they could have recorded them all at the same time and put out a proper full-length record instead. Either way, it would have made for a fantastic release, and it would have probably gone down in history as a seminal sludge record. Cavity's habit of constantly scattering its material over compilations, 7-inches, and EPs was maybe a way to always have something new out and to build a loyal following in the scene, but in the long run it probably diluted its impact and legacy, besides making things difficult for whoever wants to approach the band's discography for the first time.