Since their last CD, 2006's Bloodred Salvation, the German band Fall Of Serenity has had some lineup changes. Vocalist René Betzold is gone, and former bassist John Gahlert moves to vocals. Guitarist Alex Fischer moves to bass, and guitarist Ferdinand Rewicki joins the band.
Even with the lineup changes, The Crossfire is pretty similar in sound to the last CD. It's melodic death metal with a lot of thrash and some metalcore influences. The songs are fast and groovy, with some blastbeats and creative guitar fills. Catchy riffs and a fair amount of melody make the songs more memorable.
Gahlert does a good job on vocals. He delivers the lyrics with a lot of passion and emotion, and varies the style and pitch just enough to avoid monotony. Fall Of Serenity has jacked up the intensity, but hasn't lost any of the melody, and The Crossfire packs a wallop.
(released May 13, 2008 on Lifeforce Records)
