Meshuggah

No matter how intense, complex and obscure, Swedish experimentalists MESHUGGAH (translates in Yiddish to crazy) continue to receive increasing worldwide respect with every distinctive release. Since their formation in 1987, this outlandish unit have been declared as one of the ten most important hard and heavy bands by Rolling Stone, the most important band in metal by Alternative Press, one of the top 100 metal bands by Hit Parader, and even co-headlined the second stage at the world famous Ozzfest. With all the mania this band has driven upon their minions, the boiling anticipation has now arrived, the relentless and hypnotic Catch Thirty Three has been revealed! In such a time span, its nearly impossible to live up to any expectations, and Catch Thirty Three lifts MESHUGGAH's work to unreachable levels.

Since their debut Psykisk Testbild, (translated into Psychological Test Picture), and their first full-length release, Contradictions Collapse, alongside two EPs (None and Selfcaged), the bands eminence continuosly displayed stronger musical rhythms with structural growth. It wasnt until the release of Destroy, Erase, Improve (the infamous album Jack Osbourne assaulted his neighbors with in an episode of The Osbournes) that the world stood up, took notice, and submitted themselves to this massive metal machine! A two-month European tour alongside Machine Head followed and established MESHUGGAH as a powerful live presence, and helped solidify their superiority.

MESHUGGAH followed up next with the EP, True Human Design, hinting on what was about to disembark on their next monumental album, Chaosphere. The escalating maturity of the band not only improved mentally, but MESHUGGAH brought sounds to even deeper levels of crushing brutality as the success of, Chaosphere, led MESHUGGAH to their first performance in America at the Milwaukee Metalfest, followed by a national tour with thrash titans Slayer. Early 2001 brought several more opportunities when they headlined the sold-out New England Metal and Hardcore Festival and released the aforementioned collection of rarities on Rare Trax. A band constantly evolving, MESHUGGAH once again drove their fans into the rapturous oblivion. Although dedicated on working on their next offering, MESHUGGAH repeatedly turned down constant tour offers, except one offered personally by heavy rockers Tool. The two dynamically different bands embarked on an eleven-date arena tour in front of 100,000 bringing the complex aggression of MESHUGGAH to a whole new audience.

With this finalized, the band returned to seclusion to finish the new record, Nothing, until once again receiving an offer they couldnt refuse, a headlining spot (of the second stage) on the most coveted tour every year, OZZFEST. Spending the months leading up this festival working on the mathematical precision they offered a more straightforward approach, adding the unique usage of the 8-string guitars to create a sinister sound like nothing ever heard. After the release of, Nothing, MESHUGGAH were once again invited on a tour with Tool, and a headlining tour of their own.

Next came, I, a one-song EP, twenty-one minutes long that distinctively presented MESHUGGAH's mind-twisting approach and pushed their creative barriers of metal and rhythm to its strangest form. Released on Fractured Transmitter Records (Jason from Mushroomheads label), I, sprang from the unusual techniques of the bands past and reached more ears than ever before by focusing on the intriguing mix of odd-time mastery, groove, and raw ballistic power of drumming.

Taking an opposite, paradoxical approach on the self-produced latest release, Catch Thirty Three, MESHUGGAH tone down the pace, bring in the programming of drums and focus on the intricacy of guitar riffing. While the previous fast-paced release, I, displayed the bands ability to take on intensity head-on, Catch Thirty Three, reveals an entire different level of mid-paced complexity. Once again creating one song, but this time broken down into thirteen intricate sections, MESHUGGAH summoned magnetic sounds and incessant mechanical elements that will transition into eerie dimensions, mystify the mind, and will surely invoke their trademark psychosis.