DESTROY ERASE IMPROVE

An album that really improved and defined Meshuggah's own sound, Destroy Erase Improve is a collection of incredible riffs that will drown the inexperienced listener. However, if their was a place to start listening to this amazing band, this would be my suggested album for those inexperienced with "extreme metal".

The album is less "chaotic" than Chaosphere but more "machine-like". From the very beginning, one gets the feeling of working in some industrial plant crafting machines of destruction. Really, that's about the best way to describe this inhuman assault. However, the album isnt without some breaks with some clean electrical breaks between the grinding sound of the guitars.

This album has some of my favorite Meshuggah soloing. Somehow, Thordendal and Hagstrom are able to solo without seeming like the song is at a "solo" section. You know the feeling when a song comes to a guitar solo, and you know its coming and will spoil an otherwise great song with over the top indulgence? Well, Meshuggah has a guitar tone which makes you not think there is any soloing occurring, and sounds quite close to Alan Holdsworth.

A great improvement over early Meshuggah works, one that clearly establishes them as creating new and progressive music/metal that will challenge the listener.