On January 9, 2026, Cleopatra Records released F.I.V.E. (Fear Increases Violent Emotions), the brand-new album by Italian darkwave/coldwave/post-punk outfit Christine Plays Viola. Massimo Ciampani (vocals, lyrics), Fabrizio Giampietro (guitar/synths, programming), Marco Di Ianni (bass), and Gianluca Orsini (drums) have already delivered several albums of high-quality, accessible, darkly atmospheric, guitar-driven music.
On F.I.V.E., they once again treat us to dark post-punk songs with a hint of pitch-black gothic. The band clearly drew inspiration from the greats, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. What gives the album its slightly different edge is Massimo’s vocal delivery, which has a very distinctive timbre. It keeps the music accessible and digestible, yet still bleak enough.
Confession is one track that, for me, towers far above the rest. Post-punk in its purest form, a journey forty years back to the genre’s primal days. Songs of this caliber? They’re more than welcome to make a few more. And then there’s Black Noise, which sounds even more aggressive and menacing. Solid guitars and the classic post-punk bassline form the lifeblood of the track, keeping everything tight and vividly alive.
Across ten songs, the band manages to hold our attention once again. Opener Sprout Of Disharmony is post-punk you can sink your teeth into: a penetrating bassline, sharp-edged guitars, and a pair of synths in the background that create a distinctive atmosphere. Time to polish those pointy shoes. More uptempo and leaning toward goth rock is You Don’t Fool Me, a track that rocks and pummels hard — for over six minutes, yet never becomes tedious. Thanks to tempo changes, it feels as though two songs are seamlessly flowing into one another. There’s No Going Back fits perfectly in that same category, as does closing track Blood Calls Blood, another high-level rocker.
There’s also plenty to enjoy in the more darkwave-leaning tracks such as My Redemption or the subtly magnificent seven-minute The Crypt Of Misery. Lean back and let it cut straight through you. Headphones on, volume up, surrender — that’s all you need to do.
That the band feels at home in multiple sonic territories becomes clear on Desolate Moments, where shoegaze guitars create a hauntingly immersive melody.
In short: F.I.V.E. is yet another very strong album from the Italians. So get yourself over to Bandcamp and enrich your collection with this excellent release.Only £10 otd to see this event @ the black bull venue , gateshead.
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