Dead Cross, the four-headed Hydra featuring Mike Patton, Dave Lombardo, Justin Pearson, and Michael Crain, return with the abrasive 9-song album, II, on Oct. 28 via Ipecac Recordings.
The album, while both a raucous hardcore collection and at times, a politically-charged opus, has its roots in friendship, with the band rallying together after Crain received a surprise cancer diagnosis.
Words can't even begin to describe how much this album means to me. It's birthed of pain and uncertainty," explains Crain. "The slow, excruciatingly painful, and nauseating recovery from cancer treatments were the catalyst for every riff and note on this album. However, my will to live and be with my brothers Justin, Dave, Mike, and co-producer Ross Robinson, got me out of bed and running into the studio every day to get it all on tape."
The news of II's impending arrival is accompanied by the release of "Reign of Error," and its Displaced/Replaced-created video. Patton also discusses the new album in an interview.
"'Reign of Error' was recorded almost as quickly as it was written and I believe there's a very good explanation for it," adds Crain. "I haven't told anybody this before, least of all the rest of the band or Ross, but I honestly felt a strong presence in the studio that day. Those riffs flew out of me and when Dave sat down at his kit it was almost as if we'd played that song a thousand times before. It literally just happened so fast. Bam! One take. I'm not trying to paint a dark or fantasy-like story either. Having just escaped death and still healing from my cancer treatments I was incredibly sensitive to energy and the other side. There was someone else there. Not evil but benevolent and inspiring. I honestly believe it was Dave's old bandmate and friend Jeff. I think he just wanted to jam with his friend again and perhaps did so through me. There I said it. Whether people believe it or not I really don't care. I'm just grateful that I had that experience."
Dead Cross is Dave Lombardo (ex-Slayer, Suicidal Tendencies, Misfits), Mike Patton (Faith No More, Tomahawk), Justin Pearson (The Locust, Retox) and Michael Crain (Retox, Festival of Dead Deer).