Review: Cripple Bastards ‘La Tua Foto Sul Marmo’
On these sunnier days, it’s always good to listen to something a bit more brutal to put life in perspective, and if you want that soundtrack to be noisy and extreme, then look no further than Italian grindcore veterans Cripple Bastards. Armed with a new EP consisting of six sonic blasts of out-and-out fury, the quartet of vocalist Giulio The Bastard, bassist Schintu The Wretched, drummer Raphael Saini, and guitarist Der Kommissar are back to push their boundaries one step further.
One thing that’s for certain straight from the off: this isn’t for the faint-hearted, as it’s as fast and loud as it gets. We are welcomed to hell by the guttural roar of Giulio as they launch into Il respiro si chiude like a full-scale war on your senses. The rapid drumming from Saini is a real treat as it powers the song from start to finish. If you fancy something even shorter, then Scarto del rimorso will be right up your street as the rhythm is always evident, rather than just noise for noise’s sake, which can plague lesser grindcore tracks.
Vendicativo has a sinister, evil feel surrounding it, but carries an added purpose and dynamism. They mix up the vocals midway, allowing the guitar solo to take centre stage before getting back to their impressive selves and blasting through its two-and-a-half minutes.
remorseless and barbaric intent that cements their global cult legacy…
There is a somewhat slower start to the title track, La tua foto sul marmo (which translates to Your Photo on Marble). It features heartfelt lyrics ‘I can’t take pain if it comes from you’that will resonate with many. However, after that initial sedentary pace (well, sedentary for them), they are straight back to firing on all cylinders, upping the intensity levels several notches while mixing tempos brilliantly across the track.
It’s uncompromising from start to finish, and sometimes you need this sort of music to remind you that short, intense savagery is to be welcomed as without it, the world would be a dull place. They kick up another gear with L’era della dispersione, where those sharp little guitar riffs are exceptionally pleasing to the ears, before wrapping it all up with Ai confini di quel che puoi dire (translating to On the Brink of What You Can Say). It delivers the final slap across your head with more remorseless and barbaric intent that cements their global cult legacy.
Label: F.O.A.D. Records
Band Links: Official | Facebook | Bandcamp | Spotify | Instagram
Scribed by: Matthew Williams
