Nasum
Encyclopedia
Nasum was a political Swedish band that played a mixture of grindcore
and death metal
. The band's name, meaning 'nose', was taken from the horror film
Flesh for Frankenstein
.
band Necrony. Two weeks before their first recording they added Mieszko Talarczyk
(also with Genocide Superstars
) as a guitarist. The tracks they recorded at this time were later released on the split 7" with Agathocles
. Early on, they were featured on a four-way split MCD with Retaliation, Clotted Symmetric Sexual Organ, and Vivisection called Grindwork after the imprint it was issued under, in 1994. Poserslaughter records released Nasum's next offering, a 15-track vinyl 12" (expanded to 18 tracks for the MCD version) called Industrislaven. Later, Blurred issued World in Turmoil (another EP-length 12" vinyl) and Nasum also contributed to Smile When Your Dead and The Black Illusions, split releases with Psycho and Abstain, respectively, before being signed to Relapse Records
in 1997.
They released their first full-length album, Inhale/Exhale, as a two-member band, since Alriksson had left the band and Jakobson took over on drums. They later added a third member, Jesper Liverod, so that they could tour with both a bassist and a guitarist, and released the album Human 2.0 (Human 2.01 in Japan
) in 2000. Shortly after the release of their next album, 2003's Helvete ("hell" in Swedish
), Urban Skytt, also a member of the grindcore/goregrind band Regurgitate
, was added as a second guitarist, and Liverod departed to focus on his other band, Burst, being replaced by Jon Lindqvist, who also plays with hardcore punks Victims and the grindcore band Sayyadina. Both Helvete and Human 2.0 showed a change in direction away from the more traditional-grindcore-oriented sound that Nasum had on Inhale/Exhale, and towards a cleaner, more technically complex sound, which expanded to include doomy
guitarsounds and occasional slow breakdowns.
All of Nasum's studio albums were recorded at Soundlab in Örebro, and by the time touring for Helvete had been completed, these albums had earned the studio (and thus Talarczyk) a reputation for excellence which led other grindcore and hardcore troupes (notably Finland's Rotten Sound
) to its doors. 2004's Shift was released by the Swedish punk label Burning Heart, and in the run-up to its recording Nasum toured extensively with their new line-up. The touring continued, including a European leg to support the release of Shift in the Autumn.
In late December 2004, lead singer/guitarist Mieszko Talarczyk
was reported missing as a result of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
, according to a statement by Jakobson through Nasum.com, the day after the disaster. On 17 February 2005 it was confirmed that his body was identified, and that he died as a result of the tsunami on 26 December. The band decided to break up.
The other members returned to the bands they had been playing in besides Nasum (Skytt continued work with Regurgitate
). Anders Jakobson (the only remaining founding member), while in the process of founding death metal
band Coldworker
, worked on the 2CD compilation Grind Finale. This had been a work long in-progress: there was talk of Relapse issuing a compilation of Nasum's 'Swedish' 1995-1997 material as early as 2000. In the wake of the acclaim Nasum achieved via Helvete, the compilation again came up: it had a title (one which ultimately became unsuitable in the wake of Talarczyk's death), had been expanded to two CDs, and had been being sparingly worked on in-between tours and Talarcyzk's then hectic schedule at Soundlab. The album was finally released in 2006. In March 2008, Relapse Records
released a live-album of one of Nasum's live shows in Osaka, Japan, called Doombringer
.
In October 2011, it was announced that the original line-up of Nasum would be reuniting in 2012 for a special one-off tour to celebrate the band's 20th anniversary. Filling-in for late singer Mieszko Talarczyk
would be Rotten Sound
frontman Keijo Niinimaa. The band has stated that they do not plan to record a new album or to extend the reunion to being full-time, but to simply celebrate the band's 20th anniversary and to say final goodbye to their fans, by playing a short series of shows and festival gigs around the world.
Grindcore
Grindcore is an extreme genre of music that started in the early- to mid-1980s. It draws inspiration from some of the most abrasive music genres – including death metal, industrial music, noise and the more extreme varieties of hardcore punk....
and death metal
Death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
. The band's name, meaning 'nose', was taken from the horror film
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
Flesh for Frankenstein
Flesh for Frankenstein
Andy Warhol's Frankenstein or Flesh for Frankenstein is a 1973 horror film directed by Paul Morrissey and produced by Andy Warhol, Andrew Braunsberg, Louis Peraino, and Carlo Ponti and starring Udo Kier, Joe Dallesandro, Monique van Vooren and Arno Juerging...
.
Biography
Nasum was formed in 1992 by Anders Jakobson (guitar) and Rickard Alriksson (drums/vocals), two former members of the goregrindGoregrind
-History:Despite the early impact of albums such as Repulsion's Horrified and Impetigo's Ultimo Mondo Cannibale, the origins of the genre really lie with the British band Carcass, who began their career in the late 1980s...
band Necrony. Two weeks before their first recording they added Mieszko Talarczyk
Mieszko Talarczyk
Mieszko Talarczyk was the lead singer and guitarist of the Swedish grindcore band Nasum, Genocide Superstars, Krigshot and Charles Harfager...
(also with Genocide Superstars
Genocide Superstars
Genocide Superstars was a Swedish hardcore punk/rock n' roll band. The band was formed in 1994 in Örebro, Sweden...
) as a guitarist. The tracks they recorded at this time were later released on the split 7" with Agathocles
Agathocles (band)
Agathocles is a Belgian political grindcore band that began in 1985. They are mainly known for producing a large quantity of split seven-inch EPs...
. Early on, they were featured on a four-way split MCD with Retaliation, Clotted Symmetric Sexual Organ, and Vivisection called Grindwork after the imprint it was issued under, in 1994. Poserslaughter records released Nasum's next offering, a 15-track vinyl 12" (expanded to 18 tracks for the MCD version) called Industrislaven. Later, Blurred issued World in Turmoil (another EP-length 12" vinyl) and Nasum also contributed to Smile When Your Dead and The Black Illusions, split releases with Psycho and Abstain, respectively, before being signed to Relapse Records
Relapse Records
Relapse Records is an independent record label based in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. It was founded by Matthew F. Jacobson in 1990.-History:The label was started by Matthew F. Jacobson in August, 1990 in his parents' basement in Aurora, Colorado...
in 1997.
They released their first full-length album, Inhale/Exhale, as a two-member band, since Alriksson had left the band and Jakobson took over on drums. They later added a third member, Jesper Liverod, so that they could tour with both a bassist and a guitarist, and released the album Human 2.0 (Human 2.01 in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
) in 2000. Shortly after the release of their next album, 2003's Helvete ("hell" in Swedish
Swedish language
Swedish is a North Germanic language, spoken by approximately 10 million people, predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along its coast and on the Åland islands. It is largely mutually intelligible with Norwegian and Danish...
), Urban Skytt, also a member of the grindcore/goregrind band Regurgitate
Regurgitate (band)
Regurgitate is a goregrind band from Sweden.In 2001, Bizarre Leprous Productions released a 46-band tribute to Regurgitate entitled Comeback of Goregods: Tribute to Regurgitate, with bands such as Inhume, Lymphatic Phlegm, Gore Beyond Necropsy, Haemorrhage, and Neuro-Visceral Exhumation taking...
, was added as a second guitarist, and Liverod departed to focus on his other band, Burst, being replaced by Jon Lindqvist, who also plays with hardcore punks Victims and the grindcore band Sayyadina. Both Helvete and Human 2.0 showed a change in direction away from the more traditional-grindcore-oriented sound that Nasum had on Inhale/Exhale, and towards a cleaner, more technically complex sound, which expanded to include doomy
Doom metal
Doom metal is an extreme form of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other metal genres...
guitarsounds and occasional slow breakdowns.
All of Nasum's studio albums were recorded at Soundlab in Örebro, and by the time touring for Helvete had been completed, these albums had earned the studio (and thus Talarczyk) a reputation for excellence which led other grindcore and hardcore troupes (notably Finland's Rotten Sound
Rotten Sound
Rotten Sound is a grindcore band from Vaasa, Finland, formed in 1993. The band comprises vocalist Keijo Niinimaa, guitarist Mika Aalto, bassist Kristian Toivainen and drummer Sami Latva...
) to its doors. 2004's Shift was released by the Swedish punk label Burning Heart, and in the run-up to its recording Nasum toured extensively with their new line-up. The touring continued, including a European leg to support the release of Shift in the Autumn.
In late December 2004, lead singer/guitarist Mieszko Talarczyk
Mieszko Talarczyk
Mieszko Talarczyk was the lead singer and guitarist of the Swedish grindcore band Nasum, Genocide Superstars, Krigshot and Charles Harfager...
was reported missing as a result of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea megathrust earthquake that occurred at 00:58:53 UTC on Sunday, December 26, 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The quake itself is known by the scientific community as the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake...
, according to a statement by Jakobson through Nasum.com, the day after the disaster. On 17 February 2005 it was confirmed that his body was identified, and that he died as a result of the tsunami on 26 December. The band decided to break up.
The other members returned to the bands they had been playing in besides Nasum (Skytt continued work with Regurgitate
Regurgitate (band)
Regurgitate is a goregrind band from Sweden.In 2001, Bizarre Leprous Productions released a 46-band tribute to Regurgitate entitled Comeback of Goregods: Tribute to Regurgitate, with bands such as Inhume, Lymphatic Phlegm, Gore Beyond Necropsy, Haemorrhage, and Neuro-Visceral Exhumation taking...
). Anders Jakobson (the only remaining founding member), while in the process of founding death metal
Death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
band Coldworker
Coldworker
Coldworker is a Swedish deathgrind band, formed in early 2006. The band signed a deal with Relapse Records in June 2006, and since then released two studio albums, the debut The Contaminated Void, in November 2006, followed by Rotting Paradise, in May 2008.- History :Coldworker was formed in early...
, worked on the 2CD compilation Grind Finale. This had been a work long in-progress: there was talk of Relapse issuing a compilation of Nasum's 'Swedish' 1995-1997 material as early as 2000. In the wake of the acclaim Nasum achieved via Helvete, the compilation again came up: it had a title (one which ultimately became unsuitable in the wake of Talarczyk's death), had been expanded to two CDs, and had been being sparingly worked on in-between tours and Talarcyzk's then hectic schedule at Soundlab. The album was finally released in 2006. In March 2008, Relapse Records
Relapse Records
Relapse Records is an independent record label based in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. It was founded by Matthew F. Jacobson in 1990.-History:The label was started by Matthew F. Jacobson in August, 1990 in his parents' basement in Aurora, Colorado...
released a live-album of one of Nasum's live shows in Osaka, Japan, called Doombringer
Doombringer
Doombringer is a live album by Swedish Grindcore band Nasum recorded live in Osaka, Japan in January 2004. It was released in 2008, after the death of Mieszko Talarczyk during the 2004 Tsunami, followed by the disbanding of Nasum.-Track listing:...
.
In October 2011, it was announced that the original line-up of Nasum would be reuniting in 2012 for a special one-off tour to celebrate the band's 20th anniversary. Filling-in for late singer Mieszko Talarczyk
Mieszko Talarczyk
Mieszko Talarczyk was the lead singer and guitarist of the Swedish grindcore band Nasum, Genocide Superstars, Krigshot and Charles Harfager...
would be Rotten Sound
Rotten Sound
Rotten Sound is a grindcore band from Vaasa, Finland, formed in 1993. The band comprises vocalist Keijo Niinimaa, guitarist Mika Aalto, bassist Kristian Toivainen and drummer Sami Latva...
frontman Keijo Niinimaa. The band has stated that they do not plan to record a new album or to extend the reunion to being full-time, but to simply celebrate the band's 20th anniversary and to say final goodbye to their fans, by playing a short series of shows and festival gigs around the world.
Final line-up
- Keijo Niinimaa - lead vocals (2012)
- Jon Lindqvist - guitars, low vocals (2012), bass, backing vocals (2003–2005)
- Urban Skytt - guitars (2003–2005, 2012)
- Jesper Liveröd - bass, low vocals (1998–2003, 2012)
- Anders Jakobson - drums, percussion, backing vocals (1997–2005, 2012), guitar (1995–1997)
Previous members
- Mieszko TalarczykMieszko TalarczykMieszko Talarczyk was the lead singer and guitarist of the Swedish grindcore band Nasum, Genocide Superstars, Krigshot and Charles Harfager...
- lead vocals (1997–2004), guitar (1995–2004) - Rickard Alriksson - drums, lead vocals (1995–1997)
LPs/CDs
- Inhale/Exhale, 1998
- Human 2.0Human 2.0Human 2.0 is an album from Swedish grindcore band Nasum. The band came up with the title during 1999 as a reference to some of the panic over issues such as the Y2K bug....
, 2000 - HelveteHelvete (album)Helvete is an album by Swedish grindcore band Nasum, released in 2003. The album's title is Swedish for Hell.Mitch Harris made a live music video for the song "Scoop". This video can be found on Nasum's website...
, 2003 - ShiftShift (album)Shift is an album by a Swedish Grindcore band Nasum released in 2004. This is the last studio album Nasum released, due to the death of Mieszko Talarczyk during the 2004 Tsunami, followed by the disbanding of Nasum.-Track listing:#"Particles"...
, 2004 - Grind FinaleGrind FinaleGrind Finale is a two-CD compilation album covering Nasum's entire career, with songs from all the 15 studio recordings the band did between 1993 and 2004, including 21 previously-unreleased songs....
, 2006 - DoombringerDoombringerDoombringer is a live album by Swedish Grindcore band Nasum recorded live in Osaka, Japan in January 2004. It was released in 2008, after the death of Mieszko Talarczyk during the 2004 Tsunami, followed by the disbanding of Nasum.-Track listing:...
, 2008
12-inch MLPs/MCDs
- Grindwork — split w/ Retaliation, Clotted Symmetric Sexual Organ and Vivisection (3-inch MCD), 1994
- Industrislaven, 1995
7-inch EPs
- Blind World — split w/ AgathoclesAgathoclesAgathocles , , was tyrant of Syracuse and king of Sicily .-Biography:...
, 1993 - Smile When You're Dead — split w/ Psycho, 1994
- The Black Illusions — split w/ Abstain, 1996
- World in Turmoil, 1997
- Untitled bonus 7" EP that came with the Inhale/Exhale LP, 1998
- The Nasum/Warhate Campaign — split w/ Warhate, 1999
- Split w/ Asterisk, 2000
- Split w/ SkitsystemSkitsystemSkitsystem is a Swedish crust punk band formed in early 1994. Their sound was heavily influenced by death metal and d-beat. In actuality, band members originally came from different death metal bands, bonding over a common interest in d-beat. The band announced in December 2007 that they were on...
, 2002
Compilation appearances
- Really Fast Vol. 9, 1993
- Regressive Hostility, 1997
- In Defence of Our Future — A Tribute to DischargeDischarge (band)Discharge is a British hardcore punk band formed in 1977 by Terry "Tezz" Roberts and Roy "Rainy" Wainwright. They are often considered among one of the very first bands to play hardcore punk, and to mix punk with metal...
(song "Visions of War"), 1997 - The Bloodbath Is Coming 2x7-inch (song "The Bloodbath Is Coming"), 1999
- Requiems of Revulsion: A Tribute to CarcassCarcass (band)Carcass are an extreme metal band from England, who formed in 1985 and disbanded in 1995. A reunion was enacted in 2008 without one of its original members, drummer Ken Owen, due to health reasons....
(song "Tools of the Trade"), 2000 - Polar Grinder, 2001
- Grind Your Mind - A History Of Grindcore, 2008