Introduction to Meshuggah's Rhythmic Style

Alternate title: "Music theorists react to Meshuggah!"
Second alternate title: "So you've heard of a Meshuggah, but what does it do and what is it used for?"
There are a few versions of this type of thing on KZbin, but I haven't seen any that draw on the very cool scholarship about Meshuggah's music. Here I try to both explain the basics of Meshuggah's style and show some of the directions that their music, and scholarship about their music, have gone.
In alphabetical order, here are the sources I mention. I realize not all are easy to access; if you really want to read something but don't have institutional access and don't want to pay for it, try contacting the author! I love knowing that people want to read my work and am happy to send a pdf if possible, and that's been my experience with most scholars.
For some very cool visualizations and interpretations of riffs, and several in-depth analyses (including of "Do Not Look Down"):
Capuzzo, Guy. 2018. “Rhythmic Deviance in the Music of Meshuggah.” Music Theory Spectrum 40 (1): 121-37. doi.org/10.109....
For a very cool, detailed but accessible exploration of note choice (ie harmony) in Meshuggah's riffs and solos, check out Daniel Crawford's series of videos!
• Meshuggah Note Choice ... and all the others
For more about heaviness, the "polymetrical cadence" and an analysis of "I Am Colossus":
Hannan, Calder. 2018. “Difficulty as Heaviness: Links between Rhythmic Difficulty and Perceived Heaviness in the Music of Meshuggah and The Dillinger Escape Plan.” Metal Music Studies 4 (3): 433-58. doi.org/10.138....
For some more about "Bleed," check out my first riff analysis video (Riff Analysis 001)
For some more about how Meshuggah builds riffs by manipulating smaller chunks:
Hudson, Stephen. 2014. “Fragments of Riffs and Small Alterations in Meshuggah’s ‘ObZen.’” Metal In Theory (blog). June 30, 2014. metalintheory.c....
For analysis of riffs with pitch and rhythm on cycles of different lengths:
Hudson, Stephen. 2016. “Disconnecting Rhythm and Pitch in Meshuggah’s ‘Nostrum.’” Metal In Theory (blog). October 8, 2016. metalintheory.c....
For more on changes to the drum patterns: Lennard, Chris. 2016. “Deforming the Backbeat: Dissonant States and Musical Expression in Meshuggah’s ObZen and Koloss.” Paper in Master’s Portfolio, Cincinnati, OH: University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.
For a solid, in-depth academic theory of meter and rhythm in general:
London, Justin. 2012. Hearing in Time: Psychological Aspects of Musical Meter. 2nd ed. New York: Oxford University Press.
For some very cool analysis of riffs that seem to "start in the middle":
Lucas, Olivia. 2018. “‘So Complete in Beautiful Deformity’: Unexpected Beginnings and Rotated Riffs in Meshuggah’s ObZen.” Music Theory Online 24 (3). mtosmt.org/issu....
For that paper about Meshuggah's lightshow:
Lucas, Olivia. 2019. “The Analytical Lightshow: Concert Lighting as Analysis in Extreme Metal Live Performance.” In . Columbus, OH.
For the first academic Meshuggah article and analysis of "I":
Pieslak, Jonathan. 2007. “Re-Casting Metal: Rhythm and Meter in the Music of Meshuggah.” Music Theory Spectrum 29 (2): 219-45. doi.org/10.152....
For analysis of Catch-33 and thoughts on the 4/4 vs polymeter debate:
Smialek, Eric. 2008. “Re-Thinking Metal Aesthetics: Complexity, Authenticity, and Audience in Meshuggah’s I and Catch 33.” Masters Thesis, Montreal: McGill University.
For more on the feel vs calculation debate:
Smialek, Eric, and Méi-Ra St-Laurent. 2019. “Unending Eruptions: White-Collar Metal Appropriations of Classical Complexity, Experimentation, Elitism, and Cultural Legitimization.” In The Routledge Companion to Popular Music Analysis, edited by Ciro Scotto, Kenneth M. Smith, and John Brackett. Routledge Music Companions. Taylor and Francis Group.
If I missed anything, let me know!

[@drewedwards7992]

“Its a different kind of groovy world” he says with a completely straight expressionless face. This guy gets it.

[@SpaceCowboy57]

Your Meshuggah counting tip alone was worth clicking on this video for.

[@yellowsaurus4895]

For real tho. Subconsciously I've always tried to do that when learning a wonky rhythm, but the way he explained it here is just *chef's kiss*

[@SkyratiK]

It's cool to know others do this as well.

[@HamzaHamza-wk7uo]

He did what thousands of fans have always struggled with. Worth the like!

[@MBossy2]

That's funny. Trying to explain the patterns to a non-musician I use the same technique. Meshuggah counting. lol

[@litchqueenasenath5995]

next music theory course I take if they make us do rythym exercises I'm Meshuggah counting the whole time to see what happens

[@ThorsShadow]

"Looping asymmetric guitar riff patterns, which phase against quadruple meter backbeats, and are truncated to realign at hypermetric boundaries." This does sound like lyrics Meshuggah would use. Just imagine Jens vocalising this in his style... Looping a-sym-metric. Guitar riff patterns. Which phase against. Quadruple meter backbeats. And. Are trun-ca-ted. To re-align. At hy-per-metric. Boundaries.

[@dauron4tw]

Man I could hear this

[@duraath]

i actully sang this part in Jens voice. dang it really works as lyrics

[@ichuakinable]

It fits perfectly into Born in Dissonance, lol.

[@metalforlife4ever]

Ohhhh fuck I just tried it and it sounds just like him 😂😂

[@jimbodavis1944]

Hahaha... This why I read comments.

[@BryceRogers]

Beams of patterns loop through my head Thrusts of riff asymmetric engaged Hypermetric boundaries succumb I'm phasing now against the backbeats My crimson meter quadruply spilled Truncate fluid of life realigned.

[@metalmusictheory5401]

lmao love this

[@MrVonkliest]

This is underrated! 🤣

[@Jzphh]

Needs a "scourge" thrown in there

[@MassHysteriaHD]

Okay that was good 👍

[@DrewFortune97]

Came to learn, ended up being in the video.....🙆🏼‍♂️ time to nail this head banging thing once and for all😂

[@metalmusictheory5401]

Haha thanks for watching! Despite my jesting at the start I really enjoy your (and others's) reaction videos!

[@DrewFortune97]

@@metalmusictheory5401 no worries man, no offence taken lol. I 100% understand why channels like mine get a bad name, but I’m just here to find some sick music and share it with an audience🤘🏼 great video buddy, will take a few watches before I even begin to grasp what you’re talking about but we’ll get there...🤣

[@Metal_Dinosaur]

I just plug my headphones in and walk with purpose. Your langer swing = the headbang rhythm.

[@tonytaurus3676]

Meanwhile "drum teacher" reaction channels be like: wHerE's OnE??!?

[@metalmusictheory5401]

lmao I feel this

[@gurukimci]

I thought it were the guitarists asking for this :p

[@lambofmetallica]

LOL I love Garret Miller

[@Aacula]

Garrett Miller is the man

[@thepassenger6499]

I'm pretty sure that they're asking for "One" from Metallica. Otherwise it would be pretty embarrassing for them, right....hehehe...because they're drummers....hehe...not knowing where "one" is...hehehe...right?!? :'D

[@lucarzewski3455]

“In Additionately” Dude I cracked up lol

[@tatorusia6057]

Daamn that sentence sounds like something Jens would scream over chug chug

[@KimStennabbCaesar]

I'll excuse you this time, but in the future I expect you to refer to it as djent djent.

[@tatorusia6057]

@@KimStennabbCaesar Thanks, but in my defense id like to say that when you palm mute djent djent (and thats what you do for vocals to cut through) you get chug chug ^_^

[@KimStennabbCaesar]

@@tatorusia6057 Yeah dude, just joking, hehe. Chugging the first beers of 2021 over here. Cheers!

[@tatorusia6057]

@@KimStennabbCaesar Happy 2021 ! Cheers !

[@2an_sound]

This is so perfectly right hahahhaa

[@ViacheslavZholnovach]

In addition to the meter: check out Meshuggah's live shows - guitarists head bang in 4-4 beat, playing asymmetric riffs at the same time.

[@metalmusictheory5401]

For sure! Guy Cappuzzo had a cool paper about this at SMT this year, including some examples from Meshuggah and AAL where the guitarists are headbanging differently from each other in the same section. They definitely hear in relation to the drum's beat, but it's harder to tell if they're grouping those beats into 4s (at least just from how they're moving). The real test would be to see if they can count the beats out loud (1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4...) while playing the guitar riffs... It's a complicated question! Thanks for watching!

[@ViacheslavZholnovach]

@@metalmusictheory5401 Thanks for the video! Really enjoyed watching.

[@_Stroda]

@@metalmusictheory5401 I woulda thought the headbanging being in '4/4' was likely as this can effectively make it 1,1,1,1,1... with some 'corrections' as riffs restart or go into the next, which doesn't really require any thought.

[@sneaky5141]

@@_Stroda lol

[@ManuelAriasTV]

The way he stands makes me feel like he's about to get ready to fight me through my screen

[@metalmusictheory5401]

lol I promise I'm not

[@rubaidaallen2764]

About to throw down during Bleed live 😂😂😂

[@ekkehardehrenstein180]

This Guy! This is not the usual kind of guy. He's not...it's more complicated (but I'm not able or willing to explain) He is like: It's like this and that and that's a mouth full, but here is how. And then it's how it is. I salute you! Being able to make complicated things as clear as you did is a true sign that you know what you're talking about. Thanks!

[@metalmusictheory5401]

Haha thank you so much! I'm glad it comes across that way!

[@Sir_vAce]

The 4/4 is clearly the groove when it kicks in. The asymmetric riffs are to keep your mind occupied and challenge your fingerdrum skills when driving :)

[@Gmacdrums]

The concept of "Meshuggah counting" in subdivisions is such a fantastic acknowledgement

[@Sjrm126]

Plot twist, Haake hears the weird guitar/bass drum patterns and the guitars hear 4/4.

[@metalmusictheory5401]

haha that's a real mind bender

[@rofyle]

That was the clearest explanation I've ever heard. I'm still confused. Clearly I'm missing the LSD component.

[@Sjrm126]

@@rofyle it’s just a bunch of Swedish dudes grooving, and can be viewed through two lenses, the 4/4 one or the cycle of whatever they’re doing above it

[@meters_and_madness]

​@@Sjrm126 Yes, to the casual listener. But to the band or anybody wanting to practice these songs with groove and feel, it must be felt through both lenses at the same time. That is why it's so challenging and interesting. If they were playing either part without the other, there really wouldn't be anything to shout from the rooftops about-at least from an analytical perspective.

[@coolguy132435]

It's nice to hear someone spell it out. As a Meshuggah fan, I independently figured out the "Meshuggah counting" over the years, and already have been counting Pravus in my head using the same numbering

[@BertFlamingo]

This is the way.

[@BlessureK]

I think if you want to learn their music you need to develop "Meshuggah counting" as a way to train yourself to memorize it, but the beautiful part is when you can listen to and play their music without counting it. When you've heard the riffs so many times and your hands/feet can play it without thinking, you enter this fucking weird harmony between the main pulse (usually the 4/4) and the syncopated riffs. Truly amazing music

[@alvarobriceno4500]

This man needs a faculty position. This is crazy

[@firstnamelastname4752]

Finally someone that actually identifies the phrase truncation. So many people say crap like "theyre playing in 39/8!" but it's so obvious they're just cutting the phrase short to realign with 4/4 so the next section can start cleanly. The fact you also identify the meshugguh counting makes this the best meshug video on KZbin. No wanky music theory showoff bullcrap, just describing the music both as it is and as it feels. This is the gold standard for meshuggah analysis.

[@harvey854]

Agreed! This guy understands their music!

[@axhed]

"fuckin finally, someone gets it!" - f. thordendal

[@ericswearingenmusic9967]

Someone did their homework. Great analysis dawg. I would assume over the course of an entire career of doing weird polymeter shit, these guys are probably being sincere that they just feel it in 4/4

[@metalmusictheory5401]

Yeah for sure, which is what makes it so impressive!

[@OomBok]

The metal Adam Neely. Well done sir

[@ChrisBevanBass]

Man, I'm just starting work on a master's dissertation about the emergence of the whole "djent" movement (yes I know djent is a contentious term, especially when related to meshuggah!) and I had no idea that there was any scholarship at all about Meshuggah etc. The fact that your ideas are so well thought-out and articulated, AND the fact that you link to a load of other scholarship about the music is just amazing. Looking forward to seeing more from you!

[@metalmusictheory5401]

That's awesome! And yeah there's been quite a bit about Meshuggah in music theory, and a lot more scholarship on metal than I realized before I started grad school (and a lot of it is from the last 5 years or so). Good luck!

[@nico_mezare]

Summing up video : DUH-DUH IN ADDITIONATELY POLIMETRIC CADENCE

[@breadyegg]

Massively complex and challenging, however you meshuggah coat it.

[@khaaaaaaaaaannn]

Massively underrated comment

[@pmsn3674]

Meshuggah is one big "DO try to headbang" challenge

[@metalheadblues]

Listen to the high hats

[@very_not_emo]

the paradox of meshuggah is that you can headbang it but you can't count it

[@999kafka]

The "meshugah counting" is something that I've always kind of perceived, but haven't seen people talking about. Thank you for the analysis.

[@maeklund86]

1300 views? This? Incredible stuff, such great detail and knowledge combined with actually playing the music. Mind-boggling! Thank you!

[@metalmusictheory5401]

I didn't even know I had that many haha! Thanks for watching!

[@aixide]

@@metalmusictheory5401 You're getting closer to what you actually deserve, slowly

[@tduic]

Meshuggah style of counting - hell yeah, that opened a new world for me. Thank you man, awesome video.

[@markdisanzo3796]

I've been completely obsessed with "Clockworks" since the first time hearing it. I've figured out all of the patterns and how they work together, and it still never fails to blow my mind how it all just works. I use my own version of "Meshuggah time" when listening/analyzing, and it's awesome to know that others out there hear these guys the same way I do.

[@seven8time]

"Do Not Look Down" is my favorite example of their style, at least to show it clearly. other songs are "more meshuggah-ey" but i think this one shows one of the core concepts really well. Excellent video! really put into words what's going on in an easy to understand way. thanks for this!

[@slackerZ1]

I love that song so much.

[@v.c.h.s.l.v]

There is also "Break Those Bones Whose Sinews Gave It Motion".

[@TheFarmijo]

This deserves a lot more visits than the currently ones

[@h.p.dominocus]

Ive been a fan since 1995 as a teen. I tried showing people meshuggah and they didnt get it in 2000. But now everyone loves Meshuggah. No idea.

[@xttocx]

This is how I've approach learning any riff by ear since i first started playing 20 years ago and you've just taken my entire mind and laid it out for me to see. I am so impressed. Great work lad.

[@HeavayMetal]

I managed to stay through out the whole video. Nice & understandable explanation. Thank you!

[@nickjones7737]

I tried to drunk explain how they play to a friend who is musically illiterate but really enjoys them. This is some good fuel to help my next drunk ramblings! Thanks for the good video!

[@cdrumz]

Great explanation 🔥

[@metalmusictheory5401]

Thank you!

[@Shmityorshen]

I've been practicing meshuggah on my 7 string lately and in learning some of the songs I've noticed some of the same patterns. This video completely accelerated my understanding of it and helped confirm some of the things I had already been finding, thank you! Truth is this is like dissertation quality, will be showing it to my other guitarist friends!

[@trulsolsen683]

"I think it's safe to say that no metal band formed in the last 30 years has had more of an influence on music than Meshuggah" *Whale noises intensify*

[@drewedwards7992]

Underrated comment

[@birdman93]

If you know, you know

[@Addede]

Love Gojira but to be fair, i'd say they aren't even close to what Meshuggah has done for music, or metal in particular.

[@planetgame779]

still Lars is better than Tomas on drum

[@Breadcups]

Ha, Gojira absolutely took it to the masses. But no Meshuggah, no Gojira.

[@mikepollack8277]

Very well explained ! The first time I heard their music over 15 years ago my first reaction was “It sounds like they are playing riffs backwards!”

[@StanDavid]

After seeing this video, I think I’m finally ready to listen to Meshuggah. I am not a fan of the style but after hearing them randomly at a festival, they are really catchy and your video make me want to listen to them again :)

[@metalmusictheory5401]

Be careful, it can take over your musical world before you know it haha!

[@meters_and_madness]

@@metalmusictheory5401 Ain't that the truth.. wish someone would have warned me!

[@rubaidaallen2764]

Incredible band. Been a fan since 1998s Chaosphere. Love the academic breakdown 👏👏👏

[@dontlosehope1]

The video we needed.

[@HamzaHamza-wk7uo]

By far the most interesting Meshuggah breakdown. Well done, throughly researched and well presented. 👍

[@trailerpark187]

These guy are modern day music geniuses. I love them. I can't wait for the new album to come out.

[@peterlindstrom4703]

THANK YOU! For 20 years I've been trying to wrap my head around this band and brake down the structures of the songs. Meshuggah counting helped A LOT!

[@Alexander_Tronstad]

Yeah, this way of counting automatically happens when I try to cover Meshuggah. I don't really see a more practical way of keeping the stuff in your head than this.

[@Koivisto147]

This is exactly how I've been perceiving Meshuggah's rhythms for years! Thank you for putting it into accurate language

[@morlokkurak4763]

Oversimplified: The guitars act like drum patterns; not guitars. Mind shattering, brain melting, bombacity. Fun for the whole family. 🤘

[@drumurrrgh]

Absolutely stellar work! As a fellow music major/nerd who's also done a bunch of academic style work on Meshuggah, I applaud you. Only thing I'll say is the whole band absolutely feel the songs in 4/4-12/8 (probably 6/8 for Demon's Name...), you only have to watch how they move with the music live to know what their experience of the pulse is.

[@Esotyrik]

Wow. You are absolutely nailing all of this, with clear and concise language that doesn't get bogged down with the heady concepts you are trying to explain. This is great, and I'll be using this video to teach this concept!

[@voxstelarum]

That "messhuggah counting" is how I made sense of Pravus in the first time. Glad I'm not the only one using that system

[@ryehlb]

Finally! Someone who can help us understand Meshuggah's otherworldly rhythmic style. You earned my subscription.

[@shannonmccarthy7094]

The last part about how a riff can "grow"in a thematic sense is brilliant, ive been working to understand the way Tomas in Modern Day Babylon constructs riffs, and i think this may be the process, jsut in a more Melodic Centric way than Meshuggah, thanks for the videos, everytime i come back something more makes sense :) Your analysis abilities are beyond this world my dude!

[@jessepetersen9507]

Subscribed! Fantastic video, and the most succinct and best explanation of these techniques I’ve seen yet. Sharing this with all my metal head buddies, who inherently understand the feeling of music like this, but struggle to put it into words. Keep it up man!

[@vibesmcgoodson768]

Dope video, this is the type of stuff i've spent hours thinking about frustrated that I had no-one to talk to about it. It's cool seeing other people using the more idiosyncratic things i do when I listen to them like the "meshuggah counting." Also it's cool seeing my favorite band getting some recognition in acadamic circles. Maybe you could do a video talking about how they do things harmonically: like how the muddiness of the low end contributes to their rhythmic style with there being a greater focus on texture than melody. How they often have large intervals between their notes to give them a more rhythmic than melodic quality, and generally on their use of chromatisism which I understand the least, as i don't own an 8 string and thus don't know as much about their note choices. This comment is made before checking out your other vids so it might be that you've already done this.

[@metalmusictheory5401]

Thanks for watching! I've done some videos about harmony but not about Meshuggah's harmony/note choice. Daniel Crawford has some cool videos about exactly that, though! kzbin.info/www/bejne/fJ60qWyneLqkd7c

[@vibesmcgoodson768]

@@metalmusictheory5401 yea i just started daniel's vids. Thanks so much for showing me these resources, i hadn't realised how hungry i was for this stuff.

[@galen981]

Very good explanation bro, good playing on top of it too. "Meshuggah counting" is basically how I've been learning their riffs haha, nice to see that it's given a name :D

[@metalmusictheory5401]

Awesome! I've always had a feeling that it was something a lot of people do, it's cool to see that for sure with the comments on this vid. Thanks for watching!

[@shadow105720]

I did this before I ever heard meshuggah in drumline and more complex rhythmic concert pieces. Say playing a snare part in a march song or weird time signature/polyrythm stuff.

[@Jumper76Anton]

I've been trying to figure out the Born In Dissonance riff for forever bro you're a legend!

[@midgawidrums6047]

This video is great. The explanations are perfectly detailed and well made. Good stuff! It’s pretty clear why meshuggah is the father of Djent.

[@FilipeGomesDrummer]

Somebody give this guy a degree or award of something. This is scientific material :D

[@New_Millennium_Cyanide_Christ]

I’m an insane Meshuggah fan and have been fascinated by their music ever since I discovered them back in 2008. This is awesomely informative analytical observation of their distinctive style. Definitely subscribed!

[@alfiesolomon3531]

Ur counting tips just simplified life for me immensely. Thank you

[@rodrigo_dm]

I know nothing of music theory. The only thing I know is basic math and the fact I listen to a lot of music throughout my week. This video is simply the best video I've ever seen in the Meshuggah/Djent subject. Easy to understand, the examples show what may have been lost with the music theory explanation, short and direct to the point, very didactic. 10/10 I wish we could have more amazing videos about music like this. Now I not only understand Meshuggah more but also understand how they compose their songs. cheers man

[@Someone89a]

I am honestly so happy that I’ve found a guitar theory channel that is up to date on academic sources. As a postgrad I get disappointed that so many online videos try to utilise theories that just aren’t conducive to understanding the musical style being discussed, but this is fantastic. Great stuff!!

[@ortanchibiri]

Thank you so much for this. I'm a professional musician and primary school music teacher and I love Meshuggah. I've never sat down to analyze and dissect their rhythms, but it's one of those things you want to do some time. This is so insightful, and it makes my task much easier if I ever feel the need to keep diggin' ;-) Thank you!!

[@TheApostleofRock]

HOLY SHIT. I might actually be able to learn how to drum to that breakdown in Clockworks! Thanks!

[@TheoryOfNekomata]

Been listening to Meshuggah and related bands for a while. First thing I knew, there were patterns but it wasn't as discernible, until I watched this video. Great job on the explanation. It was enlightening about listening to Meshuggah in a bigger picture

[@alexrobinson9138]

This is one of the greatest videos I’ve ever seen and I wish I had somebody to share it with that would appreciate it like I do.

[@Zedman3333]

I cut hair for a living now i understand Meshuggah riffs more then then art of cutting hair in less then 22 mins. Great upload. Cheers for Australia.

[@maxgrass8134]

Unbelievable how anybody can play this. Melts my brain just hearing it

[@nocakewalk]

Wow, what a fantastic video! Yea the question of meter in Meshuggah is very interesting, almost a philosophical discussion. I guess you could say that they play with 4/4 in various states of breakdown or disarray. The 4/4 in the Bleed riff is pretty easy to follow, whereas the 4/4 in Clockworks ranges from (like you say) barely audible, to completely abandoned, like in the chorus, where the whole band is playing 17+17+17+13, which IMO is 4/4 in only a purely theoretical sense. I actually tried to count the 16th notes in the opening riff of Clockworks (the ones laid out on the hihat as the song starts), and I couldn't even find them, as in I would hit 64 notes _around_ the time the rhythm resets, but I couldn't follow it precisely. Clockworks is absolute rhythmical lunacy (I love it).

[@thekellykellestine]

Your channel helps keep me inspired about learning music theory, it's something I let slide in my adult life after guitar lessons weren't priority. Thanking you for this content, especially as someone who beat their head against a wall learning meshuggah shit in the past.

[@Heinrick192]

I use Meshuggah Counting too! You've expounded on their use of asymmetric riffing so well! Sick vid.

[@MrDmd74]

You learn sh*t throughout your musical journey. I’ve often been doing riffs like M without thinking about it but been bound by my (limited) theoretical knowledge and therefore always thought I’ve been doing it wrong. I need reminders like these that there are no rules!!! Thanks man 🤘🏻

[@thepassenger6499]

Being a guitarist myself and loving Meshuggah from the bottom of my heart, this is truly a great video! Thank you! :)

[@archaea2251]

back for my yearly watch of this 🫡

[@torystephenson8568]

Bro fantastic breakdown, and I love your "Meshuggah" timing method this just completely blew my mind on how easy you made it and opened up my bass playing on a whole other level. Keep it up fantastic content mate, instant sub

[@Gwunhar]

This explanation actually makes their music as a whole make a lot more sense. Very nice.

[@switch1e]

Duuuude this video is awesome. I’ve learned so much from watching it, and it’s helped me grow a bigger appreciation for this kind of extreme metal

[@benthewavecame]

This breaks down the Meshuggah writing style so well! It's something I became accustomed to over many years of listening to meshuggah. It truly is just "another way" of writing music. All I know is this band would be nothing without Thomas Haake. He is the one that ties this band together. As you say, the guitarists/bassist just play their "loop", but Thomas needs to keep the "4/4" through and accent the riffs, which for him change every time. Literally boggles my pedestrian mind.

[@sebastianstigler1064]

Dude, really cool. I think your channel will get a lot of metal heads into theory. Keep it up, great stuff.

[@vxrdrummer]

That Meshuggah counting thing made this video worth it, even if that was all that you had talked about. Awesome!!!

[@ptdakos]

One of my favorite types of videos, explaining complex rhythmic music that is. Great video, you were to the point throughout it and you fully explain their approach to polymetric composition(s) very well.

[@adino20]

Why the fuck can’t every music channel be like this guy? No stupid ass intro, no shit memes and jokes. Just pure info.

[@havenruiz2849]

This was awesome to watch. I’m gonna be honest though, I didn’t understand like half of the musical theory/vocabulary you used haha.

[@leoplat8318]

Man...I wish this video came out years ago.. Great stuff!

[@numbersabcdefg]

I look forward to your videos in 10 years from now

[@Only1Guitar]

Wow awesome stuff! Fantastic explanation.

[@axolotl8694]

this is one of the clearest expositions of a complicated topic in music that I think I've ever heard / watched. "meshuggah counting"... explains so much. that simple graphic at 17:55 is easy to follow and makes so much sense. great work!

[@shredmechanic]

Man, this is a great explanation of what's going on from a theory perspective! 🤘

[@kennyslg8914]

Dude this video is fucking GOLD. Funny enough, I play in a band that does complex rhythms, and I actually utilized Meshuggah counting for one of our riffs without knowing it. Realizing they're using the same counting system really demystifies it and makes it easier to understand.

[@varunshijo24]

Holy shit this is probably the single most useful video I have ever watched in my life. You articulated everything I imagine musicians who play this style know innately but can’t explain.

[@daflepail]

I did not know that the way I count is the meshuggah counting. this is good stuff! thanks man!

[@niekklaassen]

Punk rock drummer here but always had a soft spot for meshuggah.. Top level analysis! Love your concept of "meshhugah time"; exactly what i caught myself doing trying to capture their flow

[@ztube39]

Well explained, good job. Very revealing!

[@shadow105720]

I think they write and hear 4/4 because like you said no matter how weird it is, they always like it back up to 4/4 whether it naturally does or they chop it up to end back on a 1. It may not be for 16 bars, but it comes back to a 1.

[@Praeterita1976]

Amazing content. A lot of work put into this. Instant subscribe.

[@ZacharyCorum]

For years I have struggled to figure out what you just showed me in 11 minutes. Totally going to hear their music differently now.

[@jean-philipper-m5886]

Pretty impressive Meshuggah analysis. Well I must say music theory in general. Nice job!!

[@deftonedigga]

Hats off for breaking it down. With the diagrams I really could stay on track. Top notation and puzzle solving.

[@lightninginmyhands4878]

This brings me joy. Meshuggah really just play what they want.

[@corymiller4238]

Have a sub. Incredible analysis/breakdown/understanding. 'Meshuggah Counting' is 100% the best thing I've learned about this band. Being a drummer, Haake has kept me busy for decades. Nice job.

[@iau]

I appreciate the long examples with playing and notation. Actually helps with internalizing what's happening. Other channels would just show a single cycle and pretend everyone understands.