Special Feature – Make It Metal with Crossfaith

There is nothing I love more than a band in the metal community who use their imagination to do something differently. Bands and labels who try to find a way to connect to their fans through unconventional methods. Make it Metal is Crossfaith doing exactly that.

Despite what many outlets would have you believe, rock and metal is by no means in trouble or dying. It is absolutely thriving, both in the mainstream and in the underground. Some of the best music I have heard has come in the last few years and there are band’s around that have recently formed that are absolutely killing it. One thing that is certain though is that it is much simpler and easier to hear music now then it has ever been. The continuous rise of streaming services and sites like YouTube means that every man and his dog can push music out and get it viewed.

For a small band, this is welcomed I guess but for a fan it does mean that you are swamped in new music. That can be good and bad. How can you keep up with it all? How do you make sure something excellent doesn’t slip through the net? Well, that is where the band and labels have to come in. It isn’t easy but if you want to stand out from the crowd, simply putting music out isn’t going to cut it unless you are a well established band.

Band’s and labels now need to be really active on social media, offer extras with purchases, release music in snippets to create hype and generate that all important word of mouth. That leads nicely to what Crossfaith have done to stand out from the crowd.

I (they) give you, Make it Metal – An Interactive, head banging generated music experience. I’ll let you digest that for a second while I tell you a bit more about Crossfaith.

Crossfaith are a Japanese electrometal group. They recently released a new single called Freedom which featured on the band’s new EP, also called Freedom. The EP has three tracks on it and was released digitally on the 4th of August via UNFD. Crossfaith are Kenta Koie on vocals and Kazuki Takemura on guitars. Terufumi Tamano adds backing vocals and looks after all the sampling, programming and keys. Tatsuya Amano is on the drums and Hiroki Ikegawa is on the bass.

I won’t lie. I am not a huge fan of theirs normally. For me, Crossfaith tread a fine line between what is or isn’t metal. They have some solid industrial/hardcore metal sounds but also a lot of dubstep and programming which I don’t really like. Having said that, the single Freedom was balanced well and I enjoyed that. I am a fan of what they are trying to do here though.

Make it Metal is a promo that is designed to drum up interest in the band, the EP, Freedom, and is a fun way to connect with the fans.

The basic premise is, you want a new and exclusive Crossfaith song? You need to headbang for it. From a desktop/laptop only (no mobiles) you follow this link – MAKE IT METAL. Once there you will get a very simple set of instructions. Turn on your webcam, headbang to your hearts content and listen to a livestream of an exclusive song. Stop head banging and the music stops. You want music, headbang for it. It is that simple.

Yes, it is a gimmick but it works and it is good fun. I won’t say too much about the music – you need to go there and hear it yourself without me spoiling it but it is a rocking track that will make you want to bang your head anyway.

As you headbang and the song progresses, you are treated to a sequence of visuals showcasing the album artwork in a modern/contemporary style that eventually becomes a bit darker and more familiar. When you complete the track, you are treated to a customised “results” screen. Hear the program has analysed your performance via the webcam so you can show off (or hide) your results to the metal masses and gain kudos.

Here is mine – must try harder.

So, head on over to Make it Metal and get head banging. Not only will you come away smiling, you will also get to listen to an exclusive bit of music from Crossfaith. Mostly though, you will have a few minutes of fun where your head banging controls the music. If you like it, keep going. If not, stop head banging and the music will stop too.

Now if only we could do that in real life!

GBHBL would like to thank Aaron Phua for bringing “Make it Metal” to our attention. Thanks Aaron.

Check out Freedom, the single, which is available to view on Crossfaith’s YouTube channel, with accompanying video, here. Freedom can be picked up via the Amazon link below. Check out Crossfaith on Facebook and Twitter to learn more about them and to keep up with news on new releases and tours.

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