Kent born alt-metal ensemble Crostpaths have unleashed their thunderous EP, ‘Mutated’. Forming in the latter half of 2018, Crostpaths consists of Ritchie Murray Jack (lead vocals), Owain Lewis
(bass/vocals), Michael Edwards (Guitars), and James Mason (drums). Recently signing with Enso Music Management, the band look to continue the ascension they started with 2019’s self-titled EP with their
sophomore effort.
Comprised of 4 tracks, including a radio edit of single ‘Rampant’, ‘Mutated’ takes you through a whirlwind cycle of emotions we may all be intimately familiar with by now, thanks to the much less exciting P-Word. With lyrical themes of anger, sorrow and the grit which comes from rising above that which drags you down, Crostpaths do indeed possess the wisdom to throw back at the ‘dipshits’ who claim Ritchie Murray Jack’s lyrical bars come ‘without the facts’.
Charged with aggression fuelled arrogance, the EP’s opener ‘Rampage’ speaks of ‘chaos confined’ and the blindness that often comes when the red mist descends. Echoing new era Stuck Mojo, boast rap lyrics are backed up by fiendishly hard-hitting guitar riffs and razor-sharp pounding drums. Throughout the record, simplistic yet well executed riffs allow the vocals to take centre stage, however refuse to be overshadowed. With ‘Rampage’ in particular, it’s the guitar work taking full reigns of the song, controlling the peaks and troughs of aggression and marking the natural progression of the track in monstrous fashion.
The outward bound rage soon turns inward as ‘Hiding In Plain Sight’ is an ode of self-deprecation and harshness toward ones self. The vocals spit ‘My brain is aimless and I lack focus/ Fucking up my life is my magnum opus’ with a venom many can and often do save only for themselves. Weaving the tale of self-loathing, Ritchie Murray Jack’s lyrical talent can’t be denied with the lines; ‘World on my shoulders but I’m back-boneless/ Sticking out my neck like a diplodocus’.
Though ‘Mutated’ has 3 different tracks, Crostpaths make it incredibly clear they intend the EP to be listened to front to back in its entirety, not as separate entities. As ‘Hiding In Plain Sight’ comes to a close, the synthetic tinkling sounds like shards of shattered glass hitting the floor may prompt us to believe that maybe the weight of the emotional baggage has broken the protagonist’s fragile state of mind. However, this despair quickly flows into ‘Defiant’ energy, both in sentiment and track title.
Penultimate track ‘Defiant’ serves as an anthemic swan song, a call to arms to the once despondent masses now feeling the ‘Determination to wash away regrets I’ve tasted’. The hammering rhythm of the drums mimics those which once echoed across a battlefield in the moments before a single shot was fired. Infuse that with biting metal riffs and brutal hooks, the instrumentals here should be enough to place this track on your New Years gym playlist. If that somehow isn’t enough, the chant worthy ‘Never giving up, undefeatable/ Ever giving up is unfeasible’ should be the extra shot of adrenalin required to push you through that final set of weights or meters left before the finish line. Emulating the elation the body becomes awash with after physical or emotional strain, Edwards’ guitar solo at the end of the track
provides a sense of relief. Though solos aren’t normally a feature within the nu-metal genre, it serves a purpose here. As Edwards’ guitar screams, it launches the song into the stratosphere, marking the end of a turbulent emotional cycle.
While aggressive and high-octane riffs run rampant throughout the record and several mic-drop moments are made, a nod needs to be made toward something a little softer. The EP is laced with haunting Chester Bennington style vocals, whether it be the savage whisper at the start of ‘Rampage’ or the ethereal vocalisation of frustration and emotional anguish which punctuates ‘Hiding In Plain Sight’. It is a balance which is needed and will be appreciated by anyone who listens to this record.
‘Mutated’ not only illustrates the powerful resilience of the mind but also serves as a reminder that the feelings we experience, much like the EP, come to us like cyclical weather fronts. Though the EP is a far more pleasurable experience than another go round on the carousel of emotion. With further releases and live shows to support the EP when time and circumstance will allow, Crostpaths follow the likes of Fever 333 and Of Mice and Men by breathing new life into nu-metal.
‘Mutated’ is available now across all streaming platforms and physical copies are available through The NuZine. To keep up to date with the latest news from the Crostpaths camp, follow the band on their social medias below.
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