Meshuggah - crazy music for crazy people!

[Obsidian]

This thread is dedicated to one of my all time favourite bands, MESHUGGAH. The band name means "crazy" in Yiddish and it definitely fits their music style. They play technical / experimental metal music and are highly respected in the extreme and underground metal scene. They've been nominated for two Grammys in their native Sweden and Rolling Stone has named them "one of the ten most important hard and heavy bands" as well as being crowned "the most important band in metal" by Alternative Press. So far they have released six studio albums and played at big festivals such as Ozzfest and Download.

With that said, their music is definitely not for everyone. I'm not sure that I would have liked them very much 5 or 6 years ago, but today their music pretty much defines who I am as a person (not sure if that makes sense, but anyways). It's difficult to describe the feeling I get when I listen to their songs. I'm sure that to some people it just sounds like a chaotic, unorganized mess. In fact, they play very precisely, using complex song structures, odd time signatures and polyrythms. Once you get used to it, it feels very organic and it can almost put you in a kind of trance.

I have picked out a couple songs for the curious to check out. Just remember, this is not "easy listening", and unless you're willing to get your hands dirty (so to speak), this probably isn't for you.

Hopefully at least one person finds this somewhat interesting. Enjoy!

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[edgecrusher]

definitely very interesting. the older ive gotten the more i have strayed from the screaming/yelling metal. over the past few years i have noticed that i have started liking some older metal more. but their instrumental is really cool sounding.

 

[VanillaCreme]

Same here, Edge, but I still like mostly every type of music.

 

[Badjedidude]

Lol Meshuggah isn't that crazy. There's waaaayyyyyy more edgy, experimental stuff out there.

IMHO, most of Meshuggah's music sounds the same...and it's commercialized, mainstream stuff. Maybe once upon a time they were underground and "extreme"....but I'd say that their day has passed as an actual avant garde, "walk-the-razor's-edge," experimental band.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Obsidian]

Lol Meshuggah isn't that crazy. There's waaaayyyyyy more edgy, experimental stuff out there.

I guess that depends on how you define "crazy". I'm more interested in / fascinated by the technicality and musical theory behind their music. Not to mention their lyrics, they often deal with philosophical subjects such as existentialism. It's not something you find everywhere you look in music today.

There are plenty of other bands that may sound more "crazy" or "extreme" than Meshuggah, but that alone means very little. For example, goregrind is pretty extreme... but that doesn't mean that it's complex or technical in nature. Or good for that matter!

Here's an example:

[youtube]rXPIHp53syY[/youtube]

IMHO, most of Meshuggah's music sounds the same...and it's commercialized, mainstream stuff.

I'm don't understand where you get "commercialized" from. Just because something is well-produced and recorded by people who know what they're doing with their instruments, it doesn't mean that it's to try to apply to the masses and sell loads of albums, because they don't.

Maybe once upon a time they were underground and "extreme"....but I'd say that their day has passed as an actual avant garde, "walk-the-razor's-edge," experimental band.

Again, it comes down to definition. Also, you have to take in mind that I'm only referring to the metal genre here. I'm not very interested in noise music or fusion jazz, for example. But I'm sure that there are many important and 'different' bands and artists in those genres too.

"Meshuggah's most commercially successful album, 2008's obZen, peaked at No. 59 and sold 11,400 copies in the first week and 50,000 copies six months after its release in the United States."

While 50,000 copies in six months is pretty good for a band playing this kind of music, it's not exactly "mainstream numbers". Even here in Sweden, most people have never heard of Meshuggah, not unless they're into this specific type of music to begin with. I only found out about / started listening to them about 2 years ago, and I've been really into metal music for the past 12 or 13 years now (especially the Swedish scene).

/Obsidian

 

[Badjedidude]

Haha I'm not attacking Meshuggah or something... It's just my own opinion that they aren't "crazy" or extremely technical. If you want a more experimental band that more complex and technical than Meshuggah, check out the band Cattle Decapitation.

 

[Badjedidude]

Lol I knew you'd say that, Mouse.

 

[Obsidian]

Dillinger always comes out on top in that whole relationship/comparison deal.

I never got into them in the past, for some reason. I should give them another go - do you recommend checking out a specific album or will any of them do?

 

[dead]

If you like the chaotic aspect, then look into Calculating Infinity. Miss Machine if you're into more than one genre of music. Haha.
The others adapt on those two albums. Assuming you appreciate complexity, shouldn't be too much of a stretch.

hmm... i was actually going to listen to those guys myself...