Koloss

After the gigantic success related to "Obzen", Fredrik Thordendal's band decided to impose a slightly slower system of composing new music and gave up of madness beyond the developed style. In their case, however, it all fits together. The Swedes did not fall into too intrusive publishing and imitative composing of subsequent songs, and despite creating a certain comfort zone, they allowed for some minor changes, so that newer albums could be distinguished from each other. An example is "Koloss", which was the first to follow such a theory.

The seventh longplay of the group from Umeå is surprising to a small extent, although it does not mean that it brings a drastic drop in level or a tendency that may describe Meshuggah as a band of one trick. On "Koloss" the quintet does not discover anything new, but they do not repeat to a fault the same melodies, rhythms or general atmosphere from the previous albums. Well, with all this "calculation", you can quickly see a different idea for the above-mentioned patents. Just take a closer look at such tracks as "The Hurt That Finds You First", "Demiurge", "Break Those Bones Whose Sinews Gave It Motion" or "Behind The Sun", in which there are a lot of impulsive and melancholic (?) atmosphere, what happened on previous albums sporadically or...wasn't completely! Apart from this, the disc includes - of course - djent certainty, which perfectly fit into the well-known standards of this group. Among them, it's worth mentioning, for example, "Swarm", "Marrow", "The Demon's Name Is Surveillance" or "I Am Colossus", where everyone in love with the sounds of "Obzen" should worship this album (so the author of the review, too). A blot on the landscape here is only the outro-track "The Last Vigil" that closes the album, which with its "muted" character breaks the somewhat aggressive tone of the whole cd. Fortunately, the other elements of the disc, as the title kind of suggests, turn into equally coherent and colossal (!), djent music.

Hence, it's clearly visible that with the release of "Koloss", the Swedes did not rest on one’s laurels and knew which way to take their style further. They decided to take as a "starting point" the patents from "Obzen" and develop ideas around them; so it would be groovy, progressively, but not 1:1 like on previous album. And what's the best, on "Koloss" (but not only - about it in next reviews) this approach proved to be excellent.

Originally on A bit of subjectivism...in metal

What happens when you take ObZen, then increase the repetition, and remove a lot of the speed, you get Koloss. Yes, this album is one of the Meshuggah albums I'm not a fan of. It has it's grooves here and there, and they're certainly heavy, they just lack a lot of the force and activity we saw on ObZen. This appears to be Meshuggah trying to go back towards the "atmospheric" stylings of their early-mid 2000's material, but with ObZen's song-centric approach. The songs on here are bigger and fatter-sounding than before, but somehow don't do nearly as much to enthuse, or engage. They follow a more "hypnotic" method rather than a punchy, violent headbanging method, and that is much harder to get into, or even enjoy due to the fact that a lot of it lacks momentum. Koloss is just disappointing to me.

One of the biggest problems is that all of these songs are very flat in their delivery. Sure, you can easily tell them apart, but the only song that I can remember that had enough punch not to feel boring was "Marrow", which is the most spring-loaded song on this album. Everything else ran the gamut from dry and forgettable, to sluggish and droning. I keep thinking the same thing I did with Nothing, but to a greater degree, some increased speed would help this along much more. "Break Those Bones" would be so much better if it just went at a faster pace. The subtle progressions are there, but it's too slow and subtle for a song that's almost seven minutes long. Then there's also the problem of many songs which just drone on, using the same groove, and rarely, if ever picking it up and changing their rhythm. The faster songs are even similarly flat and plodding. Some songs don't even pick up at all, just sitting there with none of this album's massive weight doing anything. It just sits on one groove and doesn't go anywhere, like a morbidly obese guy in a broken Wal-mart scooter. The technicality and poly-rhythms can only dazzle me for so long unless you actually do something with them. The anger on here is also much less convincing without some motion to it, it just feels like a cloud of stress sitting over you. This is not an album to look for if you were expecting an ObZen style battering.

There are passages that feel positively blistering for all of thirty seconds, only to maintain that and never change. That is my biggest problem with this album. There is potential for something good on here, but often it gets so oversimplified and sluggish that I can't bring myself to feel anything while this is going on. There are crushing, bouncy grooves in "Demiurge" and "Do Not Look Down", but these songs don't have much more to offer than the grooves themselves and are very simple and bare-bones. The monotony makes this feel longer than it should. There are some psychedelic and hypnotic moments that do work for building an atmosphere of thickness and dread more so than motion. I guess this is tolerable for tense and crushing background music, but aside from that, I don't see myself getting much use out of Koloss. I can get better ambiance from an actual ambient album. This is heavy, but also just plodding, underdeveloped, and stale. There were so many things that almost worked that this had good potential, but ultimately it ended up becoming a drag.

This was not a decent follow-up to ObZen. Where that album gave us some chaotic, obliterating, and punchy songs, this doesn't. They are so much less developed and basic despite having a similar aura of apocalyptic heaviness. It's just that such an aura and a few grooves need energy and a kick if they want to form a decent song. Koloss is sorely lacking in that. There's some decent pieces of these songs on here. Maybe if they had arranged them differently and in a more sporadic and less repetitive fashion, perhaps this could have turned out better, but alas, this was just boring.

From the thunderous opening chords of "I Am Colossus" to the ambient fadeout of "The Last Vigil" this album is an exercise in otherworldly brutality like never before. Well of course not, Meshuggah have done it time and time again, but still. It’s just unbelievable how these guys can make such different sounding albums with pretty much the same ingredients over and over again in a career spanning two and a half decades, without losing any of the rhythmic intrigue and intensity, but then again this is Meshuggah you’re talking about.

“The Demon’s Name Is Surveillance” is almost a throwback to the ridiculously speedier days of Chaosphere and “Do Not Look Down” is so ridiculously groovy that you could almost dance to it while simultaneously doing somersaults and breaking the necks of five people around you. On second thought, keep that twisted fantasy in your head; don’t even think of trying it out in real life. You heard me. “The Hurt That Finds You First” keeps up the groove factor by pushing the pedal to the max in the first and middle half of the song, only to apply the brakes towards the end fading out with a slow groovy riff with the clean guitar echoing mournfully in the distance. A colossal (ha!) punch to the face of all the idiotic elitist detractors of the band who claim that they just mindlessly chug away without knowing anything about dynamics and songwriting. Listen to this song, you ignorant fucking hacks, and die.

"Marrow" should get your neck snapping in no time, with its split time grooves compelling you to do nothing but kick multiple holes in your wall till nothing but dust remains. The solo is undoubtedly Thordendal at his best with a heavy dose of atonal alien weirdness. The maestro doing what he does best. The bone-crushing breakdown at 4:47 is guaranteed to make you kill the nearest living person just so you can grind each of his 206 bones into fine dust and pour it on the grave of his forefathers. Definitely my personal highlight of the album. Even "Swarm" has a mind-numbingly awesome combination of groove and technicality with its ascending and discordant guitar progressions tailor made to make lily-livered mincemeat out of you in the next Meshuggah moshpit. You'd better watch out next time. ""Break Those Bones Whose Sinews Gave It Motion" has a similar snaking effect with its slamming polyrhythmic chugs interspersed with the techy guitar parts where Haake really showcases the slower groovier side to his drumming.

Compared to obZen which was more of a straightforward and hellish outpouring, in Koloss the atmospheric and mind-bending (read: alien) elements of Meshuggah’s music has taken center stage just like in the case of previous albums like Catch 33 and the like, with slower with slower more mid-paced riffs carrying an addictive groove slowly burrowing their way into your mind. Check out "Demiurge" and "Behind The Sun" for further proof. Even you don't believe the Catch 33 influence, listen to the final song "The Last Vigil" where you can almost picture yourself watching the perfect sunset of vivid and dazzling colours splashing all over the evening sky and slowly fading away, finally giving in to the darkness of the night. This theme fits the song like a glove. Then again, this is not the first time the band has showcased its ambient side (“Acrid Placidity” on Destroy Erase Improve, parts of Nothing and the whole of Catch 33) and I look forward to more such songs.

Once again the almighty Mesh kill it. This should come as a surprise to no one since that’s what they’ve been doing ever since their inception in 1991. Their discography throughout the last 25 years is the fucking epitome of consistency and perfection emerging triumphant against all odds. It has been said that they are gearing up for another album later this year. I for one can’t wait to see what they have up their sleeve next. Bring on the next album maestros. Another blissful lesson in polyrhythmic ass-whopping awaits.

Meshuggah was the first band I've listened to that featured growled or screamed vocals. At first, I didn't really know whether I loved it or hated it. The only thing I was absolutely sure was that I didn't like the vocals, but, over the time, not only the vocals, but the whole dynamic of the band grew on me. It grew so much that, for about 3 months, the only thing I listened to was Meshuggah, and this album was the first of their discography I've ever heard, back in 2013.

Koloss is the band's seventh studio album and was released back in early 2012. When I listened to it for the first couple of times, I was fascinated by songs like Break Those Bones Whose Sinews Gave It Motion. The creepy, dissonant intro followed by that bassy, chugging, bone-crushing riff with Jens' classic vocals on top and that bridge where everything calms down for a while, with the guitars dissonating over the bass and drums. If there's one thing this album nails in almost every song, it's the intro. Like in the song "Swarm", where the intro literally sounds like a swarm is approaching you.

As always in Meshuggah's catalog, Koloss shows how brilliant the band members are. The guitars are played in such a strange tempo that it makes it hard for anyone to headbang to any of the songs of their discography. The tone the guitars bring is absolutely amazing. It's so bassy, so chuggy, but at the same time, we can hear every note played. It doesn't get muddy, and it doesn't turn into that blob of notes, where you have no idea what is being played. The riffs are pure obliteration. Meshuggah really knows how to create them in a way that you feel them reverberating in your soul. Every time that 8th string is played, it seems like you get stomped by a giant in the chest. The drums are a different show. It's no surprise Tomas Haake is one of the best and most technical drummers in our time. He plays extremely odd patterns and time signatures in sonic speed with an unhuman accuracy and he does it without getting boring on either the slow ones like Behind The Sun, or in the ones Haake breaks the speed of sound with the constant, destroying double-bass, like The Demon's Name Is Surveillance.

Although I can't praise this album enough for its technicality and brutality, I still have some problems with it. When I first heard New Millennium Cyanide Christ, back in Chaosphere, I remember being confused and, also, amazed by that guitar solo, if it can be called that way. It's, to this day, one of the weirdest guitar solos I've ever heard. And this album lacks this kind of sensation. The solos don't do much for me. It seems they were put in the album just to be there, they don't add a thing to any song of the album. The riffs are incredible, but the guitars don't do much else. Variety was never something Meshuggah was known for. They always played that same formula and went on an endless journey to perfect that sound with each album. And I can understand that, but I don't think I want it anymore. I just wish they experimented a little more, because going through this whole thing for me, was a little tiring and, at times, excruciating.

Koloss is a solid album, although it's not the best they can do. Not even close. If you want to get into this band, there are much better albums that I'd recommend you, like 'Destroy Erase Improve", "Chaosphere", "Nothing", or, more recently, "Catch Thirtythree".

Favorite tracks: "Break Those Bones Whose Sinews Gave It Motion", "Marrow", "Demiurge" and "I Am Colossus"

When one reads the reviews of 'Koloss', two things are immediately obvious. First, a lot of people love Meshuggah and think this is one of the best albums from a very skilful and exciting band. The second thing is that no one knows how to write a review about this album beyond saying "It sounds like it's a Meshuggah album but not as heavy as 'obZen' even though it's still great", which is akin to saying that Deicide play metal or Iron Maiden are good at singing. I'm not exactly a big Meshuggah fan, yet I find 'Koloss' an engrossing album and, with some lacklustre elements, an ultimately rewarding experience.

My personal history with the album is a bit strange, though I think it might give some insight to why it's special and sounds so different from most other metal releases. In late 2013, I had already listened to 'Do Not Look Down' on a sampler album and, while I was looking for music to provide inspiration for a writing project, I decided that the song might be suitable. As it turned out, it was more than just suitable, providing a groundwork for that small idea, which subsequently turned into five or six poems, a short story, and two essays that I submitted for my master's degree. One quarter of my degree stemmed directly from 'Do Not Look Down'. And what was the nature of the project? It was an exploration of impersonal modernity and the paranoia of living in the city, partly concerned with surveillance, with dislocated power and authority, and something that I liked to call "concrete anxiety". Concrete anxiety is the feeling you get when viewing the blunt, colossal, and oppressive city architecture of grey bridges, overpasses, office blocks, alleyways, staircases, and car parks, all of which seem to trap the city dweller in the metropolis. The environment is uniform and controlled, yet is in a complex state of chaos, where the concrete structures criss-cross and intersect in a confusing network, causing people to become anxious and feel less than human, but more a product of machines or prefigured control, such as city surveillance and state authority.

That description, for me, is an accurate summary of the atmosphere and associations that 'Koloss' stirs up during its length. The repetitve bludgeoning of heavy-duty rhythms and lurching, reinforced guitar riffs doesn't allow the listener to experience any of heavy metal's normal euphoria and energy, except in a kind of dizzying descent and vertigo that the sudden, random, jazz-structured solos induce. The polyrhythms might occasionally feel unnecessary and showy, but their main purpose is to create that sense of entrapment and loss of autonomy that comes from complete alienation and subservience to an inscrutable system. The riffs on 'Koloss' can be split into two groups: the first type fits the rhythmic patterns of Tomas Haake's bewildering drumming and doesn't add much enjoyment from simple guitar sounds, only from those appalling atmospheres; the second type has more of a conventional appeal, not giving hooks to hang onto exactly, but a more generous and satisfying groove that allows the listener's head to clear so they can regain some balance. The first type is most obviously used in 'Do Not Look Down' and 'I Am Colossus', while the second type ensures that 'Marrow' and 'Demiurge' are easier introductions for new listeners.

Despite these different styles, most of the songs on 'Koloss' are cut from the same cloth, using small variations from the core sound to maintain the oppressive atmosphere throughout the album. The rhythmic battery is unrelenting excepting some small ambient and melodic touches in 'Break Those Bones Whose Sinews Gave It Motion' and the doom-influenced 'Behind the Sun', while Jens Kidman's vocals are terrifyingly uniform, delivered in a completely monotone snarl that just verges on Predator-style alienness. This all means that listening to songs in isolation is much less rewarding than being engulfed by the entire album for 55 minutes, since the menace builds and builds to a crescendo in 'Demiurge', before 'The Last Vigil' echoes hauntingly as the eerie fallout to whatever took place. Those who pledge their allegience to Meshuggah and this album particularly must surely be here for the atmosphere, which is like no other, as well as the impossibly dense sound of 8-string guitars, thudding bass, twisting drums, and mechanical vocals that crush your soul and mind underfoot in an altogether discomfitting experience.

Stepping outside that experience, though, it's plain to see that Meshuggah didn't have an easy time turning all of their ideas into great songs, since the opening 'I Am Colossus' stands out as a plainer, emptier listen than the others, and 'The Last Vigil' is too forgiving an ending for such an alienating experience. The faster songs, 'The Demon's Name Is Surveillance' and 'The Hurt that Finds You First' would both work much better in the opening position, so that the listener would immediately be pulled into the album, although they don't disappoint in their current positions. There are also parts of 'Marrow' that feel too groovy compared to what's going on around it, since the hooks are slightly too overt and lose the intense focus of the other numbers. However, these are relatively minor issues, since the album stands as a whole with continuous lyrical development to aid the musical themes. A brutal and unfeeling show of power.

I could go on a long rant here about how people “just don’t understand” Meshuggah’s music and the skill that goes into what they create, but I will keep this short. I feel on this album, more than any other, the music speaks for itself.

There are more and more “djent” acts coming out of the woodwork, and with the surprising variety of sounds from these acts, it easy for new, fresh faces to change people’s perception of the bands that originated it. Unlike many of these other groups, Meshuggah is solely interested in the pure groove and percussive elements of their sound. Melody and complex guitar-work are secondary to the insane rhythms. The vocals are hypnotic and some would say “monotonous” as they are also part of beat.

Koloss is not going to be a big shocker for people familiar with Meshuggah. The abundance of low-end is there as always, along with the odd poly-rhythms, barked vocals, and freeform jazz solos. However, I feel this is the tightest, heaviest, and most focused they have ever been. The lows are even more crushing, the riffs (though still similar) offer more variety and memorability, and the brevity lends itself well to repeat listens.

While past albums have been pretty polarized for me regarding which songs are great and which are skippable, there aren’t any songs I would call “filler.” Even the long outro is worth listening to as it is the prettiest, most peaceful thing I have heard committed to such an intense album. There are two types of tracks: crushing, and BONE CRUSHING. For the latter, my favorites are Swarm, Do Not Look Down, Demiurge, and I Am Colossus. Note that I just named almost half of the album.

Even if you think you have heard it all before, give this album a few spins. I would be surprised if you don’t find yourself banging your head. The tone feels darker than ever before. Obzen found influences from Tool rubbing off on them from touring, and Catch Thirty-Three felt like they were becoming a little too avant-garde. This is more akin to Nothing, but without the experimentation and influences of the nu-metal culture that were happening around it. This is pure, primal Meshuggah.

Koloss has an otherworldly bleakness about it, like a deserted planet, with ragged mountain ranges that stretch as far as the eye can see, endless terrains of black brown rock and dust storms that turn the sun to a hovering, ghostly coin. Some people seem to view this feeling of bleakness as a 'boring' element that runs through the album, but I love that. I like the minimalism, the feeling of emptiness; it creates a sensation of space within and around the songs. Demiurge is a good example of this, with its eerie, ambient soundscapes (it grows into something quite sinister for me, cold and chilling towards the climax, which of course I adore) and the multi-layered, slow burning beauty of Behind The Sun. Break Those Bones Whose Sinews Gave It Motion sounds barren and dry until it floods into colour at 3:48 with those long, disquieting tunnels of guitar sound that seem to take us slowly, creeping into points of space. The Last Vigil takes this feeling of space into another dimension, an ethereal, haunting place full of forbidden geometry and strange, bleeding light.

Koloss is intricate, dense and heavy. I love the drumming patterns on Marrow and Swarm and the way the twin guitar riffs slide away from each other like magnets on Marrow. The way the guitar notes on The Demon's Name Is Surveillance build and bend into something high, wild and intense, penetrating and peering into your mind like snaking, living cameras, and how Do Not Look Down seems to flow into a completely different song at exactly the 3:00 minute mark. The way the guitar (it sounds like a weird sliding backwards chord with bending strings) seems to pull my stomach muscles down at 0:18 (there are two more during the song, deliciously heavy, they occur at 1:06 and 3:46) on I Am Colossus, it feels exquisite, like falling through a trapdoor. I love the ascending chromatic riff during the chorus and the lead solo towards the end is beautifully-placed, having a 'siren-esque' quality to it, a little like the melody (or rather the atmosphere) you hear during Corridor Of Chameleons (at 2:02 and 3:55) from Chaosphere. The Demon's Name Is Surveillance has this siren-esque quality as well towards the end section at 3:30. You can hear elements of Chaosphere and Obzen throughout the album and for that matter, elements of Nothing and Catch 33.

Koloss is an alien landscape. Beams of sunlight flicker in broken shafts on that black-brown surface. At certain angles, the light glints like gold upon those great stones. It is full of twists and turns like some leviathan puzzle box. What you find inside depends on how deeply you want to go into that box.

Koloss. Beautiful. Bleak. Barren. Alien.

Meshuggah's 2012 album Koloss. Well, what can I say? It's Meshuggah.

We might as well start off with the general theme. When we compare this to obZen, we instantly recognize the fact that Koloss, in terms of aggressiveness, is somewhat diminished. Koloss has its very heavy moments and its not so heavy moments. I think most listeners will agree that the heaviest song is either 'I Am Colossus' or 'Swarm' - it can definitely stack up to obZen songs such as 'Pravus' or 'Bleed'. However Koloss is significantly calmer and more controlled in its form, and is far more...mature (?) and serious in musical advancement than obZen.

The album's first song, 'I Am Colossus' is more of a masterpiece on lyrics than the musical backdrop. When one looks at said lyrics you understand the whole feel of Koloss as an album. It gives you the feeling that Koloss presents god-like imagery (see 'Demiurge') and I Am Colossus is possibly the most 'evil' sounding song on the album. Unlike other Meshuggah songs which are in design to throw off the listener, I Am Colossus is almost operatic in nature. A very cool opera if you're asking me.

Other songs I can name which stand out in this album is 'The Demon's Name is Surveillance' and 'Demiurge'. 'The Demon's Name is Surveillance' is one of few prime examples of Haake's stamina in drumming. 'Bleed' from obZen is the other example - both songs are physically demanding and Haake's drumming drives this particular song in a palpitating rhythm.

The other song I mentioned, 'Demiurge' is simple, but very, VERY effective in its form. Out of all Meshuggah songs, 'Demiurge' is probably the easiest song to grasp. As a result it is innately heavy to anyone who listens to it and with a very memorable rhythm. One of Meshuggah's best songs on the album and incidentally one of their best overall but for completely different reasons.

My main criticism of this entire album is 'The Last Vigil'. Whilst having a great quality of its own, it has little place in the thunderous nature of Koloss. It is quite easily the most mellow of Meshuggah songs, and as far as I know, Meshuggah isn't known for its light-base songs. Very nice and hypnotic don't get me wrong, but it feels almost placeholder-ish.

In total, Koloss is a 'colossal' album. Certain songs cleave straight through the extreme-metal/avant-garde genre, and is memorable to say the least. Very heavy, but not as heavy as obZen. Perhaps for the better?

During the nineties, Meshuggah pioneered a new style of metal known as “djent,” which relies on distorted, syncopated guitar tones, polyrhythms, and a level of music complexity that is beyond what many bands at the time were employing. In the past five years, djent has become enormously popular as a multitude of bands have emerged from the scene: Periphery, Animals As Leaders, Textures, Tesseract, Cloudkicker, and Vildhjarta are all acclaimed groups whose music falls into this category.

As djent grew in popularity, speculation arose as to whether Meshuggah, the innovators of the style, would be able to write music with relevance. When it was announced that the band had a new album in the works, the reaction was generally subdued; many felt that a new Meshuggah album would be derivative and uninspired. On March 23rd, Koloss was released and despite low expectations, the album has proven to be Meshuggah’s best in years.

Koloss does well to showcase the band’s technical mastery as the song “Do Not Look Down” demonstrates. Guitarist Mårten Hagström helped write many of the heavier songs included such as “Break Those Bones Whose Sinews Gave It Motion” and the penultimate “Demiurge”. Meshuggah’s slower side is also revealed in opening track “I Am Colossus” and instrumental “The Last Vigil”.

The album presents itself as a varied, progressive record that is less a reaction to current metal trends and more a step back towards their earlier albums Contradictions Collapse and Destroy Erase Improve. It’s done more than just that. In its first week, the album sold over 18,000 copies, landing it at spot number 17 on the Billboard 200 music chart, the band’s best first week debut ever. Koloss shows that after twenty-five years, Meshuggah is still a significant force in metal.

(Originally written for Generation Next in the Santa Fe New Mexican)

I have never anticipated buying an album more than when it came to this one. For all the hype behind Koloss, for how much of a huge Meshuggah fan I am, for the four year wait between this and ObZen, what an overall depressing feeling it was listening to this for the first time. I thought my first impression would be something like my brain rapidly becoming clouded because of hearing such destructive and decimating track after track, but instead I was just shit on...on my face. The disc itself even looks like a zoomed-out rip-off of the Catch Thirtythree disc which, by the way, if you haven't heard that album, go get it instead of this one.

If you were expecting anything like ObZen, don't look here. Koloss sounds like Meshuggah went back a step or five or six. There is a feel to this album where you can't tell the songs apart, which makes it extremely hard to pick out parts you enjoy or dislike about the album. There is way too much repetition throughout the album, all the songs have the same feel to them, they all drag on and most have this sort of "bad live recording" distortion sound to them. For the most part all the instruments merge together to form a solid black wall of hard-hitting noise.

Koloss has such massive lack of excitement that just killed it for me. Most of the songs are slow and will make you either yawn or angrily press skip. There is no fast-paced vocals and for being Meshuggah, the gods among men of technicality, there is a monstrous absence of it. There are one or two songs worth mentioning, but I won't, so go find them out on your own because I will never remember the names of them and maybe you'll get some enjoyment out of it. There is a song called Swarm that people rave about, but it is no greater than anything else on the album. I guess the best part of the album is if you do enjoy Jens' vocals on other Meshuggah releases, he does sound exactly the same on this album.

So basically the whole time listening to this, if you're anything like me, you'll be going "what the fuck went wrong here?” There are weird "solos"(?) that sound like broken keyboards stuck on repeat. While still a heavy album, there is either absolutely way too much going on or nowhere near enough. It's a shame when the album itself looks better than the music stored inside. To a new and better future for Meshuggah, here's hoping.

I’ve mentioned Meshuggah many, many times on my blog. It’s really no secret they are one of my favorite bands, and have done more to shape my musical taste than nearly anyone else. In reading a review of a band as iconic as Meshuggah, you should always be aware of how the reviewer stands, and I must put it out there that this may not be entirely un-biased I pretty much think they can do no wrong.

Koloss is the Swedish experimentalists’ eighth full-length album. Many commenters have noted that they sound more organic this time around, and then struggle to explain exactly what they mean. This is clearly still a Meshuggah album, after all, so it still doesn’t feel natural to our human sensibilities. Think of it this way: Where prior Meshuggah albums are the audio representation of a complex industrial machine on the verge of flying into pieces, Koloss is more like footage of all the activity in a massive ant colony played at double-speed. Organic, yes, but alien.

That is really the only necessary observation about the record. It’s Meshuggah, but the instruments sound more real, and they sound more like a band—much as they do in their live material. The songs are in their unmistakable polyrhythmic style, but are somewhat simpler if no less bizarre.

It is a welcome step. In the time since 2008’s ObZen, an entire genre has sprung up around the mechanical complexity of the band’s sound, and constant comparisons of djent bands to Meshuggah have sullied the legends’ name. Some have even called Meshuggah a djent band, although they are no more djent than Psycho is a slasher film.

And did I mention the songs are excellent? The only thing it's missing is a real skullsmasher of a track. There's no "Bleed," "Future Breed Machine," or "Rational Gaze" here.

The Verdict: Koloss helps Meshuggah to define themselves, and to distance themselves from the misguided web forum swarms who seek to claim them.

I’m terribly late on this Koloss review, but this is more spur-of-the-moment than anything. I got into Meshuggah in late 2009 after hearing a few of their singles, notably Future Breed Machine, New Millennium Cyanide Christ and Bleed, the single from their 2008 release, obZen. After hearing Bleed, I went out and picked up obZen as soon as I had the money. At the time, it was the best fifteen bucks I’d ever spent. As soon as I’d learned Meshuggah would be releasing a follow-up to obZen, I began to drool (figuratively, of course) with anticipation. I could only wonder what the new album would sound like. Would it sound like a fast, ear-blasting death ride like obZen, or would it be a skull-crushing return to basics, with a sound more akin to Nothing? I also wondered how Meshuggah would respond to the recent cropping-up of so many copycat djent bands. Would they try to compete, or would they turn the world on its ear with something original?

Koloss is best described as a combination of several of their previous records. It’s got the slow heaviness of Nothing, but it also sounds fast and at times thrashy, like obZen and some of their earlier albums such as Destroy Erase Improve and Chaosphere. Koloss is not simply a mishmash of styles, however; on this album, Meshuggah seem to have created a more stripped-down, streamlined version of their sound, where it seems that they concentrated more on creating solid riffs than being as fast and heavy as possible just for the hell of it. I am Colossus, Do Not Look Down, Break Those Bones Whose Sinews Gave It Motion and Demiurge are the songs that best exhibit this stripped-down sound; their song structure sounds deceptively simple, and they’re pretty damn heavy. Upon repeated listens, however, one can begin to hear the complexity hidden within these songs. The riffs within these songs have the ability to twist and bend into different iterations without ever losing the initial feel. On the other hand, The Hurt That Finds You First, Marrow and Swarm are examples of the fast, thrashy feel of previous albums. There are some letdowns when it comes to this record. The Demon’s Name is Surveillance seems to be a rehash of Bleed. The riff is similar and the drumming, while not as intense or complex, still has shades of that song within. Honestly, it feels as if Fredrik Thordendal (the songwriter for this song) was either phoning it in or had a song from the last album that he wanted to use. Also, album-closer The Last Vigil is little more than some nice ambient music consisting of one slow arpeggiated riff with lots of reverb stacked on top. It’s a nice way to relax, but rather boring otherwise. That said, Meshuggah have outdone themselves once again. They have proven that they can still completely reset the curve and come out on top. They’ve taken their style in a very logical next direction, and instead of trying to compete with the copycats, they’ve done their own thing.

As for the band itself, they’ve never sounded better. Oftentimes, metal bands age like milk; Meshuggah don’t seem to have aged a day in nearly twenty-six years. The production is crisp and the sound of the band comes right through. Some may be put off by how clear the sound is; this album is definitely not low-fi, but for a band that have been oftentimes described with words like “robotic” or “mechanical,” it seems to be a good fit.

The band members’ playing is also sharp. Jens’ vocals still sound excellent, and while a little raspier than he was when he was younger he’s still got vocal power; he’s a commanding presence within the music. Fredrik and Marten both sound fantastic, as well. Not only do they play with energy, their guitar tone feels even heavier than it was in previous albums, sounding more like it did on Nothing. Tomas is still pounding away at the drums, providing the rhythmic anchor and helping to keep the polyrhythms smooth and the overall sound tight. His drumming is mixed well, without being too loud or too soft. The only real problem is Dick Lovgren’s bass, which is often relegated to a distant rumble. Of course, a bassist is often there just to provide the rock bottom of the sonic imprint, so it’s to be expected.

Koloss has quickly become my favorite Meshuggah record, even usurping the likes of Chaosphere and Nothing. It sounds just as good the fiftieth time as it does the first. These guys aren’t just playing well, they’re writing well and still coming up with fresh ideas. At first, four years seemed like an eternity, but it was well worth the wait.

Meshuggah is a band that for the better part of 20ish years since their recording debut has pretty much stuck to their story. Some missteps here or there (*cough "Nothing,"...the programmed drums on "Catch 33") haven't been enough to derail them, and they've developed their sound over the years from semi-tech thrash, to riff-based odd-time battery, to their current state as an unrelenting proto-djent aural assault. They seem to be less focused on the odd-time riffs they were known for, and now are far more known for just being in-your-face and for being the supposed forefathers of the latest mainstream heavy music abortion known as "Djent," (yes, this reviewer has a definite opinion on that genre).

Beginning slightly with "Catch 33," escalating heavily with previous masterpiece "Obzen," and now with new release "Koloss," Meshuggah has slowly been leaving the realm of the seemingly odd-time riffage behind. To their own credit, guitarist Fredrick Thordendal has even stated on numerous occasions something to the effect of "the band doesn't play in odd time meters, we just play AROUND the beat of the 4/4 time signature." Thing is, is that the riffage has been getting closer and closer to true 4/4 playing dead on the beat, lengthy though the beats may be. Tunes like "The Demon's Name is Surveillance" display a style reminiscent of "Obzen's" most recognized single "Bleed." The main motif of the tune is extremely intense with heavy palm-muting and doesn't let up even for a split-second. The song "Behind the Sun" brings back a style staple of the band that a lot of times helps to break up any sort of monotonousness that can present itself in a Meshuggah release, that being the rarely-used clean arpeggio...something that the band honestly does so well, yet very sparingly uses, and I believe it is just for this purpose. Tomas Haake is on his damn game on this CD too...absolutely destroying the skins and holding down a hell of a groove, throwing down through this entire damn disc. Same goes for Dick Lovgren and guitarist Marten Hagstrom, and even guitarist Thordenthal is killing it, but I still yearn for far more of the amazing, Holdsworth-esque legato soloing that he used to throw down with reckless adandon. This release doesn't showcase his fleet-fingeredness as much as any Meshuggah release really should. It pretty much is just go-for-the-throat riffing all the way through as far as the guitar work goes. As for vocalist Jens Kidman...wow...all the years of screaming I think is finally starting to shred his vocal cords...I mean, you can HEAR it...REALLY hear it. He has a unique raspiness now that I have never heard before. Truthfully, it makes his voice stand apart from all the others that flat-out attempt to imitate him, and I for one think that's cool.

In all honesty...if you like Meshuggah, you're in for more of the same here. This is a destructive aural force of a band that never gives quarter or mercy, and you know that already. If you've never liked the band, this disc probably won't change your opinion. As I said, it is more of the same that they've been doing, but maybe just a continuation of the slight regression they've undertaken in recent years. It's not a CD...it's five Swedes taking a brick to your face for close to 55 minutes. Just how we like it.

After the immense success that followed Meshuggah upon releasing what is considered to be one of the greatest heavy metal albums of all time (ObZen), one question remained: How can they top that? By writing insane and technical riffs BEFORE(!) they even knew how to play them that set the bar to skyscraper proportions for the band’s new album Koloss.

The first single “Break Those Bones Whose Sinews Gave It Motion” was either loved or hated by listeners. It is a much slower and spaced out track, being almost seven minutes long. But that doesn’t mean that they got any less technical. This track shows a brand new side of Meshuggah, where they use the seemingly random time signatures in a whole new way that, to the best of my knowledge, hasn’t really been heard of before. Releasing this track as the first single was bound to put fans on both sides of the fence. It’s not really anything that they’ve delved into much in the past, as they were busy pushing the very boundaries of how progressive math metal should be made while utilizing speed and technical time signatures together.

Luckily, “The Demon’s Name Is Surveillance” goes back to the insane speed that made ObZen such a hit. If you look up brutal in the dictionary, you will find one of the descriptions being this song. The amount of skill it takes to keep such a progressive and extreme speed for the entire track is mind-boggling to say the least. The way the guitars and drums work in tandem about 2:10 into the song, the way the bass and drums tear your face off, and the solo at the end make this is one of their greatest tracks ever.

Going back to their Chaosphere days, “The Hurt That Finds You First” is a more in-your-face approach that is more fitting of an older era. It’s got a slight thrash influence, mainly in the tuning of the guitars, and the overall composition in how the solos and bridge sections of the song complement each other. The drums also ooze pure thrash, sounding different than the rest of the album with the way the snare is used. But it still goes to a progressive sound at some parts in the song, most evidently around the 2:30 part. Near the end, the progressive and thrash elements meet in perfect harmony in a way only Meshuggah can pull off.

There are many unique elements hidden within every song on Koloss, but that is to be expected of a band that has written such a pioneering and unique page in metal history like Meshuggah. While I won’t venture to say it’s better than ObZen- that’s only a matter of personal opinion. I can see others proclaiming how the uniqueness of Koloss is better than ObZen in many ways. However, it’s not too much to say that it’s in the running for metal album of the year this early into 2012.

How can you not love such an amazing album? They ask. This is Meshuggah's best work yet. I elaborate as to why I think differently; never in my life have I anticipated an album as much as I have for Koloss. So I got the album and naturally listened to it, expecting to have my jaw dropped down to the ground instead I was left unsatisfied and rather disappointed. I have only been listening to Meshuggah for a few months having come across the single "Bleed" whilst searching for another band, taken aback by Meshuggah, I had to do some heavy research and possibly listen to more of their songs. My denouement, ObZen is truly more of a powerful album than Koloss, ObZen, which was rather heavy and possibly Meshuggah's best album in my opinion.

Koloss has ten tracks, only liking three... Them being; I am Colossus, The Demons Name Is Surveillance and Break Those Bones Whose Sinews Gave It Motion. Meshuggah is a rather complex band and possibly not everyone's favourite cup of tea. But really, what the hell happened here? I was expecting more or less the same brutality I heard in ObZen, Chaosphere and Nothing. To me it seems as though the songs were quickly done and merged in a way that the band made sure that they will be entirely different from their previous albums but that's alright and that is not the problem at all. I have never had a problem with bands changing their sound and nor am I saying that Meshuggah have changed their sound but the saying "job well done" cannot be said for this album. It is as though they couldn't wait to evade from the studio and go out and play live gigs and have yet another album done next to their name. Koloss lacks something, more energy perhaps? Again, sheer brutality? It is always a good thing to listen to an album and be hooked from the beginning until the end and not be left dissatisfied. Meshuggah is a great band with amazing talented artists who I feel could have disembogued their heart and souls out on this album, I suppose that is the one thing that frustrates me about this record, it has killer songs but you get the inevitable feeling of boredom halfway through them. Behind The Sun, Marrow and Do Not Look Down can be placed under that category.

This album is not the "right" album to give to a beginner who has never listened to these Swedish guys and would love to try them out because I am almost certain they will rebuke it immensely. I can only hope they will not disappoint with their future albums or I might as well disown themnow.

Originally written for Sputnikmusic
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/49480/Meshuggah-Koloss/

Every few years evolution in metal leaps forward, surpassing conventions, some remaining true to their roots while some others drifting off into uncharted territory. Amidst this, some bands maintain their supremacy and produce album after ass-kicking album to establish their dominance and strengthen their foothold on their status. Meshuggah are one such band who do the latter, fueled by originality and innovation, they uphold their brand of metal like no one else, continually scaling new altitudes.

Koloss is their sequel to their 2008 venture obZen, an album that is as captivating as it is mesmerizing. Truly at the forefront of innovation, though some seasoned Meshuggah fans claim it takes a while to assimilate, I maintain it struck with it’s first blow and did what Meshuggah do best – obliterate. The absolutely heavy 8 string notes resonate with pulsating arrhythmia. The album, which focuses more on being heavy rather than fast and aggressive does nothing short of giving the listener the feeling that a thousand tonnes of bricks is being lowered upon his skull. A vicious journey from I am Colossus to The Last Vigil, demented and groove laden. Majestic in every breath, accentuated by Jens Kidman’s ferocious and authoritative growls. The best parts of the album being the slower tracks, the faster ones seem lost in profundity as one can see on The Demon’s Name is Surveillance. Despite a few glitches Meshuggah maintain their lyrical prowess (the one thing that got me into them a good four years ago). The Hurt That Finds You First is a fine portrait of their linguistic supremacy. Thordendal’s trademark guitar-only parts impart more life and purpose to this work of art. Marrow is clearly the predatorial song on the album, unforeseen in its eccentricity. This coupled with the next track Break Those Bones Whose Sinews Gave It Motion just about sums their signatorial metric insanity. The song gives out glimpses of their sound from the Nothing days. While Demiurge is in possession of a different sound all by itself, perceptible in a completely different way, what one journalist described aptly as ‘auditory physics’. The Last Vigil is an acoustic meltdown, bringing the album to a shuddering stop.

Meshuggah aren’t a band that have instant appeal, they maintain their affinity towards off times and poly rhythms. They shake the foundations of convention with unmatched intelligence and they do so as if it comes naturally to them. Breaking free from norms and delivering masterpieces one after another, they take metal to heights it has never scaled before. A band that cannot be perceived unidimensionally. Koloss is an album that does every bit of justice to the adjectives used to describe it, a different flavor of lethality for the ones who like it, a savagery unparalleled, an insanity that’s truly Alive.

For their most recent full-length album, Meshuggah have created a truly destructive behemoth. The only track on here that gives any room for the listener to breathe is Track 10, but it is a welcome breath as the first 9 Tracks will rip your face off.

Musicianship: Just like albums prior to this one, Meshuggah still hold their unique sound. Down-tuned guitars, odd time signatures, unique polyrhythms, and technical drumming all help comprise the innovative sound that is Meshuggah. This album is filled with slow chugging riffs (Tracks 4 and 7 for example) as well as faster paced riffs (Track 2 for example). Many people complain about how Meshuggah songs all sound very similar, but that is not a downside in this group. Each track on here, except for Track 10, is ridiculously heavy and precisely played. The album carries itself well due to the fact that it is not only heavy, but it also manages to have groove to it. Meshuggah are a very special group in this regard as they do not sacrifice the addictive qualities of their music while still retaining all of their ferocity. Guitar solos are few and far between on this album. However, the music itself carries enough weight on its own to the point that guitar solos aren't particularly necessary. The guitar solos that do show up on this album are definitely a nice touch and add some flavor to the album. The only reason that I didn't give this album a 100% is due to the final track on this album. It's an ambient track which makes for a nice outro, but it is so repetitive that it becomes boring before you listen through it once.

Vocals: Jens Kidman's vocals pierce through the onslaught of guitar and drums very well. He has a voice which is very unique in the metal community and I have yet to find somebody who sounds anything like him. His vocals mix with the music being played perfectly and give the music even more fury. The vocals do not overpower the instruments and vice versa. The both perfectly complement one another.

Lyrics: Contrary to the popular belief that metal contains nothing but mindless talk of killing people and worshipping the devil, Meshuggah write more intelligent content. The Track named "Break Those Bones Whose Sinews Gave It Motion" is actually a line taken from Albert Schweitzer who was a famous philosopher from 1952. I usually don't pay too much attention to lyrical content in metal bands and instead focus on the instruments and overall sound of the group, but Meshuggah's lyrics catch the listener's attention. Jens Kidman also does an exceptional job of being a destructive vocalist while allowing the listener to make out the lyrics easily.

I think that this album is one of the best, if not the best album by Meshuggah. Fans of the band will be very pleased with this offering and if you have yet to check out this album, I strongly encourage you to do so. Meshuggah will forever hold a special place as one of the greatest metal groups to walk the earth.

Best Tracks: The first 9 tracks on this album are all fantastic, but my personal favorite would have to be "Behind the Sun".

Now, I've been anticipating Koloss like the fucken second coming of Christ. Never have I been so pumped about an album as with this one. Were my hopes too high? Hell no, they weren't even close . Fuck me sideways, upside down, backwards, pretty much any fucken way you want. God help us all. This is what will make the world end in 2012.

The band themselves said that this album would be a bit more "straight forward" than, say, ObZen. A bit more back to their roots, if you will. Something I'm sure is welcomed by many a fans. Because this is what Meshuggah are the undisputed kings of. Yes, they sure as hell know how to absolutely fuck things up beyond mere human comprehension, but I don't think that's what they are truly about and most certainly not what they do best.

I'm gonna sidetrack a little here, but hear me the fuck out, will you? No? Well, fuck you.

obZen felt to me like an experiment from the band. And people who got into the band through that album might have got the wrong impression of what they truly are about. (I'm mainly looking at you, "djent"-people). Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love obZen as I love every other album they've done. But it's not about how fast or technical you can go with Meshuggah, it's how heavy, or with this album, colossal you can get. They are, in the end, about creating mindbending sonic experiences. Cosmic greatness. And since obZen, unfortunately, spawned this absolute fucken pile of manure people call "djent", I couldn't be more happy with their direction on Koloss. Thank you, Meshuggah. You have just absolutely ass-raped the "djent"-scene silly. I love you even more than I did before.

I just felt like I had to clarify that. Hatemails from djentsters are expected and by all means more than welcome. I could use some free entertainment. Ha! You've got nothing on me.
Now let's get back to Koloss, shall we? Right.

With their two released tracks, "Do Not Look Down" and "Break Those Long Song Titles", I had mixed feelings about what to expect. "Break....." is one hell of a monster track, alright. Relentless, goddamn straight to the point bulldozer heaviness, right there. Not much to discuss, really. "Do Not Look Down" is, on the other hand, ridiculously groovy and it pretty much makes me want to dance the fuck out to it. Well, not really dance, that would just look plain retarded. You wouldn't want to see me dance, trust me. There are enough awful things in this world as it is. I don't even know where I'm going with this myself.

Anyhoo, I was not really sure what to expect, but I thought it'd be wise to wait until I've heard the entire album before my verdict, naturally. Well, duh.

Well, those tracks definitely shows two sides of the coin, alright. but they certainly do not show what the entire album actually has to offer. This is like all of their previous albums had sex with each other, and Koloss is the sick, demented and dark offspring that came out.
This is heavy as fuck, it's groovy and it's fucken evil. In other words, they focus on all the things that they can execute like no other band out there. It's safe to say that they are back, and they're fucken pissed off. This blows obZen right the fuck out of the water.

What I like the most is the production. It all sounds like actual instruments again. Everyone shines through so well on this album. Rather than having a compressed-to-clusterfuckness sound like on obZen they went for a more organic and alive sound. Best point of reference would be the Nothing album, but warmer. You can actually hear how an amazing drummer Tomas really is again. Also, Fredrik and Mårten has to be two of the tightest goddamn rhythm guitarists out there.

The bass is there sometimes, sometimes it just blends in completely with the guitars, but this is because when they play the low 8-string stuff, Dick plays in the same octave as the guitars, thus giving them that characteristic guitar sound. As far as I'm concerned, he is a damn fine and way too underrated bassist. He even gets some spotlight in "Break..." with a kind of a drum and bass interlude, something you haven't really heard since DEI, more or less.

But what probably struck me the most is Jens. His vocals sound so much more inspired and pissed off than on obZen. Something or someone must have pissed him off before entering the studio. He is definitely back in the shape he should be. Which is something you can't say that often about vocalists, so this is a huge plus. Few people can compete with his badassness and he definitely puts the icing on the cake, the cum on the face, and the grädde on the mos on this album. His live facial expressions alone should be enough to have people fucken throw all kinds of awards at them.

The musicianship is just out of this world. But this needs no further ellaboration, I'm pretty sure most people are familiar with their skills at this point. Just listen to the damn albums if you don't know what I'm fucken talking about.

Another point worth mentioning is the lyrics. Tomas writes pretty much all of them, and he is a natural talent at it, too. They make you think, they are interesting, and they all have meaning to them. They give the songs further dimensions and fits them like a glove while at it. Do yourself a favor and put on some good headphones and listen to this while reading along in the booklet. Fantastic.

At first I decided that to write about each track was a good idea, but it just proved to be pointless and it turned out a little too long to keep the read interesting. I'm pretty sure that you don't have the same feelings about the tracks as I do, anyway... So fuck that shit.

Koloss is heavy, it's atmospheric, it's groovy, it's evil, it's apocalyptic, and it's pretty much everything that I absolutely have come to love about this band over the years. It is a mix of what they've done in the past and it is a perfect representation of what they are. It's the soundtrack to the entire galaxy being crushed into a black hole. And the final track of the album, an instrumental clean guitar interlude (which is also something they are fucken excellent at, Catch 33 would be a perfect example of this), is the emptiness and dead silence of space that is all that remains afterwards. This, folks, this is what Meshuggah are all about and are the unmatched masters of doing.

Considering all of this and the overall good flow that this album has, I cannot give this anything less than a full score. Call me a fucken fanboy if you want to. I totally am, so I'm all fine with it. Like, I don't even care. Koloss certainly lives up to its name.

10 out of 10 Colossuses.

So here we have Meshuggah's seventh album, Koloss. After how outstanding obZen was, you'd be forgiven for expecting Meshuggah to even match it, let alone surpass it. However, I believe they have surpassed it with this. While thousands of bands either embracing or wanting to disassociate with the djent label are ripping them off, Meshuggah are showing that they are the masters of the style and why the legions of mediocre clones should just give up.

Starting with the slow paced groove filled track "I Am Colossus" which is a strong opener, before going into the considerably faster paced "The Demon's Name Is Surveillance", the band have made an album equal parts slower chugfests and faster. The equal mix means you won't feel like you're hearing the song being played over and over. Jens Kidman's robotic bark is still an integral part of Meshuggah's sound, while the memorable jazzy solo work adds a touch of excellence to the whole thing. Tomas Haake is yet again showing why he's one of the best drummers in metal today. His performance in tracks like "The Hurt That Finds You First" and "Demiurge" are really spectacular. Those ambient passages you heard on Nothing and obZen are still here, the outro to "The Hurt That Finds You First", the intro and outro to "Demiurge" and the entirety of closer "The Last Vigil" being prime examples.

Meshuggah have really outdone themselves here. This is a truly excellent piece of work, and will probably be the album of 2012. Fans of the band will likely love this as much as I do. The detractors will likely not enjoy this much, as it's not anything particularly new, but in the end that's not a bad thing.

Highlights: Demiurge, The Hurt That Finds You First, Do Not Look Down, The Demon's Name Is Surveillance, I Am Colossus

Meshuggah. That band that mesmerized everybody with their musicianship. Their polyrhythmic structures, brilliant drumming, diabolical low end guitars and guttural vocals, they spawned an entire race of fans and musicians, most of whom have started ripping them off and started the whole djent movement. But when there are millions of good, mediocre and bad copies floating around, how do you identify the original?

This is where the cerebral side of Meshuggah comes in. What people have duplicated is the sound and song structure. What they have not, is the attitude, intelligence and ideas that Meshuggah put into their songs. They know when they have to play slow and chug and when they have to pace up and poly rhythmisize the space time continuum. And that cerebral side is what shines through on Koloss.

From the supercharged "The Hurt Finds you First" and "The Demon's Name is Surveillance" to the slow chugging on "Do Not Look Down" and "Marrow" to the doom filled ambient notes of "The Last Vigil", Meshuggah do not let the current movements in metal influence them. While the instruments are already known for their prowess, Jens Kidmans' vocals definitely do shine through and stand out.

My favourite tracks on the album still are the ones that were leaked intentionally by the band, "Break Those Bones Whose Sinews Gave It Motion" and "Do Not Look Down", especially the latter with its slow groove and jazzy guitar solo.

So those who are worried that Meshuggah will sound dated and obsolete, can rest easy. This is the most accessible Meshuggah album yet, at the same time being a logical evolution to their speed and riff crazed Obzen. The excellence and the essence that made Meshuggah the favourite metal band of the metal world, still remains. Buy it. For sure.