The Crosses: Outlier
LP | CD | DL
Out April 17
In 1991, Die Kreuzen released their final LP, Cement. Now, 35 years later, former frontman, Daniel Kubinski and his custodians of Die Kreuzen’s legacy, The Crosses, release their debut six-track EP, Outlier. Sean Millard wistfully embraces nostalgia, only to find it disappear in a cloud of dust in his arms. It turns out that The Crosses aren’t some re-hashed nostalgia act, after all…
For ten years, The Crosses have been keeping the Die Kreuzen spirit alive. They’ve toured the USA, paying tribute to everything the original band released in their seven years together. Now, it seems, they have moved forward. No longer just defenders of an incredible legacy; they are adding to it with new, exciting and evolved material. Hold my (Cows and) beer…
Die Kreuzen were a stalwart pillar of the pre-grunge US indie/hardcore/post-hardcore/college rock scene, from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Signed to Chicago’s Touch and Go Records, they released four stellar LPs between 1984 and 1991. Their influence on bands like Mudhoney, pre-Lovey Lemonheads and early Screaming Trees is obvious. But their reach went much further than that. They, along with mid-Western brothers-in-arms, Hüsker Dü, The Replacements and even punker peers like San Francisco’s Dead Kennedys, defined the shape and values of the American ‘80s underground. Take any band from SST, Homestead, Twin-Tone – even Dischord. Draw a line directly between them and Die Kreuzen. You’d unearth stories, friendships and bills that were shared on numerous flea-pit stages across America.
The band were definitive. From their first LP, 1984’s hardcore-influenced self-titled opus, all the way through (the still-magnetic) October File, the grunge-defining Century Days and their slightly softer final full release Cement in 1991, they were ever-present in the underground. Every release is significant in its own way. Yet they are often overlooked in sweeping musical histories of America, in favour of more recognisable (and grammatically correct) names.
But under-estimate their true stature at your peril. When many of their contemporaries were regurgitating the same formulas, Die Kreuzen were doing something inventive with each release. They evolved before our ears, bringing new influences with each song, from post-punk and goth to metal. Even some well-camouflaged country and folk elements were present in their later work. An eclectic, dynamic band that instigated musical liberation and genre agnosticism as a fundamental pillar to those in their wake.
Die Kreuzen split up in 1992. The members went their separate ways, contributing to and innovating in new and interesting musical projects. But they never regained the notoriety their original band had achieved. For the last decade, original vocalist Dan Kubinski has been touring The Crosses (Die Kreuzen, in English) as a tribute to past glories. They have focused mainly on representing the band’s original first two LPs live.
Now, The Crosses debut ‘proper’ release, the six-track Outlier EP, is undeniable proof that Kubinski, alongside hardcore luminaries Jim Potter, Christopher Ortiz and Jesse Sieren, are much more than a ‘Kreuzen covers band. They’re taking that catalogue as a jumping off point. They honour it, evolve it and take it into today’s hardcore and metal scene with a grin. Followed by a grimace and a swagger that only 40-odd years of experience can deliver. And we are gathered here today to discuss it.
Outlier contains six punching, dynamic and, frankly, explosive songs. Four of them are newly written. Two of them are covers. One from the god-like Hüsker Dü, I’ll Never Forget You. One from Die Kreuzen themselves; Man In The Trees. It was originally the opening song from my favourite LP of theirs, 1986’s October File. But we’ll get to them.
The EP kicks off with Nails. Fucking hell. What a way to herald a return/new beginning. A squall of feedback. A rolling, over-driven bass and tub-thumping glory in four bars. Then Kubinski comes in with an abrasive yell: ”Confusion! Absolution!” and we’re off. Soaring, alone and blood-stained, above lightning-fast hardcore riffs – and the trademark melodic bass-lines. Ever present in the original band’s songwriting, I’m so glad The Crosses have retained it.
Keith Brammer’s bass playing, back then, was a significant hallmark of the Die Kreuzen’s original sound. It did a great job of maximising the space that a power-trio had to play in. The Crosses could easily have bedded down into a more modern hardcore sound and foregone that sense of melody. But they didn’t. It’s still there. At the forefront. And yet the overall sound is multi-tracked and fuller. More powerful. Christopher Ortiz is honouring a the legacy while driving it forward in a relevant, engaging and thrilling way.
Jim Potter’s central, addictive three chord guitar riff dominates proceedings throughout the song. Its adrenalized urgency throws the maelstrom directly into your chops. Now; the last thing I tend to get excited about these days is a blistering guitar solo. But Potter’s hugely elevating and blasting delivery over the bridge is nothing short of the signature of the song. What a start.
Hate Market was a preview track, released as a CD/Video only promo single, way back in 2024. If it doesn’t serve perfectly as a 1.14 minute statement of intent, I’ll be a monkey’s uncle. Actually, fuck that – I’ll be that damn fine chimp’s Great Aunt, Nana and heavy-rocking Grandpa, too. Again, wow. It’s gob-smackingly furious.
How many Young Bucks are capable of delivering such breathless furiosity these days? I mean – they’re there, of course; the spirit never dies. I’m definitely not a nay-sayer when it comes to The Kids, but it’s been a while since I’ve been swept off my feet by the blatant disregard for conformity that hits like a hammer with Hate Market. Zoinks.
That intro, for a start. What a way to foreshadow the barrage. The discordant chordal punctuation. The tickling lead flourishes. What a fucking wonderful racket. Oh, Mother. Take me now.
The-best-drum-roll-of-2026-so-far drags Nychthemeron into focus. A good point to name-drop Jesse Sieren and his work behind the kit. Such energy and impact. Which is exemplified by the production; clear, concise but mucky enough to underpin the off-the-cuff hardcore energy. Yum. I wish I had access to the lyrics; I can’t make them out clearly enough. I wonder how Kubinski is weaving in relevance to the song’s title (Greek for a full 24-hour period). For some reason, it’s caught my imagination and the enigma is compelling.
It’s another full-frontal assault, peppered with stuttering punctuation that stumbles between mid-paced thumping and full-on, driving power. Again, I find Potter’s soloing compelling, instead of off-putting, which would be a more typical response from me. This time, combined with Kubinski’s frequent cleaner vocals – even recalling Bruce Dickinson’s less operatic moments in places (!) – there’s a trad. metal undercurrent/overlay to the song that makes it stand out from the other tracks. It’s not something I expected. And I think I love it.
The final original/new song of the EP, Natronium, is also the longest of the four, at almost three minutes. Epic. It’s a slow, lumbering oaf of a song for the first half of its duration. Not quite sludge, but a crawling sense of foreboding doom. Soundgarden often cited Die Kreuzen as an influence, especially on their earlier work. Natronium channels that in its Outshined-esque pacing. But then the song reverts, with a crack, to the incendiary pacing reflected in the other tracks. Like two songs in one, such is the stark difference in pacing. The final 25% of the song is sheer chaos. A winding solo, wailing vocals, crashing drums and roiling bass crumble together to the song’s close. Natronium has a progressive feel to it, making me wonder what textures a full-length from The Crosses will offer.
The EP finishes up with the two covers I mentioned at the start. The first of which is Man In The Trees, an iconic track from Die Kreuzen’s original run. I have to say, this is a tricksy one for me. I hold the original song’s choppy riff and punchy delivery in such high regard. Revisiting it with all the modern flourishes of evolved recording techniques and musicianship makes for an odd experience.
The Crosses have remained really close to the original material. They have chosen to recreate it in high definition, rather than re-inventing anything. And that’s cool, but I don’t really get it. There’s so little space on an EP – especially a debut – to present your new material and make a splash. I’m not sure why they would supplement the new stuff with an (admittedly, sterling) cover of their own (ish) song. There’s a message there somewhere, but I wonder if it will hit home with existing Die Kreuzen fans. They already know and, probably, love the original song. So The Crosses are immediately battling with, rather than leaning into nostalgia, with such a direct reference to the past.
For what it’s worth, the cover is great, but it lacks the punch of the original song. It hasn’t got the rough-around-the-edges energy, so intrinsic to the original. Too refined, I guess. It highlights that Kubinski’s clean vocals may have evolved too far down the NWOBHM path in the intervening years. His screams and yelps are more powerful than before, but his cleaner phrasing feels a bit old fashioned these days.
I’m surprised by myself. My initial response to seeing Man In The Trees on the track-list was excitement. Ultimately though, there’s nothing wrong with the song or its interpretation. It’s just that there’s direct comparison that, as a nostalgic listener, you can’t help but make. For the wrong reasons, it makes it the weakest track on the EP. But oddly, one of the strongest songs of the 80s. Go figure.
The last track is I’ll Never Forget You. It originally appeared on Hüsker Dü’s landmark double LP of seminal hardcore, Zen Arcade. Now here’s where I lose some hardcore credibility. Of course, I recognise and appreciate the importance of Zen Arcade. It introduced a melodicism to hardcore that was pretty much missing up to that point. However, it’s the LPs that came in its wake that are most significant to me.
And here’s the controversy: it’s too muddled. I firmly believe that ten tracks across the 23 of Zen Arcade could be lost. It would make for a more impactful, single LP release. For me, there’s a lot of filler, unlike across the rest of Da Dü’s records. I can’t help but find the soundscapes and instrumental interludes dreary and skippable. And there’s at least half a dozen ‘proper’ songs that fall short when compared to the rest of them. So sue me. See if I care. You dü you, etc.
Thankfully though, I’ll Never Forget You isn’t one of the songs I’d boot out of bed. And The Crosses’ faithful cover version of it manages to lift it beyond its original representation. That’s mainly due to the more contemporary tonal delivery. It makes the instrumentation more powerful and dense than the glassy 1984 original. Again, Potter’s guitar is fundamental to the band’s ability to bring soaring one-two shiners. It feels a bit more deliberate than Bob Mould’s original (and wonderfully) off-the-cuff playing.
And then the whirlwind assault of the EP is done. Just fifteen and a half minutes of flailing hardcore intensity. Breathless and adrenalized. Oddly fresh but also well-seasoned. All in all, Outliers is a fantastic debut EP from a band of experienced professionals. It’s not nostalgia. It doesn’t have the air of one last punch from the retirement home. It sounds entirely contemporary and unique. Despite my moderate reticence regarding Kubinski’s clean vocal sound. But it’s a small critique, and any potential negatives are outweighed by the balls with which they are delivered. Ultimately, they serve to further carve out a unique space in today’s punk and hardcore landscape.
It’s genuinely amazing to me what true visionaries can achieve. Not alone, obviously. The original Die Kreuzen members came together and, through their combined adventurous spirit, defined significant cornerstone sounds for the US underground. And all that that entails. That Kubinski can surround himself a second time with a different band of musicians, equally pioneering and definitive, is nothing short of incredible.
I hope that Outlier is just a taste of what’s to come, and that it comes soon. I’d love to see a new generation of enthusiasts, as well as the tubby, greying nostalgia market, of which I am proudly one, appreciate the amazing work and musicianship that the band are capable of.
Until then, all hail The Crosses. They might just be the saviours of your rock and roll soul.
~
All words by Sean Millard. Read more at *Expletive Deleted
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