Meshuggah is a Swedish five-piece experimental metal band formed in 1987. The band comprises founding members vocalist Jens Kidman and guitarist Fredrik Thordendal, drummer Tomas Haake, rhythm guitarist Mårten
... Meshuggah is a Swedish five-piece experimental metal band formed in 1987. The band comprises founding members vocalist Jens Kidman and guitarist Fredrik Thordendal, drummer Tomas Haake, rhythm guitarist Mårten Hagström and bassist Dick Lövgren. Meshuggah first attracted international attention with the 1995 release Destroy Erase Improve for its fusion of fast-tempo death metal, thrash metal and progressive metal. Since their 2002 album Nothing, Meshuggah uses eight-string guitars and downtuned, groovy riffs.
Nothing and the following albums charted on the Billboard 200. 2008's album obZen reached No. 59 and sold 11,400 copies in the first week and 50,000 copies six months after its release. In 2006, the band was nominated for a Swedish Grammy Award. Since its formation, Meshuggah has released six studio albums, five EPs and eight music videos. Meshuggah has performed in various international festivals, including Ozzfest and Download, and embarked on a world tour in 2008.
Meshuggah has become renowned for its complex, innovative and precise musicianship and songwriting, polyrhythmic song structures and technical prowess. It has been labeled as one of the ten most important hard and heavy bands by Rolling Stone and as the most important band in metal by Alternative Press. In spite of its critical acclaim, Meshuggah has found little mainstream success but is a significant act in extreme underground music.
