Crossfaith

Crossfaith (Japanese: クロスフェイス) is a Japanese metalcore band from Osaka that was formed in 2006. Since its formation, the band has retained the same line-up with no member changes, which currently consists of vocalist Kenta Koie, guitarist Kazuki Takemura, bassist Hiroki Ikegawa, drummer Tatsuya Amano and keyboardist Terufumi Tamano. They are characterized by performing a style of metalcore with dubstep and other forms of electronic music influences, and for their intense live performances.

Crossfaith
Crossfaith performing at Rock am Ring in 2014
Background information
OriginOsaka, Japan
Genres
Years active2006–present
Labels
Associated acts
Websitewww.crossfaith.jp
Members
  • Kenta Koie
  • Kazuki Takemura
  • Terufumi Tamano
  • Tatsuya Amano
  • Hiroki Ikegawa

Crossfaith released their first demo Blueprint of Reconstruction in 2008.[3] The band later released their debut EP The Artificial Theory for the Dramatic Beauty, through Zestone Records in 2009, and debut full-length studio album The Dream, the Space in 2011 through Tragic Hero Records. Crossfaith then released their second EP Zion in September 2012; this acted as a promotional release to countries outside Japan.

History

Early years, The Artificial Theory for the Dramatic Beauty and The Dream, the Space (2006–2012)

The band started when vocalist Kenta Koie, now guitarist Kazuki Takemura and turntablist Terufumi Tamano were in a nu metal band which they covered Linkin Park and Limp Bizkit songs.[4] This used to feature Kenta rapping as well as screaming.[4][5] After their cover band broke up Kenta wanted to start up a new metal band. To do this, he asked drummer Tatsuya Amano, a fellow student at his school who was in Kenta's music club to audition. Amano's drum cover of Slipknot's "(sic)" impressed Kenta and the others so much they knew they wanted him a part of the band.[5] Turntablist Terufumi joined the new project with an inspiration from electronic dance music groups such as Chemical Brothers and The Prodigy, Terufumi would work to connect his electronica inspirations with the heavy metal covers the band was doing at the time.[5] The band formed fuelled by their hatred of Japan's enormous pop music culture.[6]

In 2010, Koie was featured in Manafest's song "No Plan B" on Avalanche/No Plan B EP.

Also in 2010, the band covered the song "Omen" by The Prodigy which was featured as a bonus track on the Japanese version of Fearless Records' Punk Goes Pop Volume 03..

In their early touring history, they were supported by bands like Hatebreed, Machine Head, In This Moment, Bleeding Through, The Used, August Burns Red or Memphis May Fire.[7] In March 2011, Tragic Hero Records signed Crossfaith for an American release of their debut album The Dream, the Space.[6][7]

Zion, international success and Apocalyze (2012–2014)

In 2012, Crossfaith's tour schedule for Europe expanded, supporting Of Mice & Men with Bury Tomorrow and later in the year supporting While She Sleeps alongside Bleed from Within and Polar in September.[8][9][10] In August the band went to Japan to play the Summer Sonic Festival, the largest festival in the country, where they played at 3 am to 10,000 people.[8]

In September 2012, the band released their second extended play Zion, used as an introductory sampler designed to break into a bigger market.[11] Zion was named after the human city in The Matrix film series.[12] The extended play revived a popular response from mainstream critics such as Kerrang! and The Sydney Morning Herald.[13][11] Three promotional videos spawned out of the promotion of the EP: music videos for "Monolith" and "Jägerbomb" and one typography style video for "Photosphere".[9][14][15] On 10 November, the band performed at the Warped Tour 2012 at the Alexandra Palace in London on the 'Kevin Says Stage'.[16] The stage they played on was only a 500 capacity, room but security had to block the entrance as it exceeded capacity during their performance.[8][17] Their performance at the festival garnered much attention for the band.[13]

On 4 February 2013, the Zion EP was released in Europe by Search and Destroy Records, and just a few days after that the extended play was streamed online at SoundCloud.[18][19] Crossfaith performed at the Australian 2013 Soundwave festival for all five dates in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth between 23 February and 4 March.[20] They have also announced Sidewaves shows before the festival dates with Periphery.[21] Just two days after their appearance in Australia the band is started their March tour across the United States in support of Enter Shikari and Architects.[22][23]

In May, the band supported Bring Me the Horizon's headline tour of the United Kingdom.[14][24] After their tour with Bring Me the Horizon they performed two headline shows at the Barfly in London and the Sugarmill in Stoke supported by We Butter the Bread with Butter, but due to the success of the London show sold they upgraded the venue to the Camden Underworld.[25][26] Their performances were praised as offering "constant energy" and how Amano Tatsuya's drum solos were "stunning".[25] This show was at the Underworld just a year after their show there supporting Of Mice & Men.[5] Across July and August, Crossfaith was touring at the festival Warped Tour 2013 in the United States and will perform at Reading and Leeds Festivals in the United Kingdom.[23][1] Crossfaith had released their second studio album Apocalyze in Japan on 4 September 2013 and on 9 September in the United Kingdom.[27][1] The album was recorded at Machine Shop Studios in New York City in January 2013 and will be released through Search and Destroy and Sony Music.[15][27][1] Before the release of Apocalyze, the band released three music videos: "We Are the Future", "Eclipse" and "The Evolution".[1]

Xeno, Ex Machina and Species (2014–present)

On 8 October 2014, the band released a three-track long single titled Madness. The tracklist consists of the three songs: "Madness", "Dance with the Enemy", and "S.O.S.".[28] Crossfaith has also announced that they will be playing the entire Vans Warped Tour in 2015 for North America, as well as playing the SlamDunk Festival in the United Kingdom in the May of 2015. Crossfaith released their third studio album Xeno on 18 September 2015.

On 27 July 2016, the band released another three-track long single titled New Age Warriors, featuring three new songs: "Rx Overdrive", which had an accompanying music video, "Kill 'Em All" and "Revolution".

In an interview with Dead Press! in April 2017, the band confirmed that they had two new singles ready for release for the summer and that they planned to release the fourth studio album titled Ex Machina, which was released on 1 August 2018.[29]

On 5 February 2020, the band debuted their first single "Endorphin" exclusively on Daniel P. Carter's BBC Radio 1 Rock Show, the day before the release of the single worldwide.[30] However, the EP wasn't announced until the release of the second single "Digital Parasite" on 9 April 2020.[31]

Musical style

Crossfaith have used clean singing as far back as their first album, on the song "K". It is the only song on that album which uses clean vocals. On The Dream, the Space, they used clean vocals on the songs "Omen" and "Demise and Kiss", did not use any clean vocals on the Zion EP, and did on their third album Apocalyze on the songs "Eclipse", "Scarlett", "Only the Wise Can Control Our Eyes", and "Counting Stars". After Apocalyze, on the song "Madness", the majority of the song used clean vocals. On their third studio album, Xeno, most of the songs on this offering feature clean vocals. Crossfaith have also incorporated spoken word passages and whispers into their songs. Many their tracks are fully screamed, as opposed to other songs, where they use clean vocals more, which is much more common in their newer output. They have typically been labelled as metalcore[3][6][25][32][33] and electronicore,[3][11][32][34][23] blending influences from heavy metal,[7][11][23] electronica,[6][33][23] hardcore,[24] melodic death metal[35][36] and industrial metal.[15][32] The band's music is seen as a combination of metalcore instrumentation and vocals with keyboards and industrial synths.[13][33] They have been described as "Slipknot tearing the Prodigy limb from limb",[8][23] and have been seen as a fusion of "metal, dance beats, raging punk fury and an energy that's entirely Crossfaith's own".[37] The band has always wanted to write English lyrics as they felt their music is quite westernised.[23]

The band's EP Zion showcases their synthesiser dominated sound, particularly on "Monolith" showcasing "double-kick beats, rapid chugging riffs and atmospheric bursts".[33][6] While the party anthem "Jägerbomb" is seen as "pure Pantera groove metal with an underlying dash of synth" and is credited as solidifying Crossfaith's reputation as a party band.[38][24][5] The pace of the record slows with "Dialogue", a "techno-infused instrumental" interlude with a "slow, tense electronic beat".[6][39]

For their second album, Apocalyze, the band wrote lyrics which dealt with different subject matters. "We Are the Future" is written about bands who don't wish to sound like anything else which exists.[37] "Deathwish" is a fictional tale about a man who wishes to seek revenge on his girlfriend's killer and "Countdown to Hell" which is about being bullied when at school.[37][4] "Only the Wise Can Control Our Eyes" confronts the Fukushima Nuclear Disaster and how the band believes the government is withholding information about the disaster from the public.[37][4] When commenting on the reasons behind writing about the disaster, Kenta said: "When I started writing the lyrics for the new album I thought I have to write about it for other Japanese people, but not really about [the] politics, [more] about the nuclear thing."[40]

Band members

Current members

  • Kenta Koie (小家 健太, Koie Kenta) – lead vocals (2006–present)
  • Kazuki Takemura (武村 和樹, Takemura Kazuki) – guitars (2006–present)
  • Terufumi Tamano (玉野 輝文, Tamano Terufumi) – keyboards, programming, samples, backing vocals (2006–present); bass (2006–2008)
  • Tatsuya Amano (天野 達也, Amano Tatsuya) – drums (2006–present)
  • Hiroki Ikegawa (池川 寛希, Ikegawa Hiroki) – bass (2008–present)

Touring musicians

  • Tama – guitars (2014–present)[41]
Live at Groezrock 2013, Belgium
  • Kenta Koie
  • Kazuki Takemura
  • Terufumi Tamano
  • Tatsuya Amano
  • Hiroki Ikegawa
Timeline

Discography
Main article: Crossfaith discography
Studio albums

Awards and nominations
Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards
Year Nominee / work Award Result
2013 Crossfaith Best New Band[42] Nominated
2014 Crossfaith Best Breakthrough Band[43] Nominated
Kerrang! Awards
Year Nominee / work Award Result
2014 Crossfaith Best International Newcomer[44] Nominated
Alternative Press Music Awards
Year Nominee / work Award Result
2014 Crossfaith Best International Band[45] Nominated
2015 Crossfaith Best International Band[46] Nominated

Concert tours

Japanese tours

World tours

References
Footnotes
  1. "Crossfaith: Eclipse video premiere". The Daily Telegraph. (Telegraph Media Group). 23 July 2013. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  2. "Ariola Japan LIVE Blu-ray＆DVDキャンペーン". www.ariola.jp. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
  3. AllMusic. Crossfaith | Biography & History
  4. Longbottom 2013, p. 43.
  5. Mörat 2013, p. 54.
  6. Candice Haridimou (17 February 2013). "Review: Crossfaith – Zion [EP]". Alt Sounds. Archived from the original on 6 June 2013. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  7. "Tragic Hero Records signs Crossfaith // News // Lambgoat". Lambgoat.com. 25 April 2012. Retrieved 25 April 2012.
  8. David McLaughlin (26 January 2012). James McMahon (ed.). "Ne Music Overload! Crossfaith". Kerrang!. London: Bauer Media Group (1450): 23. ISSN 0262-6624.
  9. "Video Exclusive: Crossfaith - Monolith". Rock Sound. (Freeway Press). 3 May 2012. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
  10. Tom Smith (12 June 2012). "Crossfaith Return to the UK: September – November 2012". Japan Underground. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
  11. Kam Noack (1 November 2012). "Review of Crossfaith's Zion EP". The Sydney Morning Herald. (Fairfax Media). Retrieved 6 February 2013.
  12. "On The Record: Crossfaith". Bombshellzine.com. 19 August 2012. Archived from the original on 11 September 2014. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
  13. James Hickie (15 December 2012). James McMahon (ed.). "Japanese mob (Briefly) show why they'll be 2013's breakout stars". Kerrang!. London: Bauer Media Group (1445): 50. ISSN 0262-6624. Bring Me The Horizon may have been Warped Tour UK's big draw, but this Japanese five-piece were definitely the festival's 'did you see?' sensation. This six-track EP serves to temporarily state the appetite of anticipation for their third full-length album, showcasing their combination of metalcore and industrial synths.
  14. "Crossfaith Announced As Main Support To Support Bring Me The Horizon". Rock Sound. Freeway Press. 5 February 2013. Retrieved 6 February 2013.
  15. Simon (26 November 2012). "Crossfaith post new video!". Kerrang. (Bauer Media Group). Retrieved 6 February 2013.
  16. "Warped Tour UK 2012 Is Go!". Rocksound. (Freeway Press). 10 November 2012. Retrieved 9 February 2013.
  17. David McLaughlin (26 January 2012). Ben Patashnik (ed.). "Ne Music Overload! Crossfaith". Kerrang!. London: Bauer Media Group (169): 86, 87. ISSN 1465-0185.
  18. Merlin (22 January 2013). "Crossfaith Finally Announce UK Release Of 'Zion' EP". Metal Hammer. (Future Publishing). Archived from the original on 24 January 2013. Retrieved 6 February 2013.
  19. "Crossfaith Stream 'Zion' EP". Rocksound. (Freeway Press). 7 February 2013. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
  20. Mike Hohnen (3 August 2012). "Soundwave 2013 Lineup + Rumours". Music Feeds. Retrieved 8 August 2012.
  21. Tom Mann (16 January 2013). "More Sidewaves - Anthrax,Periphery, Crossfaith, Fozzy,This Is Hell". Faster Louder. (Sound Alliance). Archived from the original on 5 February 2013. Retrieved 6 February 2013.
  22. "Architects (UK) To Join Enter Shikari On North American Tour". Plug In Music. 6 February 2013. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
  23. Mörat 2013, p. 53.
  24. Biddulph, Andy (July 2013). "Bring Me The Horizon [9] Support: Crossfaith [8], Empress [7]". Rock Sound. London: Freeway Press (175). ISSN 1465-0185.
  25. Matthew Clewley (6 May 2013). "REVIEW - Matthew Clewley gives his verdict on metalcore band Crossfaith". This Is Staffordshire. Local World. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  26. "NEWS: Crossfaith's headline London show has been upgraded!". Dead Press. 11 February 2013. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
  27. "Crossfaith announce new album Apocalyze, album art, release date and track listing". Kerrang. (Bauer Media Group). 2 June 2013. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
  28. "Crossfaith「MADNESS - Single」をiTunesで". 8 October 2014. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
  29. "INTERVIEW: Crossfaith (15/04/2017)". Retrieved 18 January 2018.
  30. "ØɄⱤ ₦Ɇ₩ ɆⱤ₳ ł₴ ₳฿ØɄ₮ ₮Ø ฿Ɇ₲ł₦". Twitter. 2 February 2020. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  31. "CROSSFAITH ANNOUNCE NEW EP, SPECIES". Kerrang!. 9 April 2020. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  32. Distefano, Alex (September 9, 2015). "The 10 Best Japanese Metal Bands". OC Weekly. Retrieved October 17, 2017.
  33. Ant May (January 31, 2013). "Crossfaith – Zion EP". Planet Mosh. Retrieved 6 February 2013.
  34. Kerry, Louis (July 22, 2014). "11 Insane Japanese Metal Bands That You Need in Your Life". Gigwise. Retrieved October 17, 2017.
  35. "Crossfaith discography". RateYourMusic. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
  36. "Crossfaith". Metal Kingdom. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
  37. Longbottom 2013, p. 42.
  38. Stephen Hill (7 February 2013). "Crossfaith – Zion E.P Review". Rock Sins. Retrieved 9 February 2013.
  39. Sean Hendrie (5 February 2013). "EP Review: Crossfaith - 'Zion'". Caught In The Crossfire. Retrieved 9 February 2013.
  40. Mörat 2013, p. 56.
  41. Pit Troll (7 June 2017). "Interview: Kenta Koie of Crossfaith". The Moshville Times. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  42. "Winners Announced For Metal Hammer's 2013 'Golden Gods Awards'". The PRP. 17 June 2013. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
  43. "Winners Revealed For Metal Hammer's 2014 'Golden Gods Awards'". The PRP. 16 June 2014. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
  44. "NEWS: RELENTLESS KERRANG! AWARDS 2014 NOMINEES ANNOUNCED!". Dead Press!. 7 May 2014. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
  45. "And The Skully Goes to". Alternative Press. Archived from the original on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
  46. "Here are all the 2015 APMAs nominees!". Alternative Press. 31 March 2015. Archived from the original on 10 November 2016. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
  47. "UNDEROATH ジャパン・ツアー大阪/名古屋公演にCROSSFAITHの出演が決定！". Gekirock.com (in Japanese). 9 February 2012. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
  48. "Crossfaith Return to the UK: September – November 2012". Japan Underground. 12 June 2012. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
  49. "CROSSFAITH / First Europe Tour & Participation in Overseas Festival". Sync Music Japan. 24 August 2012. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
  50. "Crossfaith / Joint Tour with Enter Shikari in USA!". Sync Music Japan. 31 January 2013. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
  51. "Enter Shikari announce North American tour dates". Alternative Press. 16 January 2013. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
  52. "Bring Me The Horizon Touring Australia With Of Mice & Men And Crossfaith This October". musicfeeds.com.au. 7 June 2013. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
  53. "Crossfaith nominated for the Metal Hammer award for two years straight". Sync Music Japan. 29 April 2014. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
Bibliography
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