Cross ExaminationStraight out of St. Louis comes the awesome party squad, comprised of 5 dudes who are also known as Cross Examination. They have been terrorizing the Midwest since late 2004 with their party like atmosphere at their shows. At any given Cross Examination show, you can expect plenty of circle pits, beer bongs, homemade light up signs, and other forms of drunken debauchery. They play hardcore that is heavily influenced by thrash, beers, and weed that ends up sounding similar to early crossover bands like D.R.I, Nuclear Assault and Suicidal Tendencies. From start to finish, this cd is a good fucking time, and ideal to put on during a night of hard partying with the crew. Whether it's hilarious lyrics about being drunk in the wee hours of the night and looking for food (The Foodening) or songs about circle pits that take you back in time (P.A.C.P.), these guys deliver with the swiftness of a Dominos delivery man. With bands like Municipal Waste getting more widely known, you would expect more of the hardcore party bands popping up, but that just isn't the case. So when you hear a more youthful band do it, it sounds refreshing. Although these guys aren't nearly as talented musicians as MW, they more than make up for it in the party aspect, as well as their witty, tongue in cheek lyrics. And that's not to take anything away from their song writing abilities because these guys can definitely write some thrashin' tunes. The production on this is as gritty and rough around the edges, just as the band is. It's got just enough grittiness in the recording to maximize their drunk party thrash sound. And I'm loving how you can feel the bass plow through the songs right beside the guitars, it wasn't mixed so the guitars can dominate the show, each instrument gets the attention it rightfully deserves. The strained, cackled vocal style that the front man employs is right where you want them, just slightly lower in the mix than a vocalist who has a more of a gruff dominating voice. The gang vocals were pasted in the recording nicely, although at times it drowns out the actual vocalist. But regardless, it still adds a punch of intensity to the songs whenever they pop up here and there. And the little nuances you hear in the vocal booth, like the beer cans getting thrown around, stays true to the gritty, sloppy nature of the band. Two thumbs and captain toes up for the layout of this release. It's got a perfect mix of that old school cartoon look with the clean sharp look of the modern computer designed images. I'm loving how the lyrics are written on letters, with pieces of evidence marked exhibit A, with a picture of the band partying it up. To top off this release, you get 15 minutes of bonus live footage to witness some of the bands tomfoolery. Included are shots from various live shows throughout the history of the band, as well as clips from them just hanging out and wreaking havoc in their own backyards. And if that isn't enough for you, you also get the band's five song demo with covers of the Suicidal Tendencies "I Shot The Devil" and S.O.D.'s "Kill Yourself."
Rating: 4/5
Songs Worthy of Replay: The Foodening ($3.49 Mark of the Feast), Party Squad Unite
Thesis: Assemble your crew, get the beers and weed, and make sure to grab a copy of this EP for a drunken night you won't soon forget. This CD combines the best elements of hardcore, thrash and drug abuse for an overload of your auditory system. If you like Municipal Waste, you will love this band.