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.
Swarm
Meshuggah Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All-consuming swarm in inconspicuous disguise
Bloodseeking, parasitic. Ecstatically tracing decay
Thriving in the glow that death emits, the warm perfume it radiates
Revolting conformity. Hive mind unity
Excitedly their madness grind, aroused by vile ambition
Deliriously ingesting. Liquefied ruin absorbed
Innocence devoured by the elated horde
They are us, let's not even pretend
Aroused and frenzied they scurry, encircling death
A vile swarm awaiting the final breath
Myriad eyes visualizing the end
Blackened skies. Rabid heavens descend
On the bereft, unforgivingly
Precious life debased. Our dipteran legacy embraced
Crack the shell. Ascend the sky
Rise, extend your palpitating wings
Crack the shell. Ascend the sky
Fly you disgraceful wretched things
The song "Swarm" by Meshuggah is a heavy and intense exploration of the insect world, specifically the behavior of flies and their relationship to death and decay. The lyrics paint a picture of a swarm of carnivorous insects, excitedly feasting on decaying flesh and embodying an unchecked and revolting conformity. The singer of the song encourages us to recognize that the behavior of these insects reflects our own as humans, in terms of our desire for consumption and our susceptibility to hive mind mentalities. The song seems to suggest that our own dipteran legacy, our shared genetic heritage with flies, is something we should be aware of and potentially even ashamed of.
Line by Line Meaning
Insectine man, carnivore. The shape of us, the conduct of flies
Humans behave like insects, preying and feasting just like flies do. Our behavior is shaped by that of flies.
All-consuming swarm in inconspicuous disguise
The swarm of human activity is ever-present, but often goes unnoticed or invisible.
Bloodseeking, parasitic. Ecstatically tracing decay
Humanity relentlessly feasts on others, excitedly seeking out decay and parasitic opportunities for sustenance.
Thriving in the glow that death emits, the warm perfume it radiates
The scent of death excites and sustains humanity, which thrives in the aftermath of others' downfall.
Revolting conformity. Hive mind unity
Humanity's unified behavior is both repulsive and reminiscent of how insects adhere to their hive mentality.
Excitedly their madness grind, aroused by vile ambition
Humanity is fueled by its wicked desires, furiously working to achieve their goals and intimidating those standing in their way.
At the sickly sweet promise of decomposition
Humanity is repulsed with a morbid fascination towards the rotting process, attracted to the putrid stench it emanates.
Deliriously ingesting. Liquefied ruin absorbed
Humanity delights in destruction and absorbs the liquefied remains with delirious glee.
Innocence devoured by the elated horde
The collective humanity delightedly destroys the innocent as part of its unified swarm.
They are us, let's not even pretend
Humanity's swarm and behavior is so inhumane and dehumanizing that we are one with it, and it's pointless to deny.
Aroused and frenzied they scurry, encircling death
Humanity excitedly circles around death, frenzied in its desire to consume its remains.
A vile swarm awaiting the final breath
Humanity eagerly awaits the end, eager to consume any remains left behind.
Myriad eyes visualizing the end
Humanity is fixated on end times, with countless individuals working towards the total annihilation of life.
Blackened skies. Rabid heavens descend
The skies and heavens themselves are plagued with fury, bent on destroying all forms of life beneath them.
On the bereft, unforgivingly
Humanity shows no mercy, even to the hopeless and helpless.
Precious life debased. Our dipteran legacy embraced
The worth of life is devalued and ultimately discarded, replaced instead with humanity's swarm-like behavior reminiscent of flies.
Crack the shell. Ascend the sky
Breaking free from the earthly cocoon, humanity seeks to transcend the mortal plane.
Rise, extend your palpitating wings
Expanding and growing in size and power, humanity seeks to dominate and subjugate all others beneath them.
Fly you disgraceful wretched things
Humanity's uncaring and cruel nature is clear, seeking to oppress and shame those beneath them.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DICK AUGUST L�VGREN, DICK AUGUST LOEVGREN, FREDRIK THORDENDAL, JENS KIDMAN, MAARTEN HAGSTROEM, M�RTEN HAGSTR�M, TOMAS HAAKE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind