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.
Stengah
Meshuggah Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Still, in machine-like strife, you gain another mile
The temporary, elusive goal; to reach the solace, to feed once more
Upon the synthetic reaper of loss, no matter the outcome, the cost
Cold and stinging needs tearing through the halls
Of your defile, flesh-made temple, with its closing walls
Still you claim the worshippers pose and you bow, you kneel
Control, once superior, now a docile pet at chaos' feet
Pulling the leash as it trails the scent to where all hurt recedes
Your past, a blurry patch in mind, your future once; now thin dreams filed
Toward the lights of need you strive to drink into your vein the shine
Beaten to the unforgiving ground, lashed into submission
By the inner starving demon, by its unrelenting hand
Still, you claim the worshippers pose and you bow, you kneel to the syringe
Answering only to authorities of sedation, their calls the only ones heeded
A worn out soldier touched by their contagion, a battered drone at their feet
You're the one betrayed, an outcast set afire by your inner war
Your burning self so far astray, a combustion fanned from within your core
The lyrics of Meshuggah's Stengah interleave metaphors of addiction, self-destruction, and control. The opening lines of the song paint a picture of a tortured mind going through a degenerative process. The pain is intense but the will to achieve the temporary solace of consuming the drug is overwhelming.
The lyrics go on to describe the physical and emotional effects of addiction. The addict's mind is described as a flesh-made temple with closing walls, hinting at the impending doom of self-destruction. The control that was once present is now a pet of chaos. The leash is only being followed to fulfill the cravings, turning the addict into a slave of the addiction. The chorus of the song starts with a proclamation of subservience to the drug and ends with an invitation to embrace the syringe as an object of worship.
The final lines of the song represent a realization that the addiction has taken hold of the self, rendering the person an outcast. The inner war has set the self apart from the rest of the world, and what remains is a burning shell of a person. The lyrics of Stengah explore the theme of addiction through a personal lens, highlighting the internal battle of control and subservience, and the toll it takes on the person.
Line by Line Meaning
Lacerating pains of degeneration speed through your trembling mind
You experience excruciating feelings of deterioration that run quickly through your mind, making you tremble
Still, in machine-like strife, you gain another mile
Despite your struggle, you keep going forward as if on auto-pilot and make progress
The temporary, elusive goal; to reach the solace, to feed once more
Your current aim is fleeting and difficult to achieve; it's to find comfort and gratification once again
Upon the synthetic reaper of loss, no matter the outcome, the cost
You rely on artificial means of obtaining what you crave, regardless of the potential consequences
Cold and stinging needs tearing through the halls
You have intense and unpleasant cravings that consume you
Of your defile, flesh-made temple, with its closing walls
Your body, which you've mistreated, now feels like it's closing in on you
Still you claim the worshippers pose and you bow, you kneel
You continue to act as if you're devoutly following your urges and submit to them
Control, once superior, now a docile pet at chaos' feet
Your willpower, which used to be strong, is now weak and subservient to chaos
Pulling the leash as it trails the scent to where all hurt recedes
You feel like you're trying to resist your cravings by holding back, but ultimately give in and feel better
Your past, a blurry patch in mind, your future once; now thin dreams filed
Your memories are hazy, and your formerly bright prospects are now dim and meager
Toward the lights of need you strive to drink into your vein the shine
You desperately seek to imbibe whatever substance will set your life aflame and make it feel meaningful
Beaten to the unforgiving ground, lashed into submission
You're defeated and feel helpless against the onslaught of your cravings
By the inner starving demon, by its unrelenting hand
Your unyielding desire is like a monster inside you that's always hungry and never satisfied
Still, you claim the worshippers pose and you bow, you kneel to the syringe
Despite everything, you still give in to your cravings and take the substance that gives you relief
Answering only to authorities of sedation, their calls the only ones heeded
You obey only the command to sedate yourself and ignore all other calls to action
A worn out soldier touched by their contagion, a battered drone at their feet
You feel like a tired and broken person who's been influenced and taken control of by your addiction
You're the one betrayed, an outcast set afire by your inner war
You feel like you've been let down and ostracized because of the internal conflict that rages within you
Your burning self so far astray, a combustion fanned from within your core
The person you are now is far removed from who you used to be, and your compulsion seems to fuel itself from deep within you
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MAARTEN HAGSTROEM, MARTEN HAGSTROEM, M�RTEN HAGSTR�M, TOMAS HAAKE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Valerio Bertoncello
Lacerating pains of degeneration speed through your trembling mind
Still, in machine-like strife you gain another mile
The temporary elusive goal:
To reach the solace, to feed once more upon the synthetic reaper of loss
No matter the outcome, the cost
Cold and stinging needs tearing through the halls
Of your defiled, flesh made temple with its closing walls
Still you claim the worshipers pose and you bow. You kneel
Control: once superior, now a docile pet at chaos's feet
Pulling the leash as it trails the scent to where all hurt recedes
Your past a blurry patch in mind, your future once; now thin dreams filed
Toward the lights of need you strive - to drink into your vein the shine
Beaten to the unforgiving ground
Lashed into submission by the inner starving demon, by its unrelenting hand
Still you claim the worshipers pose and you bow
You kneel to the syringe
Answering only to authorities of sedation
Their calls the only ones heeded
A worn out soldier touched by their contagion
A battered drone at their feet
You're the one betrayed
An outcast set afire by your inner war
Your burning self so far astray
A combustion fanned from within your core
macadoolahicky
Once you understand the rhythm of a meshuggah song, it is pretty hard not to afterward. I love the way this band thinks
Joseph Tattum
I have always tried not to "understand" the songs in any sort of mathematical sense, but rather to just learn how it feels.
Gray Logan
It amazes me how they essentially make rhythms "speak." It may stutter and pause to collects its thoughts, but it always gets its point across. You may not see this, y'know, eleven years later, but your comment is totally true.
Patryk Dąbrowski
@Joseph Tattum right on dude. I've never actually looked into any of this rhythmical stuff, but if i listen to one of their songs 2 or 3 times my brain just absorbs it.
lichencomputer
All these tracks say "remastered" but that isn't accurate -- They decided they could do this album better than they did the first time SO THEY RE-RECORDED THE ENTIRE FUCKING THING BECAUSE MESHUGGAH LOVES YOU
Callum Pollock
yeah, the original Nothing was only done with down-tuned 7 string guitars, while this re-recording is done with 8 strings is is more chonky
Gemma Hodson
Wow I didn’t know that! Brilliant stuff. Shows that they have a true love for the music.
Serhafiye
Oh my god some legendary trivia here. It's a remake then
Joseph Tattum
Essentially, the vocals were the only thing they left alone
Ashton Fitness
@Serhafiye I read this in Senator Palpatine's voice.
"It's treason, then."