CROSSFADE Post-grunge band looking for (a lot of) new ears

The group will be making appearences this month in Struthers and Cleveland.
For Crossfade singer/guitarist Ed Sloan, the change was subtle but noticeable nonetheless.
After scoring a major hit with the single "Cold" from their 2004 self-titled debut, Sloan and his band mates were used to their live shows being somewhat reserved affairs before the radio-friendly track ended the show with an energetic raucous.
That all changed earlier this year when the vocalist noticed more and more audience members were singing along to the entire band's set.
"You can tell everybody really identifies with the album, just singing all of the words to the songs," Sloan said calling from, well, he's not quite sure. Having not emerged from his touring bus bunk, he guesses the band is somewhere in Missouri. "They've been really great shows. I think radio has had a huge impact on it and I think word of mouth is really a big one for us. There are a lot of people who are getting it. You get one kid and 20 more with them."
A few influences
With its decidedly post-grunge sound, Crossfade finds itself in a crowded pond of newcomers hoping to catch the ear of rock radio listeners. Sloan admitted the intention behind the band's debut was to create a lasting, definitive statement of emotion and guitar riffs that could rival inspirational albums from his past. He cited Pearl Jam's "Ten" and Metallica's "Master of Puppets" as discs that he not only identified with, but can still listen to in their entirety today without question.
As far as Crossfade's live show, its rise up the food chain to headliner has proved creatively inspiring. Sloan said the extra stage time has allowed Crossfade to come into its own, with a slightly more natural set that allows them to extend song lengths with head-turning solos. Crossfade headlines a show Monday at The Cellar in Struthers and May 19 at The Odeon in Cleveland.
"They'll be pleasantly surprised at how different the show is from the record," Sloan said. "Not too different where it'll catch them off guard but they'll really have a good time just getting into the [album] tracks. They're going to rock out, we're a lot heavier [live] than we are on the record."