Cross Bringer’s 2020 debut drew me in with its fusion of black metal and hardcore, as it emphasized the violent and abrasive elements of both genres while also incorporating some brighter ambient spots. At the time I found the softer elements to feel a bit meandering and the songs where they appeared felt a bit too long as a result but was curious to hear how the band would progress. It’s taken nearly four and a half years to find out, and the multi-country based group now has drummer Michael Kadnar (Downfall of Gaia, The Number Twelve Looks Like You) in their ranks. With this lineup shift in place, Healismus Aeternus both refocuses on the core elements of Cross Bringer’s sound while also trying some new things. It’s another compact listen, but the melodic elements are further fleshed out and don’t feel like lulls that have you just waiting for the next explosive passage, making this a consistently strong listen from beginning to end.
Where its predecessor packed several short songs between lengthier ones, Healismus Aeternus goes for more uniform lengths at around five to six minutes each. This allows the instrumentals to sprawl outwards where necessary, but everything is more focused and maintains a sense of tension even when the band is at their mellowest. There is still a sense of familiarity to songs like “The Vessel”, which tap into the same type of dizzying transitions and dense layering that Celeste and other bands of that type have captured over the years, and there are also dissonant passages that recall some of the more twisted black metal bands out there. But Cross Bringer retains an identity of their own that takes this violent and chaotic shell and weaves brighter melodies into the mix to give some light in between the darkness. “Structural Imbalance” is a highlight in this regard, as it has the rapid transitions and violent black metal style riffing early on, but around the halfway point transitions over to shimmering melodies that feel like the aural equivalent of seeing the sun peak through breaking storm clouds. There’s a shoegaze quality to some of this instrumentation, but it also captures a similar tone as Dutch bands like Fluisteraars. Other tracks like “Perpetual Servantship” head into some of the sprawling ambience heard on the debut, but it fits better this time around and leaves more of an impact. It’s also worth mentioning the production values are once again top notch, as they allow the jaggedness of the guitar leads and pounding of the drums to hit hard while giving space for some of the brighter nuances. A few passages do have some pretty similar patterns, but as a whole Healismus Aeternus has stuck with me quite a bit since that first listen.
Lina’s vocal work is another area that has evolved since Cross Bringer’s debut, and it’s an element that elevates Healismus Aeternus over its predecessor. The core of the performance is still the harsher end of the spectrum, and the raspy screams are just as in your face and ear piercing as before. But even as you make your way through opener “Desolation Hypnosis” there are noticeable differences, as some spoken word is injected into the mix and by the time you reach “Structural Balance” the screams give way to airier singing that seems to hover over the rest of the band. It’s a small detail that has a huge impact, as there’s just as much power to the singing as the screaming and it draws you back to listen again and again. This is explored further on “Perpetual Servantship” and ties the two tracks together, showcasing a side of Cross Bringer that feels new and different. I’d like to see them continue to expand on these elements down the road, as the way they contrast with the harsher tones creates some stunning moments.
Cross Bringer’s sophomore effort is a refinement in every way, as they’ve doubled down on the chaos and intensity of the black metal and hardcore elements while integrating the melodic and ambient sections more seamlessly. There are a few sections that run together, but this album really clicked from the first listen and it’s drawn me back frequently. The band does a lot in under half an hour, and the way they’ve balanced the dissonant and bleak instrumentation with brighter patches has some real staying power. Healismus Aeternus is available from Silent Pendulum Recordings and Consouling Sounds.
-Review by Chris Dahlberg