CATCH THIRTYTHREE

Meshuggah are always progressing in their own way, into new territories both for them and for other progressive metal bands. They have mastered all their previous studio efforts with breathtakingly heavy and complex riffs, solo's and originality. This album, their currently newest effort, is however the most unusual one in their discography. It's slow and intense, not unlike their previous album, "Nothing", only that this one is darker and chilling, the riffs are sludgy and hypnotic, complicated and hard to follow. It's perhaps their most patience-required album to date.

Drummer Tomas Haake takes a break from the drums and uses his "Drumkit From Hell" sample archive instead, but you'll barely notice the difference. Fredrik Thordendal and Mårten Hågstrøm's guitars sounds different than any other guitar sound I've heard thus far and the bass supports the riffs sludgy sounding approach into a bombastic and kind of inaccessible affair. It's grower for sure, even me, who are a huge fan of this band, didn't think much of this album after first listen, but it growed on me well, though not enough to name it as one of my absolute favorites from them. I still love the riffing and the ambient guitar noodling parts though it drags on for too long sometimes. Overall, I think it deserves at least a 4 star, but not much over that.

Not recommended to new fans, but already fans of Meshuggah should surely check this one out!