As diversions go, †††’ self-titled debut is one that leads to some pretty dark, dangerous territory. The band, Deftones’ Chino Moreno, Shaun Lopez of Far and Chuck Doom, have mixed a heavy cocktail of Depeche Mode synths, bleak imagery and occult leanings, albeit one that is addictive and wonderfully melodic.
With Moreno’s idiosyncratic, soulful croon employed over beats that pop with the early exuberance of new wave as much as they lurch from the speakers in a sort of pre-industrial chug, ‘Crosses’ delivers an intriguing reading of the band’s influences while delivering the same left-field songwriting decisions that set Deftones and Far apart from their respective fields back in the ‘90s.
Given that two thirds of the record has previously been released - as ‘EP1’ and ‘EP2’ - the mixture here is remarkably cohesive.
Crosses, from their use of ††† symbols down, have managed to create a style and mood that works as a backbone for the collection, cloaking even its most bombastic moments in a shroud.
Of the new tracks here, Bitches Brew is perhaps the one that we can most readily associate with Moreno’s past work as it lunges from a falsetto chorus to throat-shredding screams.
The Epilogue, meanwhile, encapsulates the competing themes of exuberant instrumentation and desolate lyrics. “It's a strange day,” Moreno sings. “The roses are in bloom. But in a strange way. I know somehow we're doomed.”
Described by Moreno as “minimal and soothing” and “sort of like the stuff I like listening to when I'm not screaming my head off”, ‘Crosses’ is indeed deceptively relaxing for long stretches. Lurking beneath the surface’s rolling basslines and syncopated beats are the teeth of the record though, making for an enjoyably double-edged experience.
‘Crosses’ has none of the suffocating intensity of Deftones’ wall-of-sound guitars and thunderous drums, but, in its own way, is equally as effective.
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