From Adversity To Creativity

"The Long Dark Road" couldn't have a better-suiting name.

Spearheaded by musician Jeremy Cavan of Toronto, Ontario, the story of how his project came to be is ridden with despair and hopelessness.

Jeremy, who at one point lived with his brother after a divorce, faced emotional and financial turmoil. Still reeling from the end of his marriage, he was forced to place a long-term musical venture on hold, simply because he couldn't find the funds to support it.

Luckily, he managed to overcome some of his difficulties and raise enough money to write music, tour, and produce three albums for band in which he was involved, at the time.

Released April 8, 2017, "The Long Dark Road's" self-titled album draws inspiration from Deafheaven, a metal group based in San Fransisco, California. Its style is identical to that of blackened punk, black metal, hardcore and shoegaze.

"The Tragedy of the Commons," the first track, works backwards: the strong build-up plays at the start of the song and simmers down towards the end. This is a smart move, as black metal tends to ignite the nerves, so a softer conclusion leads to another track.

"I Will Follow" takes a page from the inaugural song's book. It follows up on the intense metal, but features more soothing screaming. It focuses on the drums and bass, rather than showing off too much of the vocals. Jeremy Cavan is an immensely-talented singer; however, he finds the happy medium between his voice and impeccable use of musical instruments.

"The State of Our Union" is an amazing track, inspiring creative thinking and curiosity. Punk and black metal collide as "The Long Dark Road" allows one genre to overpower the other at certain points.

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