Meshuggah - Koloss

Since the release of their breakthrough album and magnum opus Destroy Erase Improve in 1995, Meshuggah have continued to push the boundaries of extreme metal. Every release provided something new, fresh and challenging. The iconic jagged stacatto riff in Future Breed Machine. The point at which your brain nearly collapses in on itself thanks to Thordendahls mind-expanding solo in Corridor of Chameleons. The tightest, most violent and churning rhythm section imaginable, combined with ever-poetic and well written lyrics in Perpetual Black Second. Catch Thirty-Three climaxing all over the place and dragging you deeper into the abyss over the course of 47 minutes. And off Meshuggah's most recent album before Koloss, the suffocating, pulsating palm-muted riff in Lethargica, showcasing the potential of the eight string. Breathtaking, groundbreaking untouchable music. In short, the Swedes had a lot to live up to with Koloss, their first record since 2008's Obzen.

And in short, there isn't a moment like the above on Koloss.

Koloss, unlike the rest of Meshuggah's back catalogue, isn't extraordinary. The opener, I Am Collosus, is unspectacular. It's trademark Meshuggah - Thordendahl and Hagströms' subsonic, off-kilter riffing, Kidmans' usual ululations and Haakes' pounding polyrhythms, but there's nothing to really keep you on the edge of your seat. The Demon's Name is Surveillance is more interesting, asphyxiating the listener with its relentless double bass and razor sharp riffage, and Marrow is another solid tune. However, much of the album plods along with substandard, non-urgent riffing. Lead guitarist extraordinaire Fred Thordendal, known for his Allan Holdsworth-esque jazzy leads, is still impressive in places, but rarely attaining the facemelting power of times gone by. The lyrics lack the poetic elegance and effortlessly acerbic power this time round - I used to enjoy studying the words of the Nothing album greatly, but for no such enjoyment can be obtained with Koloss.

I can't say I'm not disappointed with Koloss. For four years in the making, I expected more. I hate to say it, but unlike all the other records there is very little trace of stylistic evolution, and it has the feel of being a collection of Obzen B-sides at times. By all means check it out, but this is very much the nadir of Meshuggahs' career.

6.5/10

Meshuggah - Alive (live DVD/CD)

While I've been inundated with updates on Blabbermouth about Maynard Keenan releasing a DVD about his wine producing exploits, one of the other major players of cutting edge prog metal , Meshuggah, were putting together something that actually got me excited - a live DVD and CD, with footage taken from the bands first ever world tour supporting the sublime "Obzen" album.

Some fans may be puzzled at the omission of any "Destroy Erase Improve" tracks, but its refreshing to see a band not rest on its laurels and try and move on from past glories (anyone else think Metallica have rinsed playing Seek and Destroy live?). Meshuggah on-stage apperance is fitting for the music that they play - Fred and Mårten with their unreal 8-string guitars, Jens with his skull positively pulsating as he torturously unleashes his vocals, and the entire band dressed in an uncompromising monochromic black.

The music is faultlessly tight - not a single beat is missed and those insane stacatto polyrhythms retain all their wierdness perfectly. Although to be honest, you cant help thinking whilst listening to it that you'd rather be hearing the better-sounding studio versions of the songs, since Meshuggah are not the band to jam and alter stuff majorly live (with the exception of Fred, who does some amazing improvs for solos).

Highlights include the massive slab of lushness that is "Rational Gaze", Haakes extra-bewildering drumming on "The Mouth Licking What You've Bled", and Fred's solo on the outro to "Straws Pulled at Random", which still ranks as one of the most beautiful pieces of music that i've had the pleasure of hearing.If you're lacking in the funds you'd be better off buying the re-release of Nothing, since it has a bonus DVD with amazing footage from Download 2005 on it, and you get an unbelievable album included too obviously.

'Alive' will sit pretty in my Meshuggah collection (only the seventh album I have by them, clearly not enough!), and has served as a nice reminder of how awesome they really are.

Jack