HOW TO DANCE TO MESHUGGAH

Hell, I don't know... but these people are doing it wrong.

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ART GALLERY - TOOL / BLIND GUARDIAN / REG3N

Ever have album art melt your face? Every once and awhile a band will create or commission artwork which is undeniably awesome, iconic, or inspiring. Sometimes it compliments the music in the perfect way, leaving a mark on the listener or maybe even music history itself.

Welcome to the Art Gallery. We're gonna take at some really cool art and listening to some good music in the process.

First up, we're heading to Argentina. Given the independent nature of this upcoming solo-project project, it sure has a lot of awesome artwork behind it. Now I could be wrong, but I believe Reg3n himself designs the art for this very reason. And if he does, he does a damn fine job of it. When I first saw the off-kiltered art for "Spiral Maze", my jaw dropped a bit. The Meshuggah is strong in this one.

Links: Facebook // Soundcloud // Bandcamp 

Next, we're heading to Germany with the legendary Blind Guardian. Their artist is anything but blind. Not only does the band boast possibly the best voice in current metal, they show off some incredible artwork in the process. All their covers are impressive but the art behind "A Twist In The Myth" always stood out to me in a big way. Probably because I'm a damn nerd \m/

Links: Facebook // Twitter // Merch

Last, but not least by a long shot is Tool. This band is incredible in a number of ways and their artwork has always supported their sound diligently, bending the minds of people worldwide. It's rough deciding between these memorable covers, but "Lateralus" is the inevitable choice. Composed by the one and only Alex Grey, this band's art is hard to overlook.

Links: Facebook // Official Website // Twitter // Merch

NEW MUSIC TUESDAY - OCTOBER 15TH

New Music Tuesday is back! This one is a bit unconventional so follow along.

Okay, so maybe it doesn't count as new music, but this is certainly a new breed of release for the band. Meshuggah is celebrating their 25th anniversary by re-releasing limited editions of all of their albums from the debut "Contradictions Collapse" to the second latest "obZen". Bonus tracks included. Catch (33) is, there will only be 2,500 copies of each album so grab them while you still can!

Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

Our Artist of the Week, Rivers of Nihil, happens to be putting out their debut full-length today! That's what I call good timing. One listen to "The Conscious Seed of Light" is enough to see why we nominated them for the position. This is an impressive, hard-hitting Death Metal five-piece worth your attention. Grab the "The Conscious Seed of Light", now out through Metal Blade Records!

Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes // Merch

Maybe we're slacking on new material or maybe we just want to melt your face off. Oblivion is another band doing a re-releasing an album today. At the beginning of this year they did a limited physical / digital release for their massive Death Metal debut "Called To Rise". Since then, they've been signed to Unique Leader Records and are now doing a much wider physical release. Featuring original members from All Shall Perish, Antagony, Hacksaw To The Throat, Feast, and critically acclaimed composer Nick Vasallo - it's safe to say there's lots of talent here. And it shows when you hit play.

Links: Facebook // Twitter // Bandcamp

FREE MUSIC MONDAY - REG3N

Do you want some groovy, deathy, mathy metal for FREE? But of course you do. That's where Reg3n comes in. Hailing from Argentina, this project puts out some very heavy, Meshuggah-esque darkness for your favorite price. Not to mention the artwork is awesome (seriously, take a look below).

So far, the project has put out two releases. The self-tiled "Reg3n" late last year and "Spiral Maze" early this year. Both of which you can listen to / download free of charge on Bandcamp! Check 'em out and show some support if you enjoy \m/

Links: Facebook // Soundcloud // Bandcamp

MESHUGGAH "BLEED" PIANO COVER

Youtuber jsabbott0 just dropped a piano cover of the infamous rhythmical mountain that is Meshuggah's "Bleed". This version of the song should be called "Hands Bleed". Watch below and you'll see what I mean. Piano slapping at it's finest. Also check his steering wheel cover.

"No solo - maybe I'll give it a shot once my hands have healed." - jsabbott0

Links: jsabbott0 Youtube Channel // Meshuggah Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

MESHUGGAH TO HEADLINE EUROBLAST

Ok. Wait. Colossal news here. Meshuggah will be headlining the 9th edition of Euroblast festival in Cologne this October... Holy shit.

You know, people at Euroblast had always been like “Wow! The line up is amazing! The only band left is Meshuggah” but it was like a joke...nobody ever thought that Meshuggah was actually going to play Euroblast in the near future. Or “If they call Meshuggah, they're done. Who are they gonna call the following year?”...Well, now everything has changed.

Meshuggah will be there, headlining the sickest prog/djent/tech metal festival in Europe (maybe in the world now?). This may really become huge, especially with other huge names bolstering the line up. The band that inspired this whole musical movement is headlineing the number one event in the genre. This is going to be legendary. Be there!

Also look at the media partners on the lovely poster below... You'll notice The Circle Pit. We shall be promoting this festival through it's cycle.

- MATTIA

Links: Facebook // Official Website // Twitter // iTunes

FREDRIK THORDEDNAL - SPECIAL DEFECTS

If you are like me, and are just finding out about this craziness now, then you may also be susceptible to mindfuck. I have been a Meshuggah fan long enough to be bewildered when I discovered this. Surely, some of you out there have listened to Fredrick Thordendal's "Special Defects" before, but I have not, until now, and I are disappointed that you no share mindfuck.

Meshuggah guitarist, legend and massive musical influence Fredrick Thordendal released "Sol Niger Within" back in 1997 with his solo-project "Special Defects." Yes...'97. "Sol Niger Within" appeared after Meshuggah's beginnings, but over a decade ahead of acts attempting to impose upon these once exclusive concepts.

"Sol Niger Within" is constructed as one single track divided into 29 individual segments. Within the lyrics there is plenty to be found in the ways of philosophical and demonic poetry. Spoken scriptures  are delivered by none other than Thomas Haake, Meshugguh's percussion man. The album is seething with oddities beyond the puzzling chug patterns and polyrhythmic jazz drumming. Powerfully wretched organs and synthesizers, whacky saxophone, and high shrieks of the most unpleasant type, only enhancing the experience.

Fredrick Thordendal's "Special Defects" re-released "Sol Niger Within" a few years later after making some minor adjustments but here is the full stream of the original version. I hope you have as much fun as I did trying to follow the lyrics. All the kids are calling this a total "Jens-Face-Maker."     

- Tyler Dermitt

Links: Facebook // Official Website

MESHUGGAH "I AM COLOSSUS" MUSIC VIDEO

Math Metal legends Meshuggah just let loose with a brand new music video! In support of their latest album "Koloss", they pieced together a twisted presentation of the track "I Am Colossus" for your viewing / listening pleasure.

"I Am Colossus" is a phenomenal track which serves well as both the opener of the album and as a single in support of it. If you close your eyes and listen, the music may cause you to picture a colossus stalking across a vast landscape, shaking the Earth with every footfall. The video itself takes on a different approach. It is extremely well conceived with a plethora of dark, thematic animation and creativity. This is the stuff of nightmares.

Be sure to check it out down below along with more recent goods from the Mathematical titans \m/

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BENEA REACH "POSSESSION" ALBUM REVIEW

The new Benea Reach album "Possession" has definitely been an unexpected but welcome surprise in this first half of 2013. It came out more than five years after their second release "Alleviat" which was largely appreciated, especially here in Europe.

This six-piece Norwegian math metal band is striking everyone with the success of their first single "The Mountain" taken from their latest album "Possession", brought to you by Spinefarm Records. "The Mountain" is actually a kickass song with a magical touch which makes it really catchy and appreciable despite is complexity. That songs starts as a really complex track which slowly gets more clear, outlining a well-defined structure. This is especially thanks to an amazing chorus with the versatile and agile voice of their singer Illka, who is capable of delivering killer vocals with a unique and intense touch. Let's see if "The Mountain" actually reflects the quality of the content of the full album.

The album is triggered by the immense sound of the first track "Woodland", characterized by a complex rhythmic structure and a heavy dose of originality. It also delivers a solid melodic approach in some segments. You can even detect a strong Tool influence in the second part of this song. The second track is the well-known first single, which is followed by one of the most characteristic and charming songs of the album, "Desolate". In this track Ilkka uses all his various skills at their very best, also supported by a the guest appearance of a female voice. The most touching episode of the whole album and one of the best overall tracks.

This band implements a lot of influences in their math metal sound. This ranges from traditional Scandinavian metal (looking like a black metal version of The Dillinger Escape Plan) to even some hardcore hints in tracks like "Shedding Skin" or "Crown". "Crown" in particular doesn't give up the progressive approach heard so far and despite it's "hardcore" approach it's the longest track in the album.

A truly moving track is "Empire" with its dramatic chorus, perfectly performed once again by the unquestionable skills of the vocalist Ilkka. His voice might not be appreciated by everyone for its very rough and unconventional style but in this track he expresses his skills at such an high level that you just can't deny his incredible talent.

Towards the end of the album we find a typical math song in "Constellation". With aggressive and groovy sections and a clean chorus which gives Ilkka the chance to express his talent once again over a complex rhythmic structure. He compliments the intricacies built by the alliance of drummer Marco, who also exhibits a very original style for the duration of the album, and guitarists Martin and Alwin. The track "The Dark" leads us to the blackest side of the band, while the latest one "Aura" is a softer song, bringing back the very appropriate female vocals. It's a song mainly based on ambiance and a modern groovy progressive guitar riff.

This is definetly not a simple album. You'll need to listen to it more than just one time to appreciate the refinement of such passages which will be manifested only after several listens. This is a smart, well-done mix of math/progressive metal with modern metal elements and true Scandinavian heaviness. Altogether, it produces a unique product which might not be appreciated by everyone, but has something really special to offer.

PS: The album can be purchased on Amazon (hard copies) and iTunes (digital download), and can be streamed in its entirety at metalhammer.co.uk and on Spotify. Also don't forget they'll be playing at this year Euroblast Festival in Cologne!

- MATTIA

Links: Facebook // Official Website // Amazon // iTunes

EXPLORING THE WORLD - EXPERIENCE THE GREEK METAL UNDERGROUND

Greece has a good metal tradition after all... You might know some pretty big names like Rotting Christ, Suicidal Angels, Nightrage, Septic Flesh, or Firewind. But in recent years, a really cool underground, avant-grade metal scene developed especially around the city of Athens.

One of the most interesting proposals coming out of Greece at the moment is Tardive Dyskinesia. They're a great band coming out of Athens, delivering a Meshuggah-influenced math metal melt with some insane post-rock atmospheres. If you're a fan of dark polyrhythmic sounds, this is a band you definitely need to check out. And their popularity just keeps on growing as they'll be playing at Euroblast 9 this October! They've released four albums so far and you can read our review for their latest record "Static Apathy In Fast Forward" right here. Also take a look at the presentation we recently wrote about them right here and give a listen to their new music video below!

Links: Facebook // Twitter // Bandcamp // iTunes 

Another Grecian band cranking out good material is Mencea. They're an amazing progressive death metal band from Athens. They've released 2 albums so far, "Dark Matter Energy Noir" (2008) and "Pyrophoric" (2012). Their music features some high quality content through powerful passages and dark atmospheres, especially on the second album. They've shared the stage with acts like Gojira, Heaven and Hell, Sepultura, Enslaved, and were invited to play festivals all across Europe, including Inferno Metal Festival, UK Metal Hammer's very own Hammerfest, etc. They've also filled a number of supporting slots in Norway, Germany, Greece and the UK. You can give 'em a listen below or stream their full album on Bandcamp!

Links: Facebook // Youtube // Bandcamp

Dakrya is another band I wanted to give a shout out to. They're an amazingly weird musical group defined as theatrical metal. Dakrya was founded in 2004 when keyboard player Sophia Charalampous decided to form a band melding a lot of different influences including heavy metal, goth, progressive, symphonic, art rock, and classical music. She aimed to give the whole thing a unique theatrical presentation, making their sound very original and interesting. And she succeeded. If you enjoyed the experimentation of Diablo Swing Orchestra, this is something you need to check out! Go ahead and watch the video for their song "The Charlatan", off their 2010 album "Crime Scene". It will give you a perfect idea of what we're talking about:

Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

It Dwells Within is a solo project from a Greek guy named George Sachinoglou (aka Don). Coming from Athens, he provides some really good instrumental djent. The debut LP ''Relics From A Broken Fair'' was released in February 2012 and featured some solid material. You can actually stream and download it for FREE on Bandcamp! The whole album is self-funded, self-recorded, and self-released as well. So go give it a listen and support DIY metal music! The album teaser is below.

Links: Soundcloud // Soundclick // Bandcamp

If we step out of Athens, we'll find a very intresting project called Dol Ammad. Coming from Thessaloniki, this band really deserves some recognition with their delivery of awesome metal music through a large ammount of originality and creativity. Formed in 2000 by Greek keyboard player Thanasis Lightbridge, they provide a fast and powerful metal sound with power and progressive elements, but it also features the vocal support of a fourteen member four-part choir!! It's recommended you listen to this project below, where you can find a song off their latest release - the 2012 album "Cosmic Gods: Episode I - Hyperspeed":

Links: Facebook // MySpace // Bandcamp

Beyond these avant-grade and progressive metal projects, Greece also boasts a strong metalcore/hardcore underground scene with bands like Bewized and The Fallen Within. You can also find a fairly popular and more geographically diffused melodic metal/rock or traditional metal scene with a lot of good bands.

As always, stay tuned for more exploration! Next week we'll step out of Europe for the first time!

- MATTIA

SOME GOOD MUSIC FROM TARDIVE DYSKINESIA

Tardive Dyskinesia is one of the household names of the Greek metal underground. They provide a strongly Meshuggah-influenced math metal melt with some insane post-rock atmosphere. With 4 albums released, they have toured and shared the stage alongside awesome bands like Meshuggah, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Darkest Hour, Obscura, Cilice, Intronaut, Pro-Pain and many more. 

The band has released three incredible albums, all of which are all available for streaming on their Bandcamp page. These are "Distorting Point Of View" (released in 2006 via Venerate Industries), "The Sea Of See Through Skin" (Released in 2009 via Coroner Records) featuring a more experimental vibe with lots of polyrhythms and a sharper guitar tone, and their most recent work "Static Apathy In Fast Forward" (released in late 2012 via CTS Productions). Their latest record implemented a more melodic approach without giving up their darker side, which instead was intensely developed with some new exploration. You can read our official review right here.

These guys are currently on tour around Greece. They're also staying productive on other fronts. For example, they recently uploaded a music video for the song "We, The Cancer" on their YouTube channel! So go ahead and check out their music. And if you enjoy, give them some support with a purchase or even with a simple like on their Facebook page! \m/

- MATTIA 
 

Links: Facebook // Twitter // Bandcamp

MESHUGGAH "PITCH BLACK" SINGLE REVIEW / FREE DOWNLOAD!

It looks like the new Meshuggah release decided to arrive early. My night is made. The car manufacturer Scion is a known, big time supporter of metal. They have a history of working with / promoting awesome bands and releasing brand new music free of charge. They've recently done this with Arsis, Revocation, and Immolation among others. Turns out Meshuggah is latest band on this list. You read that correctly... FREE MESHUGGAH MUSIC \m/ (Jens Kidman Face) \m/ Go grab it below!

The single actually consists of two tracks, the first being the main event "Pitch Black". This is followed by a live recording / obZen flashback of "Dancers To A Discordant System". All in all it clocks in at nearly 16 minutes of the Math Metal innovators doing what they do best.

"Pitch Black" isn't a song, it's a slow descent into an endless abyss of polyrhythms (ok, maybe not endless). Meshuggah has a way of painting mathematical pictures through their music, and this single is no exception. Weaving through the eerie mists of deep grooves, you'll step into oblivion. Most of the song is instrumental and there's great musical chaos to be had here. Jens Kidman sits out as drummer Thomas Haake gives a spoken chant to send you off into awesome, groovy greatness.

The "Dancers To A Discordant System" live performance is spot on as to be expected. At The Circle Pit, we're fairly convinced Meshuggah are robots designed by the Swedish government. They never miss a beat, these guys. Hoping to see them very soon with Animals As Leaders and Intronaut. Click here to see what I'm talking about.

I can't criticize this release musically or objectively. Meshuggah is the shit. Period. I HIGHLY recommend you download this. If you didn't see the link, it's down below. If you wanna give it a listen first, both tracks are available right here, right now. Enjoy \m/

Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes // Scion

BANDS TO WATCH OUT FOR - PATHOGENIC

I've been meaning to give these guys a big shout out for awhile now. They got in contact with us, showed us their music, and we were mightily impressed. Massachusetts based Pathogenic is a Technical Deathcore band in the same vein as Aegaeon, but they pack a massive sound of their own. Razor sharp technicality and crushing brutality are the name of the game when listening to these guys. They deliver on both fronts while keeping things fresh.

They dropped a massive new EP "The Solipsist Dream" last month and you can stream the entire thing on Bandcamp. Warning: It may crush your eardrums \m/ As usual, there are a few tracks below so you can sample the goods. If you enjoy, be sure to support Pathogenic with a download! We definitely recommend this band. Keep an eye on them.

Links: Facebook // Bandcamp