Dead Cross ‘Dead Cross II’ Review: Hardcore supergroup fronted by Mike Patton overcome tragedy and strife on triumphant sophomore release.
After Dead Cross’s critically acclaimed 2017 self-titled debut, the future looked bright for the hardcore supergroup featuring vocalist Mike Patton, bassist Justin Pearson, guitarist Michael Crain and drummer Dave Lombardo.
Then all hell broke loose: Crain was diagnosed with cancer in 2019, Patton suffered a mental health crisis during the pandemic that left him unsure if he would ever tour again, and original vocalist Gabe Serbian died earlier this year.
This left many fans wondering if the band was a one-and-done enterprise. But unbeknownst to many, the group were recording a follow-up during this chaotic period. As Crain stated in a press release: “Words can’t even begin to describe how much this album means to me. It’s birthed of pain and uncertainty. The slow, excruciatingly painful, and nauseating recovery from cancer treatments were the catalyst for every riff and note on this album. However, my will to live and be with my brothers Justin, Dave, Mike, and co-producer Ross Robinson, got me out of bed and running into the studio every day to get it all on tape.”
The sessions appeared to have healing properties: Crain is currently in remission, and Patton is open to touring again, making the band’s sophomore effort, Dead Cross II (Oct 28, Ipecac) feel like a Herculean triumph and a shot in the arm for both band and fan alike.
Much like their debut, Dead Cross II is a reimagining of what a hardcore band is capable of. By refusing to color inside the lines it transcends the purist snobbery that often comes with the genre. Of course, if your group feature members associated with acts including Faith No More, Mr, Bungle, The Locust, Retox and Slayer, unhinged eclecticism seems predestined, and the music is all the better for it.
Love Without Love opens the album, and it’s a winning fusion of post-punk atmospherics and doom metal riffing, with Patton ominously intoning that he’s “treading water in a place, no lifeguard can save” amidst a kaleidoscopic guitar solo and spy thriller melodrama. He also indulges his absurdist puerile sense of humor with immortal couplets like ” I love you so much that i could shit. Hotter than a branding iron, colder than a witches tit. Like Billy Joel, i’ll be moving out!”
Animal Espionage indulges the band’s love of Bauhaus (they previously covered Bela Lugosi’s Dead) with a menacing 5/4 beat, icy textures and spastic surf guitar, punctured by Patton’s deep-fried shrieks, while Heart Reformer is traditional hardcore until it erupts into a nightmare-fueled finale.
Patton remains a vocal acrobat, veering from croon to guttural wail with scalpel-like precision, taking songs that already have deranged arrangements (Strong and Wrong, Nightclub Canary) even further into the topsy-turvy stratosphere.
Patton wanted a different energy for the second album, and that involved Pearson contributing backing vocals on tracks like first single Reign of Error, a nod to Lombardo’s work with Slayer, and the most straight up metal moment of the album.
Pearson takes lead vocals and songwriting duties on the brilliantly titled Christian Missile Crisis, with his unholy delivery fueling politically barbed lyrics like “All out of ammo? Act as a dildo, write your manifesto!” amidst a marauding riff and martial drums.
The input of Crain can’t be understated, bringing elastic, unhinged six-string fury on the aforementioned Reign Of Error, boomeranging, rubbery licks on Strong and Wrong, and the relentless, needling clamor of Ants and Dragons. His verve for life and indefatigable spirit is a lifeline throughout the album, and his songwriting chops and mixture of power chords, warped solos and textural atmospherics are a highlight.
The band brings all their fire on closer Imposter Syndrome, with Patton belting “I see you but I wouldn’t want to be you/you see me, but you wouldn’t want to be me/Imposter syndrome-you’re not alone!” atop horror-movie sonics.
Dead Cross II is a multi-pronged triumph, both physically, creatively and spiritually, making for an ultimately life-affirming experience.
Let’s hope the stakes aren’t as personally high for the group for a follow-up, but no matter what obstacles come their way, they appear to be up for the challenge.
