Fu Manchu - California Crossing 25th Anniversary Edition (Red, White & Blue Vinyl)

Fu Manchu mark the 25th anniversary of California Crossing with a newly remastered vinyl edition of their seventh studio album. Originally released in 2001 and recorded at the legendary Sound City Studios in Los Angeles, the record was made by the band with producer Matt Hyde, whose credits include Deftones, Slayer and Monster Magnet. It was also Fu Manchu’s final album with drummer Brant Bjork.

California Crossing became the band’s most commercially successful release and remains one of the clearest expressions of their combination of fuzz-heavy riffs, laid-back hooks and Southern California road culture. The eleven-song set includes Mongoose, later heard across film and television placements, and Squash That Fly, the band’s most successful radio single. Other long-standing favourites include Separate Kingdom, Hang On and the title track, while Bultaco features guest vocals from Circle Jerks frontman Keith Morris.

For this anniversary edition, the audio has been newly remastered for improved fidelity while retaining the loose, heavy character of the original sessions. The presentation is equally distinctive: this is a limited run of 2,000 copies pressed on custom red, white and blue three-layer colour vinyl and housed in a gatefold package.

A key title in Fu Manchu’s catalogue, California Crossing sits at the meeting point of stoner rock, punk economy and classic hard-rock groove. This 25th anniversary pressing gives the album a substantial physical upgrade while preserving the direct, riff-driven appeal that made it a fan favourite in the first place.