I was trying to think of a turn of phrase to connect William Shakespeare's The Two Gentlemen of Verona to "The Two Bands From Bologna"—a pun that I'm sure I could have figured into something. However, I then remembered how truly problematic that play is. Anyways, Bologna, Italy's Estinzione and Klava teamed up for a split back in 2025. A modest five tracks between them, both Estinzione and Klava both dole out a heavy, low-end mix of crust-caked grindcore.
Estinzione recently formed in 2023 and has quickly begun elbowing their way through the Italian crust and grindcore scene. The band released a lengthy 2024 demo tape—a raw piece of political D-beat with dizzying guitar and a Ramones cover—followed by a 2025 split with Klava. Most recently the band released a live recording, Live in Piumazzo, in February 2026.
Estinzione's side of the split offers three movements of the "Endless Dark Age" entitled "Kali Yuga Infinito I," "II," and "III." Each movement has a prolonged subtitle with wording pertaining to some conceptual, apocalyptic, Lovecraftian cosmic ritualism that I won't pretend to understand or interpret, yet I'm sure are full of socio-political allusions. The songs are booming with touting bass, retro-punk swirling guitar, gruff vocals, and single-foot-stomping D-beat.
The band's strongest and most dynamic song would have to be the second movement, "Kali Yuga Infinito II." Clocking in at two and a half minutes, this track is by far the band's longest song on the split and is a smorgasbord of their influences. Apart from the skittering blast beats and crusty grime, the song has an overt death metal swagger with hardcore undertones. In a departure from their 2024 demo, Estinzione's vocals are much lower and more guttural this time around. "Kali Yuga Infinito II's" thrashing two-step drum beats, the metallic mid-tempo pacing and the vocals remind me very much of Los Angeles' Brujeria. The vocals are so similar to Brujeria's Juan Brujo that I kept expecting a "Pinches polleros que viven pa' feria" after the intro. Yet, Estinzione tapped into that aforementioned dynamism by not only employing high and low vocals, but some well-implemented pig squeals as well.
If there was ever a perfect match for Estinzione it would be Klava. Beyond the obvious relation by proximity, both bands have an extremely similar penchant for brutal, bass-toting crustcore. Much like their neighbors in Estinzione, Klava released a demo tape in 2024. Also like Estinzione it was much more of a low-fi and raw recording, sounding like an almost blown-out MIDI thrashcore.
Klava's two songs on this split are on theme with the metallic crust and groove-laden hardcore. Their songs have a hard-hitting bounce and an extremely solid rhythm section, and not just figuratively. The galloping clap of the drums are at the forefront of the mix, which is sonically an improvement above their demo. The alternating mid paced snare and kick have a cracking, tactile impact. The guitar is a hairy distortion that is largely overshadowed by the tension-tight punch of the bass guitar. The mix of the bass and drums is like that of a volley of Black Cat firecrackers.
The vocals are low gravelly barks that are, in my opinion, reminiscent of Gwar's Sexecutioner. Klava's second track, "Eterna Illusione" could easily start with "To die, perchance, to sin, hahahaha, there's the rub." (There's your Shakespeare tie-in resolution.)
This split CD between Estinzione and Klava is short but pretty solid. Both bands play a fairly similar brand of meat-and-potatoes crust and trudging hardcore that muscles its way into grindcore. You won't hear too many blast beats; instead, both bands rely on consistent and perpetually moving D-beat drumming, head-bobbing grooves, and reciprocating two-steps. Likewise, both bands' recordings are mixed in a heavy, bass-emphatic tone that gives the tracks a weighty bulk that sounds pretty pleasing.
For Estinzione and Klava's first release after their prior demos, this split CD shows the growth of the bands and the solidifying of their sounds. Hopefully these two are working on full-lengths so we can see what they can do with some more time and elbow room.
FFO: Brujeria, Força Macabra, Nashgul, Ratos de Porão
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