NASUM mark 1: The band was formed during the latter part of 1992 by Anders Jakobson (guitar) and Rickard Alriksson (drums/vocals) as a sideproject to the death metal band NECRONY. The idea was to create true grindcore in the old NAPALM DEATH style, no gore/porno-shit, just straight political grindcore. A couple of songs were written,but nothing really happened with the band.
Spring 1993: NASUM got in touch with German Poserslaughter Records that offered a split-7" EP with Australian goregrinders BLOOD DUSTER. NASUM accepted the offer, but in time the record turned out to be a NASUM/AGATHOCLES split-7" EP.
NASUM mark 2: Two weeks before the first NASUM recording, another guitarist (Mieszko Talarczyk) was added. Together the band completed six tracks that were recorded at Unisound Studios in July 1993. The tracks were later released as the "Blind World" split-7" EP with AGATHOCLES.
Awaiting the release of the EP, a tape with the songs were sent out to different labels with the intention to pick up more offers for EP:s etc. NASUM recieved two positive answers; one offering a split-7" EP with PSYCHO on their own label Ax/ction Records, but also an opportunity to participate on the well-reputated Swedish hardcore comp-LP "Really Fast"'s 9th volume.
In November 1993 it was time for another trip to Unisound to record ten tracks; nine for the "Really Fast Vol 9" LP and one for Mieszko's comp-tape - "Corpse Flesh Genitals"' - second volume. Apparently, the track - entitled as the compilation - and the second volume ended up unreleased. The nine tracks (in all clocking 3.30!) contained a more grind/crust-inspired approach compaired to the grind/death kind of sound on the first recording, and the songs pointed out the future musical direction of NASUM.
While dealing with Ax/ction Records, Mieszko decided to start his own label - Grindwork Productions - with a friend. As the label's first release a four-way split-3" MCD was planned, including NASUM, RETALIATION (Swe), CLOTTED SYMMETRIC SEXUAL ORGAN (Jap) and VIVISECTION (Jap).
Eventually, NASUM yet again went to Unisound in September 1994, this time to record sixteen new tracks; eight which ended up on the "Smile When You're Dead" split-7" EP with PSYCHO and eight for the "Grindwork" split-3" MCD. On this recording the music took of where the preceding recording ended, but with a much heavier sound.
Inspired by Sweden's REGURGITATE the next event in NASUM history was to record a demo, after two split-7" EP:s and two compilations! With a possibility to make a recording for free in a local studio, ten songs were written in a rush, and together with two re-recordings from the first two recordings and two covers, the songs were recorded as the "Domedagen" demo in November 1994. Since the recording was made in co-operation with unexperienced students from a local soundtechnician school, the sound turned out dark and muddy and obviously half of the new material turned out bad because of the rush. Still, the demo has got some pretty decent reviews.
After existing for two and a half years it was finally time for a record of their own as Poserslaughter Records offered a MCD. In February 1995 NASUM went to Unisound for the last time to record eighteen songs; twelve brand new ones and six re-recordings of the best songs from the "Domedagen" demo. One different detail from the previous recording was that fifteen of the songs included Swedish lyrics, although NASUM used lyrics in their native language on three tracks on the demo. The title of the MCD was "Industrislaven".
NASUM mark 3: In connection with the release of the MCD (September 1995), Poserslaughter invited NASUM to Berlin for a concert with labelmates DEAD and MANUS who released some records at the same time. Also a gig in southern Sweden were booked the day before. This led to some trouble as Rickard announced that he didn't want to participate in a livesituation. Mieszko and Anders then got in touch with Per Karlsson - former drummer in Swedish deathsters SUFFER and nowadays fulltime member in SERPENT - who accepted the conditions for the "tour". So NASUM did their livedebute in Åstorp, Sweden, together with KURBITS I.R., ARSEDESTROYER, and MENTALLY UNSTABLE, September 16th and then played in Berlin the day after with DEAD and MANOS.
This was the very end of Rickards time in NASUM. He didn't share the same enthusiasm for the music and the lyrics as Mieszko and Anders, so he decided to quit. As a replacement, Jallo Lehto (MEANWHILE, FLESHREVELS among others) was tested but it didn't really work out, and after some consideration Anders took the empty place behind the drums leaving Mieszko alone with the strings.
NASUM mark 4: In November 1996 it was time for the "new" NASUM to do their first recording. Twentyfour tracks were recorded - eight for "The Black Illusions" (a split-7" EP with ABSTAIN released by Yellow Dog Records, Germany in 1998) and sixteen for NASUM's first full-7" EP - "World In Turmoil", released by Blurred Records, Japan. This mighty recording was made in NASUM's rehearsalplace on a 8-tracker with a friend behind the soundboard. Although the conditions, this is NASUM's most brutal and rawest production up to date. The line-up was: Mieszko - guitar/vocals and Anders - drums/bass/vocals.
June 1997, time for the seventh NASUM recording and this time 17 tracks were put on tape in Mieszko's own studio Soundlab. 16 tracks were recorded for an international grindcore/power violence compilation CD ("Regressive Hostility", released by Finnish Hostile Regression Records 1998). The seventeenth track was DISCHARGE's "Vision Of War" which will appear on a Scandinavian tribute-CD, released by Swedish Distortion Records in the near (?) future - it's been delayed for many years. The complete recording is one of NASUM's best so far, hard hitting songs with a killer production.
A tape with the songs was sent to American Relapse Records who, according to themselves, were "psyched" and wanted to sign the band for a fullength album. NASUM accepted at once and worked hard the whole fall of 1997 with the songs for the album, and in December NASUM once again entered Soundlab Studios to record what would be the "inhale/exhale" album.
42 new songs were put on tape over a two month period, of which 38 ended up on the final product. Even harder and more varied than before, NASUM did not only support the holy grindcore, but also take it to the 90:ies. In connection with the 42 songs, NASUM recorded 4 cover songs that was released as a bonus 7" in the vinyl version of "inhale/exhale" by Distortion Records in the fall of 1999.
November 1998: Yet another visit to Soundlab Studios to record eight new tracks, four which were sent to Relapse to be used on compilations and eventually a split 7" EP with WARHATE, still to be released. The other four songs (clocking in at 1.20 minutes) were recorded only to appear on a split 5" EP together with three other split 5" EP's in the very interesting box set "Better off dead" which will be released by Clean Plate Records someday.
NASUM mark 5: After almost four years as a duo NASUM felt that it was time to expand the line-up with a bassplayer, since the offers for shows and tours started pouring in more frequently. In the spring of 1999 Jesper Liveröd (also playing in the Swedish HC act BURST) was tested and taken into the band.
This was the start of a new era since Relapse not only offered NASUM to fly to USA to appear on the 13th Milwaukee Metalfest, but also to appear on a tour with four other Relapse acts following the festival.
Summer 1999: After months if intense rehearsals the "new" NASUM debuted live on the Relapse stage at the Metalfest, almost four years since the last show in Berlin, Germany. The day after (August 1) and for 10 more days, NASUM did 10 more shows in the middle and east states as part of the CONTAMINATION 1999 TOUR with labelmates TODAY IS THE DAY, SOILENT GREEN, EXHUMED and MORGION. An experience that will stay in the members of NASUM's memories for years to come.
1999: Directly after the tour, NASUM wrote new songs and rehearsed intensly for six weeks before the recording of the new album, the follow-up to "inhale/exhale", started. This time NASUM devided the recording into two sessions, the first session in early October and the second one in late November/early December.
The new songs showed a wider range of sounds compaired to the old material. Impressions picked up during the time in the states expanded the dynamic style of NASUM to a more varied version, with an addition of even more true grindcore. 31 songs were recorded, of which 25 is featured on the album, making it a shorter album with less, but longer songs compaired to it's predecessor.
The album - "Human 2.0" - was released by Relapse Records during April 2000.
In the middle of the recording, NASUM started to do shows in Sweden, with an appearence on a punk/HC festival in Umeå (way up north in Sweden). Later on, early January 2000, NASUM played in their hometown Örebro, with ENTOMBED, and in March NASUM did a weekend-tour with friends SKITSYSTEM.
Spring 2000: In between doing shows now and then in Sweden NASUM recorded the song "Tools of the Trade" for a CARCASS-tribute.
Summer 2000: NASUM did a couple of festivals, most memorable headlining the Fuck the Commerce III-festival in Germany and performing at the classic Hultsfred-festival in Sweden. NASUM also played with NAPALM DEATH at the Dist 2000-festival in Forshaga, Sweden. By the end of the summer, NASUM recorded five new songs for the split 7" EP with ASTERISK*.
Fall 2000: NASUM did a seven week European tour supporting NAPALM DEATH. Eight countries (France, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, Czech Republic, Germany, Holland and Belgium) and forty shows. NASUM had an online tour diary, which was updated while on tour. Only four days after the tour's last show, NASUM did their final show of 2000 in Gothenburg, Sweden, with OBLIGATORISK TORTYR and MINDSNARE.
Spring 2001: After not touching their instruments for over two months, NASUM rehearsed a few times and went out on a 14 days/14 shows tour together with THE HAUNTED and NINE, doing 12 shows all over Sweden and one in Copenhagen (Denmark) and one in Oslo (Norway). The tour was called "Close-Up Made Us Do It" and was in a way a 10 year aniversity thing for the Swedish magazine Close-Up. The tour was a success, with a lot of media attention - features in the big newspapers, live recordings for the national radio and a 30-minute feature on national television (including all three bands). The toured showed that there are a big interest for harder music in Sweden (the show in NASUM's home town Örebro was totally sold out - 560 people).
Summer 2001: Cooling down after the intense spring tour, NASUM wrote a couple of new songs and got into the studio in May to record eight new songs, five for a split 7" EP with SKITSYSTEM and three for the Swedish "Polar Grinder" compilation LP. The rest of the summer was spent on four festival shows in four countries, starting with the annual Arvikafestivalen in Sweden followed by an appearance at the Knock Out-festival in Switzerland. The biggest show during the summer was without doubt the Wacken Open Air in Germany where NASUM played at the Party stage in front of several thousands of people. The summer festivals tour then concluded with a return to the Milwaukkee Metalfest in the USA.
Fall 2001: Another fall and another continent to visit - NASUM took part of the "Extreme the Dojo"-tour in Japan together with jazzy hardcore-rockers CANDIRIA and the brutal deathmachine CRYPTOPSY. During three dates in Osaka, Nagoya and Tokyo this line up made the dojo extreme with different kind of underground music. Meeting the Japanese fans for the first time was a pleasure for NASUM and generally speaking the tour was a great success for all parts.
Spring 2002: After a pretty long break from everything NASUM flew to England and shared a nightliner with THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN and RABIES CASTE doing six shows together in England, Ireland and Scotland during a week in May. Playing for the fans in this part of Europe was something NASUM's been waiting to do for a long time, and to do it with the mighty DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN was extraordinary fun.
Summer and fall 2002: During the late summer NASUM started to write and rehearse songs for the third album, having just a short break in October to do two shows in Sweden (Stockholm and Örebro) with old friends NINE, SKITSYSTEM, DAYBREAK and RELEVANT FEW (ex-MINDSNARE).
Source: http://www.nasum.com/
