ObZen

This is my first ever Meshuggah album; I've known about them for some time, but after a friend introduced me to 'math metal' through "The Dillenger Escape Plan," I decided to stay away from it. I regret that. Now I never usually pay any attention to album covers, but I admit; I was lured to obZen by the brilliant cover art...

The album cover should go down as best in 2008, best in 10 years even.

Is he at peace because he just released his anger on someone? Or is he telling us to be quiet, meditating for a second round at us, obviously exercising his control over the situation (and us)? Or is he asking some spirit (inner or outer) for forgiveness for the act he just perpetrated? The amount of questions raised by just the cover art prepare you for what is truly an onslaught of very adult, very philosophical metal.

The artwork is actually pertinent to the album; as a philosophy fan, I'm well versed in the concept of Nihilism; and while Nietzsche was afraid of Nihilism, the bleakness of this album puts the period at the end of the sentence that tells us why.

The music in this disc can best be likened to mixing Godflesh with Tool, for those who are completely uninitiated with avant-garde metal.

One listen to this disc will show you the profound influence Meshuggah has on modern metal: Gojira, Sybreed to name but two.

I can't bear to describe the music: I will do it injustice. Go out, buy it, and if you disagree, click "review unhelpful." But in my eyes, obZen isn't just a metal album, it is a work of art. If any doubters remain about the importance of Meshuggah after listening to this disc, it comes at the behest of a greater amount of skepticism than any normal human should possess.

It's an album for those who enjoy technical metal. A bit more of a return to old as Tomas Haake was in studio recording the drums live (as opposed to "The Drumkit from Hell" used in Catch Thirty-Three).

The third track "Bleed" sounds like a crushing stampede. "Pravus" makes you wish you could play the drums even half as good as Haake. My only complaint is some songs feel a bit longer than they needed to be.