Meshuggah

Catch Thirty Three

[5] Proof that Darwin was wrong: Meshuggah are still not headlining stadiums, while much of the metal that was once nü has evolved into gazillion-selling product that comes pre-manufactured with a “-core” suffix and black fingernail polish. Proof that acting hip for its own sake in music reviews is wrong: Even though they remain eons ahead of every other metal band with space-prog inklings and an arsenal of meter changes, Meshuggah will likely get flak from other critics about not making a quantum-leap evolutionary jump between their last album (2002’s Nothing) and Catch Thirty Three. True, if anything, on their latest album, these Swedes have temporarily settled into a position as the AC/DC of math-metal, focusing on the leanest, meanest and most head-scratching variations of one simple riff over the course of 13 tracks. Proof that being the AC/DC of anything is not wrong: Even if they borrowed from Prong early on, Helmet eventually got gypped for shit like this, too. (NUCLEAR BLAST)-Aaron Burgess