5th September 2023

Review: “Heartbreak Criminals” by Nasty

Three years after the fourteen tracks of pure, pummelling violence of “Menace“, the four horsemen of the apocalypse return with a collection of new material and some re-recorded classics for your listening pleasure. Bringing the beatdown since 2004 when they were called Van Damme, “Heartbreak Criminals” is the ninth studio album from one of Europe’s hardest hitting Hardcore bands Nasty and with the calibre of their previous works, extensive touring and festival appearances, they’ve proven they’re ones not to be f***ed with…

If anyone thought that the album title “Heartbreak Criminals” meant that Belgian and German Hardcore outfit Nasty had gone soft and made an album influenced by bands like Comeback Kid full of clean choruses, abandoning their roots well guess again. Inseparable opening duo “Intro” and “Roses” set the tone with a big, festival sized build up to a Metal tinged beatdown Hardcore track with all the energy and aggression of the better part of two decades of fury. Matthi sounds like he’s about to knock someone’s block off in those opening four minutes and that’s just for s***s and giggles. Driving home the coffin nails “Reality Check” is another rage-fest that threatens to reach into the void and pull out some Deathcore moments, the swiftly executed tempo changes making it an instantly gratifying affair while the downtempo closing is a real coup de grace. Pouring fuel on the already raging inferno “911” takes us back to the early 2000s and bands like Bury Your Dead with a satisfying crunch and razor sharp modern production before the breakdown pile up that is “Total Domination” requires a fleet of tow trucks to clear the pile of bodies from the mosh pit. A tale of a broken heart soaked in Beatdown Hardcore glory “Heartbreak Criminals” doesn’t find Matthi divulge much detail but the emotively tingled performance laced with aggression speaks volumes about the meaning of what he does say. An extended clean vocal repetition of the song title over a tasteful solo from Paddy gives us a sing-a-long moment of respite that will go down a storm live, especially at festivals.

Turning up the aggression levels once more, Nasty then offer up four band to back sub two minute cuts starting with “Resurrection“, each one masterfully done. The gang chants of “More Fire” against a backdrop of undeniable neck snapping riffage and live energy caught like lightening in a bottle makes it one of the standouts before the almost all chorus “Nobody Cares” cries out to be extended. Pummelling percussion has been a hallmark of the Nasty sound and “Don’t Play With Fire” finds bassist Audenaerd and drummer Fritz working overtime to create something that echoes the Groove Laden Metallic Hardcore of bands like Kublai Khan, Matthi seeming no end of venomous lyrics to spit and vendettas to bring to a bloody end. After that quartet of sonic abrasions, “Kiss From A Rose” takes a different route with clean vocals and a soaring, rich solo over the top of a heavier rhythm making for a melancholic tune that offers something different while still having a real grit and integrity to it. It’s a risk but Nasty have what it takes to carry it off in style. Re-recording old school, fan favourite cuts “Declaring War” and “Chaos” from 2006 album “Declaring War” to bring the album to a close is an interesting choice but one that works incredibly well. These searing new renditions have the power of modern production seventeen years on as well as all the experience of playing them live, something which makes them older, wiser, tighter and more aggressive. Arguably having the most demonic vocal moments on the record, the pair also have blistering kit performances that leave no doubt in the mind about just how good Nasty are. A classic modern Metal edged Hardcore record that you can hang your hat on as a mood up lifter to get the adrenaline pumping, this one is such a good time that it beggars belief… [8.5/10]

Track Listing