Xombie
Capital X
(self-released)

A staccato stompin’ beat, then drilling guitars of opener “Veloca Rapper” sets the stage for the “hood metal” attack seven songs of Xombie’s new album, Capital X. Bassist Cadillac Mike (Mike Martabano) is especially alive here. The band’s first single for this album follows, a blisteringly fast, roiling “Rock Bottom,” showcasing Roy Galvan and Fish (Robert Fishkin’s) blistering riffing.

“Polar Ice” is anything but cold; it sees Eric Castillo bubbling up his beats off of expert tom playing, those guitars again driving and Atom Crews (Adam Cruz) rapping/singing and screaming in equally fantastic measure. This is a dangerous, noisy mixture, with the guitars at times full-on heavy speed metal at other times taking some influence from Tom Morello. I love the De Niro-as-Travis Bickle monologue at the end. “Rotten Apple” rolls pretty much as hard, heavy and fast. The album’s title track is wild bashing with backing shouting in the chorus and Castillo on fire. “Friday” is an upbeat guitar riff-led ender with maybe the best rap from Crews here in the middle of all the slicing guitar and tight fastness of Mike and Castillo. It even sees a drum solo.

Xombie formed in NYC in February of 201o and Capital X reflects a decidedly Big Apple sensibility. As singer Adam Cruz says of his band’s album: “New York City can be the most unforgiving place in the world if you let it beat you. But if you keep playing the game, eventually you’ll win big. That’s what this album is about.”