Music Reviews

Crossfade

Crossfade

Columbia/Earshot

With a sound that incorporates bands as diverse as Metallica, Incubus, P.O.D. and even Nickelback, South Carolina’s Crossfade is an intriguing outfit. Blending powerful, crunching nu-metal riffs with surprisingly melodic interludes, the band doesn’t really possess an original sound. Yet, it’s easy to see the crossover potential here.

The first single, “Cold,” is formulaic enough to warrant an assault on the charts, with vocalist Ed Sloan sounding uncannily like Nickelback’s Chad Kroger. “Starless” is better, and perhaps more representative of Crossfade’s sound – a sound showcased most impressively on the intense, anthemic “So Far Away.” The P.O.D. influence comes across most prominently on “No Giving Up,” while “Dead Skin” is a more restrained track, emphasizing Crossfade’s dark, brooding lyrical themes. The standout track, though, has to be “The Unknown.” It is an epic, carefully crafted offering which again shows another side to the band’s sound.

As a result of the differing styles on Crossfade, it can be argued that the band is still trying to find its own voice. However, the diversity of the album indicates that there is something here for all modern rock enthusiasts, even if they may have heard it all before.

Crossfade: http://www.crossfadeonline.com/


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