Meshuggah back then I wasn't really into because lost interest in a lot of Death and Progressive bands. I will say Meshuggah is one of the few I don't mind now a days and I'm liking more and more.
this is true. I dragged my friend to meshuggah in dublin the other day. He hates metal and only likes bands like tame impala. He was absolutely blown away by the gig
As a drummer, Meshuggah's music is the only music that can always challenge me and make me improve my coordination and rhythm. Playing drums to other songs are fun, sure, but there's no thinking involved and they don't make me a better drummer.
ThePyronator definitely in moderation. When I first got into them I was blown away by the off beat time signatures it's definitely lost it's luster for me over the years. But to me obzen was a masterpiece.
For me, it's often the opposite - I like stuff of that sort because it's too complex for my brain to start transcribing in real-time, so (at least for the first couple of listens) it's easier to switch off my analytical tendencies and just enjoy it as music. (And then, of course, once you get to analysing this stuff, it tends to be a lot more interesting on that level too.)
thank you! i never enjoyed meshuggah, but i've only got respect for them. they took rythm guitar to a whole new level, even if that means oddball time signatures and riffs that you can't easily get into first time listening. hell, i've got massive respect for most "complicated" metal even if i can't listen to prog metal. yeah, i'm a 4/4 pleb, sue me. i got into metal from hardcore punk, simple music pleases me. so if you like prog, great for you! not for me though.
Discovering Meshuggah this late in their carreer is so eye opening to their influence in the metal scene. Their sound remains underground, heavy af, raw, and real.
+Lucas T I honestly think Chaosphere or I are the only albums out of their catalog that wouldn't be a good idea to start out with. My woman bought me Chaosphere for my 14th birthday (I'm 30 now,) and I still didn't get into them until 3 years later, when I heard Nothing and Catch-33. After those two I was hooked, but my favourite will always be ObZen.
Pantera was pioneering in the same way Meshuggah has been and you can hear how dimebags playing influenced the guitarists of meshuggah. Dime really took that groove metal style to the next level and meshuggah did the same .
Since their last album (the violent sleep of reason) which Is my personal favorite, I think is too futuristic for some people to deal. Meshuggah is a very visual band
Meshuggah vocals change every album, though on each album, the style is consistent. Which I expect due each album being a concept album. I also admire the timing of Jenkins in his delivery. However, I'm am too busy listening to the band to even give a shit about such a useless criticism. Most metal bands lack dynamics. They may have some diversity, range and niche, but they can get boring as well. Like, seriously, you listen to metal for the range of the vocals? Time and a place, I suppose. I for one love the screaming in Meshuggah. Primal, powerful and raw.
Seeing them tonight!! Woohoo! They're amazing live so looking forward to it. I can understand why people don't like them and that's alright for them, I like them and that's alright for me. Who cares
I guess people just "expect" vocals to be melodic, in one way or another. Those same people just don't "get" that much / most of Meshuggah's music is meant / designed mainly from a RHYTHM standpoint. That, and most of the more "technical" side of music is, kinda by default, not "catchy", but is (or at least can be) deeply layered, and needs several listen-throughs to grow on you, and for you to "peel" away the layers and discover the intricacies...
I didn't think you could hate MESHUGGAH 😐: 1) You're hearing hasn't expanded to full capacity. 2) You're too intimidated (Their dynamic,complex, creativity is too much for weenies to handle. Kinda like their use of big words) 3) You're diabetic (ba-dum...laame, sorry)
I'd like to really like them. I do for short spurts. But they should write some riffs instead of this boring lowest note chug in EVERY song on every album as of late. Do they have use of their fret hand? Or just the picking hand...
I discovered Meshuggah around the time Obzen released. To this day I'm still blown away by them. I had to buy they're whole discography and still can't get enough.
I'll have to admit the first time I listened to Meshuggah it was a little too overpowering but then I listened more and more and now they're a band I have to listen to everyday. I think people like to blindly judge a band before even listening to them I know some of my friends do then I'll just put on a song without telling them and they're like who's this? I'm like it's Meshuggah and leave it at that then, they start to like them.
Jens Kidman was a pretty decent James Hetfield impersonator back in the day. Tbh, Contradictions Collapse is probably my favorite Meshuggah album I've heard.
Hey CKN, a bit off topic, but do you have any videos about the sub-genre Suicidal-Depressive Black Metal? It's a great sub-genre but I don't remember you covering it. Check out the band *Dreariness*, the album My Mind is Too Weak to Forget. Also check out: band: Uaral, song: Depression. band: Nocturnal Depression, song: Nostalgia band: Cheerful Depression, song: Sleep Forever band: Sadness, album: Close band: Commit Suicide, album: How it Hurts to Smile band: Coldworld, albums: Melancholie; The Stars are Dead Now.
I know you were joking coverkill, but a deaf person could still enjoy meshuggah if they were at a concert. You feel every thump in your abdomen when they play.
Seen live in Toronto twice. right before they walked out, Def Lepards Pour some sugar on me came on and we all sang pour some shuggah on me. but yeah, I agree with most of your points.
Most people tell me either the album Nothing or Obzen got them into the band. I got into Meshuggah the least common way. I picked up Contradictions Collapse in a used music shop and loved the album and how thrashy it felt. It really threw me off when I picked up their other albums and saw how much they changed and it took me a while to really get into their sound but man am I glad that I gave them a chance. When people tell me they don't want to get into them because they are connected with Djent music I tell them to listen to their earlier stuff and experience the change and progression they went through. I've found it really helps me appreciate the music they make today knowing that this band is constantly evolving.
2017 disclaimer addition to this series? Looks like it's a take no prisoners approach to video making. Good for you. Love this new side and new ratings system. Looking forward to more videos.
One does not just simply hear "bleed" and say "meh"...Meshuggah created an entire genre, and are anger and rage expressed as sound. Oh and Tomas Haake...
I’d say meshuga is probably hated a lot because they’re like pure power and chaos. Personally that’s my favorite music in a nutshell but it isn’t for everyone
Meshuggah's music is combination of extremly heavy shoutings and mind-bending complexity. And they really don't have easy hooks to follow along etc. You definitely need a deeper understanding of groove/rhythm, at least you must be able to feel it, because the music is mainly based on this. At the top of that you need a huge tolerance and sympathy for extreme heaviness. I love Meshuggah, but it is obviously the opposite of easy listening and I can totally understand why people dislike them. It's apparently not made for everyone.... and that is definitely a pro, not a con!
I've been listening to Meshuggah for 20 years, but a lot of the time i've I'm not in the mood I can only take a few songs at a time. Also it takes a while for me to understand the structure of their songs if I haven't heard it before. The drummer is very talented. It does seem like a new genre of music.
Now that you've done 5 reasons why people hate djent and now 5 reason why people hate the band that started djent, maybe it'd be a good time to cover some of the actual "djent" bands such as Periphery or TesseracT (even though TesseracT has only ever used djent on like less than a third of their songs). TesseracT is my favorite band so it'd mean a lot if you'd dissect some of the common reasons why people bash them as well as people like me for liking them.
coverkillernation Thanks man! Hey another question: will you be offended if I start my own series on my channel ranking a bands chronology of albums in order of my personal favorites? I know other people have done it, but you're the only big channel that does it (besides Loudwire on their website I guess).
+The Riff Notebook I honestly wouldn't mind Periphery's new stuff if it wasn't for the emo-kid vocs that Spencer does. I actually really like the instrumental version of their first album, but honestly, they need to release instrumental versions of the rest of their albums. Spence is just not cutting it. He sounds like he should be singing for Alexisonfire or The Used lol (sorry.. Those are the only emo bands I know the names of, and thank God for that.) Periphery's riffs are amazing, but the vocals.... not so much....
INF1D3L010 I've personally always enjoyed his vocals. He definitely has a high voice but I think of it as more of a James LaBrie kind of high voice rather than emo(I despise emo bands as well). Also his growls, especially on Periphery II, are incredible. His voice is definitely the most common reason I see people dislike Periphery. Oh well, I'm there for Misha's catalog of guitar porn anyway so...
Spencer is one of the best vocalists in metal. Youre just not used to someone who can actually sing. Emo? Really? Listen to Hell Below and tell me he sounds emo. Hes immensely talented and hes gotten better each album. Just because hes not growling to death every song doesnt make him emo. Hes got a great range and has continued to use his voice to the best of his ability. Listen to songs like Flatline and Remain Indoors off their latest album. The riffs are fantastic but if you think Spencer isnt one of the highlights you are mistaken. He shines on P3 and more than likely on what i guess will be P4
As a longtime (30+ years) studio/session player I CAN'T hear "disjointed" rhythms in their music but I get how people with average musical taste (country fans, pop fans, etc.) hate it. I remember the first time I heard Metallica. I was living in England and heavy metal was bands like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Saxon. This guy moves over from America and plays me the just-released "Fight Fire with Fire" single and all I heard was noise. I couldn't even wrap my head around why people would listen to it. Three months later I couldn't stop playing the record (yes, the vinyl LP). I love Meshuggah, in part, because of the incredible playing, the use of odd time signatures, the industrial sounds and the like. I also love that there is something experimental and unexpected in their playing. In a cookie-cutter world of plastic celebrity "musicians" we should all be VERY grateful for bands like Meshuggah who push the boundaries of what music can be. Just my two pennies.
I have been a metal/jazz/ and classical guitarist for many years (over 30) - even went to berklee college of music. I just discovered M only a few months ago. I think they are great.
If you can count to 4, you will see why their music is so great. The 1st 2 or 3 albums utilized changing time signatures, but from Chaosphere on, the game was about 4/4 all day. It's not a new idea in music, but their approach sure as hell is new. Oh ya, Earth Wind and Fire is the first influence on the Destroy Erase Improve album. Deal with it.
The only issue that I have EVER had with Meshuggah (I've been a fan since the NONE EP) is they are hit and miss with what I refer to as their strengths in their songwriting. Which is the ambient stuff that they do in Destroy Erase Improve and the hooky riffs from albums like Obzen and Nothing. I love hearing this stuff interspersed within their poly-rhythm brutality
As far as I'm concerned, the only legitimate criticisms that can be levied against ANY musical endeavor is: 1. Blatant thievery 2. The sound just doesn't do it for the listener. Snobs can get bent and I think Meshuggah is fucking unbelievably good. Sometimes I catch myself engaged in snobbery and I have to kick my own ass for being an arrogant prick.
The very first time I heard meshuggah I was 15. I new it was some high level shit. I wasn't just ready for polyrithm and I knew it as well... But maybe I should have gone into obzen instead of chaosphere...
As a Progger AND a Metalhead, and have been into music since I was a kid in the early 60's . . . I've heard soo many different musics, some I discarded, some I look back and have kept in me with reverence. I have seen/heard musics invented, various musics progress and turn into new genres. Came to learn various musical terms and experience those techniques that I had no idea what they were, and then came to understand, even though I wouldn't call myself a musician by any means, I have played guitar (improvisational), but come to understand what it takes to learn ANY instrument and the different degrees in which to play them, and engineer/record. Those that write/compose and perform, but especially those that step out of the conventional box. From the simple, melodic, complex, epic, prolific and profound. When I 1st heard Meshuggah (and MANY other fusion/"math metal" and progressive bands before and after them in 1995), and learned that most of their music was in 4/4, and then came to learn what that meant - what struck me like a jackhammer is what they created "WITHIN that 4/4" that made them astounding. One of the 1st negative reviews compared them to nothing more than a "Pantera Clone" . . . apparently that reviewer had tin ears, made a quick review of an album that he must have fast forwarded through, and didn't give his ears time to absorb the music. But as an uneducated man, albeit a collector of Metal, Prog, Soundtrack Scores, AOR, Classical, Shredders, Classic and Contemporary Vocalists, Jazz/Fusion, and later Avant-Garde/RIO music - when I heard the 1st 2 minutes of the album "Destroy Erase Improve", I was done, hook line and sinker, I became a Meshuggahner for life. But when Fredrik Thordendal came in with the solos, it was like "Allan Holdsworth (rest in peace)" entered to let the brutality breathe for a moment, and Haake easing up on the drums, yet playing much like Holdsworth's counterpart "Gary Husband" (btw - both and many others, are mentioned in the DEI credits as "Sources of Inspiration"). These guys were by far "Different", like Opeth was for me when I 1st heard "Still Life", or Watchtower, Mekong Delta, (later) Death, Cacophony, Cynic, Fates Warning, Forbidden, Powermad, Thought Industry, Believer, Extol, Sabbat (UK), Realm, Spiral Architect, Psychotic Waltz and MANY MANY others that were breaking rules and challenging themselves and the listener. Yet Meshuggah kept that 4/4 groove to violently headbang to. But they thought and played on another level, but were unique, as all those bands I have mentioned, each taking Metal to their own place and ideas. These bands are not for everyone, or they would be played on Top 40 radio, and why the hell would I want that? They will not be understood by MANY, but they appeal to "Blacksheeps" like me, who can actually take the time to listen and understand. The critics and trolls can say what they want, but for those that hear the soul, the timing and the melodies through the controlled chaos, WE have something special. It may be exclusive music, but its for ANYONE that is looking for something different and not the ordinary. Bang On folks to a different rhythm \m/
About point number four, about the vocals being boring, I can see why that's the case. The first song I ever heard of Meshuggah's was Nostrum, and I first thought the vocals were boring because I couldn't understand them or their sound. It sounded very monotonous to me when I first heard it, but I guess that's where the power of Jens vocals lie. However, my mind changed with Bleed and New Millennium Cyanide Christ. Those are some brilliant songs. So I guess, it takes some time to get used to them. Best way to get into them is to see covers done by others, that way they can present the song in a new way, hopefully to your liking.
I'm a Latino drummer from LA who grew up listening to everything from fusion at home and gospel in church to hip hop and everything else (especially hip hop) ... I got into Meshuggah at 14 years old when they had just released Catch 33 and I got into Chaosphere of course and every other album quickly... point being I never really gave a fuck about who else didn't like Meshuggah and who didn't understand my reasons for liking them. They groove heavy af.
I have to admit that I was #5 for a little bit, but after hearing their new album I finally got it and now I'm interested in digging into Meshuggah's discography more.
Another, 6th reason is that people are saying all their songs sounds the same... I completely don't understand that statement. If you go to compare most of the modern metal / djent songs they really sounds the same. The similar technical riffs, tapping, open chords, scales, key signatures, synths, bass drops and structures of the song: Screaming in the intro, verse, clean chorus, more screaming, breakdown, clean chorus done. Even older more classic bands like Cannibal Corpse that I really respect and still enjoy - the same system, lyrics about fucking corpses, slow intro, blast beats, tempo change, blast beats, slower thrashy blast beat, triplet ride driven beat, solo, blast beat the end. I am not saying this thing is bad it was cool if few bands were doing that, but not Majority. Literally whenever Spencer from Periphery sings about 'misery' for the 100th time, every time in a different song (I really like Periphery anyway), Meshuggah creates a special atmosphere for each of their songs. The lyrics are always completely different, telling a story every time about something different as well. Each song has a different structure, the riffs and the rhythms are based around a specific idea that is always evolving throughout the composition. And again the rhythms, poly-meters that they're creating are so intelligent, they're not made only to be complex, but they're very cleverly put together and never random (excluding I, which was purposely generated from Haake's jams). By saying that Meshuggah's music is deep and you have to really understand their music in order to fully enjoy the experience is not cheesy in that case at all. People who are saying all the songs sounds the same clearly do not understand what they're listening to. There are also a lot of bands out there that changed their style for bad throughout the years, and I said they "changed" their style, but meshuggah "evolved" and they're still evolving, by introducing something new in every album, and keeping the same "Shuggah level" at the same time. It's not like Jens started to singing and Fredrik started to play Pentatonic scales during solos and using wah (buehe), they're keeping their style that they created and that's beautiful. There's literally no other bands like Meshuggah, and I am not saying that, and spending 15 minutes on a fucking stupid youtube comment, because I'm some kind of random fanboy. I am their fan, because of what they've created. I truly admire their work and I personally love The Violent Sleep Of Reason, it's one of their best albums, and definitely one of the best album in Metal music.
the thing that makes Meshuggah great is the fact that they approach a song from the rhythmical side of things first. A completely different approach than a large amount of music first. Also their lead guitar player is a freakin animal and improvises a good chunk of his solos. If you (like me) are a jazz musician who greatly appreciates this band do yourself a favor and check out Dan Weiss's metal jazz quintet. It's right up this same style of playing.
I also like Meshuggah but I would agree that the vocals are not the strongest aspect of their music. They're definitely a little one dimensional if you compare them to what a Christian Älvestam or a Björn Strid can do.
in the vid he says that meshuggah plays different time signatures and polyrhytms, but I've heard countless times that they actually play almost everytime in 4/4 with polymetrics. While he may have reffered to polymetrics by saying that they "combine" different time signature. but the core off their songs is still in 4/4
I love their cluster fuck chaos! Loud. After a while you remember every twist and turn of the song and it just comes to life. It's just uncanny how they're magic is so different from your average metal band.
The reason i cant get into them is because they will do the same thing for like 2 minutes straight and switch for the next 2 minutes etc. Its like too long youll here the same time signature for that long and the guitar will repeat the same riff for that 2 minute peroid
Meshuggah are truly dynamic and intense \mm/, their drive to push everything they do to the next level - keeps musicians sharp! People who find Meshuggah's work complicated should check out Blotted Science, Vader, or even Sanctuary! STAY HEAVY and LOUD
We are currently reviewing obZen on our channel. I have never really listened to Meshuggah before other than 1 or 2 of their singles but their sound never grabbed me and pulled me in. Since our First Impressions video I have had this album on loop/repeat, not because I love it but because that is our method of reviewing. Upon listening to it and trying to soak it in I find that there are two main things that make me think this band is vastly overrated. #1 is indeed the vocals. Jens sings at the same pitch, same volume, and same tone throughout pretty much every single song except for the last track. Each word and each phrase is almost exactly the same length and the same spacing apart. The only thing that really changes is the key he sings in from time to time but the fluctuation in key shift is so subtle it almost doesn't even matter. No one is asking for Katy Perry high notes but some pitch change once in a while could go a long way to prevent each song from sounding like a monotonous repeat of the previous track. #2 is the odd/random time signatures. This is the one people argue about the most because its black and white. Either you can appreciate odd time signatures or you cant. For example Tvfish is all over the odd time changes this band writes because he studies music so he knows the ins and outs and the technicality that goes into the songs. Me on the other hand am more familiar and far more comfortable with the standard 4/4 and its not that I don't get the odd timing of bands like Meshuggah and its not that I don't know how much talent goes into performing songs that are so bizarre in structure.. my issue is that the songs no longer have a rhythm that is enjoyable to move to.In other words as technically impressive as they might be, odd time changing in music just does not sound good! I think people who like that kind of stuff are merely liking it because of the technical aspect behind it and they're ignoring how most people react to rhythm which is a steady and consistently timed beat, much like a heartbeat or a train driving along the tracks. Once you start playing around with it, our natural senses of how we react to rhythm is thrown out the window and it makes enjoying it that much more difficult. But those are just my current thoughts. I still have 4 or 5 more days of listening to obZen before I draw my final conclusions and we record our Final Review of the album. - Vile
The beauty of meshuggah is that they disguise the steady 4/4 pulse even though it is actually happening the entire time. To me it actually makes it groove harder if you know where to find it. Listening to them is a gradually rewarding experience. Jens vocals are meant to be like that. He is 1/5 of the rhythmic instrument that is meshuggah. Also their lead guitarist Fredrik Thordendal improvises all of his guitar solos so they are different every time adding to the chaotic nature of the music.
Easy way to prove meshuggah is a good band: I know a bassist who is in his 40 and spend his early years mostly listening to Dream Theater. He then grew tired of it because the complexity didn't appeal to him anymore and now he is a big funk, jazz and blues lover. Then he went to a festival (don't know which one) and happened to see Meshuggah there. He had never heard of them and I thought the sound was way to heavy for him. But they did such a great performance that a funky bluesy jazz lover started to headbang and then bought The Violent Sleep Of Reason. For me this shows the real quality of Meshuggah
I hate elitist metalheads. People can like and not like what they want. I'm a huge fan of a wide variety of metal and yes even Nu metal. It's nothing to be embarrassed by to admit you love Limp Bizkit. Thanks to Nu metal I had a gateway that lead me to discover other types of metal throughout the years.
The only reason i clicked this video was out of curiosity, cause i have never heard about anything but love for meshuggah. Everyone that is remotely into metal seem to love them.
I personally love Meshuggah, and in general the Djent genre. I can understand people not being fussed on it, but there are some people who practically foam at the mouth with fury at the mention of djent; so confusing granted that djent means nothing really, it's such a vague term it can apparently encompass bands like Meshuggah and Animals as Leaders - 2 bands I really like, but they have very little in common other than 8 string guitars; which they both tune very differently.
![Gunna - HIM ALL ALONG [Official Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/w7Wf0h1Q8a4/mqdefault.jpg)
![Tomas Haake (Meshuggah) - drumtalk [episode 05]](/img/1.gif)
People hate Meshuggah?
Ion badger apparently. I don't know anyone that doesn't like Meshuggah. my 8 month old nephew even loves them.
I don't usually care about bands that I dislike, but they bother me more than most for some reason.
my question indeed
Yeah was scratching my head about the topic too.
Meshuggah back then I wasn't really into because lost interest in a lot of Death and Progressive bands. I will say Meshuggah is one of the few I don't mind now a days and I'm liking more and more.
1 reason and one reason only: you'll never outplay them :(
skypjuh absafuckinloutely. Bleed is fucking wrist breaking.
Not just wrists.
good one i love them
its actually not that wrist breakin as much as ankle/foot/leg breaking lol
i hate meshuggah cuz they will never come to my country D:
People who hate Meshuggah are people who haven't seen them live yet. They're one of the best live bands out there.
Formshifter I live in Jamaica and will never see them live but I love them.
People who hate Meshuggah are gonna Bleed!
Formshifter They are a hell of an experience live.
this is true. I dragged my friend to meshuggah in dublin the other day. He hates metal and only likes bands like tame impala. He was absolutely blown away by the gig
so true
As a drummer, Meshuggah's music is the only music that can always challenge me and make me improve my coordination and rhythm. Playing drums to other songs are fun, sure, but there's no thinking involved and they don't make me a better drummer.
Dimensional Archive try ulcerate or car bomb those bands drummer are the most challenging you can get
Dimensional Archive I agree, Meshuggah's drummer gives you a lot to work on!
Dimensional Archive You've obviously never tried playing very many things then lol
braindrill or suffocation is badass as well
Hell. Yes. Im also a drummer and Messugah has really helped with coordination and rhythm, like you mentioned.
When you drop your sugar.
"Oh no, MESHUGGAH"
thejdog03 dude
dude
thejdog03 dude
dude
dude
meshuggah is like a complicated math equation. its not for everyone, but you gotta appreciate the time and effort that goes into thier work.
Ryan M ckay It feels to me like half the songs are just the same one with different patterns (complex as they may be)
ThePyronator definitely in moderation. When I first got into them I was blown away by the off beat time signatures it's definitely lost it's luster for me over the years. But to me obzen was a masterpiece.
For me, it's often the opposite - I like stuff of that sort because it's too complex for my brain to start transcribing in real-time, so (at least for the first couple of listens) it's easier to switch off my analytical tendencies and just enjoy it as music.
(And then, of course, once you get to analysing this stuff, it tends to be a lot more interesting on that level too.)
The best analogy I heard about this band!
thank you! i never enjoyed meshuggah, but i've only got respect for them. they took rythm guitar to a whole new level, even if that means oddball time signatures and riffs that you can't easily get into first time listening. hell, i've got massive respect for most "complicated" metal even if i can't listen to prog metal.
yeah, i'm a 4/4 pleb, sue me. i got into metal from hardcore punk, simple music pleases me. so if you like prog, great for you! not for me though.
Meshuggah and Lamb of God are 2 of my favorite metal bands
Discovering Meshuggah this late in their carreer is so eye opening to their influence in the metal scene. Their sound remains underground, heavy af, raw, and real.
I think many pe0ple d0n't like m0sh0gg0h because of 00001000
actually it's 0102 0 0 0102 0 0 0102 0 0 0102 0 0 0102
what riff is that?
21st century Christ
@frank jonker
too regular.^^
010102929399393933902001010101019292939 191929 and 1029394995
I cant trust people who hate Meshuggah.
Facts, me neither
I'm not deeply familiar with their music, but I like what I've heard.
"Nothing" is the best album to start with.
BirdsElopeWithTheSun I'll check it out.
Honestly I don't think there is a bad place to start with Meshuggah (except Contradictions Collapse). I started with obZen.
Lucas T The first song I've ever heard was Bleed.
+Lucas T
I honestly think Chaosphere or I are the only albums out of their catalog that wouldn't be a good idea to start out with. My woman bought me Chaosphere for my 14th birthday (I'm 30 now,) and I still didn't get into them until 3 years later, when I heard Nothing and Catch-33. After those two I was hooked, but my favourite will always be ObZen.
I don't know anyone who hates Meshuggah
i know some, its not gonna appeal to everyone. i dont think theres much middle ground you prolly gonna love them or hate them.
You do now
Because you killed them right?
People that don’t respect or like Meshuggah don’t know metal true metal. And I’m a die hard pantera fan. But Meshuggah is my favorite band now
Pantera was pioneering in the same way Meshuggah has been and you can hear how dimebags playing influenced the guitarists of meshuggah. Dime really took that groove metal style to the next level and meshuggah did the same .
"Djent" is a whole genre trying to sound like Meshuggah, and failed.
The only person besides Meshuggah that has made good Djent metal is Mick Gordon.
They're soooo good thoughhhh
Gandalf-DA-Gray they sound as loud as your staff hiting the bridge of khazad dum
@John Jack pretty late huh
Never seen a better band live. And once the parts start sinking in, all you can do is shake your head in awe of its genius.
A lady once told me she didn't like Meshuggah because they're old.
I mean that’s is objectively true but what the hell? To me they are cooler and newer sounding still than most young new bands
Since their last album (the violent sleep of reason) which Is my personal favorite, I think is too futuristic for some people to deal. Meshuggah is a very visual band
Love this band from the first time I listened to it back in 2005 until now cuz they have the kind of sound that im looking for in metal! \m/
love this bands music so fucking much
Meshuggah vocals change every album, though on each album, the style is consistent. Which I expect due each album being a concept album. I also admire the timing of Jenkins in his delivery. However, I'm am too busy listening to the band to even give a shit about such a useless criticism. Most metal bands lack dynamics. They may have some diversity, range and niche, but they can get boring as well. Like, seriously, you listen to metal for the range of the vocals? Time and a place, I suppose. I for one love the screaming in Meshuggah. Primal, powerful and raw.
Seeing them tonight!! Woohoo! They're amazing live so looking forward to it. I can understand why people don't like them and that's alright for them, I like them and that's alright for me. Who cares
It's pretty simple. If you don't love rhythm you most likely won't love meshuggah.
VERY true!
I guess people just "expect" vocals to be melodic, in one way or another. Those same people just don't "get" that much / most of Meshuggah's music is meant / designed mainly from a RHYTHM standpoint.
That, and most of the more "technical" side of music is, kinda by default, not "catchy", but is (or at least can be) deeply layered, and needs several listen-throughs to grow on you, and for you to "peel" away the layers and discover the intricacies...
They probably just don't like juice
It’s the truth
The title of the video should be 5 Reasons Why Certain Nobodies Hate Meshuggah.
I didn't think you could hate MESHUGGAH 😐:
1) You're hearing hasn't expanded to full capacity.
2) You're too intimidated (Their dynamic,complex, creativity is too much for weenies to handle. Kinda like their use of big words)
3) You're diabetic (ba-dum...laame, sorry)
I like corny jokes
Diabetic here, and id suicide for Meshuggah.
I'd like to really like them. I do for short spurts. But they should write some riffs instead of this boring lowest note chug in EVERY song on every album as of late. Do they have use of their fret hand? Or just the picking hand...
Youre obviously hearing things wrong if thats the conclusion you arrive at. Theres tons of fret play in their songs.
I discovered Meshuggah around the time Obzen released. To this day I'm still blown away by them. I had to buy they're whole discography and still can't get enough.
Do 5 reasons why people hate Evanescence
Nuno AaaaaaaahhahahahahhahahahahahahahaGAHAHAHAH.... Yes.
SAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Wake me up!
Doofy Cantwakeup.png
Nuno because they fucking suck
I'll have to admit the first time I listened to Meshuggah it was a little too overpowering but then I listened more and more and now they're a band I have to listen to everyday. I think people like to blindly judge a band before even listening to them I know some of my friends do then I'll just put on a song without telling them and they're like who's this? I'm like it's Meshuggah and leave it at that then, they start to like them.
Jens Kidman was a pretty decent James Hetfield impersonator back in the day. Tbh, Contradictions Collapse is probably my favorite Meshuggah album I've heard.
I liked his vocal style back then better than now actually lol (1993 -2001) but I love all their LPs
their loud and abrassive. that's half of what makes them awsome. their musical take on metal is unique and inspiring to me.
Hey CKN, a bit off topic, but do you have any videos about the sub-genre Suicidal-Depressive Black Metal? It's a great sub-genre but I don't remember you covering it.
Check out the band *Dreariness*, the album My Mind is Too Weak to Forget.
Also check out:
band: Uaral, song: Depression.
band: Nocturnal Depression, song: Nostalgia
band: Cheerful Depression, song: Sleep Forever
band: Sadness, album: Close
band: Commit Suicide, album: How it Hurts to Smile
band: Coldworld, albums: Melancholie; The Stars are Dead Now.
I know you were joking coverkill, but a deaf person could still enjoy meshuggah if they were at a concert. You feel every thump in your abdomen when they play.
Meshuggah isn't for weak minded people
Facts . If you don’t like them it’s just because you don’t understand or won’t allow yourself to understand what’s really happening.
I takes time to understand meshuggah. It took me years, and now they are my favorite heavy band.
Seen live in Toronto twice. right before they walked out, Def Lepards Pour some sugar on me came on and we all sang pour some shuggah on me.
but yeah, I agree with most of your points.
People hate Meshuggah? This is news to me 😂
Fucking right??
Most people tell me either the album Nothing or Obzen got them into the band. I got into Meshuggah the least common way. I picked up Contradictions Collapse in a used music shop and loved the album and how thrashy it felt. It really threw me off when I picked up their other albums and saw how much they changed and it took me a while to really get into their sound but man am I glad that I gave them a chance. When people tell me they don't want to get into them because they are connected with Djent music I tell them to listen to their earlier stuff and experience the change and progression they went through. I've found it really helps me appreciate the music they make today knowing that this band is constantly evolving.
concert tomorrow , I CANT FUCKING WAIT !!!
I missed this series, every know and again I check out the comment section in the slayer video
HOW CAN YOU HATE SLLAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYEEEEEEERRRRRRRRR!!!!!111!!!!1ONEWUN!1
I dont hate slayer, I just like to see bitches cry about how slayer is the greatest band ever
Oh I know, was just pretending to be one of those thin skinned imbeciles who can't understand differences of opinion or the point of this series.
Same
People who hate anything need to spend their energy doing something useful.
I am 61 and have a huge range of musical tastes, old school rock, MOR, country, rap , southern rock and even zydeco, Meshuggah are simply amazing
2017 disclaimer addition to this series? Looks like it's a take no prisoners approach to video making. Good for you. Love this new side and new ratings system. Looking forward to more videos.
+ you know coverkillernation, I actually haven't heard of them to be honest. Looks like i learned something new today> Thanks!
One does not just simply hear "bleed" and say "meh"...Meshuggah created an entire genre, and are anger and rage expressed as sound. Oh and Tomas Haake...
That guy speaking reminds me to Bill Hicks, I like it. Great video!
I don't think people like how reductive they are with their guitars... but dude... I love this band.
If you don’t like meshuggah you don’t know music period!!!!
I’d say meshuga is probably hated a lot because they’re like pure power and chaos. Personally that’s my favorite music in a nutshell but it isn’t for everyone
I love Meshuggah, I just don't like how half of all upcoming "prog metal" bands can't think of anything more interesting than djent.
Meshuggah's music is combination of extremly heavy shoutings and mind-bending complexity. And they really don't have easy hooks to follow along etc.
You definitely need a deeper understanding of groove/rhythm, at least you must be able to feel it, because the music is mainly based on this. At the top of that you need a huge tolerance and sympathy for extreme heaviness.
I love Meshuggah, but it is obviously the opposite of easy listening and I can totally understand why people dislike them. It's apparently not made for everyone.... and that is definitely a pro, not a con!
my first time viewing your channel. excellent work and funny. thanx. gonna go subscribe now. :-)
I had absolutely no clue anybody hated Meshuggah
I've been listening to Meshuggah for 20 years, but a lot of the time i've I'm not in the mood I can only take a few songs at a time. Also it takes a while for me to understand the structure of their songs if I haven't heard it before. The drummer is very talented. It does seem like a new genre of music.
I can think of 50 reasons why I do like them
Now that you've done 5 reasons why people hate djent and now 5 reason why people hate the band that started djent, maybe it'd be a good time to cover some of the actual "djent" bands such as Periphery or TesseracT (even though TesseracT has only ever used djent on like less than a third of their songs). TesseracT is my favorite band so it'd mean a lot if you'd dissect some of the common reasons why people bash them as well as people like me for liking them.
+The Riff Notebook they will probably be tackled in this season. 1 of em at the very least. So stay tuned. We're only just getting started.
coverkillernation Thanks man! Hey another question: will you be offended if I start my own series on my channel ranking a bands chronology of albums in order of my personal favorites? I know other people have done it, but you're the only big channel that does it (besides Loudwire on their website I guess).
+The Riff Notebook
I honestly wouldn't mind Periphery's new stuff if it wasn't for the emo-kid vocs that Spencer does. I actually really like the instrumental version of their first album, but honestly, they need to release instrumental versions of the rest of their albums. Spence is just not cutting it. He sounds like he should be singing for Alexisonfire or The Used lol (sorry.. Those are the only emo bands I know the names of, and thank God for that.) Periphery's riffs are amazing, but the vocals.... not so much....
INF1D3L010 I've personally always enjoyed his vocals. He definitely has a high voice but I think of it as more of a James LaBrie kind of high voice rather than emo(I despise emo bands as well). Also his growls, especially on Periphery II, are incredible. His voice is definitely the most common reason I see people dislike Periphery. Oh well, I'm there for Misha's catalog of guitar porn anyway so...
Spencer is one of the best vocalists in metal. Youre just not used to someone who can actually sing. Emo? Really? Listen to Hell Below and tell me he sounds emo. Hes immensely talented and hes gotten better each album. Just because hes not growling to death every song doesnt make him emo. Hes got a great range and has continued to use his voice to the best of his ability. Listen to songs like Flatline and Remain Indoors off their latest album. The riffs are fantastic but if you think Spencer isnt one of the highlights you are mistaken. He shines on P3 and more than likely on what i guess will be P4
As a longtime (30+ years) studio/session player I CAN'T hear "disjointed" rhythms in their music but I get how people with average musical taste (country fans, pop fans, etc.) hate it. I remember the first time I heard Metallica. I was living in England and heavy metal was bands like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Saxon. This guy moves over from America and plays me the just-released "Fight Fire with Fire" single and all I heard was noise. I couldn't even wrap my head around why people would listen to it. Three months later I couldn't stop playing the record (yes, the vinyl LP). I love Meshuggah, in part, because of the incredible playing, the use of odd time signatures, the industrial sounds and the like. I also love that there is something experimental and unexpected in their playing. In a cookie-cutter world of plastic celebrity "musicians" we should all be VERY grateful for bands like Meshuggah who push the boundaries of what music can be. Just my two pennies.
I have been a metal/jazz/ and classical guitarist for many years (over 30) - even went to berklee college of music. I just discovered M only a few months ago. I think they are great.
If you can count to 4, you will see why their music is so great. The 1st 2 or 3 albums utilized changing time signatures, but from Chaosphere on, the game was about 4/4 all day. It's not a new idea in music, but their approach sure as hell is new. Oh ya, Earth Wind and Fire is the first influence on the Destroy Erase Improve album. Deal with it.
The only issue that I have EVER had with Meshuggah (I've been a fan since the NONE EP) is they are hit and miss with what I refer to as their strengths in their songwriting. Which is the ambient stuff that they do in Destroy Erase Improve and the hooky riffs from albums like Obzen and Nothing. I love hearing this stuff interspersed within their poly-rhythm brutality
As far as I'm concerned, the only legitimate criticisms that can be levied against ANY musical endeavor is:
1. Blatant thievery
2. The sound just doesn't do it for the listener.
Snobs can get bent and I think Meshuggah is fucking unbelievably good. Sometimes I catch myself engaged in snobbery and I have to kick my own ass for being an arrogant prick.
The very first time I heard meshuggah I was 15. I new it was some high level shit. I wasn't just ready for polyrithm and I knew it as well... But maybe I should have gone into obzen instead of chaosphere...
Same here I wasn’t quite ready , but I loved bleed immediately, took into my 20s and playing guitar for a while to start appreciating it
Those poly-rhythms give me life!
every time I ask for a band to get into these guys are always recommended. I guess this is a sign for me to bump them lol.
People who hate Meshuggah are the same people who grip the pencil with their entire fist
As a Progger AND a Metalhead, and have been into music since I was a kid in the early 60's . . .
I've heard soo many different musics, some I discarded, some I look back and have kept in me with reverence. I have seen/heard musics invented, various musics progress and turn into new genres. Came to learn various musical terms and experience those techniques that I had no idea what they were, and then came to understand, even though I wouldn't call myself a musician by any means, I have played guitar (improvisational), but come to understand what it takes to learn ANY instrument and the different degrees in which to play them, and engineer/record. Those that write/compose and perform, but especially those that step out of the conventional box. From the simple, melodic, complex, epic, prolific and profound.
When I 1st heard Meshuggah (and MANY other fusion/"math metal" and progressive bands before and after them in 1995), and learned that most of their music was in 4/4, and then came to learn what that meant - what struck me like a jackhammer is what they created "WITHIN that 4/4" that made them astounding.
One of the 1st negative reviews compared them to nothing more than a "Pantera Clone" . . . apparently that reviewer had tin ears, made a quick review of an album that he must have fast forwarded through, and didn't give his ears time to absorb the music. But as an uneducated man, albeit a collector of Metal, Prog, Soundtrack Scores, AOR, Classical, Shredders, Classic and Contemporary Vocalists, Jazz/Fusion, and later Avant-Garde/RIO music - when I heard the 1st 2 minutes of the album "Destroy Erase Improve", I was done, hook line and sinker, I became a Meshuggahner for life. But when Fredrik Thordendal came in with the solos, it was like "Allan Holdsworth (rest in peace)" entered to let the brutality breathe for a moment, and Haake easing up on the drums, yet playing much like Holdsworth's counterpart "Gary Husband" (btw - both and many others, are mentioned in the DEI credits as "Sources of Inspiration").
These guys were by far "Different", like Opeth was for me when I 1st heard "Still Life", or Watchtower, Mekong Delta, (later) Death, Cacophony, Cynic, Fates Warning, Forbidden, Powermad, Thought Industry, Believer, Extol, Sabbat (UK), Realm, Spiral Architect, Psychotic Waltz and MANY MANY others that were breaking rules and challenging themselves and the listener. Yet Meshuggah kept that 4/4 groove to violently headbang to. But they thought and played on another level, but were unique, as all those bands I have mentioned, each taking Metal to their own place and ideas.
These bands are not for everyone, or they would be played on Top 40 radio, and why the hell would I want that? They will not be understood by MANY, but they appeal to "Blacksheeps" like me, who can actually take the time to listen and understand.
The critics and trolls can say what they want, but for those that hear the soul, the timing and the melodies through the controlled chaos, WE have something special. It may be exclusive music, but its for ANYONE that is looking for something different and not the ordinary.
Bang On folks to a different rhythm \m/
Saw them recently, they kick so much ass live, one of my favorite shows, about to go see Periphery in a couple months heard they were really good too
Chaosphere is one of my favorite albums
AMask ofGreen insanely complex legendary album
I don't understand why people dislike them so much, they are so talented!!!!
@coverkillernation totally agree with you man , I like them because of their odd counts,mechanical sound,heavy riffs, extreme drumming
About point number four, about the vocals being boring, I can see why that's the case. The first song I ever heard of Meshuggah's was Nostrum, and I first thought the vocals were boring because I couldn't understand them or their sound. It sounded very monotonous to me when I first heard it, but I guess that's where the power of Jens vocals lie.
However, my mind changed with Bleed and New Millennium Cyanide Christ. Those are some brilliant songs. So I guess, it takes some time to get used to them. Best way to get into them is to see covers done by others, that way they can present the song in a new way, hopefully to your liking.
I'm a Latino drummer from LA who grew up listening to everything from fusion at home and gospel in church to hip hop and everything else (especially hip hop) ... I got into Meshuggah at 14 years old when they had just released Catch 33 and I got into Chaosphere of course and every other album quickly... point being I never really gave a fuck about who else didn't like Meshuggah and who didn't understand my reasons for liking them. They groove heavy af.
So the first reason is because they’re not musically competent enough to understand the genius of Meshuggah.
I have to admit that I was #5 for a little bit, but after hearing their new album I finally got it and now I'm interested in digging into Meshuggah's discography more.
Another, 6th reason is that people are saying all their songs sounds the same... I completely don't understand that statement. If you go to compare most of the modern metal / djent songs they really sounds the same. The similar technical riffs, tapping, open chords, scales, key signatures, synths, bass drops and structures of the song: Screaming in the intro, verse, clean chorus, more screaming, breakdown, clean chorus done. Even older more classic bands like Cannibal Corpse that I really respect and still enjoy - the same system, lyrics about fucking corpses, slow intro, blast beats, tempo change, blast beats, slower thrashy blast beat, triplet ride driven beat, solo, blast beat the end. I am not saying this thing is bad it was cool if few bands were doing that, but not Majority. Literally whenever Spencer from Periphery sings about 'misery' for the 100th time, every time in a different song (I really like Periphery anyway), Meshuggah creates a special atmosphere for each of their songs. The lyrics are always completely different, telling a story every time about something different as well. Each song has a different structure, the riffs and the rhythms are based around a specific idea that is always evolving throughout the composition. And again the rhythms, poly-meters that they're creating are so intelligent, they're not made only to be complex, but they're very cleverly put together and never random (excluding I, which was purposely generated from Haake's jams). By saying that Meshuggah's music is deep and you have to really understand their music in order to fully enjoy the experience is not cheesy in that case at all. People who are saying all the songs sounds the same clearly do not understand what they're listening to. There are also a lot of bands out there that changed their style for bad throughout the years, and I said they "changed" their style, but meshuggah "evolved" and they're still evolving, by introducing something new in every album, and keeping the same "Shuggah level" at the same time. It's not like Jens started to singing and Fredrik started to play Pentatonic scales during solos and using wah (buehe), they're keeping their style that they created and that's beautiful. There's literally no other bands like Meshuggah, and I am not saying that, and spending 15 minutes on a fucking stupid youtube comment, because I'm some kind of random fanboy. I am their fan, because of what they've created. I truly admire their work and I personally love The Violent Sleep Of Reason, it's one of their best albums, and definitely one of the best album in Metal music.
the thing that makes Meshuggah great is the fact that they approach a song from the rhythmical side of things first. A completely different approach than a large amount of music first. Also their lead guitar player is a freakin animal and improvises a good chunk of his solos. If you (like me) are a jazz musician who greatly appreciates this band do yourself a favor and check out Dan Weiss's metal jazz quintet. It's right up this same style of playing.
Yiddish the word Meshugah is literally their music. They have too high of an ego
I also like Meshuggah but I would agree that the vocals are not the strongest aspect of their music. They're definitely a little one dimensional if you compare them to what a Christian Älvestam or a Björn Strid can do.
in the vid he says that meshuggah plays different time signatures and polyrhytms, but I've heard countless times that they actually play almost everytime in 4/4 with polymetrics. While he may have reffered to polymetrics by saying that they "combine" different time signature. but the core off their songs is still in 4/4
Random question... what was the first background song he had in the video?
I love their cluster fuck chaos! Loud. After a while you remember every twist and turn of the song and it just comes to life. It's just uncanny how they're magic is so different from your average metal band.
I saw them a few weeks back in Bristol, and damn that was a fucking good show
The reason i cant get into them is because they will do the same thing for like 2 minutes straight and switch for the next 2 minutes etc. Its like too long youll here the same time signature for that long and the guitar will repeat the same riff for that 2 minute peroid
Finally got to see Meshuggah yesterday with Megadeth. They sounded so fucking good live.
Meshuggah are truly dynamic and intense \mm/, their drive to push everything they do to the next level - keeps musicians sharp! People who find Meshuggah's work complicated should check out Blotted Science, Vader, or even Sanctuary! STAY HEAVY and LOUD
Will you be reviewing Havoks new song "Hang 'Em High"?
i love how hes making a video about a hardcore metal band and hes wearing sunglasses in a dark room,NOW DAT SHIT IS METAL
BLEED BITCH BLEED!!!
Matthew Ramroop Dancers to a discordant sytem is amazing as well.
MESHUGGINEM!
STLBLUESLAMBOFGOD I was using it as a reference to Meshuggah's "Bleed" and Eminem's "Kim"
Hey man, when are you going to do a Black Anvil review?
We are currently reviewing obZen on our channel. I have never really listened to Meshuggah before other than 1 or 2 of their singles but their sound never grabbed me and pulled me in. Since our First Impressions video I have had this album on loop/repeat, not because I love it but because that is our method of reviewing. Upon listening to it and trying to soak it in I find that there are two main things that make me think this band is vastly overrated.
#1 is indeed the vocals. Jens sings at the same pitch, same volume, and same tone throughout pretty much every single song except for the last track. Each word and each phrase is almost exactly the same length and the same spacing apart. The only thing that really changes is the key he sings in from time to time but the fluctuation in key shift is so subtle it almost doesn't even matter. No one is asking for Katy Perry high notes but some pitch change once in a while could go a long way to prevent each song from sounding like a monotonous repeat of the previous track.
#2 is the odd/random time signatures. This is the one people argue about the most because its black and white. Either you can appreciate odd time signatures or you cant. For example Tvfish is all over the odd time changes this band writes because he studies music so he knows the ins and outs and the technicality that goes into the songs. Me on the other hand am more familiar and far more comfortable with the standard 4/4 and its not that I don't get the odd timing of bands like Meshuggah and its not that I don't know how much talent goes into performing songs that are so bizarre in structure.. my issue is that the songs no longer have a rhythm that is enjoyable to move to.In other words as technically impressive as they might be, odd time changing in music just does not sound good!
I think people who like that kind of stuff are merely liking it because of the technical aspect behind it and they're ignoring how most people react to rhythm which is a steady and consistently timed beat, much like a heartbeat or a train driving along the tracks. Once you start playing around with it, our natural senses of how we react to rhythm is thrown out the window and it makes enjoying it that much more difficult.
But those are just my current thoughts. I still have 4 or 5 more days of listening to obZen before I draw my final conclusions and we record our Final Review of the album. - Vile
The beauty of meshuggah is that they disguise the steady 4/4 pulse even though it is actually happening the entire time. To me it actually makes it groove harder if you know where to find it. Listening to them is a gradually rewarding experience. Jens vocals are meant to be like that. He is 1/5 of the rhythmic instrument that is meshuggah. Also their lead guitarist Fredrik Thordendal improvises all of his guitar solos so they are different every time adding to the chaotic nature of the music.
Meshuggah absolutely fucking rules. I admire the fact that you’re not talking shit and are a true fan. Thumbs up dude!
great video man. meshuggah is the most important band in modern music as far as metal is concerned.
Sorry for the xtra h at the end.😭
Easy way to prove meshuggah is a good band: I know a bassist who is in his 40 and spend his early years mostly listening to Dream Theater. He then grew tired of it because the complexity didn't appeal to him anymore and now he is a big funk, jazz and blues lover.
Then he went to a festival (don't know which one) and happened to see Meshuggah there. He had never heard of them and I thought the sound was way to heavy for him. But they did such a great performance that a funky bluesy jazz lover started to headbang and then bought The Violent Sleep Of Reason.
For me this shows the real quality of Meshuggah
I hate elitist metalheads. People can like and not like what they want. I'm a huge fan of a wide variety of metal and yes even Nu metal. It's nothing to be embarrassed by to admit you love Limp Bizkit. Thanks to Nu metal I had a gateway that lead me to discover other types of metal throughout the years.
coverkillernation
what is your take on the band baby metal?
I'm not a big fan of Meshuggah. However after seeing this, I listened to their album ObZen. And I like it.
The only reason i clicked this video was out of curiosity, cause i have never heard about anything but love for meshuggah. Everyone that is remotely into metal seem to love them.
I personally love Meshuggah, and in general the Djent genre. I can understand people not being fussed on it, but there are some people who practically foam at the mouth with fury at the mention of djent; so confusing granted that djent means nothing really, it's such a vague term it can apparently encompass bands like Meshuggah and Animals as Leaders - 2 bands I really like, but they have very little in common other than 8 string guitars; which they both tune very differently.