Columbia, South Carolina’s alt metal rockers Crossfade have just released their second explosive CD, “Falling Away,” on Columbia Records. This power trio has proven that they are not at all jinxed by the sophomore slump. Quite the contrary, this disc has one song after the next that builds and doesn’t slow down. Crossfade is a cross between the intensity of Metallica and the melodies of Nickelback. No surprise, their producer Randy Staub (Metallica, Nickelback, P.O.D., The Cult) along with Ed Sloan and 2006 Grammy winning producer of the year Steve Lillywhite have been able to capture the excitement of Crossfade as is demonstrated on this CD.
Crossfade is comprised of Ed Sloan, (lead guitar/vocals), Mitch James (bass/backing vocals), and James Branham (drums). While Ed Sloan has written the bulk of Crossfade’s self-titled debut, “Falling Away,” is a true collaboration co-penned equally by Ed and Mitch, with the two of them co-producing virtually all the tracks. “We pretty much split this album,” says Mitch. “Most of it was just us sitting in the studio together doing all-nighters. Ed and I got to the main soul of the songs together and once we got to a certain point, we asked James (Branham, drummer) to lay out the beat and that brought a whole new element to it.”
The result of this collaboration is the strongest music of Crossfade’s career, a new musical sophistication and no-nonsense emotional urgency roaring through the band’s seamless patented vocal harmonic blends.
Crossfade’s music relies on universal truths of faltering relationships and relationships on the mend. “Everything on this album is a story that either Ed or I or both of us has endured,” says Mitch about the new album’s inspirations. “None of that stuff is made up or even elaborated on. It’s just the straight truth.”
The first cut, “Washing the World Away,” discusses the idea of alienation or just the feeling of not fitting in. “Most of our songs area about I’m done with you. I’m heading out. It’s time for me to get out of this situation. It’s bad for my health, it’s bad for my mind. The way we write - we hope people understand – we write from the heart. It’s gotta be true,” explains Mitch James.
The raw honesty that made “Cold’ (from their first album) a record-breaking emotional anthem re-emerges on this 11 song disc “Falling Away” including the powerhouse first single, “Invincible.” This song is filled with energy and excitement with a hooky chorus and interesting verses. “Invincible” the video, can be seen on Yahoo Pepsi Smash Music.
The title track, “Falling Away,” deals with breaking up the relationship but still feeling like you aren’t ready to disconnect. The track is heavy, but very melodic. Their harmonies are bone crushing. Crossfade’s signature sound is both fierce and melodic.
The roots of Crossfade lie in Columbia, South Carolina, where Ed Sloan met Mitch James when the latter was about 14. “We’re brothers, we’ve grown into one soul, it’s kind of scary. We don’t even talk out loud to each other. We know what we like in music and it’s usually the same thing. If it’s not, we know we can convince each other of it.”
Crossfade’s debut album was composed, recorded and self-produced in the groups’ garage studio in Columbia, South Carolina with Randy Staub’s post-production work completed at Warehouse Studios in Vancouver. From this garage based home studio to the roster of Columbia Records, Crossfade’s story is one of timeless American ingenuity.
“We’re not here to make a huge leap in musical awareness, but we’re here to have enough of a different sound that people recognize us and not think that we’re any of the other bands out there right now,” confesses Mitch. It is obvious on this disc that Crossfade will easily carve out their own nitch in the alternative music landscape. Check them out at: www.crossfadeonline.com and www.myspace.com/crossfade.
