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The Pessimist 
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Joined: June 13 2007
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 Topic: Meshuggah Appreciation Thread
Posted: October 20 2008 at 16:06 |
I think it's about time someone createde one. This is a thread to celebrate the great technical metal band MESHUGGAH. They are fantastic, even though the vast majority of the classic prog fans can't digest them, which is a shame. Thomas Haake is one of the best drummers of all time, no one can deny that, their lyrical content is fantastic and they are anti-cheesy music that is technical beyond belief. I honestly admire this lot for being able to play their material  What are your positive thoughts on this incredible band?
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"Market value is irrelevant to intrinsic value."
Arnold Schoenberg
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Bj-1
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Posted: October 20 2008 at 16:46 |
Definitely my favorite metal band, provoding some of the most original metal albums I've ever heard. I admire and deeply respect all of their work, and enjoy pretty much all of what they've released so far. Thordendal's solo project is incredible as well!
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RIO/AVANT/ZEUHL - The best thing you can get with yer pants on!
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Visitor13
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Posted: October 20 2008 at 16:47 |
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The vocals are cheesy (though they have to be, heavily rhythmic shouting is the only way to go here), never read the lyrics but most of the song titles promise more cheese, although there's some good and amusing ones, like "The Mouth Licking What You've Bled".
They're unbelievably funky, that's their greatest strength. Gonna shake my butt to some Meshuggah now.
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aapatsos
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Posted: October 20 2008 at 17:44 |
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I can see the potential of an excellent band, but still I have not 'got into' their music...
However, I need way more spins...
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topofsm
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Posted: October 20 2008 at 20:21 |
 Visitor13 wrote:
The vocals are cheesy (though they have to be, heavily rhythmic shouting is the only way to go here), never read the lyrics but most of the song titles promise more cheese, although there's some good and amusing ones, like "The Mouth Licking What You've Bled".
They're unbelievably funky, that's their greatest strength. Gonna shake my butt to some Meshuggah now.
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I wasn't sure you were talking about the same band until you said "The Mouth Licking What You've Bled". But yes, you cannot deny the funkiness of "Future Breed Machine" 
I particularly like "I". It's the first material I've heard from Meshuggah, and every time I listen to it it's like going on a metal journey through the psyche.
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ProgBagel
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Posted: October 20 2008 at 23:32 |
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This band is beyond incredible. I enjoy all of their albums from DEI on...only because I haven't really listened to the stuff before that. My favorites are I, Chaosphere and Catch 33 in no order because each have their merits.
I hope people understand the talent behind this band. One of the most unique bands of our time.
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horsewithteeth11
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Posted: October 20 2008 at 23:53 |
Meshuggah is easily one of the most innovative metal bands out there today, especially considering how stagnant the metal scene is today. Tomas Haake is one of the most fantastic drummers of modern music, having created a new style of drumming. My favorite Meshuggah albums are DEI, Chaosphere, Obzen and I in no particular order. Thanks for creating this thread finally! 
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DJPuffyLemon
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Posted: October 21 2008 at 01:31 |
I have only ever heard their 22 minute single titled I. And I was pretty bored to be honest. Maybve not the best place to start. Suggestions?
on a side note, i'm all for technicallity (its one of the reasons i like Protest the hero), but i also like when the technicallity doesn't destroy the musicallity of the band (another reason i like Protest the hero). so perhaps if this band sacrifies musicallity and listenability for technicallity it may not be my bag. I'm still willing to give them a shot though.
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Silver Sable
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Posted: October 21 2008 at 09:46 |
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All of their albums I've tried ended up in skipping through tracks after about 90 seconds because it was irritating me. I've tried time and again and they are either too repetitive or too schizophrenic for my taste. Just feels like music with no soul.
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ProgBagel
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Posted: October 21 2008 at 11:09 |
DJPuffyLemon wrote:
I have only ever heard their 22 minute single titled I. And I was pretty bored to be honest. Maybve not the best place to start. Suggestions?
on a side note, i'm all for technicallity (its one of the reasons i like Protest the hero), but i also like when the technicallity doesn't destroy the musicallity of the band (another reason i like Protest the hero). so perhaps if this band sacrifies musicallity and listenability for technicallity it may not be my bag. I'm still willing to give them a shot though. |
Catchy 33 has a kind of musical appeal. It seems to really put a hypnotic affect on this listener with the main riff throughout the album and all the other stuff serving as healthy distractions. One of a kind album really, even considering their output.
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The Pessimist
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Posted: October 21 2008 at 11:51 |
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DJPuffyLemon, I'd try out DEI, probably their most diverse effort and gradually ween yourself in with Soul Burn, Beneath and Inside What's Within Behind, as i see them as the most accessible songs. You'll soon buy Chaosphere after that, guaranteed.
Silver Sable: This is an appreciation thread. The clues in the title.
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"Market value is irrelevant to intrinsic value."
Arnold Schoenberg
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avalanchemaster
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Joined: March 02 2007
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Posted: October 21 2008 at 14:15 |
is all!
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Visitor13
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Posted: October 21 2008 at 17:05 |
DJPuffyLemon wrote:
I have only ever heard their 22 minute single titled I. And I was pretty bored to be honest. Maybve not the best place to start. Suggestions?
on a side note, i'm all for technicallity (its one of the reasons i like Protest the hero), but i also like when the technicallity doesn't destroy the musicallity of the band (another reason i like Protest the hero). so perhaps if this band sacrifies musicallity and listenability for technicallity it may not be my bag. I'm still willing to give them a shot though. |
Eh, Meshuggah's technicality makes their musicality, not destroy it. How else would they be so funky without being so technical? The much larger issue is that once you've heard ~10 minutes of one of their albums, you've basically heard the whole album. Kibble_Alex is right, they manage to avoid that pretty well on Destroy, Erase, Improve, not least since the drummer is given more room there. I hope they return to a similiar approach one day.
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zappaholic
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Posted: October 21 2008 at 20:36 |
I first tried them out a few years ago with Chaosphere and found it to be mostly a blur. Then last year I decided to try again, with catch thirtythr33. That one hooked me. I've since picked up Nothing, obZen and I. A fine band, although clearly not for everyone.
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"Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard." -- H.L. Mencken
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moe_blunts
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Posted: October 21 2008 at 21:13 |
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Besides putting out several superb studio releases, this band is ri-donkulously good live. They put on one of the most intense shows I've ever seen.
Favorite Releases: I, Nothing, Catch 33...in that order
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topofsm
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Posted: October 21 2008 at 21:38 |
DJPuffyLemon wrote:
I have only ever heard their 22 minute single titled I. And I was pretty bored to be honest. Maybve not the best place to start. Suggestions?
on a side note, i'm all for technicallity (its one of the reasons i like Protest the hero), but i also like when the technicallity doesn't destroy the musicallity of the band (another reason i like Protest the hero). so perhaps if this band sacrifies musicallity and listenability for technicallity it may not be my bag. I'm still willing to give them a shot though. |
I am perplexed, as that is the first material of Meshuggah I ever heard, and to this day it's one of my favorites ever.
I find it somewhat annoying when people say they are repetitive. They sort of tend to variate the rhythms sort of how composers like to put variations on a theme. Sure, at the beggining of a phrase, you'll pick out a couple measures of 7/8, then maybe an 11/8 here, and then they'll finish up with a couple 4/4s, and they repeat that phrase a couple times. But by the end of the song, they've just completely changed the rhythms, elongated certain notes in the phrase, shortened a couple of bars, stretched out key notes, and while the two different phrases sound the same, they may be completely different in terms of rhythm. Name another band that does that!
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ProgBagel
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Posted: October 22 2008 at 00:12 |
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I just listened to Obzen for the first time since I listened to it twice and didn't like it upon release. I don't know what I was thinking. This is another damn fine album by the band.
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Petrovsk Mizinski
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Posted: October 22 2008 at 03:49 |
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They have yet to release something that has disappointed me.
Consistently awesome band.
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Jake Kobrin
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Posted: October 22 2008 at 18:50 |
Meshuggahs my third favorite band. In fact, I'm currently wearing a Meshuggah shirt! I've never heard something from this band that I haven't liked. Nothing beats Nothing though.  Oh and... how much 'shugg could a 'shugg chuck chuck if a 'shugg chuck could chuck 'shugg?
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Vibrationbaby
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Posted: October 23 2008 at 10:52 |
Wow ! The invasion of the metal heads  ! The thing about all these death metal bands that ruins for me is the annoying satanic vocals  . I actually took the time to listen to these guys ( I think Meshugga means something like insane or crazy in Hebrew ) and if they would just knock off those assinine vocals maybe there`s something here. I kind of liked the insanity that Mind`s Mirrors evoked sort of reminded me of some Hawkwind from the 80s. I watched the two videos Straws Pulled At Random and Shed and at leasst the latter is a bit more upbeat and reminds me of Crimson`s Thrak & Vroom album & EP a little. I own a lot of older heavier albums from Sabbath, Priest, Ministry, Rammstein, Laibach, Soundgarden etc. but these newer bands just blow it for me with the Satan vocals.
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Meshuggah Appreciation Thread
