It may be difficult to fathom our referring to a band with a mere five full-lengths to their name after 26 years as prolific, but Italian grind hounds Cripple Bastards’ volume of EPs and splits are legend and indicative of a band continually on the move.
As evidence, their Acts Of Vandalism 1987-1993 four-disc collection of impenetrable early-years noisecore is a record-breaking hop-skip-and-jump away from today’s structured cohesion. But that’s not to say they’re getting soft and doughy with age. When compared to the death metal overtones of previous album Variante Alla Morte, Nero… is leaner, meaner and more dynamic.
It’s also a few notches up in the speed department, which will always be news for grind fans to fly up the flagpole. The new dual-guitar attack delivers a rawer, hardcore punk feel to the riffs – fewer single notes, more two-beat drumming – with vocalist Giulio The Bastard continuing his poetic disgust for environmental degradation, humanity’s hypocrisy, bureaucratic red tape and antiquated morality with his most ferocious delivery since he was 15 and singing through a blown-out bass amp.
