Meshuggah is widely acknowledged as an influence on many modern metal bands from Textures to Tool. They are regarded as pioneers by critics and musicians alike.
Discography
Psykisk Testbild (EP, 1989)
Contradictions Collapse (1991)
None (EP, 1994)
Selfcaged (1995)
Destroy Erase Improve (1995)
The True Human Design (1997)
Chaosphere (1998)
Contradictions Collapse and None (1999)
Rare Trax (2001)
Nothing (2002)
I (EP, 2004)
Catch Thirty-Three (2005)
Nothing (Re-Release With DVD) (2006)
obZen (2008)
Alive (2010)
Koloss (2012)
Pitch Black (2013)
The Violent Sleep Of Reason (2016)
Immutable (2022)
Band history
Meshuggah was formed in Umeå in 1987; two years later, the band released their first record, an EP entitled Psykisk Testbild (which can be roughly translated as "Psychological test image". This recording displayed a straightforward thrash metal influenced sound, with some strains along the lines of Metallica's concurrent releases. There were also hints of more complex music in the songwriting. As the group grew older, they further refined the technicality of their musicianship and songwriting. This led to a harsher sound, utilizing strong seven string guitar (and later eight string guitar) rhythms, manic sounding vocals, and a combination of jazz fusion elements as well. This caused the band's style to border on the lines of an esoteric feel. This style has shown to be hard to appreciate by some but it is widely embraced by Meshuggah fans.
While the band's music is extremely intense and aggressive, the members often demonstrate a strong sense of humour: their video for "New Millennium Cyanide Christ" consisted of the five band members sitting inside their tour bus headbanging and air guitaring to the song. Promotional photos of the band often include comical grimacing.
In late 2005, Meshuggah were nominated for a Swedish Grammy for the album Catch Thirty-Three.
Bands such as Dream Theater, God Forbid, Deftones, Textures , Lamb of God, The Safety Fire and Tool have cited Meshuggah as an influence.
Style
Among the band's most recognizable qualities are lead guitar player Fredrik Thordendal's abrasive, chaotic and dischordant solos, singer Jens Kidman's vocals, which resemble manic screams and shouts; the churning, dissonant rhythm guitars and the polymetric drum beats. In a typical Meshuggah song, drummer Tomas Haake plays two separate rhythms: a standard 4/4 beat with his hands, and a completely different metrical subdivision with his feet. The guitars mostly follow the bass drum work, creating an awkwardly pulsating rhythmic pattern to work as the basis of the song.
To give an example, the main riff of the song "New Millennium Cyanide Christ" from their 1998 album Chaosphere follows the aforementioned blueprint. Haake beats a rather slow 4/4 rhythm with his hands, while the bass drums and guitars play a repetitive 23/16 rhythm pattern on top of it. As the subdivided pattern is repeated, the pattern's accents shift to different beats on each repetition. After repeating the 23/16 pattern five times, a shorter 13/16 pattern is played once. These patterns sum up to 128 16th notes, which equals exactly 8 measures in 4/4 meter.
The band has evolved through a number of stylisitic periods. Contradictions Collapse and None have a sound similar to Metallica's concurrent albums. Destroy Erase Improve and Chaosphere have a more distinct off-time influence along with the thrash metal sound. Nothing and Catch Thirty-Three have a sound close to the vein of groove metal, consisting of droning and slow grooves.
While live drums were obviously not abandoned, a unique decision was made to use programmed drum patterns using Toontrack's "Drumkit From Hell" (developed in co-operation with Tomas Haake and Morgan Ågren) sample library on the latest album Catch Thirty-Three, not only providing a more precise and mechanized drumscape, but also making drum beat creativity a more collaborative effort amongst all of the band members. It cemented the album as one of the band's most complex works to date. The band members have, however, stated in several interviews that the decision to use programmed drums was due to the lack of time given by their label to produce the record.
On all records since Nothing, guitarists Thordendal and Hagström use custom-made Nevborn, and custom Ibanez eight string guitars. These guitars add two low strings to allow the crushing, heavy riffs to be played in even lower registers. They currently use Line 6's Vetta II Amps.
In regards to lyrics, the main lyricist of Meshuggah is drummer Tomas Haake, who uses complex, but precise, vocabulary and metaphorical styling. Through abstract descriptions, Haake's lyrics discuss such topics as the self, society, mendaciousness, and the human condition, all with an overarching theme that intertwines with metaphysical concepts relating to the psychedelic experience. While Haake tends to write the majority of the lyrics, guitarist Mårten Hagström also contributes to some songs.
Lethargica
Meshuggah Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A lethargic, careless motion to kill
Monstrous, prodigious, indifferent
Slow and deliberate, its torturous skills
Its molars grind and shatter
Onerous, leaden bringers of hurt
Unhurried in its deadly intent
Its design perfected through aeons
Pure, immaculate, clean
Omnicidal god machine
Calm, precise ambition
Untroubled by the roar of unending screams
The droning blare of absolute doom
The down pitched moan of collapsing dreams
Composed, cold, unconditional
Uncompromising till all is dead
Extinction, ruin, its malicious cause
Till the last exhalation of human breath
The lyrics of Meshuggah's "Lethargica" depict a powerful and unstoppable force that is determined to bring about destruction and death. The void referred to in the first line symbolizes a vast emptiness, a void with a sense of determination and purpose. Its jaws clench with purposeful intent, seemingly indifferent to the harm it causes. The tone of the lyrics is immense and imposing, with imagery of grinding molars and a lethargic motion that is slow and deliberate in its efforts.
The void is described as monstrous and prodigious, exemplifying the destructive power behind the overbearing force. The use of words like molars, grinding and shatter creates a vivid image of something hard at work, slowly breaking down everything in its path. The song then goes on to describe the perfection of its design, stating that it has been perfected through aeons. An aeon is a geological time period, which suggests that this is something that has been in development for a very long time.
The overall mood of "Lethargica" is one of impending doom, with the lyrics talking about extinction, ruin, and the last exhalation of human breath. The song is a commentary on the destructive capabilities of humans and the consequences we face if we continue down this path. It is a warning that we should take heed of, as we careen towards an uncertain future.
Line by Line Meaning
The void clenches its determined jaws
The emptiness around us takes on a powerful and deadly force
A lethargic, careless motion to kill
The killer is slow and not in a hurry to complete the task
Monstrous, prodigious, indifferent
The killer is extremely large and powerful, but doesn't care about its victims
Slow and deliberate its torturous skills
The killer takes its time to inflict maximum pain and suffering
Its molars grind and shatter
The killer's teeth crush and break its prey
Onerous, leaden bringers of hurt
The killer's teeth are heavy and cause immense pain
Unhurried in its deadly intent
The killer is not rushed in its desire to kill
The undoer of all, dense and inert
The killer destroys everything, and is heavy and lifeless
Its design perfected through aeon's
The killer has been honed over an immeasurable amount of time
Pure, immaculate, clean, homicidal god-machine
The killer is an unstoppable, flawless, and perfectly crafted instrument of death
Calm, precise ambition
The killer is focused and determined, but not anxious or hurried
Untroubled by the roar of unending screams,
The killer is not disturbed or concerned by the sounds of its victims
The droning blare of absolute doom
The noises of destruction and death don't bother the killer
The down-pitched moan of collapsing dreams
The sound of hope giving way to despair is of no concern to the killer
Composed, cold, unconditional
The killer is collected, detached, and doesn't waver from its purpose
Uncompromising till all is death
The killer will not stop until everything is destroyed
Extinction, ruin, its malicious cause
The objective of the killer is to bring death and destruction to all
Till the last exhalation of human breath
The killer will continue its work until there are no more humans left to breathe
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Fredrik Thordendal, Jens Kidman, Tomas Haake, Maarten Hagstroem
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind