Dead Cross, the hardcore-thrash supergroup featuring Mike Patton and Dave Lombardo, have shared the new song “Heart Reformer.” It’s the second single from the forthcoming album II, out October 28th.
Lombardo’s massive drums lead the way on the ferocious new track. Mangled riffs and Patton’s barks call back to full-speed-ahead ’80s thrash, but the arrangement is deceptively complex, twisting and turning across its four-minute duration.
The song comes with a video directed and edited by Dark Details (aka Chris J. Cunningham). The clip functions as a short film and features spastic cuts and surgical-like facial extractions (though there’s not an immense amount of gore).
“‘Heart Reformer’ was as much fun to write as it is to listen to,” said guitarist Michael Crain in a press release. “It’s a classic Dead Cross song. It’s a pit stirrer and a fist pumper!”
The band came together to record II after Crain received a surprise cancer diagnosis. The album has a political angle — as heard on the previously released lead single “Reign in Error” — and was “recorded almost as quickly as it was written,” according to Crain.
“Words can’t even begin to describe how much this album means to me,” Crain said in a prior statement. “It’s birthed of pain and uncertainty. The slow, excruciatingly painful, and nauseating recovery from cancer treatments were the catalyst for every riff and note on this album. However, my will to live and be with my brothers Justin, Dave, Mike, and co-producer Ross Robinson, got me out of bed and running into the studio every day to get it all on tape.”
Pre-order Dead Cross’ II in multiple formats via Ipecac Recordings or Amazon. Watch the video for “Heart Reformer” below.