I was looking around for info on Nasum a while back, actually it was around the time I started hearing about Nasum, and saw a quotes praising and hating the band. I was relatively new to the band so I couldn't really understand why the love/hate sediment but upon hearing "Human 2.0" I could understand why. Nasum had it all, ferocious energy, angst, groove, power, and an intensity that is, to this day, unmatched by any other death metal, grindcore, or crust punk band. The lose of Mieszko Talarczyk in the 2004 Thailand tsunami disaster ended the band but the legacy left behind by this band is legendary. This is evident in the "Grand Finale" compilation, that was compiled and slaved over by Anders Jakobsson, which featured every single Nasum ep, compilation tracks, and unreleased session tracks from each album.
Nasum was today's most influential band and had made such an impact in the extreme metal scene in such a short time. They toured all over the world, toured with numerous bands that they influenced and bands that influenced them. Their most memorable tour was with Napalm Death, they both toured Europe and Japan but the show in Osaka, Japan was a special one, one could even say magical. In the linear notes for "Doombringer", Anders talks about how their sound tech was recording that show via his little mini disc player from the soundboard. Nasum was always been able to capture their intensity in the studio but for some reason when it comes to recording their live set, something just never came out right.
"Doombringer" is Nasum's final release and the last documentation of a great band. I personally never got to see Nasum live and till this day I kick myself in the ass for not taking the opportunity to see them, but this record is a prime representation of what Nasum offered their fans live; extreme sonic brutality. Mieszko's tortured vocals come across clean and Anders' drums cut through to create sonic noise. This is almost the perfect "Best of" album with every song being a fan favorite and unrelenting from the very start.
So why is Nasum hated? Well... their songs are short and to the point, unrelenting, chaotic, and almost perfect. It's sad to think that Nasum is no more, even though Anders started Coldworker and is a decent predecessor to Nasum but the legend of Nasum will always be there, in the extreme metal scene, in the spirit of the bands they influenced, and also in the bands that influenced them. Rest in Piece, Nasum.
