In music, there are a few buzzwords that just rub me the wrong way. One of which, is the word “Supergroup”. Often used to describe a group formed of musicians with established successes in other bands, the word “supergroup” has been tossed around so much that it really has become quite meaningless. Perhaps we can call them mash-ups? I mean, if you took Lars Ulrich of Metallica, Emma Anzai of Sick Puppies, Nita Strauss of Alice Cooper, and Corey Taylor of Stone Sour/Slipknot and put them all on one stage, it’d be pretty badass, but supergroup? I mean, Superman had to do some shit before he could have “super” added to his name, right? And, I’m sure that if he did a bunch of bad shit, he’d probably end up being called like “Doucheman” or something, but I think you feel what I’m stepping in…
This brings me to Dead Cross. Although they have only been around for a short while, they have quite a bit of history. Lead singer Mike Patton of Faith No More and drummer Dave Lombardo of Slayer fame are out on their Seizure and Desist tour supporting their self-titled album. With axeman Michael Crain and bassist Justin Pearson bringing in the string section, we jumped at the chance to cover their gig at Portland Oregon’s Wonder Ballroom.
Opening for Dead Cross are Secret Chiefs 3 out of the Bay Area. They’ve been classified as “Avant-garde” in some references, but WTF does that mean? I find that “Surf rock meets nu metal” might be easier to digest for some people, but it’s something that really should be experienced to be understood. Without a vocalist, this band relies on heavily on unique instrumentation, odd time signatures, and wicked-heavy percussion. Just as mysteriously as they entered the stage, they rocked the room, then disappeared into the abyss – not a single word said.
Fans are still getting familiar with Dead Cross, so the band hasn’t been pigeon-holed into a specific sub-genre of heavy metal yet, but I would stick my neck out and say it’s a mix between thrash and metalcore. The mere fact that this is HEAVY metal however, is undisputable. I was standing at the front, no barrier to protect me from the surging crowd behind me. When the first song, “Seizure and Desist” started playing, the packed Wonder Ballroom became a mass of heaving, beer spilling, thrashing metalheads. It was all I could do to steady myself long enough to snap a couple of pictures of a menacing Mike Patton before he planted his back foot and launched himself into the crowd. His shin caught my camera and hat as he flew face first into the throngs of PDX metal faithful. I harnessed my camera and helped toss Mr. Patton back onto the stage.
Clearly, Dead Cross isn’t satisfied with resting on the coat-tails of their combined past accomplishments. This is a band that’s out to establish a new threshold of heavy. Every song in their 13-song set list was pure metal. They even played a couple of cover songs with their rendition of “Nazi Punks Fuck Off,” originally by the Dead Kennedys, sending a clear political statement through the deafening crowd.
Just after “Nazi Punks,” we got to hear a few measures of “Raining Blood” before it shifted into a teaser of Faith No More’s “Epic.” The disappointment in the room was palpable as Mike Patton sang out, “You want it all but you can’t have it” from the 1989 classic – disappointment that everyone only got a taste of the track and not the heaping helping they wanted. After the final beer was spilled onto the Wonder Ballroom’s antique hardwood floors and the PDX faithful filed out of the venue, I was able to find the piece of my lens that I lost at the beginning of the show. My hat, stepped on and soaked in Portland’s finest micro-brew, was also recovered. Dead Cross will completely render you speechless, but you’ll leave with a smile on your face. Are they a “supergroup”? I’ll let you decide.
Check them out in these upcoming shows:
Sep. 8, 2017 Baltimore, MD Baltimore Soundstage
Sep. 10, 2017 Philadelphia, PA Union Transfer
Sep. 11, 2017 Boston, MA Royale
Sep. 12, 2017 New York, NY Gramercy Theatre
Sep. 13, 2017 Brooklyn, NY Warsaw
Sep. 15, 2017 Detroit, MI St. Andrew’s Hall
Sep. 16, 2017 Chicago, IL Riot Fest
Sep. 17, 2017 Milwaukee, WI Turner Hall Ballroom
Sep. 19, 2017 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
Sep. 20, 2017 Lawrence, KS Liberty Hall
Sep. 23, 2017 Denver, CO Ogden Theatre
