Nasum

Grind Finale is a comprehensive two-CD compilation that gathers all of Nasum's non-album tracks, including demo, outtake, and Japanese-only bonus material as well as songs from a variety of 7"s, split releases, EPs, and tribute albums. It amounts to a whopping 152 tracks over more than two hours of running time. The first disc contains 90 tracks, and begins with material from a split with Agathocles recorded in 1993. At this point, they were a quartet with Mieszko Talarczyk (guitar) and Anders Jakobson (guitar/bass) -- the two mainstays of the group over the years -- not yet settled into their eventual roles: Talarczyk eventually became the producer and main vocalist (while still playing guitar), with Jakobson switching to the drums. Like much of the other material from the first disc, these recordings show Nasum before they had really found their identity, offering a more rough, primitive version of the politically charged modern grindcore of their classic 2000s releases. Disc one gets stronger around midway through, though, with the mid-'90s Industrislaven and World in Turmoil releases (tracks 48-66 and 67-82, respectively). That said, disc two is the real attraction, beginning with 1997's excellent Regressive Hostility sessions (tracks 1-16), which mark the arrival of the classic Nasum sound: short, condensed blasts of sound with harsh, well-sculpted production and some surprisingly melodic undercurrents in the guitar work. This level of quality is maintained throughout the second disc, with the last recordings coming from the same sessions that yielded the excellent Shift album. Along the way are covers of Discharge and Carcass (two key influences on the band) and, really, too many other highlights to list. Also of note here is the packaging, which features detailed liner notes, photos, and lyrics, all bound in a hardcover-book-like exterior. This is a fantastic compilation that does a great job of commemorating this influential group, which is easily one of the standout grindcore bands to come along after 1990 or so. ~ Will York, All Music Guide