Cry Excess
The Deceit

I Cry Excess conquering the world, one might say after reading their biography. A band active since 2011 that certainly hasn't wasted any time, relying on industry professionals who have undoubtedly influenced the rapid growth of the quartet. They have already had the opportunity to perform on a tour with over 20 dates across the UK and have even opened for an internationally renowned artist like Tarja Turunen, despite having only a handful of singles to their name.

Today, finally, here is the much-awaited debut titled "The Deceit" and what can I say… Simply everything according to plan, an album that has a lot to offer to those who are accustomed to delving into the alternative/metal scene. The liberal use of synths gives that cybernetic mood to a proposal that we might otherwise commonly define as metalcore for the intensity of the rhythms or nu-metal for the effects and sounds produced by the guitars. In conclusion, a decidedly modern product that manages to stand out mainly for its substance and quality, as demonstrated by tracks like "Bloodbath" and "Call Me When Your Words Will Become Facts," catchy and powerful at the same time. The idea is to be in front of a creature that blends the heavier side of the latest Devil Wears Prada with something more commercial and rock-oriented like Papa Roach and early Dope. A strange pairing at first glance but decidedly intriguing and that at least on record has its reason to exist, given the quality of the proposal. It's an album with a strong international connotation, which has little to do with what we usually hear from Italian bands related to the genre and on which the producer played a crucial role. Indeed, the work done on the sounds is commendable, the bombastic effect is something that bewilders while the vocal aggression impresses quite a bit. "We Are All Broken, Baby" is decidedly off-topic, a sort of ballad placed at the end which has little to share with the rest of the album.

The way these Cry Excess present themselves and their image, meticulously curated, makes them either loved or hated without half measures, on one side those who find them interesting, and on the other those who – instead – see in them just a mere commercial operation. Who's right? The real test is always the live performance: only in that field can the true value of a band be understood. And until then – that is, until I have the chance to see them perform live – I will continue to consider "The Deceit" simply an excellent album.