Klasse Kriminale undoubtedly belong among the true legends of streetpunk. The band was formed back in 1985 in the Italian city of Savona, in the Liguria region, and in 2025 they celebrated an impressive 40 years of existence. Four decades of continuous activity on the punk scene is an achievement in itself. Over the years, Klasse Kriminale have released a number of full-length studio albums, several live recordings, and countless singles and splits with other bands—among them The Oppressed, The Gonads, The 69 Yobsters, Albert Fish, The Old Firm Casuals, Jenny Woo, Nabat, and Angelic Upstarts.
To mark this anniversary, the band treated their fans to the album Prole Rock Exhibition, which features twelve older hits re-recorded by the current lineup, infused with fresh energy, enthusiasm, and a renewed spark. This is not just a simple compilation, but a return to their roots using a contemporary sound and the experience gained over many years on the scene.
The vast majority of the songs come from the period between 1988 and 1993 and represent material originally released on Odiati & Fieri! (1988), Ci Incontreremo Ancora Un Giorno! (1990), Faccia A Faccia (1990), and I Ragazzi Sono Innocenti (1993). The only exception is the song Prole Rock, which comes from the later album Vico Dei Ragazzi (2020). The band deliberately focused on reworking their earlier phase while staying true to their signature style. I don’t want to compare individual versions of the songs in detail—I don’t consider myself an encyclopedic expert on the Klasse Kriminale discography—but I would say that the modernized arrangements suit the selected tracks very well, resulting in a strong and cohesive release.
Klasse Kriminale are among the European pioneers of the streetpunk style. Their sound is built on sharp, driving guitars that naturally alternate with melodic passages, supported by a strong lead vocal and powerful gang choruses. Musically, it is highly melodic streetpunk, clearly influenced by classic punk acts such as Sham 69 and The Clash. Ska influences appear in some parts of the band’s discography as well, and one of their albums even featured Vic Ruggiero from The Slackers.
For me personally, Klasse Kriminale were the first Italian band I ever came across, so it was impossible to avoid them during the time when I was discovering the treasures of worldwide streetpunk. The activities of Marco Balestrini—who was behind the zine Kriminal Class and the label Havin’ A Laugh Records—certainly played a role. Above all, however, it was the band’s undeniable hit potential: melodic streetpunk designed to make audiences chant along to the choruses like football anthems and dance in the tightly packed crowd in front of the stage. Lyrically, Klasse Kriminale have always aligned themselves with the working class, which is also reflected in the themes they consistently address in their songs.
In the case of Prole Rock Exhibition, I would avoid dissecting the individual tracks. Longtime fans may miss some songs that didn’t make it onto the album, but that is the fate of every compilation. For listeners who are not yet familiar with Klasse Kriminale, however, this is an excellent introductory record with a perfect atmosphere and very strong renditions of the selected songs. For DJs, it is a hit-filled album suitable for any part of the night, and for everyone else, a solid and meaningful entry in the band’s extensive discography.
A CD version was later released on Flamingo Records, featuring thirteen additional bonus tracks recorded live in concert, giving the release even more depth and value.
TOP TRACKY: Mangia I Ricchi, Faccia a Faccia, La Nostra Terra
BANDCAMP FLAMINGO RECORDS: https://flamingorecords.bandcamp.com/album/prole-rock-exhibition
