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| 07 March 2008 - Nuclear Blast |
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1. Combustion
2. Electric Red
3. Bleed
4. Lethargica
5. Obzen
6. The Spiteful Snake
7. Pineal Gland Optics
8. Pravus
9. Dancers to a Discordant System |
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| Review |
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Meshuggah are, or should I say were, in the unfortunate position of having to write a follow up to an album, Catch 33, that was universally acclaimed, unfathomably complex and frankly, brilliant. Essentially one 47 minute track broken up, its groove, time changes, musicianship and atmosphere was Nothing short of staggering. So how indeed do you manage to top or even move on from such a piece? Well Obzen is the answer. Starting off with, of all shocks, almost a straight forward thrash riff, Combustion shows that the band can still pull out simplicity when its effectiveness is required above obtuse rhythms. However this does not last long and here Meshuggah have always shone bright with their abilities. Their off-kilter chug and complex drumming patterns always create a mesmerising listening experience, and they are capable of making even the most difficult riffing appear easy. Ask any guitarist who’s tried to keep up with previous albums and they’ll tell you. Bleed is a perfect example of such exemplary talents; the twisting labyrinthine riff balanced by atmospheric soloing and pinned down by an unbelievable drumming performance. But it is the title track’s opening that could sum up Meshuggah’s sound in a single riff: heavy, complex, almost machine like in its execution and yet still wonderfully organic with its subtle changes in timing that a machine could never achieve so assuredly. It is a devastating mix, and confirms Meshuggah at the top of innovators in their particular field (technical post-thrash anyone?). But to be honest, as difficult as it is to mosh to classics like The Exquisite Machinery of Torture, Shed or Stengah, Meshuggah can break down with the best of them (witness the middle crash of Lethargica). It adds another element to their sound, almost a new accessibility that Catch 33 lacked: almost its only flaw was the fact that it has to be listened to as a single piece, never as a random pick on your iPod’s shuffle. Obzen is an album that you could pick any track from and not fail to be impressed. The vocals are still a bit hit and miss to whether you like them or not, the unchanging roar can lack an edge occasionally but the music speaks for itself. For me, the benchmark for albums of 2008.
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| Mini-Review |
 10 / 20 |
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Meshuggah's 2008 LP "Obzen" points the band's musical direction more towards a nu metal kind of aggressiveness and heaviness than they are previously known for. Excluding the mid-range screaming vocals, the proof is in the writing and playing styles of no less than five of the nine tracks. These songs exhibit a power that smashes your senses like a hammer. "Electric Red", "This Spiteful Snake", and "Pineal Gland Optics", are straight-forward, simple, bottom-end heavy, and slow in tempo. Some of the other songs are faster; however, and thankfully this is where Meshuggah fares better. "Bleed" fires on all cylinders with a relentless barrage of rhythm and repetition. The bass line weaves back and forth to form a very catchy power groove. The track also flourishes with a soft introduction into the second movement that lulls you into a shock when blasted back into thrash reality. "Lethargica" does the same thing with a slow break in its middle as well, but that blast is enhanced by a heavy dose of crashing cymbals throughout. "Combustion" and "Pravus" are two other exceptional tracks based on the speed and rhythmic dynamic of their song structure. If anything else, an argument could be made that the bass line often defines the lead more than not - "Pravus" and "Electric Red" being two fine examples. Lead guitar work is mostly confined to long noted fills and pedal work, the one exception is highlighted on the thematically framed solo from "This Spiteful Snake". The majority of "Obzen" however, is bass driven, and in general the bass sound overall is very cool. Since this line is the most prevalent on all of the tracks, it becomes the LP's heaviest anchor and greatest strength. For that reason Meshuggah's "Obzen" is a successful and impressive expression of metallic brutality.
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/Nothing (Re-Recorded).jpg "Meshuggah : Nothing (Re-Recorded)")
