Crossover, a hidden and forgotten subgenre of Metal music, or better yet, a hybrid between Metal music and Punk. Long story short, crossover is a kind of Punk Rock with guitar solos. Ok, maybe I am reducing it a lot, but you get the idea. As a matter of fact, this subgenre has never been famous or gathered bazillion of fans from both genres. However, their music has been influencing lots of bands all the years with its straight-ahead kind of approach and ferocious spirit, according to them the real spirit of rock.
Here we’ve got Midnight with “Steel, Rust, and Disgust,” an one-man band that rediscovers Crossover, even though, they do not say a word about it. It is my call to label them as it. The album has that taste of raw and right-to-our-face kindof music that made bands as Motörhead giants. By the way, Motörhead are a great reference to Midnight’s music. Interestingly, the album contains 12 tracks, which except by “Cleveland Metal“ and tittle track “Steel, Rust, and Disgust,” are from obscure and unsung bands as Rocket from the Tombs. The way Midnight could build their own style from those covers is amazing. It is possible to feel that all tracks are connected by a unique connecting thread. Or, better yet, they gave the songs their own Crossover approach connecting Punk debauchery with Metal music musical prowness as in “Child Eaters,” with a disturbing initial and final munching sound. The song is originally from Rubber City Rebels, a Punk Rock band whose debauchery was kept by Midnight. Ironically, despite its tittle “Rock n’ Roll Fever” is originally from country music singer David Allan Coe. It was this track that showed me Midnight impressed their raw and pulsating way of covering songs. “Carrions Keep,” a cover from False Hope received a Green Jelly wrapping that turned the song into one of the most interesting track from the album. “Black Leather Rock” and “Agitated” are pure 1970’s urgent Punk Rock with all the dirty, fast and furious movements that label them. Grand finale and album tittle “Steel, Rust, and Disgust” is slow cadenced with an acid guitar riff that seems to corrode slowly the fans’ ears with sharp and instant guitar lead interventions. It is the musical spirit of the album.
If you do not know, or have never heard about Crossover, “Steel, Rust, and Disgust” is your never-miss-it album. A real find.
As Athenar, Midnight‘s mastermind, puts it:
“The idea to record an album of all cover jams with a certain theme is nothing quite new. The original title for this album was gonna be Throw Ups as an homage to the David Bowie “Pin Ups” album also of covers. Although Throw Ups is only 2 syllables, I need 6, I guess I could’ve called it Throw Downs, Throw Outs, Throw Ups, but that would be just fucking stupid. Similar to the aforementioned transvestite genius musician, I just wanted to record some songs by bands who shared the same sights, sounds and sewage of my region of birth. Some of these tunes you may have heard, some you may have not.”
Midnight “Steel, Rust, and Disgust” will be released on May 23rd via Metal Blade Records.
Track Listing:
1. Cleveland Metal
2. Iron Beast (Kratos Cover)
3. I’m Insane (Synastryche Cover)
4. Final Solution (Rocket from the Tombs Cover)
5. Frenzy (Screamin’ Jay Hawkins Cover)
6. Child Eaters (Rubber City Rebels Cover)
7. 3rd Generation Nation (Dead Boys Cover)
8. Rock n’ Roll Fever (David Allan Coe Cover)
9. Carrions Keep (False Hope Cover)
10. Black Leather Rock (Electric Eels Cover)
11. Steel, Rust and Disgust
12. Agitated (Electric Eels Cover)
Watch “Cleveland Metal” official lyric video here:
I’m just a lucky guy who has chosen metal to live with for a long time. Metal changed my life for good. It made me more confident and stronger. Metalheads are naturally far away from the mass mediocrity and don’t accept impostures from anybody else. Metal is more than music, it’s a life changing oportunity!