II Digipak CD

Quite pretentiously titled II, the second album by US hardcore punk band Dead Cross is anything but boring. Guitarist Michael Crain (Retox), bassist Justin Pearson (The Locust, Retox), drummer Dave Lombardo (Slayer, Mr. Bungle, Fantômas) and singer Mike Patton (Faith No More, Mr. Bungle, Fantômas) present its successor five years after the band-titled debut. II is not only noisy hardcore, but also deals with politically inspired topics. And in general, it's a sign of friendship, as the band showed strong cohesion after Crain's surprise cancer diagnosis.

"Words can't begin to describe how much this album means to me," Crain explains. "It was born out of pain and uncertainty. The slow, excruciatingly painful and nausea-inducing recovery from cancer treatment was the catalyst for every riff and note on this record. My will to live and being able to spend time with my brothers Justin, Dave, Mike and co-producer Ross Robinson gave me the strength to get up every day and go into the studio. so everything could be recorded."