### Meshuggah: Chaosphere

#### 19/03/10 || InquisitorGeneralis

How does Meshuggah even do this shit? Honestly, I have no idea how someone’s mind works when it comes to creating insane, time-signature babaganoush metal. The only way I could make music like this is making an audio recording of an LSD’ed up Charles Manson buttfucking Rasputin while setting a drum machine to three different versions of “blast”… and then shitting on it.

“Chaosphere” is an incredible record but extremely tough to listen to all the way through. It contains my personal favorite ‘Shuggah track as well as some other certified classics. However, sometimes the insanity gets a little too intense and there are some tracks on here that are easily skippable. On “Chaosphere”, more so than any other release, Meshuggah push their signature style of multiple rhythms, whacked out time signatures, and general melodic disregard to the limit.

“New millennium cyanide christ” is probably one of my top five favorite metal songs period and hands down my most liked by these five Swenuts. Although, I must admit “Pravus” from Meshuggah’s most recent, and best album since Chaosphere”, release “Obzen” comes to close to knocking it from its lofty perch. Back to the robotic poisonous Nazarene: I rock the fuck out each and every time Meshuggah break it down, in their own signature not-quite-breakdown style, and Jens roars…

DISCIPLES, COME JOIN WITH ME TO SAVE A FAILED HUMANITY FOLLOW THE GOD OF CYANIDE INTO THE NEW ETERNITY BEHOLD; A SACRIFICIAL RACE A CLEANSING WORSHIPING OF PAIN THE NEW MILLENNIUM CHRIST HERE TO REDEEM ALL FROM LIES

…in his raspy growl/yell combo. Mr. Kidman might not have a massive vocal range but I can not imagine anyone else on the vox for Meshuggah and his presence live is pretty badass too. “New millennium cyanide christ” almost alone makes “Chaosphere” worth picking up. One of my fondest, and most bromantic metal memories, is getting nuts in the moshpit during the ending of “New millennium cyanide christ” with fellow staffer and eternal metal beoheim Daemonomania while seeing Meshuggah during the “Catch 33” tour.

Thankfully though Meshug Knight toss in a few more gangster jams. “Sane” is almost a bit to insane for me and I wish the opening riff/section was longer but the song’s awesomeness can not be denied. “The mouth licking what you’ve bled” and the “The exquisite machinery of torture” round out the best songs on here, although things do start to run together a bit once you get three or four songs deep into “Chaosphere”.

Overall this is a solid release that is only topped in the Meshuggah catalogue by “Destroy Erase Improve” and “Obzen” due to the aforementioned repetitiveness. Still, the winners on here are full on, three course chicken dinners and “Chaosphere” is a must have for any trve fan on Meshuggah. The band is tight with the cousin It twins tearing up the guitars and Thomas the Human Drum Machine Haake doing unbelievable things behind the kit. “Chaosphere” definitely needs to be on the shelf of anyone who considers themselves a Meshuggah fan. I would not start out with this bad boy if you have never heard the band, but you could always just nut the fuck up and go get it anyway. Here’s a final breakdown:

Positives: Insane technicality, solid production, some of the band’s best songs including “New millennium cyanide christ”… arguably the perfect Meshuggah song, a badass album cover.

Negatives: Somewhat repetitive, a few filler songs, short album.

SSSSAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNEEEEEEE, SSSSSAAAAAANNNNNNEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!

- Information
- Released:1998
- Label: Nuclear Blast
- Website: www.meshuggah.net
- Band
- Jens Kidman: lead vocals
- Mårten Hagström: rhythm guitar
- Fredrik Thordendal: rhythm & lead guitar
- Gustaf Hielm: bass
- Tomas Haake: drums & voice

- Tracklist
- 01. Concatenation
- 02. New Millennium Cyanide Christ
- 03. Corridor of Chameleons
- 04. Neurotica
- 05. The Mouth Licking What You’ve Bleed
- 06. Sane
- 07. The Exquisite Machinery of Torture
- 08. Elastic