Hot Cross
Risk Revival
Equal Vision CD
Explosive sonic hardcore rock at its finest!
When I was first getting into more raw and unrefined underground rawkage back in high school, I was immediately drawn to outfits like You & I and Saetia. I wish I could go back and listen to those bands and sounds for the first time again, because it was one hell of a sensation. Greg Drudy (drums, formerly of Saetia and Interpol), Matt Smith (bass, formerly of Off Minor), Casey Boland (guitar, formerly of You & I) and Billy Werner (vocals, formerly of Saetia) have evolved with their newest venture Hot Cross. This Philly based band’s latest full-length emits a vibrant fiery discharge that’s hard to turn away from.
Casey Boland’s signature complex melodic guitar picking that was such a huge element in You & I’s sound is upfront and prominently embedded within Risk Revival. The hot-bright sounds of Risk Revival stream and boil off like a traveling comet’s glowing ion tale. The rhythms are abrasive, yet melodic. The vocals are loud, but Billy Werner’s delivery is far from the screeching belts he unleashed in Saetia. Half spoken, half shouted, but always delivered with enough punching force to stun. There are numerous times where multiple vocals surface simultaneously, ganging up on the listener, unleashing irritated emotions and heartfelt intensity: “Fuck off / Fuck off / Because I don’t need you.”*
In my opinion, there are no weak songs on Risk Revival. Every song is as dynamic and potent as the next, but the one song that seems to really cling itself to my auditory nerves is “Fire the Foundation.” It’s definitely not the most aggressive track on the release, but the one element that stands out is the infectious guitar part that gives me goose bumps with each listen. It’s got some really cool late 80s early 90s Dischord vibe going on. I don’t know, the melodic guitar picks are just cool sounding. “Cardiac Silence,” “Turncoat Revolution,” and “Fatefully” are a few more tracks that hit me hard, but among an album jam-packed of good material, its really hard to pick favorites.
Risk Revival was recorded by Josh Jakubowski (formerly of Joshua Fit For Battle and Neil Perry), and the sound is crisp and crystalline. Risk Revival will boil your emotions. I can’t stop listening, and it’s rare for me nowadays to get real excited about new releases, but this one has me hanging on every note, every word, and every fiery emotional discharge.
by Fake Train
*Taken from “Fatefully”
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