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Few things amuse me like watching people try to mosh to Meshuggah. At a recent show here in SF, a crew of guys took off their shirts and pushed past people to get to the pit. (Did they plan beforehand to take off their shirts? Like girls wearing matching outfits?) At first, they tried to “fuck shit up.” But they quickly grew confused at Meshuggah’s poly-limbed math meters. Meatheads standing shirtless, trying in vain to count past four: priceless.
Yet Meshuggah provoke a profound bodily response. People sway, nod their heads, or simply close their eyes. It’s trance music in the true sense. The key is Tomas Haake, whom only Vinnie Paul rivals in steely precision and groove. Meshuggah cut through the testosterone bullshit that “groove” in metal usually entails, and tap into something truly primal. Yes, they’re cerebral – but towards physical ends. Their sonic vice grips probably light up the same areas of my brain that addiction does. Like how certain psychedelic experiences weren’t possible before synthesized drugs, Meshuggah couldn’t have existed 30 years ago. They’re that rare band for whom today’s antiseptic, hyper-compressed production is perfectly appropriate.
“Bleed” is the metal song of the year so far. Its rapid-fire kicks and engine-like riffs recall Bad Company (the drum ‘n’ bass group, not the classic rock outfit). Whenever it starts up, my brain experiences something like a small orgasm. I also love the cyborg limp of a beat that Haake unleashes near the end. “Combustion” revisits Meshuggah’s thrash beginnings, but with a muscular new chassis. This is exactly what thrash should be doing – moving forward, not engaging in the silly costume ball that’s currently glutting the market.
Nuclear Blast sponsored a drumming competition for “Bleed.” You can see the finalist videos here. They range from professional to extremely artsy. (One features a hand puppet; another, pots and pans.) Hearing people try to tackle Tomas Haake’s foot work only highlights how insane the real thing is.
I had always kept an admiring distance from Meshuggah until this record – it’s everything I’ve ever wanted this band to do. Its trance-like nature is almost better suited for “zoning out” than headbanging, or, you know, moshing with your shirt off.
Raymond Herrera from Fear Factory had some pretty nimble feet as well.
There’s many better at rigid lockstep than Pantera’s Vinnie Paul, but he definitely is the most infuential in this respect.
It’s not difficult to headbang to Meshuggah if you have the guts for polyrhythm-bang! Haake usually has a timekeeper cymbal that hits eighth notes even when his snare/kick patterns do not. So if you can disassociate from the rest of the song and mind for when the riff wraps on itself (might get a strained neck at half-a-beat bang there!) you’ll be alright! I want to see people train for live shows.
Meshuggah have a wicked sense of humour, and the new one is their most accessible to my sensibilities since oh… Contradictions Collapse? I still think they should push the envelope more conceptually, their style has been gently permutated (by them, and not so gently aped by other bands) for a decade now.
OBZEN is a great, great album, and I’m glad to hear that so many others are enjoying it too. Total agreement on “Bleed”. That’s the metal song to beat this year. I love it in that last minute or so when the guitars creep and bend ever so slightly upwards.
Floodwatch and Helm – other drummers definitely do rigid lockstep well, like Raymond Herrera and Gene Hoglan. But only Haake and Paul for me have that intangible “groove” that makes their playing more than just timekeeping. Their drum kits even sound a little similar!
Helm, you’re absolutely right about Haake’s timekeeper cymbal. That’s what most people follow when they see Meshuggah live. I’m sure people do “train” for live shows, b/c I see dudes who never miss a beat when they rock out to Meshuggah live.
And, yeah, I think Meshuggah totally can and should push themselves. A lot of this record is Meshuggah as usual, and while it’s typically amazing, I can’t help but feel, “They peaked with that in ‘Rational Gaze’ already.”
And yet, Wayne, when I hear that last minute of “Bleed,” where they kick everything up a notch when they didn’t really need to b/c the song was already awesome – then I bow down and say “I’m not worthy.”
This is the best thing they’ve done in fucking 13 years. The songwriting doesn’t really hit me, but I’ve REALLY disliked everything they’ve done since the mighty “Destroy Erase Improve”. Everything falls back into place on this album without it particularly repeating their earlier sound.
I’ve tried to like Meshuggah. Lord knows i’ve tried, but the results is the same, i lose interest because i find myself unable to lapse into the groove because of their overambitious timing. i remember getting “Destroy Erase Improve” all those yeara ago wen it came out and feeling just as underwhelmed. if i could submit a wish list to the band, it would be that their vocals were a varied and interesting as their time signatures.
I mean, those vocals get super stale do they not?
DanO, I agree that the vocals are the weak link in Meshuggah. But if you can perceive the vocals as just placekeepers, then you can focus on the drums and guitars, where the real action is at.
The new album is unreal, what can I say. After Catch-33, which I found to be a big disappointment, it’s great to hear the band returning to form. They absolutely slayed in Worcester, mopping the floor with Ministry…it would have been cool to hear the primal attack of “Combustion” in a live setting, but I can’t complain! I was in full geek mode for an hour or so.
And yeah, you have to headbang along with Haake’s right-hand beats…once you get that down, you’re set!
I think the vocals fit. For a band like that, anything but a cold, robotic delivery would not work at all.
Personally the problem is not with robot-voice, it is with Terminator lyrics. The whole shell of Meshuggah provides for awesome dystopian-futurist vision, but very rarely is such delivered. I’m sure 95% of the people that say they adore Meshuggah have not read the lyrics of their songs.
And we’re going to be truthful, that cover art is fucking dreadful…
At least it signifies a specific concept. Obzen, as the band said is about how modern society has become accustomed to ‘meditate’ to the effects of its own excesses, or something to that effect, sorry to paraphrase. I don’t like the rendering style either, but the theme is supposed to be offputting.
I’ll take it over thousands of random photoshop art covers of faces screaming butterflies and femme fatale figures rising out of a flower of fire or whatever. Conceptual integrity = Heavy Metal. Random stuff that looks cool = not.
I’ve alwasy wanted to witness Meshuggah live but never had a chance to yet, hopefully I will when they tour this album cos its fucking awesome. I must say though that the title track to Obzen is the metal track of the year for me so far, its got that Meshuggah thunder in the opening riffs that I just absolutely love.
And yes, trying to headbang to Meshuggah is so hard but totally worth it if u can!!!
fair point…
Entire Meshuggah Discography, Go here for more info, enjoy!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meshuggah
obZen (2008)
http://rapidshare.com/files/109312209/Meshuggah_-_obZen__2008_.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/109313011/Meshuggah_-_obZen__2008_.part2.rar
Catch Thirtythree (2005)
http://rapidshare.com/files/116813527/Meshuggah_-_Catch_Thirtythree__2005_.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/116814149/Meshuggah_-_Catch_Thirtythree__2005_.part2.rar
I (2004)
http://rapidshare.com/files/116815555/Meshuggah_-_I__2004_.rar
re-Nothing (2006) [re-issue of Nothing (2002)]
http://rapidshare.com/files/116817798/Meshuggah_-_re-Nothing__2006_.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/116822852/Meshuggah_-_re-Nothing__2006_.part2.rar
Rare Trax (2001)
http://rapidshare.com/files/116826568/Meshuggah_-_Rare_Trax__2001_.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/116827627/Meshuggah_-_Rare_Trax__2001_.part2.rar
Chaosphere (1998)
http://rapidshare.com/files/116830151/Meshuggah_-_Chaosphere__1998_.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/116831046/Meshuggah_-_Chaosphere__1998_.part2.rar
Destroy Erase Improve (1995)
http://rapidshare.com/files/116833333/Meshuggah_-_Destroy_Erase_Improve__1995_.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/116833333/Meshuggah_-_Destroy_Erase_Improve__1995_.part1.rar
Contradictions Collapse & None (1991-1994)
http://rapidshare.com/files/116837455/Meshuggah_-_Contradictions_Collapse___None__1991_.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/116839966/Meshuggah_-_Contradictions_Collapse___None__1991_.part2.rar
Hard to imagine I’m the first to notice that both links to the Destroy Erase Improve album are identical. Can you provide a unique link to the Part 2 archive?
Thanks,
Anon