Hot Cross

With Hot Cross’ recent break-up coming just before I got my hands on the promo copy of this record, this will actually be my first post mortem album review. Rest assured that this isn’t a warning of an over-flattering review meant to honour the band’s legacy while disregarding the package at hand, however deserving that honour may be.

Risk Revival is Hot Cross’ Equal Vision debut, and their first since leaving the ever-credible Level Plane roster. This is worth noting because the production on this record is given quite a facelift compared to their back catalogue. As it turns out, a little more polish on the recording does the band well, despite cries from elitist fans. The music is sharper and the instrumentals clearer; however, the music itself is still as refreshing and unapologetically straightforward as it has ever been.

For those unfamiliar with the band, imagine the urgency of Comeback Kid, ambition of The Fall of Troy, and some unnamed x-factor from Sparta. While it’s a shame to have to compare such an established band to some much younger peers, I feel it beneficial to introduce what Hot Cross has to offer to unfamiliar listeners. Now that we’ve established a sonic collage (however unfortunate it may have been to do so), we can delve into the songs themselves.

Firstly, anyone looking for a radio hook will be let down. This band isn’t willing to sell itself short with anything forced or unnatural. The tracks on Risk Revival are very honest and vulnerable, both musically and lyrically, so expect to be sucked in, not by repeated choruses, but rather by the presentation of an angst-filled album that is so alive, one could nearly mistake it for having a heartbeat.

“Fire the Foundations” is a fast and energetic track with fun, At The Drive-In-esque shared vocals, and some surprisingly intricate guitar leads, which, when packaged together, make for a rather engaging listen. The intro of the song itself will win the attention of any fan of aggressive, hardcore punk; and don’t worry; the rest of the track maintains its initial fervor. “Silence Is Failure” is a nice departure from the 2/2-thrash niche the band is known for, showcasing some slightly slower, yet equally intense song-writing that surprisingly works well with the band’s confidently undecorated vocal approach. But don’t worry; the majority of the record follows in the footsteps of bombastic tracks such as “Fire the Foundations,” “Fatefully,” and the opener “Exits and Trails,” which will keep the moshers pleased.

If the record had any noteworthy shortcoming, it would be that it starts to require some patience near the end of its runtime; the music becomes a bit much too fully absorb one sitting. But don’t let a minor complaint deter you from exploring such a commendable effort from a brilliant group.

An over-driven and aggressive album that is still extremely passionate and maybe slightly delicate, Risk Revival could be the band’s best work to date – only time will tell, though, since this album can’t be fully digested overnight. Either way, it is a beautifully crafted album from a band who’ve arguably helped develop their own genre. Unfortunately, it serves as their curtain call, yet at least the band can sleep easy knowing they ended on a high note.  [ END ]

Track Listing:

01. Exits and Trails
02. Turncoat Revolution
03. Resent Resist Rebuild
04. Fire the Foundations
05. Cardiac Silence
06. Kill the Name
07. Silence is Failure
08. Fatefully
09. Existence
10. Rejoinder
11. Finance Fuels the Sickness at Heart
12. Blame Truth
13. Scrape Wisdom

Run Time: 43:51