Mismatch - A review of Crossfaith's Ex_Machina

Crossfaith is a Japanese quintet that plays a quite unique genre called electronic metalcore. While the concept sounds creative on paper, Ex_Machina is extremely hard to sit through even with an open mind. The final result sounds like an odd mixture of Skrillex and Suicide Silence without achieving the skillfulness of the former and the aggression of the latter. Bands like KoRn have also tried to mix electronic elements with modern metal stylistics and failed so it's no surprise that a relatively young band experiences misfortune where even veterans have had a hard time.

The main problem is that the songs are too short, compact and aggressive. Instead of balancing the two different genres skillfully, they often overtone, disharmonize and clash. Especially the first half of the record is overtly annoying and makes you think of a group of unskilled musicians who are producing noise rather than music. The additional vocalists make matters worse and add more elements of distraction to an already overwhelming genre potpourri. The overloaded production doesn't make the final result any easier to digest.

The second half of the record shows some promise though. The songs are a little bit more balanced, calmer and imaginative. The electronic elements are more present, the vocals have a cleaner touch and there are no unnecessary guest appearances. It's nothing to go crazy about but a welcome change compared to the provokingly relentless first half.

Crossfaith's Ex_Machina was described as a modern party album with an intellectual background related to the dystopian lyrical concept by magazines like Kerrang!. However, we get an album that offers a dated mixture of aggressive metalcore and dubstep sounds that could come straight from the beginning of the millennium and a dystopian background story that sounds repetitive after a streak of ten years that have been flooded with dystopian records, novels and movies. Crossfaith's Ex_Machina is neither enjoyable nor intellectual, it's a nerve-firing mismatch of genres that could only work with a calmer, more organized and more progressive approach.

Final rating: 30%