a non ‘metal-head’ view (8 Oct 2007)
I felt compelled to write this review after reading about eight of the other reviews. As a quick preface: I’m not what you’d call a ‘metal fan’ as such. I grew up on a diet of classic rock (Zep, Cream, Purple etc), and even followed through to the metal of the ‘eighties (Maiden, Metallica, Slayer etc), but my chief musical passions lead me to music like Tom Waits, Joni Mitchell, and jazz, funk & soul (Coltrane, Davis, James Brown, The Meters, Curtis Mayfield etc).
My two main points are, however, firstly: that this is – musically at least – phenomenal stuff. Not knowing (or even particularly caring for) genres such as ‘death metal’ etc I can’t compare Meshuggah with all the other bands in this area (e.g. I’ve never heard Fear Factory). As a drummer I can’t help but be awed by Tomas Haake’s incredible drumming, and, by way of illustrating some of my limited knowledge of contemporary metal, I find his whole approach (and that of the band as a complete entity) far more interesting and innovative than that of, for example, Mastodon, or their drummer, the much-lauded Brann Daillor. No offence to Daillor, who’s clearly a brilliant drummer too, it’s just that the Mastodon vibe is much more straight ahead and obvious, which goes for the rhythms and drumming too (and I really quite enjoy some Mastodon stuff by the way).
Before I get to point two, a quick aside re guitars: I think most jazz guitarists would sniff at the idea that the guitar solos are particularly advanced (especially in the harmonic sense: a true genius of the guitar, as long ago as the 1950’s, is Joe Pass, and if you need distortion and intensity, then check out John McLaughlin’s Mahavishnu period stuff), but I doubt that many open minded jazz drummers could deny that Meshuggah’s rhythmic prowess and individuality is pretty awe inspiring. Their lead guitar sound is also so Allan Holdsworth-esque at times that the charge of it being derivative could quite easily be made to stick. It’s when the guitars are being used as rhythmic jack-hammers, to bludgeon the senses with the low-tuned and unusual meter angular riffs that one can sensibly talk of Meshuggah’s guitarists as being innovative and interesting.
So, on to point two: the vocals/lyrics. This a tricky and complex area, so I might not be that brief… I have to disagree with several reviewers here in commending the vocals. I mean no offence to the singer either, he does a sterling job. I absolutely love the music, but why is it mandatory in the metal arena to have guttural screaming and morbid lyrics? The music makes some very imaginative departures from the typical metal template… it’s a shame the lyrics and vocal delivery don’t go so far off the map. To qualify: the words are mostly at least interesting, intelligent and display a quasi-philosophical bent (it’s great to hear openly athiest views expressed in music without it being in the guise of pantomime paganism or satanism), which is better than some of the teenage death-core tripe some other ‘dark’ metal bands concentrate on.
I remember a member of Slayer (or was it Dave Mustaine of Megadeth?), possibly Kerry King, saying how lyrics about flowers being sung melodically just wouldn’t work in metal… why not? A subsiduary and related musical criticism is about variety. I like Vashti Bunyan and Meshuggah. Are there any artists (there’s bound to be a few mavericks out there – The Mars Volta kinda lean in this direction at times) who don’t plough such monorail furrows? Beck’s a good example of an eclectic and experimental contempoaray pop artist. Metal could do with being less of a specialist introverted ghetto (the intense claustrophobia of much metal music aptly puts one in mind of a teenage lad’s bedroom, probably one of the places where most ‘dark’ metal is consumed)… y’know, open up those doors and windows, let some fresh air in.
Anyway, ultimately Meshuggah are/were a blast of icy cold fresh air in their own way, and despite (and at times because of) their relentlessly heavy dark vibe remain a fairly unique and singular musical unit. I have my criticisms and all that… but I’m still giving this fantastic album the full five stars… ’cause it’s brain blattingly brilliant. ‘Nuff said.