Hot Cross
“Cryonics”
(Level Plane)
Hot Cross’ second release, “Cryonic”, is a respectfully solid hardcore album. Clean guitar riffs plucked at a mile a minute, frantic interludes with lots of mettle, visceral howls and poignant lyrics juggled by dual vocalists are a constant throughout; however, you do feel a bit of disjointed inconsistency in the production. On various tracks the vocals are overpowered by the music, with the layering of instruments and vocals done a bit clumsily.
It doesn’’t take place on every track, but the listener can’t help but take notice when the lyrics are swallowed by the heavy-hitting drums or a weighty bass line. The lyrics are evocative and poetic, serving up a sharp and intelligent dirge that thankfully doesn’t reek of machismo. And despite the minor technical details, the album chugs along radiating the ethic, spirit and energy that has been relatively lost in the hardcore scene for the past few years.
