Desperate we celebrate the life and death we incarnate
The title is courtesy of Nasum.
The last CD in the order (minus Occasus), Kezia by Protest The Hero, did arrive today, bloody fast. I'm listening to it now, and I'm not quite through it yet, but I can say without hesitation that this is looking to become one of my Favourite CDs Ever, a prestigious group that's actually pretty small when compared to the size of my CD collection.
Yes, "Kezia" by Protest The Hero is just unbelievable. The guitar work is stupefying. Seriously, there are very few bands that I've heard that use so many spiralling, melodic, catchy riffs. The notes are always dancing, absolutely taking you along with the songs themselves, which are amazing. And then there's the singer, who has a really dynamic, varied voice. I've read a lot of reviews of people criticizing it, and maybe it's not for everyone, but I find it completely emotive and perfectly suited to the messages being conveyed - which brings me to the lyrics. They're often poetic and always message-driven, it's clear that the band has set out to actually say something with their album. I'm telling you, folks, Protest The Hero have everything. I can easily see this young five-piece from Whitby, Ontario getting huge - or, I really hope they get huge, but that's pretty unlikely. Maybe they'll become underground heroes like Propagandhi or something. No matter what, they deserve whatever success they get. Now I'm going to have to find their album before Kezia (stop looking at me that way, it's BEGGING to be bought! lol).
Oh yeah, and I totally broke down and bought another CD at the HMV in Markville Mall a couple days ago too (come on, I had a coupon... I'm not weak... I weakly assert swear...). Well, not just any CD. It was "Grind Finale", a very special 2 CD collection from Nasum.
Nasum were the band that saved a genre. They took the long-flogged horse that was grindcore and breathed new life into it. They were an inspiration to not only a ton of bands that would follow, but even some grindcore originals - it was Nasum who got Napalm Death back on their feet and destroying with their music once again.
It's weird to say "was" with such finality for a band that released their last album in late 2004, but Nasum are definitely over. The band's guitarist since inception and vocalist for the band's most well-known material, Mieszko Talarczyk, died in the tsunami of 2004 while vacationing with his girlfriend.
Although with Mieszko's passing the band also said its farewell to the music scene, the band was truly laid to rest with Grind Finale. It's a 2CD collection that collects every single song the band every recorded throughout its entire lifespan from 1993-2004 that wasn't on one of its four full-length albums in chronological order. You may be wondering how they fit all of that on only 2CDs, which wouldn't be unjustified until you remember that this is grindcore we're talking about, where a "long song" is one that breaks the 2 minute mark.
There has never been a CD collection that truly traced the development of a band like this one. A big part of that is the booklet that comes with the CDs - an 80 page booklet, that includes not only lyrics for all 152 songs (no typo), but also anecdotes and information about every recording session that the band had with the other member of the band who was there through it all, Anders Jakobson. At one point or another, he did everything: vocals, guitar, bass, and drums. He was there for everything, and the only person who could have really brought this whole project together.
Grind Finale is one of the most personal albums I've ever had the pleasure and sorrow to listen to. The music is so often incredible that it makes it all the more bittersweet when it becomes clear just how great a loss it was both musically and personally when Mieszko passed. Nasum were one of the first bands I heard when I first began exploring the truly heavy metal underground, with their last full length, Shift. It changed my perceptions of music and what music could be entirely. Now, Grind Finale has changed me again. It is a raw expression of not only what music can be, but what it can mean to the people who experience it.
A bitterly ironic quote from the Nasum song "Fury" to close, written by Mieszko:
"Shocking truth, deliverer of pain
Better start to move
Don't just sit and drown in shame
...of not doing anything...
When the seas calm down
But only then will our fury finally sleep
Until then, this whip will deal out
It's lashes constantly"
R.I.P. Mieszko Talarczyk.
The last CD in the order (minus Occasus), Kezia by Protest The Hero, did arrive today, bloody fast. I'm listening to it now, and I'm not quite through it yet, but I can say without hesitation that this is looking to become one of my Favourite CDs Ever, a prestigious group that's actually pretty small when compared to the size of my CD collection.
Yes, "Kezia" by Protest The Hero is just unbelievable. The guitar work is stupefying. Seriously, there are very few bands that I've heard that use so many spiralling, melodic, catchy riffs. The notes are always dancing, absolutely taking you along with the songs themselves, which are amazing. And then there's the singer, who has a really dynamic, varied voice. I've read a lot of reviews of people criticizing it, and maybe it's not for everyone, but I find it completely emotive and perfectly suited to the messages being conveyed - which brings me to the lyrics. They're often poetic and always message-driven, it's clear that the band has set out to actually say something with their album. I'm telling you, folks, Protest The Hero have everything. I can easily see this young five-piece from Whitby, Ontario getting huge - or, I really hope they get huge, but that's pretty unlikely. Maybe they'll become underground heroes like Propagandhi or something. No matter what, they deserve whatever success they get. Now I'm going to have to find their album before Kezia (stop looking at me that way, it's BEGGING to be bought! lol).
Oh yeah, and I totally broke down and bought another CD at the HMV in Markville Mall a couple days ago too (come on, I had a coupon... I'm not weak... I weakly assert swear...). Well, not just any CD. It was "Grind Finale", a very special 2 CD collection from Nasum.
Nasum were the band that saved a genre. They took the long-flogged horse that was grindcore and breathed new life into it. They were an inspiration to not only a ton of bands that would follow, but even some grindcore originals - it was Nasum who got Napalm Death back on their feet and destroying with their music once again.
It's weird to say "was" with such finality for a band that released their last album in late 2004, but Nasum are definitely over. The band's guitarist since inception and vocalist for the band's most well-known material, Mieszko Talarczyk, died in the tsunami of 2004 while vacationing with his girlfriend.
Although with Mieszko's passing the band also said its farewell to the music scene, the band was truly laid to rest with Grind Finale. It's a 2CD collection that collects every single song the band every recorded throughout its entire lifespan from 1993-2004 that wasn't on one of its four full-length albums in chronological order. You may be wondering how they fit all of that on only 2CDs, which wouldn't be unjustified until you remember that this is grindcore we're talking about, where a "long song" is one that breaks the 2 minute mark.
There has never been a CD collection that truly traced the development of a band like this one. A big part of that is the booklet that comes with the CDs - an 80 page booklet, that includes not only lyrics for all 152 songs (no typo), but also anecdotes and information about every recording session that the band had with the other member of the band who was there through it all, Anders Jakobson. At one point or another, he did everything: vocals, guitar, bass, and drums. He was there for everything, and the only person who could have really brought this whole project together.
Grind Finale is one of the most personal albums I've ever had the pleasure and sorrow to listen to. The music is so often incredible that it makes it all the more bittersweet when it becomes clear just how great a loss it was both musically and personally when Mieszko passed. Nasum were one of the first bands I heard when I first began exploring the truly heavy metal underground, with their last full length, Shift. It changed my perceptions of music and what music could be entirely. Now, Grind Finale has changed me again. It is a raw expression of not only what music can be, but what it can mean to the people who experience it.
A bitterly ironic quote from the Nasum song "Fury" to close, written by Mieszko:
"Shocking truth, deliverer of pain
Better start to move
Don't just sit and drown in shame
...of not doing anything...
When the seas calm down
But only then will our fury finally sleep
Until then, this whip will deal out
It's lashes constantly"
R.I.P. Mieszko Talarczyk.