KOLOSS

Meshuggah, I want to personally thank you for persevering through the years. You have been my absolutely favorite metal band since 1994. I've stuck with you through the thick and the thin. When you changed the world with None I was there. When you destroyed the scene with the brutal masterpiece Chaosphere I was there. When you broke many of fans hearts to take on new American listeners with Nothing I stood by your side silently. I knew it'd only be for an album (Though I've grown to love that album too). When you proved that correct with the progressions that were I and Catch 33 I smiled. When you hinted that you were interested in bringing back the brutality I grabbed my axe and awaited. I am a true follower of your movement.

For you did create this movement. Many claim you can be categorized by other bands or sub genres of metal. From tech to tribal to space to time to thrash it's impossible to put in any singular category. Ignorance begets thoughts of you mimicking other bands. It is merely them mimicking you. You sound like Meshuggah.

Ever since you began playing 8-strings I have waited patiently for tracks to hit me with as much intensity and ambition as songs like Gods of Rapture, Sickening, Future Breed Machine, Soul Burn, Suffer in Truth, Corridor of Chameleons, Neurotica, Sane and Elastic. You got my attention with Bleed. You really did. However until now with one track off Koloss have you once again satisfied my desire to destroy metal.

Marrow (10/10)

From the beginning we can tell you ain't messin' around. You said lets bounce. The slide droning poly-metrics are intense, brutal, somewhat confusing. It really intensify more in the "chorus." This track explores territory traveled in Chaosphere and Nothing takes some of the best moments combines them and then shreds it to pieces. This may be the first track since Internal Evidence on Contradictions Collapse to have two distinct solo's. Though the solo is more in the tapping/legato style of New Millenium Cyanide Christ.

The Hurt That Finds You First (10/10)

You bring back your thrash beginnings with this track. Tomas must have been excited to do this track. He just unleashed himself upon it. Jens kills it on the vox too. It's funny when Fredrik and Mårten start playing around with the E string how the illusion of high pitch is given. The ending is melodically brutal. How is that even possible?

Demiurge (10/10)

The song is sick. In between notes on the down beats in the verse bring an eastern twing to impending doom. Emphasis is put on every note. This one is in the vein of Nothing but with much more intensity. The effects during the background take over to end it out.

The Last Vigil (9/10)

Space is explored in this track. An Acrid Placitidy is present. I'm curious to know if Jens played any guitar in this.

I am Colossus, Behind the Sun (8/10)

Tomas and Jens kill it. These tracks are very deep and guttural.

Swarm (8/10)

Another Tomas and Jens kill it track. They really bring the pain this time. Solo is pretty sick. Frederick goes ET on it.

The Demon's Name Is Surveillance (8/10)

This brings a machine gun slaughter much like Bleed did. Pure Meshuggah shred.

Do Not Look Down (8/10)

Feels like it may been a missing track from Nothing. The solo is pretty sick. The only pentatonicish solo from Fredrik I can think of. Ends solo with some sick sliding (Might be a whammy pedal.)

Break Those Bones Whose Sinews Gave It Motion (8/10)

Very spacey intro. Nothingness bears its presence here. Space industrial tribal groove breakdown and outro really makes this song great. Very progressive.

Though this album really hones in the sound of Nothing it does have it's moments of absolute greatness, Everybody is at the top of their game on this. Fredrik continues to break the mold with his existential soloing. Tomas concept of poly-metrics is phenomenal. Jens though seemingly has abandoned all of his fast almost hip hop thrash vocals really kills it with what he has gained in guttural screams. I am enthused about where you are going in the future. I wish you the best.

Sincerely,

Beso Toxico (Chris)

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