Crossfaith | |
|---|---|
.JPG) Crossfaith performing atRock am Ring in 2014 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Osaka, Japan |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 2006–present (hiatus since 2025) |
| Labels |
|
| Members |
|
| Past members |
|
| Website | www |
Crossfaith (Japanese:クロスフェイス) is a Japanesemetalcore band fromOsaka that was formed in 2006, which currently consists of vocalist Kenta Koie, guitarist Kazuki Takemura, drummer Tatsuya Amano, and keyboardist Terufumi Tamano. They are characterized by performing a style of metalcore withdubstep and other forms ofelectronic music influences, and for their intense live performances.
Crossfaith released their first demoBlueprint of Reconstruction in 2008.[3] The band later released their debut EPThe Artificial Theory for the Dramatic Beauty, through Zestone Records in 2009, and debut full-length studio albumThe Dream, the Space in 2011 throughTragic Hero Records. Crossfaith then released their second EPZion in September 2012; this acted as a promotional release to countries outside Japan.
The band started when vocalist Kenta Koie, now guitarist Kazuki Takemura andturntablist Terufumi Tamano were in anu metal band which they coveredLinkin Park andLimp Bizkit songs.[4] This used to feature Kentarapping as well asscreaming.[4][5] After their cover band broke up Kenta wanted to start up a newmetal 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 ofSlipknot'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 fromelectronic dance music groups such asChemical Brothers andThe 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 enormouspop music culture.[6]
In 2010, Koie was featured inManafest's song "No Plan B" onAvalanche/No Plan B EP.
Also in 2010, the band covered the song "Omen" byThe Prodigy which was featured as a bonus track on the Japanese version ofFearless Records'Punk Goes Pop Volume 03.
In their early touring history, they were supported by bands likeHatebreed,Machine Head,In This Moment,Bleeding Through,The Used,August Burns Red orMemphis May Fire.[7] In March 2011,Tragic Hero Records signed Crossfaith for anAmerican release of their debut albumThe Dream, the Space.[6][7]
In 2012, Crossfaith's tour schedule forEurope expanded, supportingOf Mice & Men withBury Tomorrow and later in the year supportingWhile She Sleeps alongsideBleed from Within and Polar in September.[8][9][10] In August the band went to Japan to play theSummer 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 secondextended playZion, used as an introductory sampler designed to break into a bigger market.[11]Zion was named after thehuman city inThe Matrix film series.[12] The extended play revived a popular response from mainstream critics such asKerrang! andThe Sydney Morning Herald.[13][11] Three promotional videos spawned out of the promotion of the EP: music videos for "Monolith" and "Jägerbomb" and onetypography style video for "Photosphere".[9][14][15] On November 10, the band performed at theWarped Tour 2013 at theAlexandra Palace inLondon on the 'Kevin Says Stage'.[16][8][17] Their performance at the festival garnered much attention for the band.[13]
On February 4, 2013, theZion EP was released in Europe by Search and Destroy Records, and just a few days after that the extended play was streamed online atSoundCloud.[18][19] Crossfaith performed at the Australian2013 Soundwave festival for all five dates inBrisbane,Sydney,Melbourne,Adelaide andPerth between February 23 and March 4.[20] They have also announced Sidewaves shows before the festival dates withPeriphery.[21] Just two days after their appearance in Australia the band is started their March tour across the United States in support ofEnter Shikari andArchitects.[22][23]
In May, the band supportedBring 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 theSugarmill inStoke supported byWe Butter the Bread with Butter, but due to the success of the London show sold they upgraded the venue to theCamden 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 festivalWarped Tour 2013 in the United States and will perform atReading and Leeds Festivals in the United Kingdom.[23][1] Crossfaith had released their second studio albumApocalyze in Japan on September 4, 2013, and on September 9 in the United Kingdom.[27][1] The album was recorded at Machine Shop Studios inNew York City in January 2013 and will be released through Search and Destroy andSony Music.[15][27][1] Before the release ofApocalyze, the band released three music videos: "We Are the Future", "Eclipse" and "The Evolution".[1]
On October 8, 2014, the band released a three-track long single titledMadness. 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 2015. Crossfaith released their third studio albumXeno on September 18, 2015.
On July 27, 2016, the band released another three-track long single titledNew Age Warriors, featuring three new songs: "Rx Overdrive", which had an accompanying music video, "Kill 'Em All" and "Revolution".
In an interview withDead 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 titledEx Machina, which was released on August 1, 2018.[29]
On February 5, 2020, the band debuted their first single "Endorphin" exclusively onDaniel P. Carter'sBBC 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 April 9, 2020.[31] Following the EP, the band released a bunch of remixes of "Endorphin", including one from Spanish techno DJ and producerRegal.[32]
On February 16, 2021, the band released a brand new single "Dead or Alive".[33] On April 7, the band released another new single "RedZone".[34] On July 19, 2022, the band announced on the social media that their longtime supporting guitarist Tama departed on good terms and was replaced by Daiki Koide, formerly from Her Name in Blood.[35][36] On January 30, 2024, Crossfaith announced on social media that they decided to part ways with bassist Hiroki Ikegawa.[37]
On February 15, 2024, Crossfaith released the first single "Zero" alongside an accompanying music video. An announcement that touring guitarist, Daiki Koide has officially joined the band as a full-time member.[38] On April 18, the band unveiled the second single "L.A.M.N" featuring Bobby Wolfgang. At the same time, they announced their fifth studio album,Ark, which was released on June 26, 2024.[39] On May 15, the band released the third single "God Speed" featuringWargasm, along with an accompanying music video.[40]
On June 28, 2025, Crossfaith announced that guitarist Daiki Koide had been dismissed from the band following confirmed reports of inappropriate communication with an underage fan.[41] The announcement followed the cancellation of the remaining dates on their European tour.[42] On June 30, the band released a detailed timeline of events, including DMs between Daiki and the fan, as well as messages exchanged withFalling in Reverse frontmanRonnie Radke. They also issued a public apology and announced the indefinite suspension of all band activities.[43]
Crossfaith have used clean singing as far back as theirfirst album, on the song "K". It is the only song on that album which uses clean vocals. OnThe Dream, the Space, they used clean vocals on the songs "Omen" and "Demise and Kiss", did not use any clean vocals on theZion EP, and did on their third albumApocalyze on the songs "Eclipse", "Scarlett", "Only the Wise Can Control Our Eyes", and "Counting Stars". AfterApocalyze, 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 asmetalcore[3][6][25][44][45] andelectronicore,[3][11][44][46][23] blending influences fromheavy metal,[7][11][23]electronica,[6][45][23]hardcore,[24]melodic death metal[47] andindustrial metal.[15][44] The band's music is seen as a combination of metalcore instrumentation andvocals withkeyboards andindustrialsynths.[13][45] They have been described as "Slipknot tearingthe Prodigy limb from limb",[8][23] and have been seen as a fusion of "metal,dance beats, ragingpunk fury and an energy that's entirely Crossfaith's own".[48] The band has always wanted to writeEnglish lyrics as they felt their music is quitewesternised.[23]
The band's EPZion showcases their synthesiser dominated sound, particularly on "Monolith" showcasing "double-kick beats, rapid chugging riffs and atmospheric bursts".[45][6] While the party anthem "Jägerbomb" is seen as "purePanteragroove metal with an underlying dash of synth" and is credited as solidifying Crossfaith's reputation as a party band.[49][24][5] The pace of the record slows with "Dialogue", a "techno-infused instrumental" interlude with a "slow, tense electronic beat".[6][50]
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.[48] "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.[48][4] "Only the Wise Can Control Our Eyes" confronts theFukushima Nuclear Disaster and how the band believes the government is withholding information about the disaster from the public.[48][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."[51]
Current members
Former members
Touring musicians
Studio albums
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Crossfaith | Best New Band[53] | Nominated |
| 2014 | Crossfaith | Best Breakthrough Band[54] | Nominated |
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Crossfaith | Best International Newcomer[55] | Nominated |
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Crossfaith | Best International Band[56] | Nominated |
| 2015 | Crossfaith | Best International Band[57] | Nominated |
Bring Me The Horizon may have beenWarped Tour UK's big draw, but thisJapanese 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 ofmetalcore andindustrialsynths.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |