EIGHT. STRING. GUITARS. FUCK.
it'll make your stomach AND brain hurt. do it.

SUP!

The thing with Meshuggah is that to the uninitiated it can all just sound like the same atonal sludge, no matter which of their records you start with.

The joy of this band is that once you get deep into them, you can trace their progression from Metallica tribute band through to the masters of polymetric insane-core that they are today.

In particular, they are fans of each album having a particular thematic bent, so that while Chaosphere is their really fast, ultra technical album, 'Nothing' which comes after sounds comparatively dumbed down, every song being at about half speed.

What you quickly realise however, is that throughout Nothing there are a good few interesting psychoacoustic tricks that only become apparent when songs (which aren't just slow, but fast songs that sound slowed down) are set at a certain pace. The very satisfying implied meter in Obsidian is but one example.

Then we come to my favourite record: Catch 33. It's one 50-odd minute song divided into I'd say, 3 distinct parts. It starts off hypnotically repetitive (though it actually isn't - more trickery) and not a little menacing, then about halfway through turns into the heaviest record ever. Then it goes all weird and ambient. Then it rips your face off again. It came out three years ago and I've listened to it more or less constantly ever since.

Meshuggah: You stick with them and they'll treat you well.

then humble yourself before their almighty power and be reborn a believer.
Oh yes - start with 'I'.

Mission for next week: Find someone calling Foals "math". Meshuggah them. Then watch their face.

Without a doubt.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZvPM9D4hws

I'm going to Meshuggah the living daylights out of the next person I hear trying to relate Foals to math rock in any way.