Have you ever ridden a rollercoaster? There’s that feeling of impending doom the higher the lift hill takes. Meanwhile, you wonder how you thought allowing yourself to drop from an absurd height was a good idea. Then you’re taken with thrilling fury across the track with jarring twists and turns. Before you know it, the thrill is over. Now imagine, if you will, the sonic version of that. It would include the haunting, charging bass, and gnarly backup vocals of Justin Pearson. The chaotic drumming of Dave Lombardo and the unintelligibly tight guitars of Michael Crain. And of course, the bold, squealing vocals of Mike Patton. This manifestation would be known as Dead Cross and their sonic tour-de-force sophomore album, Dead Cross II.
Arriving five years after their debut, II is accompanied by a painful backstory involving the cancer diagnosis of Crain in 2019.
Of the album’s development, Crain has been quoted saying, “The slow, excruciatingly painful, and nauseating recovery from cancer treatments was the catalyst for every riff and note on this album.” The sentiment is all but confirmed by the first eerie, fuzzy bass notes in the opener, “Love Without Love,”. Gliding through the album like haunted spirits, even the simplest of guitar melodies elevate moments of pain and dread.
Like any good rollercoaster, the timing is impeccable. “Love Without Love” is slow enough to prepare you for the impending doom that is the rest of the ride. The following song “Animal Espionage” picks up speed, and gives Patton and Pearson a chance to shine on back-and-forth vocals. By the time the third track “Heart Reformer” hits, the speed is cranked up to eleven. The momentum doesn’t let up until the album finishes. Not unlike the cart arriving back at the station.
In true punk fashion, Patton and Pearson amazingly deliver the strangest lyrics: “I get fucked on the left. I get fucked on the right, I get fucked all right. I get fucked all night.”. Thrash influence is felt throughout songs like “Nightclub Canary,” where once again Patton proves once again that he is inhuman with his comically brilliant squeals, only made better by Crain’s epic shredding. For all intents and purposes, II is essentially a headbanger’s wet dream.
Lyrically speaking, Dead Cross II has you thinking about modern society. However, it also might have you thinking, “What the hell was going on in their head?”.
“Ants and Dragons” has arguably the best opening line of the album: “Dragons may breathe on you and leave you a little crispy too.”. “Christian Missile Crisis” (which lets Pearson shine with nasty lead vocals) takes aim at gun control and contemporary American society. On the topic of vocals, Patton and Pearson work exceptionally well together. Each provides a distinct voice capable of belching out lyrics at high speed, low dynamics, or whatever they need to get the job done.
I can’t even begin to tell you how much I love Mike Patton, he truly has the Midas touch! What makes Dead Cross unique is the caliber of talent each individual member possesses. Sure, it’s exciting to hear that Patton can still scream and deliver lines like the ultimate boss that he is. But when you pair that with the godly thrash drumming of Dave Lombardo, your band is elite. Combine that with Crain and Pearson, and Dead Cross is unstoppable! By the time it all goes quiet and the final discomforting noises of “Imposter Syndrome” ring out, you’ll want to ride this sonic rollercoaster again.
Dead Cross II is available from Ipecac Recordings.