Maximum Metal Rating Legend

Meshuggah - Catch Thirty-Three - 2005 - Nuclear Blast Records

Track Listing1. Autonomy Lost 2.Imprint Of The Un-Saved 3.Disenchantment 4.The Paradoxical Spiral 5.Re-Inanimate 6.Entrapment 7.Mind’s Mirrors 8.In Death – Is Life 9.In Death – Is Death 10.Shed 11.Personae Non Grata 12.Dehumanization 13.Sum

The new Meshuggah release of "Catch Thirty-Three" on Nuclear Blast Records is definitely a departure from their last endeavors yet then again this is a band that has never followed convention in the past. So why start now? The CD is actually one long song that has been divided into sections to allow it to be easier to appreciate. Everything on the piece seems to lock in to the groove lined up on the very first track and as the CD runs along this riff modifies and transforms and even returns at times. It is quite interesting to listen to and really must be played as a whole piece. There is a chance that the fans of Meshuggah might not be sure of what to make of this CD at first because there are also some changes in the way it is laid out musically. Absent are the guitar solos that are often very impressive and this time the drumming is programmed. It’s a sad thing to subtract the power that Tomas Haake delivers on the drums a well as Fredrik's solos but Marten Hagstrom has promised that the next record will be more true to form and what the fans are more used to. This was a record the band wanted to address and clearly "Catch Thirty-Three" will be a part of the touring set when that happens so don’t be left behind on the material.

If I had to pick some personal favorites on the CD I lean towards "Autonomy Lost" and "Shed" almost immediately. However since this is one long song, these happen to be my favorite sections of that song. Overall the music is heavy and the production of the release is excellent. I think new and old fans will be intrigued by the experiments that this band undertakes. "Catch Thirty-Three" is just another fascinating piece of the puzzle that is Meshuggah. Don’t miss out.

Rating: 7.5

--Ken Pierce
MESHUGGAH - "Catch33" - 2005

Track Listing1. Autonomy Lost 2. Imprint of the un-saved 3. Disenchantment 4. The Paradoxal Spiral 5. Re-incarnate 6. Entrapment 7. Mind's Mirrors 8. In death - Is Life 9. In death - Is Death 10. Shed 11. Personae 12. Dehumanisation 13. Sum

MESHUGGAH are making a naming a name for thenselves as purveyors of highly technical and bizarre Death Metal. And I use the term 'Death Metal' very loosely here, as they've even fused hard electronics with Death Metal in the recent past. "Catch 33" follows the trails of the critically acclaimed 1-track E.P. "I". And if you thought an extreme-metal track of 21 minutes was unusual, well, this time MESHUGGAH have released a 1-track album! Wisely enough, the"Catch 33" C.D. is 'cut' up into various sections if anything for listening convenience.

I'll say straight away that the music is brilliant and heavy as hell, the production top-notch, and typically MESHUGGAH there's a certain freshness in the music. But I have a few reservations to discuss.

Why, why oh why did MESHUGGAH use synthetic drum programs in replacement of Tomas Haake?!?? According to band statements, they were impatient to release the album, and Tomas was temporarily away from the recording studio then. If we were speaking about a dummer other than the 'human octopus' of Death Metal, I might hesitate to complain. But I'm sure it would have been worth waiting a bit more for Tomas Haake to record the tracks. To be fair, the drum programs sound quite genuine.

Another criticism is that the riffs are limited in variety in "Catch 33", but again, at least these few riffs are done and recorded bone-crushingly well.

Also worth mentioning are the bass lines in "Catch 33", especially in 'In death - Is Death', which is breathtaking. I'm not aware of who does each specific bass line since Marten Hogstrom and Fredrick Thordendal both share bass and guitar duties.

Opinion will typically be divided on this MESHUGGAH release, but all in all "Catch 33" is a unique and recommendable experience. Apart for the musicians' virtuosity, the band deserves praise and my admiration for taking extreme metal to a different level.


My Rating: 7.5/10


--MetalKnight