MESHUGGAH — The Violent Sleep of Reason (review)

MESHUGGAH — The Violent Sleep of Reason album cover Album · 2016 · Progressive Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
Unitron
When people talk about extreme metal, they usually mean thrash, death, and black metal. However, doom metal and groove metal are a couple of genres that can be among the heaviest music out there yet get forgotten in discussions of extreme metal. For the latter, it's Meshuggah that has to remind listeners that groove metal can harbor colossal brutality on the same level if not more so.

The band wastes no time in thrashing with a mixture of jackhammer riffing, drum attacks, and sludgy dirges. It's business as usual for the band, with insane syncopation, downtuned drives, groovy hooks, and Jens Kidman's brutal screams and roars. "Born in Dissonance" may as well be the band's theme song, it pretty much displays what the band is all about. The sludgy "By the Ton" is another perfect representative for the band, as they sure deliver their destructive grooves by the ton. If they tuned the strings any lower, they'd break the sound barrier. "Monstrocity" is the main highlight, with the main riff sounding straight out of a Korn album, it's about as simultaneously catchy and crushing as you can get. "Our Rage Won't Die" is a groove-thrash fest to the most crushing degree.

There's really nothing else to say. It's brutal as fuck, it's heavy as balls, it's Meshuggah. Basically, if you liked the last couple Meshuggah albums or just like uncompromising brutality you won't be disappointed. Warning: May cause intense headbanging and extreme whiplash if you have long hair.
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UMUR wrote:
more than 2 years ago
Monstrocity...ahhhh :-)
more than 2 years ago
Outstanding review. I couldn't agree more with everything said. Love this album.
UMUR wrote:
more than 2 years ago
Ha ha that´s the way I feel when I listen to Manowar :-)
Vim Fuego wrote:
more than 2 years ago
tried it. It made my teeth hurt. I guess me and Meshuggah just aren't meant to be!
Unitron wrote:
more than 2 years ago
"Monstrocity" might, if it's too nu metal-esque for you.
Vim Fuego wrote:
more than 2 years ago
Will it give me a headache if I listen to it?

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