For longtime followers of European hardcore, xDestroy Babylonx occupy a unique place in its history. Emerging from the ashes of xAbsencex in the mid-'00s, the Italian band combined metallic hardcore with an uncompromising message centered on veganism, straight edge, and animal liberation at a time when those ideas were far less visible than they are today.
After releasing By the Knife in 2008, touring internationally, and making appearances at events such as the Bloodaxe Festival, the band eventually went quiet as members focused on family life, careers, and other responsibilities. Nearly two decades later, however, xDestroy Babylonx have returned with a reissued catalog, a renewed sense of purpose, a U.S. tour, and plans for a new album in 2026.
I caught up with vocalist Fabio to discuss his introduction to hardcore, the band's early years, the evolution of vegan straight edge culture, and why xDestroy Babylonx still have something to say.
What was your introduction to hardcore? What were the bands that had a big impact on you during the early years? Also, what Italian bands did you listen to back then?
My first real introduction to hardcore happened in 1991 in Nevada when I was a foreign exchange student at Douglas High School. One of my closest friends was Torgny from Norway, who was already the singer for the straight edge band Onward from Oslo. He was basically the one who introduced me to seminal bands and to concepts like straight edge and vegetarianism.
In the early days, I would listen to Italian bands like Growing Concern and Open Season from Rome, as well as Infezione, an anarcho-punk band from Italy who claimed edge and veganism and published this booklet called Chiediti il Perché ("Ask Yourself Why"), covering multiple topics including media control, mafia-involved business, animal exploitation, etc.
At what point did you become vegan, and what led you towards that change?
I went vegan soon after I moved to the UK for college. I was living in Brighton, where veganism was already kind of established, but, of course, Earth Crisis's Firestorm played a key role in my change. I guess the whole hardcore scene worldwide was taken by storm by that 7".
xDestroy Babylonx came out of the ashes of xAbsencex and quickly became one of Italy's most visible vegan straight edge bands. Looking back, what do you remember most vividly about those early years, and did you have any sense that you would still be playing this kind of music decades later?
Back in the day, we were loud and outspoken, extremely militant for a reason. No one gave a shit about animal rights or veganism, so we needed to be extra obnoxious.
The kind of heavy metal-influenced hardcore we played was unheard of back home, so it was hard to book shows. When we did have shows, it was super common for people to throw beer bottles at us on stage. Shit was rough, but that only made us stronger in our convictions.
After the release of By the Knife and the band's early touring activity—including Japan and Bloodaxe Fest—there was a long stretch where things became relatively quiet. What led to the hiatus, and did you ever think xDestroy Babylonx was finished for good?
Yeah, we stopped for a while as we focused on our own personal lives with family, kids, and careers, but we all stayed true to our beliefs, and that is something that kept us all close.
Japan was incredible. Can't wait to go back.
What ultimately brought the band back together? Was there a specific conversation, show, reissue opportunity, or moment that made everyone realize it was time to give the band another chapter?
Yes, I reached out to Luca, my former employee who worked at Eblood, my vegan clothing company, and the band's original guitar player, and everything kind of went from there.
We all felt we still had something to say, and we thought shit had gone full circle in the hardcore scene, so it was our time to step in and do our part. The new guys in the band are old-time friends, so everything was very organic.
You and Luca have remained from the original lineup, while the current version of the band also includes veterans of the Italian hardcore scene. How has the chemistry changed compared to the mid-2000s version of xDBx?
I think we are all more mature and we appreciate playing live more. It's also easier to book shows and tour. [Laughs] No more handwritten letters and phone booths.
What I do appreciate these days is that people smile more at shows. Everyone seems a bit more relaxed, and idiotic scene fights seem to be more bad memories from the past.
The message of veganism, straight edge, and animal liberation was central to the band from day one. Nearly 20 years later, how have your views evolved? Do you feel the younger generation is approaching those ideas differently than people did when xDBx first started?
The message and our beliefs are still very strong and consistent.
I do feel we need to be more careful in how we deliver our message now, as people are overwhelmed with information, and it's easy to turn people off. I like the way younger kids approach it: less militant, more inclusive.
The word "vegan" is now part of the conversation, so it's much easier, but at the same time, the risk of becoming annoying and "boring vegans" is also there. So yeah, the approach must be more refined these days.
By the Knife was recently reissued and has now reached new listeners through releases in Europe and the United States. What has it been like revisiting that record as older, more experienced people? Are there songs or lyrics that hit differently today than they did in 2008?
Well, as I said, we wrote By the Knife with the clear intention of being hyper-aggressive because that is what we felt was necessary back then.
The ironic part is that we are now living through a far worse chapter in human history as a species, but language has evolved, so we need to evolve too. Though we all stand behind those lyrics 100%.
You've gone from being a band remembered by longtime hardcore fans to playing a U.S. tour and preparing a new album for 2026. Does this feel like a reunion, a continuation, or almost a completely new band carrying the same name and message forward?
It feels like a continuation because we feel the legacy is there. Kids of all ages come to us, thanking us for how our words have shaped their lives and their families, and to me, that is the biggest compliment and accomplishment.
Italy has produced many influential hardcore bands over the years, but international audiences often hear about only a handful. Looking back at your original era and comparing it to today, how has Italian hardcore changed, and which current bands deserve more global attention?
When we started xDestroy Babylonx, Italy had crazy momentum, with insanely good bands like Sentence, Reprisal, Purification, To Kill, and many more, and that kind of defined our own national sound.
I feel like Italy doesn't have that many relevant bands at the moment, but we hope to influence a new generation of hardcore kids to start their own thing and put Italy back on the map.
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The By the Knife reissue is available on vinyl, CD, and cassette via Life Sentence Records (US) and Still Life Records (EU).
xDestroy Babylonx on social media: Instagram
