A Meshuggah discussion

This is not intended to be an appreciation thread as such, but I would not be surprised if it becomes one 

The reason I wanted to discuss about this particular band is the mixed feelings I have after purchasing Nothing and Chaosphere. To be honest, I had listened to Chaosphere before and was not at all impressed - I was actually amazed at the rating in PA which seems to be quite high.

In brief my initial views about these albums

Chaosphere: as the title suggests, this album sounds like total chaos, too much noise and hardly any structure. Personally, I don't feel it will grow on me, but I will not stop listening to it until I get a more rounded opinion.

Nothing: much more ''reasonable'' structure, ''cleaner'' riffs and more variations seem to create an interesting result. Feels like a more mature approach to the extreme metal side of things while the prog elements are still there.

Looking forward to hear your views. Are Meshuggah in overall closer to the first or second description and/or do you agree with the comments for these albums. Feel free to recommend further albums and/or bash the thread creator



Edited by aapatsos - June 24 2009 at 13:12

I'd say Chaosphere is their worst album between Destoy Erase Improve and the present. The production isn't the best and songs are very good, but definitely not consistently on par with their other work. I agree with your comments and highly recommend you take a look at the I Ep and Catch 33. They are very mature in songwriting and the production is great on both.

If you think their songs don't have structure, you won't enjoy anything they have released. They aren't for everyone, so I wouldn't be surprised if you never found anything from them you liked. The point of their music isn't to be melodic or traditionally structured; it's to be rhythmic and trance-like. You can't go into a Meshuggah album expecting 4/4 time signatures and melodic singing about Tolkein-esque fantasy worlds. A lot of traditional prog is like that, but Meshuggah is a different breed altogether.

their songs may sound chaotic but they are so structured it makes most peoples head spin. if meshuggah is about anything,they are about structure. Thats where that whole "how do they play this" thing comes in. chaosphere is disjointed as an album and the songs arent as memorable as the songs off nothing or well... anything they've done.

Favorite meshuggah album is probably catch 33, though I is pretty great too. I heard their rhythm guitarist (not thorendhal) say once that their songs were rhythmic exercises so i really enjoy that aspect of the music. i like picking it appart and attempting to disect the song, which is pretty fun. 

I actually find Chaosphere to be their most interesting. The grooves are simply divine. If you wanna get into the album, just headbang a little bit to the ending of Sane or Neurotica.

zappaholic wrote: Chaosphere was my first exposure to Meshuggah as well, and I didn't care for it.  A few years later I decided to give them another shot and picked up catch thirtythr33.  That's the one that hooked me.  Since then I've picked up Nothing, I and obZen - all great discs, but catch thirtythr33 is still my favorite.

Wow. I have the EXACT same story as you when it comes to my getting into their music. Spooky . . .

wow... it seems my story would be exactly the same... spooky...

They are so much better live than on album.... that said, I find their I ep to be their best release.  It is just the right length, has just the right changeups and keeps it intense from beginning to end.  Catch 33 is somewhat boring imo.  Chaosphere is excellent.  so is Obzen.  Nothing is almost too repititious for me. (yes I get the polyrhythmic interplay)  The early material is a different beast all together... very thrashy.  Well most of their stuff is somewhat thrashy, but just insanely complex rhythmically.... sort of like african polyrhythmic contortions... call them a love/hate band.... and Thordendahl's solos are just Allan Holdsworth ripoffs.

also, the best related project is not a Meshuggah album at all, but the extremely rare "Fredrick Thordendahl's Special Defects- Sol Niger Within version 3.33" which features more diversity, better songs, and Saxophone in some songs.... like Meshuggah meets jazz.... good stuff for sure!

avalanchemaster wrote: and Thordendahl's solos are just Allan Holdsworth ripoffs.

that's not a fair assessment.

avalanchemaster wrote: moe_blunts wrote: avalanchemaster wrote: and Thordendahl's solos are just Allan Holdsworth ripoffs. that's not a fair assessment. I suppose it would offend your sensibilities less if I said that his solos are influenced by Holdsworth.... if you don't agree, well then I would have to question your exposure to Holdsworth....

holdsworth is in a league of his own. really awkward guy, too, but he sure as hell can play.

Fredrik's solos are more ripoffs of beebopjazz saxophone...


Edited by moe_blunts - June 26 2009 at 14:17