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Meshuggah, world-renowned extreme metallers from Sweden, are one of those bands that has had an irrevocable impact upon the landscape of heavy metal, spawning an entire new sub-genre inspired by their trademark sound (djent). The band's name comes from the Hebrew word that means “crazy,” though there has always been an academically intense method to their madness. Formed in 1987, Meshuggah have maintained a remarkably stable lineup, having had the most turnover when it comes to bassists, a position held by Dick Lövgren since 2004.

Koloss is their seventh studio album and their first in four years. Meshuggah have never been ridiculously prolific, but rather prefer to release painstakingly constructed landmark albums several years apart.

The quality that defines Meshuggah above all else is their complex, driving rhythms. Their use of syncopation, polyrhythms, dense and polymetered riffs, and neck-breaking tempo changes have been their trademark over the course of their musical careers, and once again are a defining element of Koloss. “Do Not Look Down” attacks the listener with wild, roving packs of riffs, tossing them around mercilessly.

On this record, Meshuggah have taken all the trademark features of their sound and combined them in ways that keep the complex rhythmic dynamic fresh. They are not trying to reinvent themselves, but they do stretch out and experiment within the confines of their established aesthetic. This allows them to sound like themselves while keeping listeners of their toes, and makes Koloss a resounding success.

“The Hurt That Finds You First” is an album highlight. The fast, merciless tempo recalls Meshuggah's earlier work, especially the punishing double bass. This song also encapsulates the feel of the album, which is much more thematically grim that their previous offerings. While Meshuggah have often opted for a more cerebral approach to composition, Koloss is just as smart as any other release while also bringing the emotional quality of the music to the fore in a more pronounced way than before.

There is a bleakness to Koloss that penetrates the musical complexity and grabs the gut as well as the head. The churning, laborious ache of “Break Those Bones Whose Sinews Gave It Motion” is an excellent example – here, the dense, shifting tempos and syncopated riffs are harnessed to convey a sense of shuddering, faltering struggle. The trembling, almost tentative sound of the last instrumental track, “The Last Vigil,” ends the album with a pervasive feeling of regret and melancholy, casting a pleasurably miserable pall over Koloss.

Koloss is a monster, a shambling giant of a record that is somehow as pitiable as it is gargantuan. There is a misery tempering the majesty of this record, and that sets it apart. Meshuggah have retained everything about their sound that defines them and makes them great while simultaneously digging deeper to present a more visceral, emotionally authentic listening experience.

(released March 27, 2012 on Nuclear Blast Records)



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