Crossfade
Crossfade

I decided to start my career on DeBaser by writing a review about a band that is definitely unknown in Italy, considering almost no one has reviewed them. Crossfade is a Post-grunge band from South Carolina, and this eponymous album is their first work. The lineup includes four musicians: Ed Sloan, guitar and lead vocals, Tony Byroads, DJ and backing vocals, Mitchell James, bass and backing vocals, and Brian Geiger on drums. Names never heard before, that mean nothing. I listened to them because a friend recommended them to me. He discovered them thanks to the single No Giving Up, and it's the only song he listens to. However, I chose to delve deeper into getting to know this band because they seemed promising overall.

What to say about this record? It definitely doesn't bring anything new. The sound is easily digestible Post-grunge, with some more energetic sprinkles of Nu Metal here and there, especially in the guitar riffs. The overall atmosphere is steeped in melancholy, and the lyrics are often sad, except for the previously mentioned No Giving Up, which is more filled with a desire to react and has a less defeated tone than the others.

The album is very short, 34 minutes divided into 10 songs, the longest of which, the opener "Starless", barely reaches 4 minutes. This is a positive note, as it allows the album to flow quickly without peaks of boredom, but certainly without pretensions of being original or innovative.

The songs above average are the already cited "Starless", the hypnotic "Cold", where the vocal interplay between the two singers plus the secondary voice creates a dreamy and almost otherworldly atmosphere, especially in the chorus which, although it smells of déjà vu, manages to move the listener, and the powerful "No Giving Up", the album's single that promised a completely different type of record.

Other noteworthy points are the sad semi-ballad "Colors", and the hypnotic chorus of "The Deep End", which seems to borrow a bit from "Cold", but has some additional vocal variations. For the rest, the songs are definitely more forgettable, although the incisive riff of the aggressive "Death Trend Setta" is worth mentioning.

In short, nothing exceptional about these Crossfade. I certainly don't feel like calling them an exceptional band, but they're not that hard to digest either. This album is suitable for those who are content with a handful of good songs, and nothing more. Rating 6 out of 10.