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.
Pravus
Meshuggah Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Armed with distorted belief
Sharp munition spat from our minds
Malignancy rounds, automatic fire
Black, acidic bile
Seeping wounds of shattered souls
Still not pissing out fast enough
Vile, ever menacing intent
Repulsive belligerence shot from toxic minds
Blatant disregard for all but self
Proudly flaunting the depravity of a race condemned, malign
Iterate, repeat these, my words
Recite the mantra of late
I will corrupt and impair
Vitiate, dispirit, debase, violate
Souls born with hateful intent
The deceitful spawn, descendants of lies
By the poisoned nails of history stung
If granted the will to injure, if granted the will to harm
The blades of hurt inexhaustibly swung
The lyrics of Meshuggah's song "Pravus" are intense and graphic, discussing the destructive capabilities of the human mind. The first stanza describes people who are armed with a distorted belief, firing rounds of malignancy from their minds like sharp munitions. The second stanza speaks to the black, acidic bile that seeps from the wounds of shattered souls, and the insatiable thirst some have for blood and destruction. The lyrics continue with depictions of a vile, menacing intent and blatant disregard for others, all fueled by a pride that flaunts depravity. The final stanza iterates the words of destruction, a mantra to corrupt, impair, vitiate, dispirit, debase, and violate.
Overall, the song's lyrics draw attention to the darker aspects of the human psyche and the potential for destruction that lies within us all. The imagery used is vivid and visceral, painting a picture of violence and chaos that is difficult to ignore. Meshuggah uses their lyrics to challenge listeners to examine their own beliefs and actions, and to consider the power they hold and how it is wielded. This song is not for the faint of heart, but for those willing to confront the darker aspects of humanity and explore the potential for change.
Line by Line Meaning
Drooling floods of Led
A vast surge of ignorant masses under the influence of false beliefs
Armed with distorted belief
Possessed by absurd, twisted notions used as weapons
Sharp munition spat from our minds
Devastating and destructive ideas projected by our thoughts
Malignancy-rounds, automatic fire
Aggressive and toxic patterns of behavior, firing without pause
Black, acidic bile
A dark and corrosive substance, emanating from the wounds of the traumatized
Seeping wounds of shattered souls
Damaged and broken individuals, bleeding their sorrow and despair
Still not pissing out fast enough
Not releasing their pain and negativity quickly or effectively enough
To quench our thirst for it to bleed us dry
To satisfy our perverse desire to be consumed by our own malice
Vile, ever-menacing intent
A horrible and ever-present desire to do harm
Repulsive belligerence shot from toxic minds
An offensive and aggressive attitude coming from corrupted, poisoned psyches
Blatant disregard for all but self
A complete lack of empathy and concern for others, only focused on selfish interests
Proudly flaunting the depravity of a race condemned, malign
Showing off the wickedness of a condemned and reviled collective
Iterate, repeat these my words
Emphasizing the importance and certainty of these declarations
Recite the mantra of late
Chanting the recent and updated mantra
I will corrupt and impair
Pledging to damage and ruin everything around us
Vitiate, dispirit, debase, violate
Lessening and demoralizing, reducing to a lower state, defiling and assaulting
Souls born with hateful intent
Essences created with malevolent purpose
The deceitful spawn, descendants of lies
Offspring of deception and falsehood
By the poisoned nails of history stung
Hurt by the consequences of past events and toxic legacies
If granted the will to injure
In case the opportunity to harm is given
If granted the will to harm
If allowed to cause damage and pain
The blades of hurt inexhaustibly swung
Continuously and tirelessly unleashing the weapons of harm.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Fredrik Thordendal, Jens Kidman, Tomas Haake, Maarten Hagstroem
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind