Bio

CRIPPLE BASTARDS biography 1988-2018

“In being a surviving unit like Cripple Bastards for some 30 odd years, it takes much persistance, perserverance and an undying spirit to wreck yourself, all out with Brutal-Fucking-Grind. Yeah, I said it. I said Brutal, so what. Brutal. That’s the supposed overused adjective that most ‘heavy’ band bios and descriptions overlook nowadays for fear of oversaturation or an unoriginal ‘old school’ repetitiveness. Thats the one word in the dictionary that C.B. should have fucking copywritten a long time ago. It fits them. It defines them. It IS them. 

Cripple Bastards are indelibly BRUTAL. In all ways; music, violence, artwork, attitude, politics. All born of this represenatitive and passionately destructive word. The mere fact that C.B. even exist confirms they OWN the goddamn word. C.B. are B-R-U-T-A-L. Understand it NOW. “

(Mike IX Williams, EyeHateGod / Arson Anthem / Outlaw Order 00%)

Asti. Northern Italy. March 1988. The consolidation of the friendship and the common passion for extreme violence between drummer/vocalist Giulio the Bastard (aged 14) and guitarist Alberto the Crippler (aged 17), both coming from local thrash/punk bands that didn’t fit their tastes and didn’t match their ambitions, spawned the CRIPPLE BASTARDS. The initial aim of the two youngsters was to keep alive the legendary Italian hardcore spirit of CCM, Negazione, Raw Power, Wretched etc. and to mix it with the fresh extremism of the fastcore / grindcore pioneers releasing records through revolutionary labels like Children of Revolution, Selfish/Japan, Earache, Peaceville and Manic Ears. This original crossover of styles, coupled with the aural viciousness inspired by early noisecore outfits like Seven Minutes Of Nausea, was topped by Giulio’s unique creative approach at lyrical writing focusing on human annihilation and existential decay.

From the early 2 piece line-up (1988-1991), CRIPPLE BASTARDS gradually added new members (mainly drummers and bass-players, keeping GTB on vocals and ATC on guitar) but had to deal with constant personnel changes until core member Alberto the Crippler definitely abandoned music in 1999, the year the band found a stable line-up consisting in: GIULIO THE BASTARD (vocals), SCHINTU THE WRETCHED (bass), DER KOMMISSAR (guitar) and AL MAZZOTTI (drums).

After 5 successful demotapes and 3 x 7″ ep’s recorded between 1988 and 1993 and distributed through Giulio’s own “E.U. ’91 SerbianLeague” D.I.Y. label, the CRIPPLE BASTARDS start to build a solid reputation of merciless noise mongers. They gained cult status worldwide by releasing more than 25 EPs / split EPs, 5 full length albums, 3 anthological collection CDs and the “Falafel Grind” tribute CD with 32 international bands covering their most classic tunes.

The band key releases are the seven full length albums “Your lies in check” (Ecocentric Records (D) / E.U.’91 Produzioni (I), 1996), “Misantropo a senso unico” (Deaf American Recordings (U.S.A.) / E.U.’91 Produzioni (I) / Peculio Discos (Brazil), 2000), “Desperately insensitive” (Necropolis Records (U.S.A.) / Obscene Productions (CZ) / Peculio Discos (Brazil) 2003), “Variante alla morte” (FETO Records (UK) / Deep Six Records (USA), 2008), “Frammenti di vita” (F.O.A.D. Records (Italy) / Deep Six Records (USA), 2010), "Nero in metastasi" (Relapse Records (USA), 2014) and the three anthological collection CDs “Best crimes” (Grand Theft Audio (U.S.A.), 1996) + “Almost Human” (Obscene Productions (CZ), 2001) + "Age of vandalism" 4xCD boxset (SelfMadeGod (Poland), 2009) including most of the non-album material released between 1988 and 1999. CRIPPLE BASTARDS' third full length album “Desperately insensitive”, recorded at Nadir Studio by Sadist’s guitarist and Italian premier producer Tommy Talamanca, was released by Necropolis Records (U.S.A.) and marketed in Europe via Century Media Records. In the span of 3 years it has been repressed on CD by Peculio Discos (Brazil) and Obscene Productions (both in Europe and Asia) and on vinyl LP by Deep Six Records (U.S.A.) and Massacro Records (Italy): reaching the number of 10.000 pressed copies “Desperately nsensitive” became CRIPPLE BASTARDS absolute best-seller.

CRIPPLE BASTARDS has been constantly hitting the road since 1992 playing all over the world, the current line-up alone played more than 300 shows including severak full length tours (Europe, U.S. East Coast and U.S. West Cost, Brazil, Japan, Australia) and appearances in international underground festivals like “Fuck The Commerce” (D), “Obscene Extreme” and “Brutal Assault” (CZ), “Maryland Death Fest” (USA) sharing the stage with acts like Napalm Death, Exodus, Brujeria, Municipal Waste, Suffocation, Pungent Stench, Brutal Truth, Nasum, Ratos de Porão, Extreme Noise Terror, Fear Of God, Varukers and Chaos UK among others.

After unleashing the highly acclaimed split 7”s with Eyehategod on Southern Lord Recordings (U.S.A.) and with Sublime Cadaveric Decomposition on Relapse Records (U.S.A.) the Bastards bring to light a huge anthological double DVD called “Blackmails and assholism” on Obscene Productions (CZ), a 6+ hours monsterwork documenting the band’s entire career.

In 2008 CRIPPLE BASTARDS celebrate their 20 year anniversary signing with FETO Records, the UK based label owned and operated by Shane Embury (NAPALM DEATH) and Mick Kenney (ANAAL NATHRAKH), and releasing their 4th full length album “Variante alla morte”, feat. 24 tracks of hard-thrashing Hate/Grind all sung in Italian, recorded at legendary Studio Fredman (Sweden) with mixing desk extraordinaire Fredrik Nordström (At The Gates, Dimmu Borgir, In Flames, Arch Enemy, Hammerfall)

From festivals – Brutal Assault 2009 and Obscene Extreme – to frenzied,sweat-drenched club shows with Napalm Death, Municipal Waste, Brutal Truth, Rotten Sound, Haemorrhage and more in promotion of “Variante alla morte”, CRIPPLE BASTARDS worked hard to get the album into as many ears as possible – releasing a US vinyl pressing on Deep Six, a limited edition double LP on Power It Up and a South American CD edition on Peculio Discos.

Then followed a period of introspection. Releasing a four disc box set, “Age of vandalism” on Selfmadegod Records in summer 2009, collecting all of CRIPPLE BASTARDS’ demos and pre-vinyl recordings from 1987 to 1993 in a staggering 1,036 songs, and “Frammenti di vita”, a covers album of all ’80s Italian thrash and hardcore classics, from Negazione and Raw Power to Bulldozer and Necrodeath, (suitably released on tour with US crossover thrash legends WEHRMACHT), on F.O.A.D. Records/T.V.O.R.2010 marked the deal with Relapse Records, followed by one split 6" with Spanish legends Looking For An Answer including unreleased tracks recorded in 2003. The first record released under Relapse Records was "Senza Impronte", in 2012, a 7"EP with 15 new tracks showing an urging and constant sense of evolution in the band's sound. The 2008-2012 touring schedule featured insane performances at Neurotic Deathfest, Brutal Assault, Obscene Extreme, Maryland Death Fest and a full headlining Brazilian tour.

2014 is the year of the CB's 6th album, "Nero in metastasi", released on vinyl and CD via Relapse Records. The album is followed by tours in Japan, Australia, USA and festivals all around.   2015 sees Cripple Bastards going through another important line-up turning point: drummer Al Mazzotti quits aftter 15 years grinding in the band, and is promptly replaced by the Italian/Brasilian blasting monster RAPHAEL SAINI  (previously in Iced Earth, Master, Jaded Star and tons more). CB keeps on playing around in Italy, Germany, Portugal, Holland (Nertherlands Death Fest) and goes for other tours in Japan, USA and Mexico including festivals like LA's Grindcore Fest and Housecore Horror Fest in Texas.In 2018 the Bastards make it to their 7th full length, "Lafine cresce da dentro", the first with Raphael Saini on drums, released once again on vinyl and CD via Relapse Records - followed by a co-headlining Japanese tour (2019) with Italy's pioneering hardcore legends RAW POWER. 

As special item to support this tour, F.O.A.D. Records contributed with a ltd. CB / RAW POWER split 7" featuring exclusive studio tracks from both bands.  2020 to 2022 marked a long period of hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic, worsened by the fact that the band's members live far away from each other. Finally, there's a gradual reprisal from summer of 2022, with various shows and festivals in Italy, and a weekend in the Czech Republic - to celebrate the 35th anniversary.  C.B. are currently working on new songs for a special release on Relapse Records, while F.O.A.D. keeps reissueing their older albums and early material.

Today's CRIPPLE BASTARDS are:

Giulio The Bastard - Vocals

Schintu The Wretched - Bass

Der Kommissar - Guitar

Raphael Saini - Drums