When Belgian beatdown hardcore maestros Nasty burst onto the scene in 2006 with the crushing heaviness of ‘Declaring War’ they were hellbent on doing just that. They werent just declaring war on the state of society, they were serving notice to every hardcore band out there that it’s time to up your game. Every subsequent release has followed suit as they gradually up the ante, to the point where you’d think there’s nothing else to achieve. Then they go and drop ‘Heartbreak Criminals’ and once again every other band in hardcore are wondering why they bother.

‘Heartbreak Criminals’ is every bit as pissed off as you would expect it to be and there are some riffs so heavy you’d think that they’d been played on a washing line, but as they’ve consistently shown there is room for growth. “Resurrection” and “Don’t Play with Fire are perfect examples of this, with the band taking the music to places you wouldn’t neccesarily expect it to go, while the title track even sees vocalist Matthias trying out some clean vocals. If you’re the old school type who just prefers a bludgeoning chant along while you kick the shit out of somebody in the pit, then check out “Nobody Cares.” The end of the album, brings about a full circle moment with the band bringing two old favourites “Declaring War” and “Chaos.” into 2023.

‘Heartbreak Criminals’ is a lesson in resolve that’s both a nod to the future and a tip of the hat to the past. Nasty have shown that they are still on top of their game and have the staying power to kick teeth down throats for a long time yet….Chris Andrews

 Impericon Never Say Die! Tour 2023
 Nasty (headlining mainland) / King 810 (headlining UK)
 Ten56, Chamber, Fox Lake, Reduction
 
 03.11.23 (DE) Köln – Essigfabrik
 04.11.23 (DE) Lindau – Club Vaudeville
 05.11.23 (CH) Solothurn – Kofmehl
 06.11.23 (DE) München – Backstage
 07.11.23 (AT) Wien – Arena
 08.11.23 (DE) Nürnberg – Hirsch
 10.11.23 (CZ) Prague – Storm
 11.11.23 (PL) Wroclaw – Zaklęte Rewiry
 12.11.23 (DE) Leipzig – Felsenkeller
 13.11.23 (DE) Berlin – C-Theater
 14.11.23 (DE) Wiesbaden – Schlachthof
 16.11.23 (DE) Hamburg – Gruenspan
 17.11.23 (NL) Eindhoven – Effenaar
 18.11.23 (BE) Ghent – Chinastraat
 19.11.23 (FR) Paris – La Bellevilloise (no Ten56)
 21.11.23 (UK) Birmingham – Asylum
 22.11.23 (UK) Manchester – Club Academy
 23.11.23 (UK) Bristol – SWX
 24.11.23 (UK) London – O2 Academy Islington