It’s the great conundrum for Metal veterans: evolve and alienate a portion of the fanbase or to adhere to the old ways and lose a portion of the fabase? Somehow, Meshuggah have solved this equation and pushed their boundaries while remaining true to Meshuggah’s core principles.
These guys are part of the generation from which the term “Djent” was spawned. Machine-like rhythms and riffs delivered organically - - that is, if you believe they’re human. This kind of synchronized precision takes discipline and skill beyond most mortals.
The grooves will not be denied, even if you need a protractor and a calculator to follow some of them. Honestly, there are numerous instrumental moments that feel familiar, as if they’re reusing ideas from previous records, but that might just be a symptom of the Djent. Over the top, Jens Kidman has been the vocalist for over 30 years now, but he’s lost none of the sandpaper grit in his screamy style.
“Light the Shortening Fuse” was the first single from the album, but it’s one of the least interesting to me. Opener, “Broken Cog,” “The Abysmal Eye,” instrumental “Black Cathedral,” and “The Faultless” are my personal picks.
If you never liked Meshuggah, then this album will not win you over. Longtime fans should be pleased however, that it brings the best of the old in new ways (except when it doesn’t.) If you’re on the fence, then I recommend it. In fact, even for a band with this much history, “Immutable” is probably a good starting point to explore Meshuggah’s catalog.
