Review: Crossbreed - K.E. 101 (2009)

Finally, at long last, Crossbreed's K.E. 101 has finally been released. Back in May, when I wrote the review to their debut Synthetic Divisions, I was foaming at the mouth since their next CD was supposed to release maybe a week or two later. It goes without saying that it never happened and that K.E. 101 was pushed all the way to September 15th after they went all summer announcing September 1st. But it turns out that only the CD will be released on the 15th and that the digital copy on iTunes was still on track for the 1st. So here I am with my copy of K.E. 101. So after all the waiting, ever since I fell in love with their demo of 'Nothing' back in 2007, has Crossbreed lived up to my expectations?

You bet your ass they have.

The album opens up with a crowd of fans chanting and screaming Crossbreed's name before dissolving into the first track via a sweet electronica beat. After the techno, the song unloads into the industrial metal I've been waiting for. With double bass kicks, sweet guitar riffs and awesome screams belting the song's namesake, 'Kill Everything,' I'm more psyched than ever. 'Hollow' opens strangely, with some creepy-sounding chanting, I might add, before leading into a solid track with an awesome bridge sequence.

'Nothing' has changed significantly since I found the demo years ago, but I could have been blind and not known what track I had clicked on and still recognized the song as soon as it opened up. The song is awesome. The screaming continues to be a selling point for this band. But the drum work and the guitar riffs are like fancy packaging tape on this package. It all works so well, I'm rather suspicious. More on that later...

'Emote' is worth mentioning, and 'TB Not' is a bad-ass track, as well. 'The Calling' and 'End of Days' continue the trend, being far from disappointing, but let me hit on the next song.

OK. The best part: Crossbreed actually did a cover of Stevie Wonder's 'Superstition.' I know, right? When it started playing, I about fell out of my chair laughing AKA ROFL. But it's a great cover and is very unique since it's still by a heavy industrial band. But it's still a great song and oughta be on the radio as a single.

Following 'Superstition' is 'Saints of Grey,' a song I knew was gonna kick ass after hearing it on the band's mySpace page. And guess what? I was right - it kicks ass. 'Control' slows it down a little before 'Beg' finishes the album off strong - just like how it started.

So my message to any readers: if you like Crossbreed, liked their first album, and would like to see what they have to offer this time around, do it. K.E. 101 does not disappoint. That last part applies to all who haven't heard of the band. Crossbreed has delivered a solid album with an eclectic mix of industrial metal and electronica. Florida should be proud.

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