Crosses (band)
Crosses (usually stylized as †††) is the musical side project of Deftones singer Chino Moreno, Far guitarist Shaun Lopez, and bassist Chuck Doom, based in Los Angeles, California,[1] and formed in 2011.
Crosses | |
---|---|
Also known as | ††† |
Origin | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
Genres | |
Years active | 2011–present |
Labels | Sumerian, Rise |
Members |
|
History
Having recorded together previously,[2] Deftones singer Chino Moreno began recording with childhood friend and neighbor Shaun Lopez, also of the band Far, as well as Chuck Doom.[2] Moreno described the project as "minimal and soothing and it's sort of like the stuff I like listening to when I'm not screaming my head off."[2] With a tentative title of Crosses as the name of the project, they began recording for over four hours a day, completing nearly 16 songs with plans to self-release a series of EPs.[2]
Recorded at Airport Studios in Los Angeles, California,[3] their debut EP was released for free on August 2, 2011,[1][4][5] with a higher quality version made available for purchase on their website.[5] Duff McKagan, of Velvet Revolver and Loaded, contributed additional bass to the song "This Is a Trick" while Chris Robyn of Far performed live drums on the EP. Dino Campanella of the rock band Dredg has also worked as a live drummer for the band.[6]
Crosses contributed a previously unreleased song titled "The Years" to the Batman: Arkham City – The Album, the soundtrack to the game of the same name. It was also featured in the game's Joker trailer.[7]
A second EP from Crosses was released on January 24, 2012.
In 2012, Crosses played the Lollapalooza Chile festival[8] as well as the Quilmes Rock festival.[9]
Crosses released a vinyl single, including the tracks "Option" and "Telepathy" from their first two EPs, for Record Store Day 2012.[10] The band also released an official remix of the Rob Zombie song, "Dragula", appearing on Zombie's 2012 album Mondo Sex Head.
At the end of 2012, "Telepathy" appeared on the soundtrack for video game Need for Speed: Most Wanted.
A postulated third Crosses EP was not released, and Moreno put Crosses temporarily on hold while he concluded work with Deftones (the album Koi No Yokan, issued in November 2012) and another side project, Palms, with ex-members of Isis (releasing their debut album, Palms, in June 2013).[11]
In September 2013, Crosses signed with Sumerian Records.[12]
In October 2013, Crosses announced that a full-length album was set to be released on November 26, 2013 through Sumerian, and also posted the new track "The Epilogue" online for streaming.[13] The release date for the band's eponymous debut was later pushed back to February 11, 2014, and the new track "Bitches Brew" was posted online for streaming along with the announcement.[14] On November 26, the date Crosses were originally scheduled to release their debut album, the band instead released a music video for "Bitches Brew" directed by Raul Gonzo.[15] The album contains remastered versions of all songs from the previous two EPs as well as five new tracks (essentially, what would have been EP 3). The track order intermingles new tracks and songs from both EPs.
On April 19, 2014, for Record Store Day, Crosses reissued the first two EPS as well as EP 3, all on colored 10-inch vinyl.[16]
In 2014, Crosses appeared as part of the Australian music festival Soundwave, followed by a US spring tour.
On December 24, 2020, Crosses released a cover of Cause and Effect's "The Beginning of the End," marking the first release from the band since 2014.
Style
The musical style of Crosses is often referred to as electronic,[17][18] darkwave or dark pop,[19][20] dream pop[21] or witch house.[22][23][24] However, Carson O'Shoney of Consequence of Sound and Daniel Brockman of The Boston Phoenix note that Crosses only shares a resemblance to witch house in aesthetics and imagery, and not the group's actual music.[25][26] O'Shoney said that Crosses' witch house influence is "noticeable just by looking at the tracklist—every song has at least one † in it. The name of the band is †††. The name of the EP is †. Everything about the EP points to witch house—until you listen to the actual music."[25] The group's decision to use this imagery stems from Chino Moreno's interest in the art and mystique around religion. Moreno however also said, "I didn't want people to think we are a religious band, a satanic band or that we are a witch-house band. It's difficult using a religious symbol, but at the same time, I think in an artistic way, it can totally go somewhere else and I think we are kind of walking that line."[24]
Discography
Studio albums
Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | |
---|---|---|---|
US [27] |
AUS [28] | ||
Crosses[14] |
|
26 | 43 |
Extended plays
Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
---|---|---|
US Heat [27] | ||
EP 1 |
|
— |
EP 2 |
|
8 |
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. |
Singles
Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | |
---|---|---|---|---|
US Alt. |
US Main. | |||
"Option"[29] | 2012 | — | — | EP 1 and Crosses |
"Telepathy"[29] | EP 2 and Crosses | |||
"The Epilogue"[30] | 2013 | 27 | 40 | Crosses |
"Bitches Brew" | — | — | ||
"The Beginning of the End" (originally by Cause and Effect) | 2020 | — | — | TBA |
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. |
Music videos
Title | Year | Director(s) |
---|---|---|
"Bitches Brew" | 2013 | Raul Gonzo[15] |
"The Epilogue" | 2014 | |
"The Beginning of the End" (originally by Cause and Effect) | 2020 |
Compilation contributions
Title | Year | Album |
---|---|---|
"The Years"[31] | 2011 | Batman: Arkham City – The Album |
"Dragula"[32] | 2012 | Mondo Sex Head |
"The Epilogue" | 2014 | Soundwave: 2014 |
"Nineteen Eighty Seven" | 2015 | Jaco Original Soundtrack |
References
- "Crosses offer free downloadable digital EP". Kill Your Stereo. August 2, 2011. Retrieved August 2, 2011.
- Wiederhorn, Jon (March 30, 2011). "Deftones Frontman Excited for Tour, 'Covers' Album, New Side Project". Noisecreep. AOL. Retrieved August 2, 2011.
- EP 1 (digital booklet). Crosses. 2011.CS1 maint: others (link)
- Adams, Sean (August 2, 2011). "Download: Deftones' Chino Moreno & Shaun Lopez from Far release free Crosses EP". Drowned in Sound. Retrieved August 2, 2011.
- "Deftones / Far Sideproject Release Free EP". Rock Sound. August 2, 2011. Retrieved August 2, 2011.
- Vince, Neilstein. "How Come You Didn't Tell Me Dino Campanella was Playing Drums for ††† (Crosses)???". MetalSucks. Retrieved May 8, 2014.
- Heisel, Scott (September 6, 2011). "Panic! At the Disco, Coheed and Cambria, Blaqk Audio on Batman: Arkham City soundtrack". Alternative Press. Retrieved September 6, 2011.
- "Lollapalooza Chile 2012 Lineup". Lineup.lollapaloozacl.com. Archived from the original on February 9, 2013. Retrieved November 22, 2011.
- "†††. Live 2012. Argen†ina". Crossesmusic.com. Retrieved November 22, 2011.
- "Record Store Day - April 21, 2012". Strictly Discs. Retrieved February 10, 2014.
- "Interview: Chino Moreno (Deftones)". YouTube. Retrieved February 10, 2014.
- Brian Kraus. "††† (Crosses, members of Deftones and Far) join the Sumerian Records roster". Alternative Press. Retrieved September 5, 2013.
- Kraus, Brian (October 5, 2013). "††† (Crosses, members of Deftones and Far on Sumerian Records) stream new single, '†he epilogue'". Alternative Press. Retrieved November 5, 2013.
- Martins, Chris (November 5, 2013). "Stream Crosses' 'Bitches Brew,' Electronic Doom From Deftones' Chino Moreno". Spin. Spin Media. Retrieved November 5, 2013.
- Muller, Marissa (November 25, 2013). "††† (Crosses) Conjure Up Ghosts in 'Bi†ches Brew'". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media. Retrieved November 26, 2013.
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved December 31, 2014.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- Negrete, Guillermo (August 5, 2011). "Deftones' Chino Moreno Premieres Side Project 'Crosses' With New Free EP". KROQ. CBS Radio. Archived from the original on August 7, 2011. Retrieved May 22, 2012.
- Warner, Brett (August 2, 2011). "Deftones Singer Chino Moreno Unveils New Side Project, Crosses †††". Ology. Archived from the original on July 14, 2012. Retrieved May 22, 2012.
- Haynes, Gavin. "Deftones: 'It took a tragedy for us to really reconnect'". The Guardian. Retrieved April 23, 2016.
- Jones, Cat. "Extended Q&A: Crosses' Chino Moreno". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on April 16, 2016. Retrieved April 13, 2016.
- Heaney, Gregory. "+++ - (Crosses) +++". Allmusic. Retrieved March 7, 2014.
- Galil, Leor (December 13, 2011). "The Best Free Albums of 2011". Forbes. Retrieved May 20, 2012.
- Breihan, Tom (August 2, 2011). "Deftones Dude Has a Witch House Project". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved May 20, 2012.
- Pettigrew, Jason (November 7, 2011). "Interview: Crosses' Chino Moreno and Shaun Lopez open up about their elusive band". Alternative Press. Retrieved May 20, 2012.
- O'Shoney, Carson (August 21, 2011). "Review: EP1". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved May 20, 2012.
- Brockman, Daniel (February 28, 2012). "Review: EP2". The Boston Phoenix. Phoenix Media/Communications Group. Retrieved May 20, 2012.
- "Crosses Album & Song Chart History: Billboard 200". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved December 28, 2014.
- "Discography Crosses". australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved December 28, 2014.
- Korbel, Meaghann (April 20, 2012). "Alarm's guide to Record Store Day 2012". Alarm. Retrieved May 22, 2012.
- "The Epilogue - Crosses". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved November 26, 2013.
- Kaye, Ben (September 27, 2011). "Check Out: ††† (Crosses) – 'The Years' (CoS Premiere)". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved May 22, 2012.
- "Rob Zombie's Mondo Sex Head". Yahoo! Finance. Marketwire. June 19, 2012. Retrieved June 19, 2012.
External links
- Official website
- Crosses discography at Discogs