obZen

My jaw has officially gone below sea-level.

Meshuggah, my favorite band for the last 2 or 3 years, has created another masterpiece. As expected. This release is even more innovative than its predecessor, Catch 33, which has been my favorite album for an equally long time. This one might just topple that. I got a leak, at pretty low quality, but I can't resist listening to it ad infinitum. So here's a song-by-song (p)review.

Track 1: Combustion
WAH! Insanity. I don't think Meshuggah has played this many notes in one bar ever, aside from Fredrik's Holdsworthy solos. Every time I listen to it I like it more. Definitely a new direction, at least in the intro. The rest is a bit more similar to their classic style of pounding arrhythmic monotony, but still throws in some flourishes of color. Knocks my proverbial socks off my theoretical feet.

Track 2: Electric Red
Starts off with a very familiar sound, perhaps a Nothing feel, followed by some more of the Chaosphere intensity I love. Some of the chords are perhaps a bit more doomy than usual. I think it was an interview with Marten where he stated that this album would be more dense; it certainly is that. There is a lot more sound going on. I've always loved Meshuggah for their minimalistic intensity, but this is good too. Jens' voice hasn't changed at all. Still awesome. The latter parts of this song are a bit quieter, with some light chugga-chugga breakdown things. Doesn't excite me too much, but I'm sure I'll grow to love them.

Track 3: Bleed
This is the track I mentioned a couple posts ago. It just might be the best on the album. From what I've read on several forums, this is the one that everyone likes; some for reason a lot of them can't stand the opening track, but this one is a standby. I don't blame them for liking it. The pitch bend amid the cacophony of bass drums and polymetric chord-chugging is orgasmic. Other than the pitch bend, the only major difference from their previous work is the speed and density. It's fast. It's thick. Very little breathing room, and not that many polymeters really. But dog-mad, is it great. There's a bit of Catch 33 in here too.

Track 4: Lethargica
Another favorite on the message boards. The title is an accurate one; the speed hearkens back to Nothing's drawn-out soul-crusher riffs. Yet again though, the notes are much more diverse, which reminds me of Straws Pulled at Random (Nothing), come to think of it. We've got some more of the doomy chords from Electric Red. Holdsworth solo, sounds a bit like the one on Catch 33, but more structured. Holy hell Thomas Haake is awesome. Woah! I think I just heard some harmonics! Sweet!

Track 5: obZen
Apparently, the title track name came from some made up language. I can't remember which one, but I think it was an established language that no one uses. The word itself means "obscene." As for the song, I think It's most similar to the Nothing sound, but there are definitely a lot of differences. Alright I take that back. It's too different from Nothing. This is something new. Lots of polymeters. Unrelenting. Maybe a bit like War from the Rare Trax album, but not quite the same intensity. It's impossible to reach that with a human behind the drums.

Track 6: This Spiteful Snake
Badass title. Badass song. More of the doom chords. Man I wish I were a guitar player and had one of those 8-strings, they sound like so much fun. I wish I could understand what Jens is saying. Well, when I buy the album I'll be able to read the lyrics; this will be the first Meshuggah album I've bought, and it won't be the last. I might buy Catch 33 next. Fredrik is nuts. This one is pretty atmospheric, what with his rapid-picking going on in the background. The song ends with a nice drawn out signature Mesh chord. I love that sound so much.

Track 7: Pineal Gland Optics
Wikipedia says the pineal gland has something to do with dreams; there's a hint at the subject matter. The sound doesn't deviate much from the previous track, but we have some more of the drawn-out chords with a slight pitch bend that remind me of Catch 33. Fredrik's having some more fun with soloing in this one. There seems to be some note-sliding going on; I don't think I've heard that in a Mesh song before.

Track 8: Pravus
Boom! Another ass-kicker. Very different. This one almost has a death/black metal vibe in parts. Otherwise we have the new note-barrages and rather straight-forward drum footwork. Woah, there's a new sound, almost a traditional twin guitar tone, again with the black metal vibe.

Track 9: Dancers to a Discordant System
Awooooga. I love this. Non-sequitor notes. Meshuggah is pretty much anti-music. This is very Catch 33. Awesome. So saddening that it has to be the last track; this album is far too short. I'm getting lost in the polymeters as I often do when listening to Meshuggah... Now we've got an almost major scale going on. I wish I new more about scales. Then I could be even more confused. Gosh darnit, I have to see these guys live. There's just no buts about it. It's a necessity. And so, the final chapter to this masterwork fades out in polymetric glory.

That's that. I'm sad that I can now only look forward to owning a physical copy and not revel in the anticipation of hearing the sounds of genius, but I'm also ecstatic that I can finally listen to new Meshuggah. You can only play New Millenium Cyanide Christ so many times before it becomes commonplace.

Nah, you can't. Meshuggah will never get old.

EDIT: Here's a pretty great video interview with Marten and Tomas.
EDIT 2: Full album art finally!