obZen Review

Release Date: Mar 11, 2008
Label: Nuclear Blast
Genres: Progressive Metal, Scandinavian Metal, Alternative Metal
Number Of Tracks: 9
obZen is ridiculously tight, ridiculously intense and as always, some of the most headbangable music you will ever come across.

Sound:	9
Lyrics:	8.8
Impression:	8.8
Overall rating:	8.9
Users rating:	8.2
Comments:	64

overall: 9.3

Featured review by: UG Team, on march 11, 2008

Sound: So here we are, Fredrik Thordendal and co. emerge once again with a new album. Meshuggah lovers and haters alike have come to expect certain things from Meshuggah, horrendously catchy drop-Z chugs, awe-inspiring drumming and a total wall of noise sound being just a few of them. While obZen certainly does not lack these characteristics, there is a something a little different here from the Meshuggah norm. It is immediately noticeable that album opener ‘Combustion’ is actually fairly straightforward, considering the puzzling complexity that normally comes with a track from this band. However, it still possesses that incredibly intense atmosphere that shrouds everything the band has ever done. As mentioned by drummer Tomas Haake, ‘obZen’ really draws on the band’s entire back catalogue. There’s very thrashy and aggressive riffs reminiscent of 1991’s ‘Contradiction’s Collapse’ and at the same time it is blended with the incredibly complicated rhythms of their most recent material from ‘Catch 33’. There is the added dimension of the eight string guitar, providing Fredrik Thordendal and Mårten Hagström with a low F string (you heard me, it’s a semitone off of E standard, but an octave lower) with which to pummel your ears into submission. Another nice fact is that the drumming machine Tomas Haake has returned to the kit after simply programming the drums on their last effort, ‘Catch 33’.

This album is ridiculously tight, ridiculously intense and as always, some of the most headbangable music you will ever come across. Every member knows what they are doing, and all of them pull it off with extreme finesse. Fredrik Thordendal and Martin Hagstrom are still laying down insane grooves and spicing them up with overdubbed jazzy leads that add another layer of atmosphere to the Meshuggah sound which might otherwise be getting stale. The sheer intensity of the band’s delivery is astonishing, and even songs which do not immediately stick out, such as ‘This Spiteful Snake’, possess a power which compels the listener to listen to more despite their relentless attack utterly confounding their brain functions. Crushing. // 9

Lyrics and Singing: In a band like Meshuggah, where the entirely dominant forces of the guitar and the drums hog the spotlight, it can be difficult to get any sort of poetic meaning across. However, I have always felt that vocalist Jens Kidman is just as vital a part to Meshuggah as Thordendal or Haake, and on ‘obZen’, his incredibly aggressive shouts retaining the same power they have had since day one, 21 years ago. As far as lyrics go, Kidman manages to bring forward another full text of philosophy and brutality all described with such rich imagery that you can almost see the lyrics unfolding to the ever-changing pulse of music. Even though the messages behind the lyrics of Meshuggah have never been incredibly interesting, they are delivered in such a powerful way that they speak to you without you even knowing exactly what they’re about. Coupled with what has to be Jens Kidman’s best performance yet (especially on the closing ‘Dancers To A Discordant System’), this set of lyrics is, once more, just plain badass. // 10

Impression: Love ‘em or hate ‘em, you simply cannot deny that Meshuggah are one of the most gelled units in western music. The interlocked chemistry between each one of the band members is astonishing, and the constant quality of their output despite their moderate experimentation from album to album is very respectable. ‘obZen’ as an album, however, is business as usual. This is not a problem as Meshuggah’s business as usual is the sort of music that most bands could make one record of in their entire career, but yet again I was disappointed that the pure genius of their magnum opus, ‘Chaosphere’, was not matched. Perhaps this would be a good introduction album to Meshuggah, encompassing everything that is the band’s niche, but even for long-time Meshuggah fans, tracks like ‘Bleed’, ‘Dancers To A Discordant System’ and ‘obZen’ alone make this album an essential purchase. // 9

overall: 7

Reviewed by: troyponce, on march 11, 2008

Sound: The album is more of a return to their older style, very much like Chaosphere. Heavy rhythms, lots of time signature changes, and the occasional smooth lead from Thordendal are the main things from the album. Haake returns on drums after sitting out on Catch 33 for programmed percussion. Good stuff from him as always. Unfortunately, even with him back on the throne, there isn't a whole lot new to be offered on the album that the band hasn't done before. // 8

Lyrics and Singing: I'm rarely too focused on lyrics, especially with a band like Meshuggah. Since I don't feel like bothering to listen carefully to each song just for lyrics coupled with the fact that they aren't available online, I'll just throw down a 6 based on absolutely nothing. Hoorah. // 6

Impression: I wasn't blown away by this one. It's technical, has some crazy rhythms, and the band is tight as hell, but it's nothing groundbreaking for Meshuggah. If I was introducing somebody to the band, I certainly wouldn't direct them to this album. If you're a big fan, then it's totally worth checking out, but don't expect anything new. I'll give it a 7 for being good, but it's just a reiteration of stuff we've already heard from them. I'd recommend checking out Fredrik Thordendal's Special Defects instead if you haven't heard Sol Niger Within yet. // 7

overall: 9.7

Reviewed by: Patricircadia, on march 31, 2008

Sound: From the opening notes of the first track “Combustion”, obZen is a trashy, high-energy affair. This song features something seldom heard in Meshuggah’s catalog: a guitar solo that actually sounds like it was written by a metal guitarist and not a jazz fusion guitarist on a heavy dose of hallucinogens (the solo on “This Spiteful Snake” is a prime example of the latter). The title track is signature Meshuggah. Staccato, palm-muted guitars set to a time signature that you just can’t quite headbang to. This song might just be heavy enough to cause a bowel movement, if played loud enough. My personal favorite from this album is the song “Bleed”. The drums are reminiscent of Alex Van Halen’s Hot for Teacher gallop injected with a cocktail of PCP and steroids. The five Swedes (drummer Tomas Haake, guitarists Marten Hagstrom & Fredrik Thordendal, vocalist Jens Kidman and bassist Dick Lovgren) spent a grueling six months recording obZen, three months on the vocals alone. Kidman compared the experience to The Twilight Zone. All of the hard work has paid off, resulting in an album that is complex yet accessible, and has charted much higher than any previous release. // 10

Lyrics and Singing: The lyrics on this album convey a message of not only self-loathing, but a disdain for all of mankind. Haake writes the lyrics and believes that we have achieved zen in our current state of political unrest and moral degradation. He makes his point particularly clear on the title track: “Decay, disgrace, disgust, our state of zen”. The negative picture that the lyrics paint goes hand in hand with the punishing instrumentation found on obZen. // 9

Impression: Overall, this album is heavier than a ton of bricks, and would probably be a fitting soundtrack to the World’s Strongest Cyborg Competition on ESPN 2. Beyond the heaviness, there is a certain energy and freshness found on these nine tracks that is reminiscent of earlier albums such as Chaosphere and Destroy Erase Improve. Perhaps they have been inspired by some of the younger bands that they have influenced. (see Periphery) Whatever the inspiration, I’m glad the album turned out the way that it did. From start to finish it is an unrelenting, (not too) technical metallic juggernaut that demands to be played again and again. // 10

overall: 9.3

Reviewed by: ZyklonDoom, on march 24, 2008

Sound: Redefining the technical corner of the metal universe and destroying the opponents, Meshuggah are known around the world for their unique display of ingenuitive polyrhythms and absurd time signatures. One might find it difficult to headbang to such music but in time the trained ear can catch the beat, deep in the core of the brutal onslaught of "obZen". An album that is ripe with quality performance and skill that is unparalleled. Truly a CD to be reconed with, and it's still early in 2008! obZen beats you senseless with pounding drums and quick guitar work to send your brain into a sound induced hallucination of multidimensional proportions. Okay, maybe the last few lines are a bit of an exaggeration, but I am honest in my words. This album is truly a great CD, drawing from their old "Destroy Erase Improve" sound, as heard in "Combustion" and then bludgeoning you with their newer sounds from "Catch 33" as in songs like "This Spiteful Snake" or "obZen". Everything about this CD is reeking of power. Now, this is not the perfect CD, by no means. One problem that I've had with Meshuggah is that you find yourself in a droning vortex of boring. Aptly titled "Lethargica" definitely displays the endless rhythm. Also, "Electric Red" has this unappealing quality. // 9

Lyrics and Singing: Jens Kidman is a beast behind the microphone. You don't even need to be face to face with him to know his personality. He is a loud, abrasive and deafening vocalist with few peers. On the top of his game at all times, he really comes through on this CD and lets loose the demons and rips the spatial fabric, unleashing hell unto your ears. The lyrical themes stay the same, the mental journey of space and time, mendaciousness and death. The whole shebang. // 10

Impression: I found this album to be a sonic maelstrom of unrelenting power and unstoppable brutality. This CD gives the listening party an out-of-body experience and leaves you dizzy with bruises and broken bomes, a victim of math metal. This is a must have CD. Although you may want to spike your coffee with a few sticks of uranium to stay awake through the more boring parts. Undoubtedly you must take a grain of salt with every gold mine you may stumble upon, but osmetimes that salty grain is a mean that justifies the end. A brutal ass kicking. // 9

Comments

[The Burning Red]

hmm have to check this 1 out

[Mind Kill]

The Burning Red wrote:

hmm have to check this 1 out

Yeah you better do so. This is awesome.

[OThugSd]

This is such an amazing album. Probably their most musically diverse too.

[tommyg_99]

Haake writes the lyrics, not Kidman. Great review, otherwise. Album = kickass.

[sevenchurches]

very much like Chaosphere

It's more like "Destroy Erase Improve" and "Catch 33" than Chaosphere.

[webbtje]

Combustion alone makes this a great album.

[mpeskett]

Bleed is perhaps the most mosh inducing track I've ever heard. Love it.

[Eladamri]

Totally fantastic record just like all the others!

[EZLN libertad]

webbtje wrote:

Combustion alone makes this a great album.

Agreed, my friend and I listened to that song for 3 days straight, nothing else, and it still hasn't gotten old

[oli_parker@hotm]

FUTURE BREED MACHINE!!!

[COBHC6]

tommyg_99 wrote:

Haake writes the lyrics, not Kidman. Great review, otherwise. Album = kickass.

haake hasnt written the lyrics in a long time, he just comes up with ideas for the lyrics

[ctb]

>_< Need it NAO!

[face_the_fear]

What I love about Meshuggah is the more closer you listen to their songs, the more technical and crazyer the song gets.

Take bleed for example. Alot of the song sounds the same but if you liten closely there are lots of subtle differences that just blow your mind.

Meshuggah fukin own!!!

[restless_thrash]

Good album, but i bet it looks terrible on a t-shirt.

[MylesPetro]

Nice review, but the bottom string is F#, not F. So technically it's two semitones from E standard.

[omarrodrigez]

Great album, and like anything by Meshuggah, it just gets better wit every listen.

[omarrodrigez]

With*

[Demonikk]

This album is insane, it's one of the faves that I've got recently

[Destroyer858]

Nice review, but the bottom string is F#, not F. So technically it's two semitones from E standard.

Actualy they detune half semitone from the F# making it a F

[South-of-Heaven]

Destroyer858 wrote:

Nice review, but the bottom string is F#, not F. So technically it's two semitones from E standard.

Actualy they detune half semitone from the F# making it a F

If the bottom string is F, then it is one semitone away from E standard. If they detune from F# to F, that's ONE SEMITONE.

Learn.

[James_Het_Rules]

Great album, i love it

[TornadoRaptor]

*gets massive erection


this albums amazing

[xXChimairaXx]

Listen to BLEED. Amazing song with so much accuracy and stamina.

[SchitzoJoe]

Looks like a good album. I've heard good things from Meshuggah, but have never had the opportunity to check them out. Will probably head up to Best Buy in the near future and pick this one up.

[choke383]

Whats Maynard doing on the cover?

[Zox]

Great album! It's not as complex with the time-signatures as catch 33, but i dare say that it is even more "headbangable"

[Orkin]

Catch 33 was the most boring album ever, I dont understand how anyone could possibly like the 6 riffs for 13 songs mentality - especially when they all sound the same - but no its hailed as a damn masterpiece.

Give me 5 minutes with Ez Drummer and a downtuned guitar and I could have wrote that album.

Chaosphere was alright, I hope this is on par with that.

[Xeta]

Catch 33 is indeed a masterpiece. It may sound like 6 riffs to you if you can't see the subtle changes face_the_fear was talking about.

Go listen to your Cradle of Filth albums.

[Orkin]

I'm not going to become a complete pedant just so I can admire this so called masterpiece. Subtle changes in 6 riffs arent enough to justify a completely monotonous album.

And for your information I dont listen to Cradle of Filth at all, so stop making sweeping generalisations about the type of person you presume I am and get back in your box.

[Neverhead666]

Meshuggah is freaking amazing. the people who say they aren't don't know what they're talking about. i cant wait to get my hands on this, been looking forward to it for a while

[Neverhead666]

also i agree with Orkin, just about everything on Catch33 sounded the same. i still enjoyed the album, but Destroy Erase Improve and Chaosphere were some the best things musically I've ever heard. gotta love them Swedes

[fluffylump2]

just to clarify: Catch33 is supposed to be one 50-minute song. that's probably why many parts sound similar.

[Funeral Moon]

Meshuggah rules. Better than a lot of the crap labeled as "metal" these days. I just bought this a few hours ago, and it kicks ass.

[rasveer]

i got this album this morning and it is awesome really good material on it and funeral moon is right it is better then most of the metal ive come across latly

[Cometh_Hessian]

haake writes the lyrics not kidman. great album

[petrucci_owns86]

I have the opening line of the lyrics from "Bleed" on the headstock of one of my guitars. This album was the first Meshuggah album I got, I got it about 3 months ago. As of right now I own almost all their albums.

[Anarion614]

The second review is total garbage.

[Tedward]

If the tracks are anything like the songs Rational Gaze or New Millenium Cyanide Christ, I like

[Tedward]

oh and the lyrics to New Millenium are so sick, some of the best ive heard.

[titter]

****ing great release. FASTER STUFF! yes! I have a feeling this is a more chaosphere style release (which i am more than exited about) and when they do fast, they do it damn well. Cheers mesh-mates a rock solid release

[ready2breakdown]

I LOVE Meshuggah. I pre-ordered the album and got the shirt, so it should be here this week! I cannot wait! I had to have a Meshuggah shirt, so I can wait.

But I've heard obZen and Bleed and I was blown away. Like really try and riff it up to the main riff in Bleed. It's like damn near impossible! I don't see where the hell this shit hits them and how all five members can play it, but somehow they do it. But they've got to be about the only musicians on their own level today. Tell me another band that can pull off this type of stuff and still make insane music that you can't help but love.

I was a little skeptical when I first started listen because I thought that there was no way they could consistently make insane music like that and that they would let me down with other stuff, but they have yet to.

And it really pisses me off that people are talking about them not innovating on this album! ARE YOU KIDDING ME? This band is nothing but innovation. For them to continually write shit this crazy is way more than others could ever touch. The format that they've laid for the band is to pretty much deliver what they have already. If they stray too much, then they wouldnt be Meshuggah. Catch 33 and I EP were totally ****ing out there and people either hated it or loved it, and I really wouldn't be happy if they would have deliver another 50 minute trip session.

[Ash on fires]

ready2breakdown I think that people are saying that they arent innovating on obZen because essentially their style hasn't changed at all since their first album. It works though because its kicked ass from the beginning too.

[Anno[fzk]]

choke383 wrote:

Whats Maynard doing on the cover?

thats what i thought when i first saw it.

[mattgab1]

Destroyer858 wrote:

Actualy they detune half semitone from the F# making it a F

What is a half–semi-tone? I won't wait for an answer.

[CamaroEric+]

awesome cd

[#76]

just got the album and it is definitely a pleasant kick to the head

[bowen]

This cd is the next on my to get list, I'm stoked.

[sambargun]

Awesome, brilliant. How the hell do they write songs like these?

[Kornholic]

I heard one of their songs called bleed. I think it was pretty good

[123-Trav]

So the tuning is F Bb Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb ?

[playmetal5150]

Great album... some of the other albums were a bit repetitive i think this one is pretty good with staying away from that.. buy it!

[BKGMorley]

I think i'll buy this album tomoro, for me Nothing is their master piece, lets hope it tops that

[wildchild6660]

After seeing all these positive reviews, I went out and listened to some of their songs. I didn't like it all that much. Its just "Heavy" and nothing else. The riffs are kind of repetitive too. I guess its an acquired taste. No Disrespect intended, all the band members are very technically proficient.

[whitesummer527]

pretty cool atmospheres, wicked ass drums, heavy as hell!

[wildchild6660]

I wish to take back my earlier comment. They're starting to grow on me

[SenorBill]

restless_thrash wrote:

Good album, but i bet it looks terrible on a t-shirt.

Because the point of making great music and great album art to go with it is to make sure fanboys can wear your band t-shirt in public.

[omarrodrigez]

Orkin wrote:
Give me 5 minutes with Ez Drummer and a downtuned guitar and I could have wrote that album.

That is one of the most ignorant things I've ever heard. If you can do it so easily, go do it. You are a pompous ******* with very little musical knowledge if you think you could whip up an album like Catch 33 with very little effort.

[Salvial]

omarrodrigez wrote:

Orkin wrote:
Give me 5 minutes with Ez Drummer and a downtuned guitar and I could have wrote that album. That is one of the most ignorant things I've ever heard. If you can do it so easily, go do it. You are a pompous ***** with very little musical knowledge if you think you could whip up an album like Catch 33 with very little effort.

Exactly man, put up or shut up.

If you don't understand the brilliance that goes on when these guys work together then I feel bad for you because it sounds amazing to me.

[Mazzakazza]

This arrived by mail order today, and I'm loving it. A message of pure hatred, pure Meshuggah!

[CoreysMonster]

I just got this for my birthday today, AWESOME

bleed is such a brutal track!!

[adamjowens]

[quote]Orkin wrote:

Give me 5 minutes with Ez Drummer and a downtuned guitar and I could have wrote that album.

quote]

i seriously doubt that

Checked!

[bazman13]

mattgab1 wrote:

Destroyer858 wrote:

Actualy they detune half semitone from the F# making it a F

What is a half–semi-tone? I won't wait for an answer.

i can tune my keyboard to the half semitones. totatly pointless of corse, unless i want confuse guitarists into thinking they are outa tune.

maby if you tune down from f half a semitone you can get that elusive E# :P

oh and kickass album, my first meshugga album. and its freakin choice

[MagicFingersJCC]

toryponce is a dick.
if your not going to write a proper review then don't bother. i'm surprised UG even posted that pitiful excuse of a review

Obzen OWNS!