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album review
On first listen, the sound on Obzen, Meshuggah's sixth full-length, is startling, not for its trademark rapid-fire key and tempo changes, or for the intricate, insanely knotty riffs that careened over 2002's Nothing or 2005's Catch Thirty-Three. Instead, it is the rampaging charge that leads off the set on "Combustion," a balls-out sprint that recalls the band's earlier catalog albums like Contradictions Collapse, Destroy Erase Improve, and even Chaosphere. Power, focus and attention to the bone-crushing power are at the center of Obzen. That said, it loses nothing in terms of the band's keen focus of musical or technical innovation or drummer Tomas Haake's songwriting. What it does leave behind is some of the mathy quick-change-for-the-sake-of-it annoyances that were more a show-off of athletic prowess than actual compositional tropes. The melodic orchestration of Catch Thirty-Three has all but disappeared, and in its place is a direct, almost machine-like sense of communication. What's most remarkable is the live drum kit work by Haake. He's constant and startling -- the completely crazy bass pedal work on "Bleed" would leave most drummers in the dust. You have to wonder, since the last album featured so many triggered laptop tooled drums. Again: power, compositional ethics, and musical acumen are all tied to one thing, building a foundation that just gets wider, deeper, and more intense as the album wears on. Check the frenetic slash and burn ethos in "Pineal Gland Optics," where both guitars stagger their rhythmic attack keeping vocalist Jens Kidman on the money the whole time. It gives way to the unwound pummeling drum and guitar solo riff that introduces "Pravus," with its sense of taut dynamics, hair-trigger tensions, and an explosiveness that is literally unequaled. This is sheer attack metal, played by a band that has run from simplicity to excess and incorporated them both into a record that is on a level with anything else they've done, even if not all the elements marry perfectly yet. Just get it. ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide
more albums by this artist
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- Catch Thirty-Three
- Released 2005
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- Chaosphere
- Released 1998
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- Nothing
- Released 2002
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- Contradictions Collapse/None
- Released 1991
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listener reviews
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bleed=good thrash
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- By ftwvoodoo4u1
- 10/29/2008 06:25:44
- i love speed/thrash metal and all the suppossed metal bands of today pretty much suck ass. now this song brings hope to all the speed heads out there, great gutairs through out the entire album, in fact through out all there albums but this f'ing inhaling screaming lyricist need to give it up and take some lessons from there gutair playing bandmates.all in all good album, great musicians
- 1 out of 3 people
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Best heavy music I've heard
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- By mondodonk
- 10/27/2008 23:02:00
- For what it's worth, this group has the best heavy dark music I've ever heard. I've always been a huge fan of funky timing and offkey chords and such. Even though just about every track of all their albums are actually 4/4 time, quite often it doesn't sound like it unless you know what to listen for....such as helper bass kicks and hi-hat crashes.
This kind of music just oozes of talent and skill. These guys are true musicians in my book. The only thing that comes close to this in my mind is modern jazz.......and that's rare -- but it does occur.
If you're not too keen on the screaming style of the vocals, try to tune that out and just listen to the music behind the vocals. It'll take you on a ride the likes of which you've probably never had. - 1 out of 1 people
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top listeners
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- 36 plays
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- 34 plays
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- 33 plays
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