Dead Cross "Dead Cross"

By now there's been enough press about this band where everyone is aware of the supergroup's DNA featuring Patton on vocals and Lombardo on drums. Sandwiched in between is Justin Pearson from The Locust, Head Wound City and Retox fame, alongside Mike Crain, Retox member and guitar player. The sound is interesting. Combining aggressive elements of speedy hardcore, layered against Patton's antics and tricks on the microphone. 

     The biggest standout right out of the gate is Lombardo's pummeling behind the kit. For years he's been making appearances with various outfits and filling in roles from Suicidal Tendencies to The Misfits Reunion on Riot Fest last year, but alas he has found a home on a throne in the studio and the first track comes out swinging with axes. While Lombardo rarely lets up, Patton's personality gets weirder and weirder as the album continues, once again establishing a schizophrenic twist to each track, slightly derailing the record's execution.

     While it's certainly been entertaining in the past, Patton's personality has gotten stale. While he has an endless array of personalities to portray, his execution has become predictable, and these are all tones and sounds we've heard before on his loaded and highly prolific career. While this may be the most aggressive thing he's been a part of since Dillinger's Irony Is A Dead Scene, he doesn't feel out of place. While his many tricks have sort of typecast him as a mixed bag, he knows how to play the role and usher Dead Cross to the finish line. It's just nit necessary to play a different character on each track of a hardcore record. It's a pretty straightforward genre that welcomes variety, but for each track to have Patton do something different, gets a little frustrating away from the Mr. Bungle and Fantomas catalogue.

     All in, it's a strong record that seemingly came out of nowhere. It's not entirely clear as to when these four dudes actually had time to meet up or collaborate with their schedules taking the guys all over the world year over year, but it seems cohesive enough to imply that the band put a ton of thought and effort to the tracks that made it to the album. Don't miss Patton's latest appearance, but don't be surprised when you walk away humming the drum beats.