Brutality, devastation and precision are NOSTROMO’s 3 leitmotivs. Born from pain in 1996 within the prolific Genevan scene, NOSTROMO quickly found their own identity with a clever mix of Metal/ Hardcore sprinkled with thrash and grindcore influences. From demotapes to 7 inches, the band created their own style. Everybody was blasted by NOSTROMO’s maturity when they released their first album Argue in Autumn 1998 on the Genevan label Snuff Records (Knut, Brazen, Fragment…) : 9 ultra-furious-as regular-as-clockworck songs ; killer double-drum kick and pure brutality riffs led by a strong hardcore on the verge of rupture singing.
After several gigs in France with Knut and an unforgetable performance at the Superbowl of Hardcore 99 (Rennes) where they shared the stage with bands such as Napalm Death or Turmoil, NOSTROMO released their sophomore effort in July 2000 on Mosh Bart Industries (nowadays Bisect Bleep Industries). Eyesore proved their ability to self-revive their own style by putting more and more ferocity, precision, and also feeling into it. That Ep had been recorded within a few days by TVO (Knut, Brazen) and showed a turning point in their music which then became even more brutal and surgical, where the preciseness of each riff is only equaled by Jack’ scalpel stabs.
NOSTROMO took France by storm again through a new tour with Ananda as support of Botch and The Dillinger Escape Plan, then Nasum and Napalm Death during a week. Then they played on several shows in Spain, Germany and Eastern Europe countries. Even more impressive on stage than on a stereo, the band surely blasted the audience who couldn’t believe their eyes and ears, and became consequently and quickly known as an essential curiosity for every extreme music lover. NOSTROMO’s trademark started to spread quickly.
In june 2001, the band invaded Spain as headliner of 2 mini-festivals organised by Overcome Records with LIKE PETER AT HOME, INSIDE CONFLICT and Hopeful, and then standed out during the famous French Astropolis Technival (august 2001/ Brest) who had decided to innovate by “inviting another Hardcore” (opposed to Techno Hardcore). Very risky but the try was scored.
NOSTROMO have the distinctive feature of attracting Napalm Death addicts as well as Strapping Young Lad or The Dillinger Escape Plan ones. Technique, groove and personality are the Genevian band’s main assets, their music style remains hard to classify.
After those shows, the band decided to reduce the number of their stage performances so as to dedicate themselves to the composition of Eyesore’s successor which was recorded by Miesko (singer/ guitarist in Nasum) in early 2002. Ecce Lex, due to release on Overcome Records on the 7th of october 2002, is even more technical (yeah this is indeed possible) and provides a few musical openings demonstrating the evergrowing maturity of our four metal-heads’ universe.
This new album is a logical outcome given the number of shows played and people met on the road during those past years. An extreme music album, finely built and thought, where grind-madness and relaxing accoustic parts are combined, where shouts become silence and let dancing breaks stun the listener’s brain.
NOSTROMO simply overcame the status of promising-band through the tours and the years. Here, energy is raw and direct, deprived of any teen-demagogic-tasting fancy dresses or tricks, focussing on sincerity and an everlasting friendly good mood. A honest old-school mind, deeply human, which allowed the band to gather various and numerous debut-fans.
The band will not limit itself to a french recognition and will go on spreading its style with Ecce Lex through upcoming tours in Spain, Germany, Ireland, following about 20 french dates from october to december 2002 (set up by 3C). Like their grindmates, NOSTROMO counts a lot on its live shows, the contact with the audience, favouring the long term instead of furtive lightning strokes. The combo will appear with Converge in Paris in september and with Masami Akita aka MERZBOW for the Ecce Lex release party that will take place in Rennes on the 15th of november.
A vinyl version including a few surprises, as well as limited color serials, is on the work-table at Bisect Bleep Industries and Diabolik Records.
Source: http://www.noiseaddict.com/html/