One of the pioneers of innovative music. Creating an entire sub genre single handedly, the Swedes from Umea began their assault but not quite as you might know them today.

Known for their tight perfomances in the studio and their ability to pull off flawless live shows Meshuggah have now become advocates for pin point accuracy. Ushering in a new era of bands that paved the way for modern progressive metal. Focusing their efforts on incredibly intricate patterns, differentiating only slightly throughout the song’s cycle to give the effect of seamless evolution within the track. However before this natural progression the band started as a Thrash oriented band, releasing Contradiction Collapse which features vocal melodies. A now foreign concept with Jens Kidman‘s autonomous vocals being a characteristic of the band.

Much of the band’s DNA comes from the writing of their break through first album Destroy Erase Improve. Where we were first introduced to the bands different point of view, first track “Future Breed Machine” is a fantastic example of all the album encompasses. With the skeleton being fierce rhythmic approach. A coldly calculated assault on the ears or another option of the drunken stumble riffing. Working simultaneously together and against each other guitar and drums coexist in a sense of paradox that surely shouldn’t work.

The rest is then embellished with jazz flourishes from Fredrik Thordendal, making his guitar even at times, resemble a ghost in the machine. Add to the fact that this record was created in the early nineties, Meshuggah are truly one of the most forward thinking bands of the twenty first century. Their music might be slightly marmite to some, but their out of the box thinking and sheer musical prowess makes them one of the most highly contested bands for the coveted status of genius. Like the album’s title Meshuggah truly did rework the modern metal blueprint. And Destroy Erase Improve is just the beginning…