CCCP

The Italian alt-rock band CCCP left behind the stereotypes of punk-rock with Affinita' Divergenze (1985) and Epica Etica Etnica Pathos (1990), and reached for a genre-defying convergence of hardcore, militant rock, industrial music and even chamber music while delivering a bleak vision of humankind.
Led by vocalist Giovanni Lindo Ferretti and guitarist Davide Zamboni, they introduced elements of expressionist theater, existentialist philosophy and industrial music into their early EPs: Ortodossia (Attack Punk, 1984), Ortodossia II (Attack Punk, 1984), and Compagni, Cittadini, Fratelli, Partigiani, (Attack Punk, 1985), which collects some of the former.

Affinita' Divergenze (Attack Punk, 1985) reduced the visceral impact of hardcore while focusing on the eerie contrast between a harsh but spare instrumental background and Ferretti's delirious cut-up texts and Brecht-ian delivery. An eclectic stylistic range (from erotic cabaret to folk ballad, from existential psychodrama to dance groove) helped craft an oppressing atmosphere of angst and boredom, particularly in the centerpiece, Emilia Paranoica.

Socialismo e Barbarie (Virgin, 1987) was a less cohesive work, that ran the gamut from Middle-Eastern music to the Soviet anthem, from Catholic hymns to feedback workouts. Canzoni, Preghiere, Danze del II Millennio (Virgin, 1989) replaced the original sociopolitical emphasis with mystical overtones (and their industrial hardcore with a far less revolutionary synth-pop). Technically speaking, CCCP reached their zenith with the sprawling Epica, Etica, Etnica, Pathos (Virgin, 1990), a Frank Zappa-esque stylistic puzzle that also stands as a personal musical encyclopedia, with complex and unpredictable suites such as Maciste Contro Tutti.

As the Soviet Union (CCCP) collapsed, Ferretti and Zamboni decided to shuffle the line-up and adopt a less political stance. The renamed C.S.I. (Consorzio Suonatori Indipendenti) debuted with a mediocre set of songs, Ko' de Mondo (Polygram, 1993), and rapidly evolved towards an intriguing form of (mostly drum-less) chamber rock music with Linea Gotica (Polygram, 1996). Unfortunately, Tabula Rasa Elettrificata (Polygram, 1997) simply aped the alt-rock fads of the moment.

After CSI disbanded, Ferretti debuted solo with Co-dex (2000), then formed Per Grazia Ricevuta and released PGR (2002) that steered towards world-music.