A phantasmagoric fever dream of nerve-twisting tales, Infernal Tramps by Alex Grass is a disturbing tour through taboo realms and the darkest cellars of the soul. Written with the clear intention to rip readers from their comfort zones, this is a hellish carnival of carnal appetites.
Holding nothing back in every masterfully penned circle of hell, each one of these haunting fables epitomizes the mercurial blend of terror, shock, and intrigue that unites maniacally twisted horror fiction. The work gruesomely presses on the psychological triggers of body horror – corporeal violations, destruction of the self, mutilation, cannibalization, transformation, and the loss of recognizable identity.
Grass approaches the subject of inhumanity and its related themes from every angle – mentally torturous scenarios that would make Kafka squirm, aberrant scenes of torn flesh hanging from shattered psyches, and dystopian musings on totalitarianism, imprisonment, and insanity. There are gruesome passages of violence and visceral descriptions that could turn any stomach, and linger into the next story, so the sense of unease compounds with each passing page.
The titular story stands as one of the strongest in the collection; after witnessing the impossible birth and immediate abandonment of a nightmarish infant, a homeless man adopts the outcast creature. Raising the orphan like a fumbling, ill-prepared father, he never suspects that the child’s monstrous brethren might soon seek out a reunion. “A Woman of Distinction” is a second highlight story, boasting a merciless 500-year-old narrator, sharp social criticism, and a pro-matriarchy message that is both timely and unmissable.
“The Black Gaucho of Revendication” is a bizarre psychedelic parable about the enlightened but lonely end of mankind, while “Boxed Breakfast” delivers a jaw-dropping vignette about prophetic wisdom hidden within peculiar types of madness. “Eguisto Zanosi’s Fast” is a nauseatingly tense story of biblical punishment and anatomical betrayal that will make you doubt that you’ve ever possessed an appetite.
Mixed amongst the gore and the relentless flood of unsettling scenes are slashing cuts of brilliant prose that hint at the raw skill behind these tortured tales: “Too many moons of moonshine, bringing florid psychosis to bloom.” Even in the most vile, unnatural, or distressing moments of the prose, the author sneaks in the odd gobsmacking line that feels perfectly chosen and recherché. Grass can capture the manic frenzy of a fractured mind and the insatiable hunger of an eldritch horror with equal ease, luring readers into the blood-soaked cutting room of his imagination.
At times, the matter-of-fact style, caustic wit, and casually surreal content are reminiscent of Vonnegut’s short stories – if Vonnegut’s imagination had been forced into a blender with Francisco Goya’s demons. The conversational, straightforward delivery has the intended effect of lulling readers into a comfortable story space, only to shock them into submission a page or paragraph later.
Neatly curated and paired with a macabre gallery of disquieting images, this collection is nightmare fuel in black and white, a carnival mirror for the monstrous things best kept hidden from the world, which makes for an eerily compelling read if you’re ready for pitch-dark storytelling.
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