We used to live in a world where 90% of the music you heard was from the USA or the UK. Now, thanks to the internet, we’re able to listen to and enjoy music from all over the world. Japan’s music scene in particular has had quite an impact on Western audiences in recent years, and among those bands absolutely killing it overseas is the metal group Crossfaith.
Everything they’ve put forward so far in their career has been heavy, exciting, and filled to the brim with electronic influence. The new EP, Wipeout, is business as usual.
The title track ‘Wipeout’ wastes no time at all, getting the EP off to a very energetic start with dancey rhythms and punchy guitars. The riffs aren’t anything amazing, but you can’t build a house without a foundation, and they really provide something for the rest of the band, most significantly the vocalist Kenta Koie, to build from.
Speaking of Koie, his vocal ability truly shines through on this EP. The transition between harsh screaming and powerful singing is so smooth, and in an age of eternally constipated vocalists, this is quite refreshing. Koie knows what he’s doing, and he does it damn well.
‘Inside The Flames’ might be a generic track title, but the song itself is a real force to be reckoned with. It’s the heaviest of the tracks, without a doubt, and by far the grooviest. I was half expecting Dez Fafara to pop up at some point since there are plenty of moments where the track feels strangely reminiscent of DevilDriver. And yes, that’s a good thing.
Just when I thought the EP couldn’t get much better, on came the final track, ‘Vermillion Gold’. Given the lack of interesting riffs in the rest the EP, this song came as a real shocker. Quite frankly, I couldn’t believe I was listening to the same band. The guitar work is immensely technical, going full throttle into symphonic/melodic death metal territory. If you’re a fan of bands like Children of Bodom, get ready for a sh**load of dopamine. The synth work is simply divine, taking on a more neoclassical vibe at points, but always managing to drift back into the trademark futuristic sound that Crossfaith is known for.
Wipeout is a truly special EP, and a sign of great things to come from a very talented band.
