Nashgul – Oprobio

Hailing from A Coruña, a city with a legendary crust punk scene, Spain’s Nashgul have been unleashing their vicious brand of deathgrind since 2001. As prolific as they are talented and original, the band manages to capture everything that makes this extreme genre so enduring and vibrant, and deliver it to us with a seriousness and dedication to the DIY scene that few can match. They’re one of grindcore’s brightest hopes right now, and at the rate they keep releasing better and better material, they’ve already achieved cult, even legendary status, and in years to come will definitely be one of the bands mentioned when people talk about the apogee of extreme music in the 2000s.

The latest album from Nashgul, titled Oprobio (meaning “public humiliation”), was released on September 23, 2023. It’s available through Selfmadegod Records on vinyl and CD, Esagoya Records on CD, and To Live a Lie on cassette. The recording, production, mixing, and mastering of the album were expertly handled by Hector L. at Lucifixion Studios, with the mastering process further enhanced by the legendary Dan Swano, known for his work with Edge of Sanity. The album’s artwork, once again created by Luis Sendon, continues Nashgul’s long-standing collaboration with him. Sendon’s ability to vividly capture the band’s style and essence through his distinctively gruesome artwork is a testament to their synergistic relationship.

In their latest effort, Nashgul has truly surpassed themselves. Building on their unwavering commitment and evident growth in composition since Carcava, it’s important to acknowledge the significant contributions of Hector L. and Lucifixion Studios, as well as Dan Swano, in enhancing Oprobio. Their expertise has maximized the potential of the 16 new songs.

Nashgul’s sound, while heavily influenced by old school death metal and Barney-era Napalm Death, retains a distinctly crusty edge. This quality gives the album an eclectic and potent sound, reminiscent of some of their Spanish peers like Looking for an Answer and Disturbance Project.

The album features characteristic rapid tempo changes, and the rhythm section is notably robust. The drums oscillate between intense d-beat fury and overwhelming blastbeats, complemented by the bassist’s solid bass lines. Vocalist Alex employs a range of essential grind vocal techniques, from deep grunts and growls to higher shouts and raspy roars, mastering each in his own style. Hector’s guitar work is equally impressive; he proves to be a master of riffs, never sounding repetitive or uninspired. His playing spans from aggressive grind chords and technically demanding OSDM passages to slower, sludgy, and immensely heavy riffs. These are often followed by fierce power chords that gradually accelerate the pace, culminating in a crescendo of full-throttle deathgrind chaos, brilliantly matched by Ivan’s relentless blastbeats.

Oprobrio is a standout representation of contemporary grindcore. It combines crushingly heavy music with dark, gruesome lyrical themes. True to grindcore’s ethos, the album conveys anti-systemic messages and, most importantly, upholds an unyielding dedication to DIY principles. Spain’s grindcore scene, vibrant and dynamic as it was in the ’90s, continues to thrive with new and exciting bands, producing legendary records like Oprobrio.

I encourage supporting Nashgul through their official Bandcamp page and purchasing the album in CD, vinyl, or tape format from one of the three excellent labels that have collaborated on this extreme masterpiece. In my opinion, it is one of the greatest grindcore releases of 2023, and the band has once again managed to prove their status as a definitive landmark of modern deathgrind, establishing their cult reputation once again, while at the same time being at the absolute peak of their career. Now all we can do is wait and see what their next step will be. Warning: may cause incessant ear bleeding to the uninitiated in the art of noise, not music.