Spring Break
Colorful band serves up dark techno on "Immortal"
Aaron Tessman
Issue date: 9/16/08 Section: Entertainment
Consisting of seven band members, The Crux Shadows (CXS) mix vocals, a keyboard, guitar, three violins and dancing on their latest record, Immortal.
True to the connotations of their name, The Crux Shadows', or shadow of the cross, tone carries a heavy beat and dark, electric melodies. The violins add a supernatural discotheque feeling to the already exotic tones and their lyrics match the shades of music they produce.
Lyrics like "We stand before our lives/ a soul against oblivion forever asking 'Why…?'" and, "Fragments of my life are slipping through time in washed out memories," are just dark enough to match the music itself.
"Beginning Immortal" is the title track. As techno/synthesized music is often inclined to do, the majority of the Immortal tracks seem to be reiterating the same four or five chords over and over.
With the staccato played on the hi-hat cymbals, the throb of the bass and a good stereo, listening to Immortal can make you feel as though you're at a night-club.
The band, ultimately, belongs to frontman Rogue, who creates all the lyrics, handles the musical composition, sings lead-vocals and plays the violin. He formed The Crux Shadows in the early 1990s and has lead them on tours to numerous countries, including England, Greece, The Czech Republic, Romania, and Latvia to name a few. In 2007, CXS became the first gothic band to play in China when they performed in Beijing.
Valerie Gentile plays the guitar and sings backup. Her likes include comic books and Brooklyn, and she says the way to her heart is through skim honey lattes from Starbucks. She dislikes long speeches, blue jeans and drug abuse.
JoHanna Moresco also plays the violin for The Crux Shadows and enjoys glitter and dying her hair, and chocolate and hates when she can't get her eyeliner straight or when people drive poorly. Unlike Rogue, who never has caffeine, JoHanna cannot live without it. At only 20 years old she plays the violin with passion. Her favorite quote is "the question isn't who's going to let me, it's who's going to stop me."
Jessica Lackey is the lead dancer and road manager for CXS. She has played the flute on a number of songs and her favorite color, other than black, is "bright-ass pink."
David Russell Wood bows the third violin and has played in the University of Wyoming Symphony Orchestra, the Wyoming Chamber Orchestra, the Powder River Symphony as well as numerous other assemblages.
Jen Jawidzik, alias "Pyromantic" (her likes include fire), plays the keyboard and shares the backing vocals with Valerie. She likes cartoons and forensic shows.
Sarah Kilgore is another dancer and back up singer. She is new to the band and likes yoga and sushi.
They have done over 1,000 shows and at least 75 of them were overseas. Currently, they all live in Florida and will be touring the United States from Sept 17 - Dec 7 2008. Most of their performances will be out west, but CXS comes out east in the middle of November.
True to the connotations of their name, The Crux Shadows', or shadow of the cross, tone carries a heavy beat and dark, electric melodies. The violins add a supernatural discotheque feeling to the already exotic tones and their lyrics match the shades of music they produce.
Lyrics like "We stand before our lives/ a soul against oblivion forever asking 'Why…?'" and, "Fragments of my life are slipping through time in washed out memories," are just dark enough to match the music itself.
"Beginning Immortal" is the title track. As techno/synthesized music is often inclined to do, the majority of the Immortal tracks seem to be reiterating the same four or five chords over and over.
With the staccato played on the hi-hat cymbals, the throb of the bass and a good stereo, listening to Immortal can make you feel as though you're at a night-club.
The band, ultimately, belongs to frontman Rogue, who creates all the lyrics, handles the musical composition, sings lead-vocals and plays the violin. He formed The Crux Shadows in the early 1990s and has lead them on tours to numerous countries, including England, Greece, The Czech Republic, Romania, and Latvia to name a few. In 2007, CXS became the first gothic band to play in China when they performed in Beijing.
Valerie Gentile plays the guitar and sings backup. Her likes include comic books and Brooklyn, and she says the way to her heart is through skim honey lattes from Starbucks. She dislikes long speeches, blue jeans and drug abuse.
JoHanna Moresco also plays the violin for The Crux Shadows and enjoys glitter and dying her hair, and chocolate and hates when she can't get her eyeliner straight or when people drive poorly. Unlike Rogue, who never has caffeine, JoHanna cannot live without it. At only 20 years old she plays the violin with passion. Her favorite quote is "the question isn't who's going to let me, it's who's going to stop me."
Jessica Lackey is the lead dancer and road manager for CXS. She has played the flute on a number of songs and her favorite color, other than black, is "bright-ass pink."
David Russell Wood bows the third violin and has played in the University of Wyoming Symphony Orchestra, the Wyoming Chamber Orchestra, the Powder River Symphony as well as numerous other assemblages.
Jen Jawidzik, alias "Pyromantic" (her likes include fire), plays the keyboard and shares the backing vocals with Valerie. She likes cartoons and forensic shows.
Sarah Kilgore is another dancer and back up singer. She is new to the band and likes yoga and sushi.
They have done over 1,000 shows and at least 75 of them were overseas. Currently, they all live in Florida and will be touring the United States from Sept 17 - Dec 7 2008. Most of their performances will be out west, but CXS comes out east in the middle of November.
