Like a record-industry big-brass once commented, Extrema are “aged”. Been around the block a few times? Sure. Seasoned veterans? You bet! Hard as nails and ready -once again- to kick ass and take names? Hell-fuckin’-yeah!!! Extrema have been playing heavy and fast since before many of their current fans were born, and it’d be foolish to think of it in a negative way. They navigated through the thick and thin of it all and are most definitely not fair-weather metal-heads, and that built a faithful and cross-generational following worldwide around’em. The band, led by Tommy Massara’s abrasive guitars and energetic personality, got its start in Milan, Italy, back in 1986. However, the “classic” line-up (Tommy Massara on guitar, Mattia Bigi on bass, Cristiano Dalla Pellegrina on drums and Gianluca ‘GL’ Perotti on vocals) got together in 1989 and lasted until 2004, when Paolo Crimi -of Beerbong fame- took over drumming duties. In 2010, Gabri Giovanna replaced Mattia Bigi on bass, completing the rejuvenation of the band and hurling it towards even more intense touring than before. During 30 years of activity, the band released a number of albums, EPs (all recently remastered and reissued with bonus tracks) and a DVD, toured with the likes of Motörhead and Death Angel, and opened for Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, Suicidal Tendencies, Korn and many others. And, of course, endlessly touring on their own. No stranger to controversy, Extrema also recorded singles with Italian rappers Articolo 31, causing a ruckus in both the metal and rap communities but -in the end- winning’em all over. 2013 saw the release of their latest album “The Seed of Foolishness” and more relentless touring around Europe, after which Paolo Crimi decided to quit the band and got replaced by Francesco “Frullo” Larosa, just in time for more dates.
May 2016: “The Old School EP”.
Is there a more used (and abused) word in metal music than “old school”?
Well, for once, thanks to someone who lived “the old days” for real, blowing up BPM counters already, the term is not used inappropriately here.
Extrema are in fact just done recording a 5-tracks mini-album, aptly titled “The Old School EP”, at Fear Studios in Alfonsine (Ravenna)
Why this specific title? Because all the songs were originally written back in 1987, shortly after the release of the legendary “We Fuckin’ Care” EP, and only one of’em ever got officially published: “Life”, on the first full-length album “Tension at the Seams”, 1993.
“Life” has been re-recorded in its original version and will be accompanied by other live classics such as “Child Abuse”, the instrumental “M.A.S.S.A.C.R.O.” (both present on the “Rehearsal ’89 tape), “Tribal Scream”(from “Promo Tape ’90″) and “Carcasses”, never recorded before but played live dozens of times.
All songs, except for some minor re-arrangements, have been played and recorded in the brutal versions of 1987 and the EP will be released in vinyl, CD and digital format.
