Meshuggah

Extreme metal band Meshuggah formed in Umeå, Sweden in 1987. Founded by vocalist / guitarist Jens Kidman, the group’s early line-up floundered until the arrival of lead guitarist Frederik Thordendal shortly after forming. Their debut self-titled EP was released in 1989 and was followed two years later by their album Contradictions Collapse. The group spent the next few years refining their sound and their 1995 album Destroy Erase Improve revealed a thrash metal direction. Continuing to experiment with their sound, Meshuggah evolved into a progressive metal band, showcasing their change in direction with 2002’s Nothing. With complex polymetric song structures, frequent use of polyrhythms, neo-jazz chromatics, down-tuned eight string guitars and blisteringly fast tempos, Meshuggah are not overly concerned about appealing to the wider record-buying public. However, this approach to their music attracted a larger audience and Nothing charted in their homeland and reach Number 10 on Billboard’s Independent Albums chart in the US. In 2008, their sixth album, obZen, reached Number 59 on the Billboard 200 and was nominated for a Swedish Grammy Award. Both Koloss (2012) and The Violent Sleep of Reason (2016) reached the Top 20 in the US, Sweden, Finland, and other countries. In April 2022, Meshuggah released the album Immutable, which contains the singles “The Abysmal Eye” and “Light the Shortening Fuse.” The album entered the Top 10 in Sweden, Finland, Germany, and Switzerland, and was a Top 20 hit in the US.

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