Dead Cross II

Dead Cross

I had to check out this Dead Cross record just from the names associated. We've got Justin Pearson and Michael Crain from Retox, one of my favourite projects of Pearson's (of which there are many). The quartet also comprises legendary Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo. And rounding out this supergroup is vocalist extraordinaire, Mike Patton, who is known for his expansive range in not only pitch, but intensity as well. Together, they create a sound that is cross-disciplinary; having a hand in classic hardcore, schizophrenic punk, while filtered through a throwback 80s thrash aesthetic. I love the sound, but in the end, some inconsistent songwriting and questionable performances on the drumming and vocal end left me feeling luke warm on a record that should have left scorched Earth.

The album starts off strong with perhaps its best track, Love Without Love. Between the mantra that shares the track's title and Crain's sinister guitar parts, I feel like this song is leading us through some sort of dark and twisted ritual. The song just keeps building in intensity every step of the way as Pearson's vocals join the mix and Patton's shrieks also reach a fever pitch. It's certainly a journey compared to my other favourite track Reign Of Error, which finds its gear and stays there for the entirety of the track's nearly two minute length. Crain's galloping chugs followed by a frenzied series of pull-offs is so definitively thrash, and the accelerated pace is sure to get the circle pits going. Pearson, who's screaming approach typically stays in a comfortable pocket, actually unleashes a pretty hysterical scream on this one, as if matching a similar energy that Patton consistently brings to this record.

There were some other moments I liked, Animal Espionage and Heart Reformer for example. However, these tracks also demonstrate some of my gripes with the songwriting. The former has some fantastic guitar work once again from Crain and I especially like the surf styled guitar leads that are reminiscent of Dead Kennedys, but it's clear to me the band were starting to run out of ideas by the end. They easily could have trimmed this down into a tighter song. The latter is a bit of a barn burner with its elevated tempo, the great back and forth between Patton and Pearson, and I particularly like the part where we get a blast of kicks and some disembodied, echoed vocals. The track slows down to offer a small reprieve from the chaos which is fine, but the transition back into its original tempo feels lazy.

All the songwriting issues seem to coalesce on Christian Missile Crisis. For one, I feel like this is the most basic thrash the band can get as far as the guitar riff and drum performances go; far beneath the level of these legendary musicians. A minute in and I'm already tired of it, and then, the song just doesn't end. I guess you could make the same argument of Nightclub Canary as it too can come off as amateurish, macho bar rock. But there's a tongue-in-cheek quality about it that gives it somewhat of a pass. I guess while I'm complaining, I'll offer one last gripe I have about the record in general; and that is the drum performances. I was never big into Slayer, so I guess I'm not really familiar with Lombardo's playing, but they're one of the 'big four.' Therefore, by association there's a lot of weight, respect, and perhaps expectation attached to that name. So when I hear fairly rudimentary beats, fills, and dare I say, sloppy double kick work, needless to say I'm pretty disappointed. Maybe I'm placing unfair expectations because Pearson has played with some tremendously talented and inventive drummers in many of his bands over the course of his career.

So I didn't love it. There's lots of great moments thanks to Crain's exciting guitar playing as well as Patton and Pearson's crazy vocal stylings (with only the odd blemish here and there). I also really liked the throwback metal sound. However, the songwriting was just too inconsistent for me; too many tracks where the quartet tried to stretch ideas, meander from section to section without a sense of direction, or amateurish moments that are unbecoming of the great names that are associated with this band.