Nasum [ Grindcore | Sweden | Interview on April 18, 2001]

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NASUM [Date of interview: April 18, 2001]
You guys are curious about the name of master grinder "Nasum"??? Jesper of Nasum will tell you about the things that you should know about the master grinder "Nasum", let's go sick grinder!

Well, first of all, please introduce yourselves to Thailand.
Jesper | Nasum: well, ok. Nasum is basically a grindcoreband which is situated in the swedish town of Rebro. The music is basically grindcore, but with the ambition to evolve the genre and to move forward within the limits of grindcore. other musical influences are important parts of what makes Nasum's sound. the band is comprised of three individuals, anders, jesper and mieszko, and we do our best to keep the energy and intensity at a maximum in our music and live performances.

Now, do you stay in Sweden? How's your life there?
Jesper | Nasum: pretty good, I guess every country and society has it´s flaws, but the swedish community is more or less ok. I guess it's quite a difference from living in Thailand as far as culture and basic society goes besides the music we all have other interests and occupations. Mieszko owns a studio where he records everything from hardcore to grindcore to punk to death metal, Anders has a job as a web designer (also manages www.Nasum.com), and i myself study at a university at the moment.

Jesper, you joined in Nasum in the spring of 1999 and actually you had a band name 'Burst', why you wanna join with 'Nasum'?
Jesper | Nasum: well, the music that burst plays is a lot different from Nasum (although it is powerful and energetic), to begin with, and I like being broad-minded in my musical tastes. I have always been a fan of Nasum and grindcore in general, and that's how I more or less got to know Anders, through our mutual love of grindcore. when the guys asked me to join I guess I did because there was a musical void which I had and saw an opportunity to fill as a member of Nasum. I had always thought of Nasum as one of the best grindcore outfits there were, so the opportunity to be able to share the sheer energy of the music with the other two guys became too compelling to resist. the fact that Nasum was signed to in my opinion the worlds best label for hard music, relapse records, also helped in making my decision I guess.

And about your band 'Burst', how's going on?
Jesper | Nasum: Oh, it's actually great at the moment, we are just about to release a new LP on Swedish label Putrid Filth Conspiracy records, so that's cool. The band has been kind of laidback for quite a while over the past year, so with this LP we are all anxious to get things going again. The LP will be released as a vinyl version first over here in Europe first, and then in august we will release it as a CD through american label Prank records. I'm sorry to say that I don't have a clue as to what will happen with a release of the record in Thailand and south east asia, but hopefully we'll get something going on over there too. The music of burst is as I said a slot different from the grindcore that Nasum plays. To describe it is sort of difficult, but I would say that it is a mix between neurosis, his hero is gone, breach, emperor and converge. if you want to check it out, contact burst@thevortex.com .

Please tell us about local scene in your city?
Jesper | Nasum: Well, I don't actually live in Rebro with the others, I live in a town close to the Swedish capital called Uppsala at the moment. The scene here is, well, so-so I would say there are a few hardcore and death metal bands (for instance deranged and misery loves company and F.K.ü.), and there are also a few gigs now and then the scene in Rebro, where the other guys live, is a lot better bands like millencolin, peepshows, wolf, krigshot, and a shitload of other bands are situated in that town gigs now and then, actually Nasum recently played there together with the haunted and nine. the venue was sold out, so I guess there is a strong interest in music there. The swedish scene overall has actually decreased a lot in the last couple of years, in the middle of the nineties, the swedish underground was a slot larger than it is now but the people that have remained are very dedicated to music and live shows.

Before you joined Nasum, What's your favorite album of Nasum?
Jesper | Nasum: Well, since Anders and Mieszko had released only one proper album before I joined, it's snot so hard to say: inhale/exhale, of course! However, a shitload of 7"s, compilations and also a couple of mini-cds. I guess my all-time favourite Nasum release is the "blind world" 7".

I know you have a band named 'Burst ', and I wanna know about Mieszko and Anders, have aside from Nasum? Other bands? Wage slave job?
Jesper | Nasum: Anders and Mieszko also has a real fucking violent, super fast crusty-hardcore band called Krigshot which fucking rips! great! Mieszko is also a part of a danzig-meets-motorhead-meets-discharge-meets-hellacopters-band called Genocide superstars, which is also pretty good. Anders used to be a part of a math-rock band called lantern which I haven't heard besides that they both work at the jobs I mentioned earlier in the interview slaves we all are.

About your new album "Human 2.0", I think that heavy more than 'Inhale/Exhale' , well I think in the album 'Inhale/Exhale' had a part of the hardcore music more than album 'Human 2.0', I know you all come from puck/hardcore background. In my opinion I think that's great. What do you think about it?
Jesper | Nasum: Yeah, I guess H2.0 is a bit heavier than the i/e album. I don't know, I think the main difference between the two is the production, H2.0 has a heavier production whereas i/e has a more crusty feel to it. with the new album, we have tried to evolve as a band to try and keep things interesting, and they way it turned out is a bit more varied, I would say maybe that has something to do with the way the album sounds as well, a lot of new musical influences has been added to the nucleus of the Nasum-formula as for the musical background thing: well, sure we have a punk/hardcore background, but at the same time we all listened to a lot of different things including all kinds of metal and things like that. basically, we are all just huge fans of music in general, be it hardcore or death metal, or lo-fi rock or some electronic music as long as music is good and well performed, I'm ready to give it a shot where I come from, nobody varied about what "scene" you were a part of. We all went to all kinds of shows and listened to each others music, whatever genre it belonged to. limiting yourself to a certain genre is boring and limiting I think the best way to evolve music is to be open to new ideas, wherever they may come from.

What does the mean of Nasum?
Jesper | Nasum: Haha! It's a secret! nah, man, you'll just have to wonder the name Nasum doesn't really mean anything interesting, at least not anything profound like people seem to think.

In your opinion, what's the meaning of Grindcore?
Jesper | Nasum: Grindcore is one of the most energetic and intense forms of music there is nothing I can think of has more energy if played well and with integrity our interpretation of grindcore also includes lyrics which actually has something to say, to be aware of the wrongs of this world is an important thing to remember when you actually have the opportunity to reach a few people with your words. I have nothing against bands which sing about gore and blood and stuff like that, but for us and our version of grind, we like to keep the lyrical side serious but the main thing is, as I said, the energy of the music. That's why I play.

Please tell me, what are you believe? If I talk about Faith, what do you think, you faith in what?
Jesper | Nasum: If I have faith? Do you mean if I am religious? nah man, I am not in any way religious, I think that organized religion is bad, because it doesn't let people evolve in their own way. It's like living your life after certain rules that might not fit your personality at all, instead of thinking for yourself, others have thought for you. I have respect for people who has a certain belief in something, but as long as it is personal and the person in question has come to that conclusion for themselves. I also think there are certain philosophical aspects of some religious books that are interesting, particularly the eastern religions, but I am a firm believer in integrity and people doing what is right for them and their own life.

Let's talk about the lyrics. What's it about? What the inspiration to write your songs?
Jesper | Nasum: I guess the inspiration for our lyrics comes from just living in the world and being observant to what is going on because everything isn't fine and dandy nowadays. I think everybody who has the slightest touch with reality can see that there is shitloads of hipocrisy, corruption, racial prejudice, lying and greed out there. I think that none, whatever political agenda they might have, can close their eyes to what those kinds of atrocities. I think that when you have the opportunity to say something meaningful, you should definitely take it. However, we are not a political band in the sense that we all have a common political stance or agenda, we are three different individuals with different ideas and thoughts on certain aspects of society, it's just that we prefer to write lyrics that deal with important issues in our world.

Are you interest in 'Political' or 'Government' topic? What do you think about that?
Jesper | Nasum: Yes, I personally am sort of involved in what is going on politically. The other guys don't have that big an interest as I have, but all three of us are fairly opinionated. I think that politics and justice are too important issues to not think about, I mean, people fight wars over the right to vote in a democratic manner, to take one example.

Please explain the progress of created your songs?
Jesper | Nasum: Well, it usually starts with one of us coming up with the basic structure of a song and accompanying lyrics, then we rehearse it together and perhaps make a few changes along the way maybe we'll work differently in the future, but that's the way it has worked up until now.

I know you recorded the song 'Tools of the Trade' for the tribute of Carcass. How do you feel? What do you think about 'Carcass'? What is your favorite album?
Jesper | Nasum: Carcass are definitely one of the most important influences in Nasum's music, at least in the early days. Their last effort really sucked in my opinion, but I guess it's hard to top masterpieces like "symphonies of sickness", "necroticism...." and "heartwork". They were an excellent band, no question about it. I know the used to be one of Anders and Mieszko's favourite bands, and I also used to love them, but I wouldn't say that they are my favorites band.

What's the highlight in the show of Nasum? How you guys can bring them into your songs?
Jesper | Nasum: Again, the energy of our live-show is the essence of what Nasum is about. We seldom play more than 30 minutes; since it would be too much for people to take in one go the greatest thing is if the audience really freak out and go intense with us when we play, if there is a mutual energy and interaction between us and the audience it is a good show.

What's the grindcore/metal band that you guys ever tour with? And which bands that you really like to tour with?
Jesper | Nasum: We have toured with napalm death, the haunted, nine, skitsystem, exhumed, soilent green, today is the day, morgion along with a shitload of one-off gigs with various grind/metal/hardcore bands. I like tours best if they are varied, if there are bands with different styles of music. That way it is more diverse than if it would be a show with five grindcore bands on top of each other. it would get boring. personally I would love to go on a tour with neurosis, since they are one of my favourite bands maybe emperor, I love them too. Sick of it all? It would be cool to maybe tour with a band that isn't even aggressive, just for the contrast. shit man, I don't know there are too many good bands out there to mention one Repulsion would be awesome, that is if they would still be around or maybe discharge, or maybe.....

What's the meaning of the art on your body, Bro'?
Jesper | Nasum: Yeah, I have several tattoos, but they are all very personal. It would be pointless trying to explain what they stand for ere, since they all have to do with something that is a profound part of my life.

Do you like Vinyl? Collect the Vinyl?
Jesper | Nasum: Nah, I never really cared about vinyl as some people do. I never saw the charm of it. Vinyl is always much more fragile than a CD, plus the sound is better on a CD. A lot of people would disagree with me on that, I know, but that is just what I think I don't mind it though, I just never saw what was better with vinyl as opposed to CD.

What's the plan of Nasum in the future? Is your recording a new record after Human2.0? Touring soon? Where and with who?
Jesper | Nasum: We just released a new split-7" with swedish grinders "asterisk*", and will be releasing a split7" inch later this year with swedish crustband Skitsystem. There are also plans for making a cheap double-CD with all the hard-to-get old stuff that has been released during the years. There has been a huge demand for all that stuff, and instead of people paying ridiculous prices to collectors and internet auctions and things like that, we decided to do this. In November we'll start recording our new album as far as touring goes, we are doing a couple of festivals in Europe this summer, dynamo and wacken to name two, and then there is a chance we'll go to Malaysia in august for one-off gig. Hope we can do that, it would be really cool to do something down there, but nothing is certain yet. when we release our new album in the beginning of next year, we also plan to go to the states again and probably also another european tour. We'll see with what bands that will be, nobody knows.

What are you expect from Nasum?
Jesper | Nasum: Grindcore!

Well, at the end of interview, wanna say something to metalthai readers, go ahead…
Jesper | Nasum: Thanks a lot for the long interview, and good luck with Metalthai. I really hope we can make it to Thailand and do a couple of gigs sometime, I would be honored to see what the Thai underground is like. Grind your mind.