Crossbreed appears at once like something that flew off the screen of
one of those early Tron videogames, or more recently maybe alongside the
likes of Orgy. Their sound however is an altogether different story.
Not one that we haven't heard before however -- combine elements of
Ministry at the peak of their industrial strength, with Manson-like
aggression and the elemental wanderings of a NIN or an Orgy for that
matter and combined, you've got something quite futuristic and innately
intense.
I like the verse. or is it the chorus, for first song
"Severed," which comes across similarly as "Just Got Wicked" from Cold,
heavy on the blur, soft on the melody -- and Crossbreed might make you
cross-eyed before you've finished looking to where the song lyrics
are -- completely out of sequence and expected. I'd put 'em up there with
the new Godhead release, maybe less inclined on the techno-centric
elements, though present nonetheless, Crossbreed's bent mainly on
aggression and razor-blade riffs, nearly cyber-Metal in a sense, defiant
and somewhat deep but not overly so.
There's a darkness that surrounds
the likes of "Seasons," "Underlined" and moving slightly away,
"Breathe," which begins with an intriguing synth-pop arrangement and
electro-static transmission that precedes the barrage of rhythmic
post-verse pounding!
"Pure Energy" and "Release Me" further display
their knack for quick gear shifts from searing highs to authoritative
lows, brining an immediate Static-X comparison to mind here.
Crossbreed's the new kid on the block and they're using a formula that's
yielded innumerable successes in both the Industrial and Nu-Metal fields
so odds are they'll be quick to stir up something somewhere. I'd like
to hear 'em do more songs like "Painted Red," one of the more melodious
cuts on the record, to give that extra degree of individuality to their
character, but overall, not a bad beginning and one that'll see 'em
start a few fires before they're through.
