Jazz drummer reacts: Meshuggah-Bleed (Live drum cam)

[@TheEnigmaticOpaque]

"The timing on all this is fucked up" - the best description of Meshuggah I've ever heard.

[@ACKZink]

Fucked up seems negative in connotation. I think original or out side the box is more appropriate:) everything they do is actually found in music theory

[@Gordyan_Knot]

Man, I fucking scrolled all the way to the comments just to say this, and here you are.

[@thatdudephilly]

This song Fucks

[@oliverjohn5566]

Hahahahah

[@danh.4471]

It works better when you add "the drags are so clean" before it IMO.

[@harveytrevino2257]

Just the fact that this song exists live is a miracle. To get 2 guitarists, a bassist and a drummer to all stay in perfect time with each other as they ram along through this song is simply astonishing!!

[@harveytrevino2257]

@Captain MufDyven 100% agree. I've heard ads with sounds that sound human, but if you listen carefully, it's definitely not a real human singing.

[@adahbombdon1512]

Too bad the song itself sucks

[@Whiterioot]

That is swedish organization and teamwork for you brother. Two things we learn to do really well.

[@LeeNashMusic]

You also forgot the light-man. The spot lights are done live too.

[@raymondbauer2152]

@@adahbombdon1512 well that's your opinion I like it a lot tbh

[@needanamenow1]

This is how metronomes get calibrated.

[@joshmakeshift]

that would be gene hoglan

[@garrettmillerdrums]

You made me laugh out loud, Branden.

[@kennyrgb2700]

That would be mario duplantier

[@johnnybgood774]

Lmao

[@matscarlsson3162]

It could be all of the mentioned drummers! A little bit of difference in style, and everyone of them crushes the metronome🤘

[@HeyItsTheWykydtron]

I think the screaming completes this. I can't even imagine any other type of vocal technique that compliments the whole track perfectly.

[@jonwyatt4936]

Phil Anselmo! But I'm old school ;)

[@Puffmutter_Teresa]

@@jonwyatt4936 Yep, this would be great! But the old Anselmo - his current voice is a liiitle bit to smoky.

[@pedrobagoduva1091]

E2070Swn tool. Or instrumental

[@TitoRigatoni]

I can imagine it with no vocals at all, and it sounds better than this.

[@chilesuicmez]

theres this russian dude alex terible from slaughter to prevail that puts nirvana and rockish vocals uber deep growls and has a couple of meshuggah, and it actually sound superb, they are so low for kidmans harshmid vocals, its like a signature after 25+ years, but i did felt those covers depp inside my gut. i widely recomend seeing them just for laughs. and then replying here, great extreme metal community here.

[@gussybear2409]

The lighting guy for Meshuggah is also a drummer, hence why the lights are always in perfect sync. So much awesome live. One of the best bands

[@7catstied2gether]

That's incredible.

[@joshkester2372]

Everything is midi controlled

[@sittlerpierre2245]

@@joshkester2372 now yes but not before check their soundguys video

[@XViTNg]

I mean , you can program the lights to match the music based on Hz and Peaks

[@dingdongs5208]

They use clicks to program the lights I believe

[@petitlouis5010]

Honorable mention to the other musician in the band : the lights dude...

[@sjn_]

Lol true, the dude's a legend that nobody knows about.

[@High_Lord_Of_Terra]

They could be connected to the drum triggers, if so Haake is also the light man 😆😆

[@sjn_]

@@High_Lord_Of_Terra Nope, in Meshuggah's shows, guy named Edvard Hansson does it like the guy mentioned above. He also has a KZbin channel where he has posted couple of lighting works on Meshuggah's shows.

[@High_Lord_Of_Terra]

@@sjn_ I'll take a look thanks

[@autohmae]

​@@High_Lord_Of_Terra Q: What instrument do you play? A: Lights.

[@theakenem5484]

This song is played mostly at the end of their set, makes it even more impresive

[@garrettmillerdrums]

Totally! Risky too. You nail your closer and it's a massive payoff for the audience but if it turns into a trainwreck, it's a major letdown with hardly anywhere to go to bring it back around. I'd love to see it live sometime.

[@Dad.................]

garrettmillerdrums I've yet to see these guys turn anything into a trainwreck. They are friggin machines, all of them. Incredibly tight and locked in to one another during the entire set. I've seen them multiple times live and they were killing it every single time.

[@MKRocker2012]

@@Dad................. I've only seen them live once, but I can certainly attest to that. But if I'm totally honest, I kinda wish they would deviate from what we expect just a bit. Cause it just sounded EXACTLY like it does on their albums...which I frankly don't need to pay to go see. Kinda wish they were more like Gojira live (seen them multiple times). Cause everyone knows Gojira is super tight live, but they also add little flourishes here and there, and, you know, move around, so it's a lot more interesting to experience.

[@noyesyesno5345]

Very risky. I saw them in philly in 2016 or 2017 and tomas actually flat out stopped playing for 2 or 3 beats in the middle of a section near the end, but recovered as well as you can in that situation. Not bashing the guy though, still my favorite metal drummer and the best metal show i been to.

[@Dad.................]

Noyes Yesno Damn, sounds like he dropped a stick or something. First dent in the armour. Still amazing musicians. MKRocker94 agreed. That's the downside to always playing to a click, with music that needs immaculate timing. Very little room to add "human touch". Gojira is a good example of a super tight band that still has tons of natural feel, another would be Tool.

[@Bebopopotamus]

A lot of people don't know this but the hardest part of this song is actually the sock change break.

[@aalegge]

😄😄😄😄

[@loneponderer495]

It is because when he is doing the drumming he is just doing it from muscle memory allows him to use less of his muscle at once then a person just trying the song that isn't use to it. However it keeps the muscles going. When you stop like during that break is when your much more likely to get a cramp because it all the physical activity catches up to you. I would almost bet he is doing some sort of leg movement during that break in order to keep that pacing natural. Sort of like a long distance runner after they get their groove going it becomes easier as your breathing and heartbeat start to sink up with the rhythm of the run. Imagine running for a few miles getting that then stopping for a few minutes and then having to do another couple miles. That's why if you watch marathons when people start to stop it's hard to get going again. Man I went deeper into that then I was expecting. LOL!

[@Stevethethird677]

@@loneponderer495 Great analogy, though. I like it.

[@thatguysson8241]

@@loneponderer495 muscle memory rules, it's how we can play so many things at once while seeming thoughtless and pure feeling.

[@anttimakela9127]

I died

[@gvillxtine2773]

my fetish is experienced drummers' brains melting over thomas haake

[@t0msula]

Lol the greatest comment 😭

[@juhovaisanen5053]

Fletcher: not quite my tempo Tomas: hold my socks

[@rahbeat9785]

I DIED

[@uxy1]

🤣🤣🤣🤣 love that comment 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@JM-ll6hd]

The tempo isn't crazy for hertas

[@markusnyman6897]

Mitä miäs

[@goisenate]

"Where's 1?" I've been asking myself that question since I heard them for the first time 30 years ago...

[@schizomaru]

There is no "one", only prime numbers are allowed

[@danjackson1016]

@@schizomaru 1 is prime though right?

[@schizomaru]

@@danjackson1016 nope, there were a time when number 1 was considered a prime number, but not anymore

[@skorpekh]

@@schizomaru why? I thought the definition was divisible by one and itself.

[@schizomaru]

@@skorpekh in some point, that was the definition, but, because of algorithms and theorems that make use of prime numbers "numbers greater than 1" has been added to the definition

[@cronicbudha1234]

Haake doesn't use a click track, the click track uses Haake

[@justyouraverageinternetuse9603]

Haake* I believe is the way its spelt but I'm not sure

[@cronicbudha1234]

@@justyouraverageinternetuse9603 yeah your right. I just saw his name on another video

[@justyouraverageinternetuse9603]

@@cronicbudha1234 Yeah All good was kinda wondering my self

[@Frogmilk]

Ironically some of the songs from The Violent Sleep were recorded without a click

[@OS_SWE]

@@Frogmilk Wasn't all of it recorded without a click track?

[@zealobiron]

He almost went "Bill Burr" with his "brrda brrda brrda" impression lol

[@pickledcottoncandy]

Yes! "Fucking polyrythyms and shit!"

[@BruceBrannock]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/foSckKNtr7N0ibM for the ppl that don't know

[@AslanW]

I still giggle whenever I think of Bill Burr comparing meshuggah to schizophrenia/hearing voices in your head.

[@MrJohnnyAOA]

Yo! Another guy who follows O'l Billy old balls.

[@Peron1-MC]

you cant just play like this the whole song through kick go brrr brrr brrr brrr XD

[@chrisbergmans3090]

Garrett: "Where's one?" Meshuggah: "Here and there"

[@crsidharth]

Shrodingers foot

[@andershjsted2989]

Meshuggah "We don't do one"

[@squishykotetsu]

one can be whatever I want

[@midgetspinner9134]

@@crsidharth lmao

[@jant7144]

There can be only one😂

[@ChristopherJCroft]

"I don't know what time signatures they are playing." And playing the game called "Find the 1" are perfect definitions of this band.

[@JM-ll6hd]

Its all 4/4.....

[@ChristopherJCroft]

@@JM-ll6hd It is and it isn't. So you aren't wrong.

[@JM-ll6hd]

@@ChristopherJCroft it depends on how you look at it I guess but youre right I'm not wrong.

[@bebopalloobop]

J M Bernard Purdie my man

[@HonkeyKongLive]

@@ChristopherJCroft Yeah. Haake himself insists that he only plays in 4/4, but the reality is he's always got so many polyrhythms and polymeters going that while it's true his hands are almost always just doing a standard 4/4 backbeat, everything around it is swirling.

[@snaffu1]

To this day, still the best reaction to Bleed on the web. You noticed so much detail in the rhythm, the bass drags, the difficulty in playing something like this live--fantastic for a heavily edited video, let alone a one-take like this. A+ vid, dude, thank you again for having a listen.

[@BC_Gonzo]

*Meshuggah sitting at a redlight on the tour bus* Tomas staring at a Harley out of the window. "Guys....Hear me out..?"

[@lordgino2006]

I accept this as canon

[@PieceOfDuke]

Oh crap I should share this with everyone to whom it may

[@Hurricane000007]

According to Thomas himself, it took him about 8 months to learn this. He's a machine basically, I can't grasp how his legs go on like that for seven minutes.

[@legoman786]

He couldn't play the song for the first half of the Bleed tour because of this reason.

[@Slamthulhu]

It was because he had to change his foot technique to play the song, Thomas used to play alternating singles for pretty much everything before Bleed

[@Masterfighterx]

Now imagine your right hand doing those triplets for 7 min...

[@The_Fat_Turtle]

Dude could probably squish a lobster with his foot like it was a grape.

[@kb3yourmom912]

It took 6 months for him to master and they almost scrapped the song because he couldn't play it

[@optimus]

Normal Drummer= ParaDiddle Tomas Haake= ParaDoxaDiddle

[@jameschauvet3140]

optimus fact haha

[@JM-ll6hd]

You mean herta? It's a rudiment.

[@VortechBand]

PaRealitayddle

[@thomaskotowski6308]

what time signatures are they playing? Meshuggah: yes

[@sethdunlap9868]

Well said! 😂

[@KTF0]

Ha, when my virgin ears got introduced to this song, I asked my friend is that the guitars or the drums? And he said yes

[@synthrev848]

Don't overthink it. Yes, You can see it as different time signatures but if the song is in 4/4 the whole song is based on permutations and imaginary numbers.

[@26muca07]

I have the drum spreadsheet somewhere around my Hard Drive and he goes from 17/4 to 27/8 like nothing and then he relaxes with a 32/8 and back to 17/4 LOL

[@benceabraham4909]

Bro, it's 4/4

[@frizankrizizzo]

“Time is not where you think it is” spoken with pauses and hesitation almost as a question. That kinda sums up how I feel when I hear it

[@josuastangl7140]

10:45 that sums up Meshuggah pretty precisely

[@jmpsthrufyre]

Lol

[@everyonelovesmajima]

The screaming definitely isn't for everyone, it's just a shame when people don't realize what kind of insane, evil technical mastery there really can be in metal. Meshugah isn't super-technical in terms of just playing a thousand different notes for no reason but their timing and rhythm is from another universe entirely. Thomas Haake said he had to completely re-learn drums to play this song which is a statement I can't even comprehend.

[@philanaemic]

People really need to stop listening to the vocals as if it's a melodic or leading instrument. It's not, especially in Meshuggah, it's another rhythm sound along with the guitars. Tomas Haake writes the lyrics and works with Jens Kidman to make the vocal rhythms work with the instrumentals.

The thing with screaming, is that it's often an acquired taste rathert than a natural one. As coffe or whiskey can be. But even coffee or whiskey aren't a match for everyone in the end. But it's rarely right off the bat.

[@ericwilliams7374]

@ I like coffee.

[@self1sch]

@ Doesn't help that Kidmans screams aren't very versatile and sound almost the same on every song. The only small issue I got with the band

[@Pittaz]

I like coffee and whiskey

[@danielpedroso4311]

Haake actually mentioned before that he “feels” the song in straight 4/4, just with super fucked up bars. I honestly don’t understand how his brain works.

[@juanignacioquiroga4379]

It's because the song is in 4/4.

[@Nico8DS]

Polymeters are great. It's easy when you focus on 'where' the patterns match with the 4/4

[@GeneralShermanDidNothingWrong]

Polymeters are wack but for the most part if you ignore the kicks and count the snares they always fall on the third beat of 4/4

[@jameschauvet3140]

Nico V lol easy..

Most of his stuff is 4/4. It just feels like it's odd time signatures.

[@pierresimonetti2689]

I'm not a drummer but watching a metal drumming playthrough by a legendary drummer, commenting by a jazz drummer who knows perfectly what he is talking about, has something satisfying.

[@coltonlarrison1583]

“Did he change his socks?” “Yeah the other ones got worn out already”

[@piscesfreak1]

I love it when Meshuggah "dawns" on people.

[@The_Aleph_Null]

You mean when they go "oh wow fast legs but can the guy shut the fuck up"?

[@chronometa]

I loved the bill burr reaction.

[@kingbrutusxxvi]

If Tomas were any more relaxed we'd have to check for a pulse.

[@rickc2102]

It's like the dude that freeclimbed El Capitan, his pulse just doesn't rise like a mere mortal's.

[@FabianVanL]

Just look at his feet...

[@imrekalman9044]

I bet his heart would be doing a herta.

[@wakdcanuck2827]

You do the " bedebdabedabe" almost as good as Bill Burr

[@duhquadman]

This guy calls them the correct terminology, so I think Bill burr did it almost as good as this guy. "Herta"

[@TheDaner]

Ol Billy Rednuts!

[@lepooploser]

So trueee

[@dylanball85]

oh jeeeeeesus

[@lepooploser]

Is he Bill Burr's teacher?

[@MetalAllDayAllNight]

"Where's 1?" Lmao that's what all we headbangers ask (whether consciously or unconsciously) when we try to headbang to Meshuggah. My advice to people struggling to headbang to these poly-rhythmic bands is to follow along with the cymbals. But even then, sometimes that doesn't help lol

[@JM-ll6hd]

Not at all, been listening to them since "None". Its not that crazy.

[@terrynieuwoudt8586]

Follow the right hand, typically maintains the 4/4

[@KTF0]

It's easy to get once you listen to it thousands of thousands of times

[@JM-ll6hd]

@@KTF0 I dont like newer Meshuggah especially this boring shit. So definitely haven't listened more than a few times.

[@JaspergitaarNl]

Look at Jens (the singer), he's like the bands metronome with his head xD

[@DonjiPicudo]

I can't believe I've seen almost every reaction there is to this video, and just now, you are the first one that has noticed (and shown me) that he put on socks during the break, your attention to detail is amazing

[@kellyfunkhouser7210]

Mad respect to a man with a different background who can appreciate music he may not listen to. Keep it up dude

[@tehgjunki]

The first time I saw these guys live, and they played Bleed, I legitimately had an out of body experience. Bill Burr said it best when be said everyone needs to see this band live at least once.

[@JM-ll6hd]

Not necause of bleed.....

[@joshuamulligan4155]

I saw them last year with TOOL - had backstage access and it was a wild time. Like, yeah it was cool being stage left watching but i had to get into the crowd. It's the only way to go.

[@creepysplatter9260]

Unforfunately they don't play bleed too often anymore😢

[@TheNeonParadox]

His other socks were on fire. Had to change them during the break.

[@VirgoKing89]

Yeah before he wore socks, his feet were burning.

[@ashleydouthwaite9646]

Hahahahahahahahhaha best of the day

[@94e88]

Haake is like a diesel engine, finely tuned, steady and will never stop running, incredible.

[@mikeh6286]

I'm so happy this video is back up. I watch it every other month. 😆

[@DerHerrMitR]

Meshuggah are the musical embodyment of getting punched in the face with full force during a chess match and being forced to keep playing after.

[@ElliWoelfin]

So chess-boxing.

[@Goose21]

VSKKG dance like a butterfly, sting like a bee, I’m about to move my pawn down to F3

[@Squirrelconga]

Hahahaha! You KNOW that's right!!!

[@richardnoggin697]

You know that's actually a sport right? For real. Google it.

[@DerHerrMitR]

@@richardnoggin697 Thanks, I knew that. I meant being held prisoner and being forced to do it as opposed to being an actual chess boxing contestant. Got it? Good. :)

[@nok460]

Even the singer is fucking good. He counts tempo when singing to not get lost in this apparent mayhem.

[@Liam-fs5fe]

NOK he must be getting super powers from the face he be doin

[@jonhaukur3998]

Jens isn't doing anything particularly complex in terms of rhythm or time, he's just following 4/4

[@nok460]

@@jonhaukur3998 I mean almost every meshuggah song is in 4/4. Even Haake says so in interviews. Saw these dudes live in Lyon, I tell you man that singer is a madman.

[@shawnweber8524]

dude he's somehow gotten better and better over the coarse of 2 decades. He's insane.

[@bartoszbartosiewicz1123]

Jens does play guitar tho, he even has signature 8 string. I have no idea how much he contributes to writing but im sure he has some understanding of whats going on.

[@aprat]

The vocals are the cherry on top. They change texture and intensity on every verse, and they make the last verse the highlight.

[@technolung]

Dude you could play Bleed on your hat as a party trick

[@SlipKnoTRokr]

HAHAH this legitimately made me lawl

[@dalemaguire2866]

Never knew this drummer before this as i never really listened to meshuggah....I DO NOW!!!!! WOW!!! His timing and technique is ridiculous

[@garrettmillerdrums]

Look at those damn stick heights!

[@silenceyoufear7127]

Now you need to take the dive into some of their other songs. It gets even crazier than this.

[@OS_SWE]

I remember seeing them live in Stockholm around 1995. Was a very small club, and not many people at all. The stage was basically just the back part of the club, slightly elevated so you stood just inches from the band. They opened with Future Breed Machine, and Fredrik Thordendal from nowhere started blowing in a kazoo, mimicing that alarm sound that opens the track, and the song kicked in. And holy mother of god, it was like all our heads exploded in unison. Best concert experience in my life. I just imagine if they would have played Bleed in that club at that time...

[@Odd_Combo]

Future Breed Machine was my introduction to them, in the 5th grade. A friend made me a mix cd with some of the most absurd extreme metal. Some of which I still greatly enjoy over 20 years later. What an incredible song!

[@markwyman6753]

Yea man I wonder that game about going back 100, 200 years and playing people music from now... but yea this is like, a 20-year head-pop evolutionary-jump.

[@-IYN-]

Mehsuggah have that guy on the light control console who is a decent button-drummer player. Insane!

[@xxXthekevXxx]

I’m pretty sure light shows are made beforehand and synced up with the track

[@gabrielceolato2]

Most of lights are automatically programmed

[@Fredrikliljemark32]

They are programmed now but they wasnt before.

[@jameschauvet3140]

Kevin Benoit its actually not brother, it’s moments on moments. Its like saying this drumming is programmed because it sounds unbelievable, but he is doing it manually

[@Ballmans346]

@@jameschauvet3140 Hew used to do it manually. Thomas Haakes brother was the light guy. Unfortunately he didnt show up in their last tour.

[@nightowl9512]

came to this video after the clockworks reaction. nice to see u changed your mind abt listening to Meshuggah even casually :-)

[@theodorebear6714]

I'm amazed that you could get the rythm on your desk so quickly like that. You really are a talented drummer if you can do that. I'm a metal fan but I can respect anyone who can emulate the drums in bleed.

[@JM-ll6hd]

Its not that complicated at all.

[@andrejrmusic]

@@JM-ll6hd + it's a form of a rudiment

[@JM-ll6hd]

@@andrejrmusic it's just a rudiment....

[@callanc3925]

Its a pretty well known pattern

[@iangillies711]

It is a pretty simple rudiment but when they start throwing them in on different beats and subdivisions that’s when it gets hard to comprehend, at least for me

[@mcdeanos4590]

Messhugah don't follow time signatures Time signatures follow messhugah!

[@josuastangl7140]

In this context, 4/4 doesn't really mean a whole lot😂

[@jmpsthrufyre]

I am just thankful for the China and hat's and crashes on the downbeats. I'd be lost 90% of the time without them.

[@janitor6669]

Most of their drum stuff are based on rudiments.

[@GUOMENTAREVIEWS]

Messhugah. I guess you're from the States right?

[@raulglezdiaz9577]

@@GUOMENTAREVIEWS Sweden

[@tbellavitano7068]

Thanks for actually explaining your knowledge for patterns and music terms vs being a typical reaction video and just being like "WTF" "Duuuude" "WOW"... As an intermediate level musician I appreciate it educationally vs strictly an emotional reaction. Helps me with the understanding of why it's so unique.

[@tjbay13]

Nice. From one drummer to another... Haake is a mindbower right?! Loved your reaction to his footwork. He takes it to the next next next level. If you go further back into meshuggah's catalogue you'll hear the jazz connection more in his playing and the rest of the band too. They do some really cool jazzy breakdowns you'd like. Part of what drew me to them as a jazz drummer myself. Also, give the guitar solos some attention, they will conjure the likes of Miles and Coltrane which in itself is an epic thing to bring to metal. No wah wahs or wammy bars lol. Thordendal's playing and writing style in context or juxtaposition with the drums is revolutionary really. Like you said, the timing isnt what you think it is. So to speak anyway. In fact, you can literally pick numerous rhythms in any given meshuggah song to headbang to. I first heard meshuggah in 96, it changed my whole outlook on music in general and how I approach the drums. They can take a while to fully appreciate but the seed has been planted for you now buddy bahaha (evil laugh). Keep listening and before you know it... down the meshuggah rabbit hole you go. It's a done deal already you just don't quite know it yet. As far as vocals.... aggro vox is an art to itself but it is an extreme art and thus it can divide the listeners. Generally, you love it or you dont. However, as you can tell the rest of the band is top notch... so it stands to reason the vocalist must be too, right? That is the case. Those who either don't understand or cant relate immediately to heavy vocals have a bit of a hurdle to get over with meshuggah. I suggest you just take a few minutes now and then to sit down and either read some lyrics with a song or watch a meshuggah lyric video. If you really listen to what he is doing, it is impressive because he does it the tough way. Straight up mid range scream with lower and higher tones mixed in but very controlled while being full throttle too. The vocal rythms, tone, and sustain is what its about here... and really well written lyrics (written by haake actually). Look at it like a 5th intrument being played in a heavy style like the riffs and drums. It is not flashy screaming (nor is haake's drumming or meshuggahs overall sound) but it is just downright hard core tough as nails, super technique, next level theory, and an unrelenting sensory assualt on the listener. As the intro to their song "Aztec 2 Step" says... just "Listen...". All hail Shuggah.

[@sadchristopher9518]

I love how honest and human you always are

[@wakdcanuck2827]

"Time is not where you think it is", perfect album name

[@stevenlopez1380]

You're watching one of the best drummers in the world right there, lol

[@DrDr-pg5br]

I know. Who is this guy to analyze Haake? He obviously listened to this a lot and knew what he was going to say.

[@sguerilla6142]

@@DrDr-pg5br this '' jazz drummer'' don't know how to spell '' Haake''..

[@AndrewDeer1]

@@sguerilla6142 Oh, so that's how one knows if somebody is a good drummer!

[@DrDr-pg5br]

Wow. This got out of hand​...

[@ascarinights]

Yea how did it go from your question to an english grammar lesson

[@dawsonanderson4371]

You need to check out Mario Duplantier from the band Gojira! Amazing!

[@carleckert6794]

With Mushuggah, you have to take the vocals as another set of percussion instrument. Hence more of a mono tone than actully singing.

[@singemfrc]

Glad to hear someone else say that, I've been telling people that for years!

[@farclebaba]

Fellow drummer here, and huge fan of Meshuggah. They play rhythm cycles. Typically, in many of their songs, Tomas plays eighths, or quarters on the hats or china, laying the snare on 2 and 4 in the case of eights, or the 3 if you want to think of it as a quarter note ostinato. With his feet, he’ll play with the rhythm guitar riffs, which play phrases that extend over the bar line, and then resolve on 1, after X number of bars/measures. So, in effect, it’s like learning a very long group of phrases, because the snare falls on different parts of these phrases as they progress and eventually resolve, thus the rhythm cycle. Of course, you could also write out these phrases as multimeter, mixed measures, but Meshuggah themselves have said many times they conceive of, and write, their music in rhythm cycles. They use Cubase to compose these riffs under the ride/snare grid, and Tomas learns the composition. Any way you cut it, it’s amazing. I’m telling you, nobody else in metal writes the clever phrases these guys do. It’s amazing to me (and many others), and their songs tickle the musical part of my mind. Live, they are beyond any metal I’ve ever seen. Incredibly unique music. Their lead guitarist plays phrases that are abstract, obtuse, atmospheric lines that remind me strongly of Alan Holdsworth. Amazing.

[@josephdaqui2738]

Perfectly put - 100% agree with everything you stated. Well done!

[@hoshvilson]

This is probably the most accurate thing i have read capturing the Meshuggah philosophy behind their songwriting. Well said.

[@CpLKaNeZA]

Perfectly described the rhythm cycles they consistently use, nice one 👍👍🤘🤘and yeah shoutouts to Fredrik and his Master Alan (RiP 🙏🙏)

[@SamDaManX]

“See the time is not where you think it is” Meshuggah: time is a false construct

[@oliverjohn5566]

Yes time was invented lol

[@manifestgtr]

There’s an argument to be made that Tomas is the best the genre has ever seen. Not only does he have massive fusion chops, alien coordination and a soulful right hand...his playing launched an entire subgenre. I can’t think of too many other extreme drummers who’ve made such an impact.

[@SaltWaterDrums]

And don't forget his inhuman stamina. There's only a handful of drummers in the world can play stuff like this in a single take, much less live!

[@mattnsim]

I actually can’t imagine the world without this song existing.

[@devendasmusic]

Me neither

[@Jay_Wolfe]

Having been into this band since the early 90's, I absolutely love watching musicians reaction to them because they actually understand that what they're doing isn't just random noise. It takes skill and a heck of a lot of practice. Thank you for the vid :-) btw: Haake - Ha! Que?

[@MrFedX]

The same here. I remember getting Future breed machine on release day, bringing it home, putting the CD in the player... Oh man, that day changed my life.

[@riffgroove]

I discovered Meshuggah back in '92 when Contradictions Collapse came out. ( still have the cassette! ) They truly are a "musician's band," and I never get tired of seeing musicians react to them for the first time.

[@b.pilpson9017]

Fantastic breakdown

[@aboutthemetal8783]

This is what you get when one brother is a drummer and the other a guitarist and they have played together since they were little kids, awesome.

[@edloomingly7204]

Basically left speechless! That’s the normal reaction to meshuggah Love that band

[@poodlerooney]

What a great channel. I am a guitarist, not a drummer and I am more of a light alloy guy than a full on metal head, but I am fascinated by technique and crazy time signatures. Thanks for these videos!

[@Fenixsweden]

Saw an interview with thomas once and he said that this song was one of the hardest songs if not the hardest song on the entire album to make cause he had to rebuild his entire drumstyle. Basically he had to learn to play drum from scratch in a completely new way! And that! That´s motivation!

[@Fenixsweden]

@Richard Harrold yup, correct! Now, that´s dedication!

[@robotmedic2720]

I love watching reactions to that song. Everyone just sits with there jaw dropped. Long live Meshuggah.

[@MagnusTheUnholy]

Its hilarious to see the exact moment, the very second, that a mind was blown.

[@dantron7073]

3:55 You’re Welcome

[@josephstalin2829]

Thank you

[@juliannieves962]

Thanks

[@yankeedoodle9443]

Takes acid once. "Time isnt what you think it is."

[@tim.noonan]

If that’s what you take away from taking acid, you didn’t take enough acid

[@sittlerpierre2245]

@@tim.noonan Lsd gatekeepers are lame

[@fabiansanchez7203]

@@sittlerpierre2245 if you think acid gatekeepers are lame you haven't taken enough acid

[@fabiansanchez7203]

@@sittlerpierre2245 if you think acid gatekeepers are lame you haven't taken enough acid

[@panchoperfulcro8708]

@@tim.noonan I would say it is still an interesting take about Time not being where you think it is... I would stil say take more though

[@virnalinebrida-sunga7748]

they used to not use clicks, up until 2012 I believe (this song was released 2008), now they use click tracks not because they can't pull it off (Meshuggah has had the reputation to be one of the tightest, if not the tightest, band on earth) but because they syncronize their playing to the programmed lights in their concerts

[@That_Idiot_Bass_Player]

Actually I think (at least he used to do this) their lighting guy Edvard Hansson learns the songs and "plays" the lighting controller along with the band. There are some videos of him doing this

[@virnalinebrida-sunga7748]

@@That_Idiot_Bass_Player that was the early days of the epic light shows, actually i might be wrong,maybe they started the clicks back in 2014 and not 2012

[@wookieblaster]

They might have a click to kick off the song and sync the light desk initially...

[@cdsmock4512]

Literally the only "reaction" person that picked up on the hertas. And you heard it immediately. Kudos.

[@multifister47]

People will always talk shit about metal, but it is never someone that knows what they’re talking about. The people they listen to will hear bands like this and consistently be impressed by the skill of the people that can play at this level.

[@dirtpile]

Check out Gene Hoglan playing Skeksis (Strapping Young Lad song)

[@crazyjoedavola5430]

For sure...

[@xXSTYLExSNYPESXx]

Or the Philosopher

[@MeanT241985]

I love his work on Almost Again....he went off.

[@RealDeathMetalLover]

Or Symbolic in Death, holy crap!

[@StepSoftlyGhost]

Yes mate, quality shout.

[@k1roux183]

"where is one? It's a fun game to play, where is one.?" Hey, welcome to meshuggah xD

[@_Flyingwhales]

A great definition of Meshuggah: "time it`s not where you think it is!"

[@GhostDrummer]

I love your honest reactions. I’m a drummer. Started in 1991. I love watching drummers reacting to other drummers. Especially when the reaction is of a different genre then the reacting drummer plays.

[@justinfalzon1613]

The best Bleed reaction video on the internet

[@MellonVegan]

So usually these days, they start their set with the first two or three songs from their new album without a real pause, they just go. That onslaught wears people out with all the crazy moshing, so that they can unpack their psychedelic shit (including a laser light show etc) and people will just go into trance from there. You will literally see a large number of people dancing like drunk marionettes and look into two directions at once. It's insane. Bleed isn't necessarily a typical song of theirs in some ways but in others, it is. I'd HIGHLY recommend checking out Tomas' playthrough of Clockworks. Cool video, will check out more of your stuff :)

[@TheRealPabloDomingo]

I saw Meshuggah at ArcTangent Festival recently and during Clockworks it felt like my mind was unhinging!

[@tobydude100]

Hey you definitely need to check out the "Clockworks" and "Nostrum" playthroughs. Anyway, awesome video man, keep at it. Respect from The UK! 🤘🏼

[@That_Idiot_Bass_Player]

Clockworks might be the "jazziest" in the sense that he does that thing where he keeps the pulse with his right hand. Nostrum, I don't know what you'd call that. Snarepocalypse?

[@garrettmillerdrums]

@@That_Idiot_Bass_Player I'll check out clockworks next, thanks guys.

[@That_Idiot_Bass_Player]

@@garrettmillerdrums so, did you ever check out Clockworks? 😃

[@mr22turner]

You.."could do without the scream"... Metal fans - Stop being a baby. Its perfect.

[@rickc2102]

His screams are better on the album than on this performance. Too much retching glides. Not into goregrind and such.

[@aramkaizer7903]

@@rickc2102 There's nothing Goregrind about anything that Meshuggah does. What the actual hell are you talking about.

[@mushycfc]

@@rickc2102 goregrind 😂

[@jneiberger]

I'm with him. Not really into generic singers who sound like Cookie Monster with a sore throat. You don't even have to bother writing lyrics for that shit. I've tried many times to appreciate it, to figure out what is appealing about it, but it escapes me. I swear to god I've tried. I just don't get it. And the bands who try to be all dark and edgy crack me up, especially the Scandinavian bands: "All of life is gloom and despaiiiiiiiiirrrrr....except for Sweden, with universal health caaaarrrrrrrreeee." Or something. Boring AF after a few minutes.

[@jneiberger]

@Sebastian True. I don't mind screaming as much. But the growling is just hilarious and annoying to me.

[@SaltWaterDrums]

With every other person who I've seen react to this, their brains melt out of their ears (which, I mean, fair) in the first ten seconds and they sit their open-mouthed and mumbling in shock and fear for the remainder of the video. I always wondered what it was about Haake's footwork that sounded so distinctly different from other metal I listen to. You pointing out that he's using hybrid snare rudiments like drags and hertas on the kick makes it crystal clear. Still WAYYYY beyond my skill level, but clear. Ya got yourself a new subscriber!

[@maotemplar]

this drummer worked on this song 6 months and brought the human evolution a step beyond. more than a drum lesson, it is a life lesson.

[@Philosotox]

"Where's the 1. That's a fun game" LMAO

[@curtiscole7486]

Review anything with Matt Garstka from Animals as Leaders.

[@andyXquick]

second this!

[@curtiscole7486]

@@andyXquick just found out that he did two weeks ago. I should just start looking things up first.

[@aneliigarcia7158]

Yawn..... Research Hellhammer.

[@metalforever12085]

@@aneliigarcia7158 why even mention Hellhammer? AAL drumming is beyond the greatest black metal drummers

[@aneliigarcia7158]

That’s really funny.

[@mathiasthelander7834]

Loving the reaction at the fill 😀

[@Philip1891]

Love it, outta all “reaction-vids” from “Bleed” you’re probably the only one whk actually explains the difficulty while watching it first-handedly! Mad props dude 👏🏼👌🏼

[@spasgeorgiev6909]

Love that you are analyzing the technical part of the music - no unnecessary commenting. Immediate subscribe!

[@BeardedBetts]

A few of my favorite drummers ya may enjoy reacting to: Blake Richardson - Between the buried and me. Dave Turncrantz - Russian Circles. Matt Gartska - animals as leaders. Gavin Harrison - porcupine tree. Dave Lebleau - the Mercury program.

[@joshuamulligan4155]

Michael Jordan is the Blake Richardson of basketball

[@itz_premium]

1 3 and 4 for sure. I love their writing styles. Probably my 3 biggest influences next to Carey and the early years of Portnoy.. Gavin Harrison is a MASTER of dynamics.

[@Nothing-bl7bj]

Watch how he plays the snare at the 7:30 - 7:47 mark. A little touch I always loved about this song.

[@Scotty515]

This song is a beast, i studied and performed(as best as I can haha) the first half of this for my drum exam a few months back. It's a hell of a lot of work, but like the majority of their material the whole song is in 4/4 but they play off a lot of displacements. That bit in the middle where you were asking where the 1 is, has no definite pulse because the emphasized pattern is in like 11/8 but the hack to to feeling it in 4 is to treat the hands like an odd time Mozambique and where ever there is a double on the right hand would be where the RLR on the feet goes in. So that way it's constant 16th on the hands which is what grounds you to the pulse :)

[@tfwnoyandere]

100% 4/4

[@lilly8958]

"See time is not where you think it is" is precisesly why I love music and Meshuggah is my fav band.

[@Abbaddonna]

this is the best reaction video I've seen so far, I love this song, it is an outstanding piece of music, and myself not being a drummer and a very poor musician, I really appreciated your explanations of what mr. Haake is doing here. I knew it was complex, but didn't realize how much. thank you very much!

[@musicentertainment553]

Meshuggah's singer is way underrated. To be able sing on time over all that crazyness!!! You may not like the screaming but the guy has amazing time and that is rare on a vocalist.

[@jakobwest4811]

@@sedated_ape Its the only reason I don't listen to Meshuggah, I can't stand his vocals.

[@dantei.1194]

“Did he just change his socks?” 🤣

[@thiagobravo]

"They just worn out."

[@ETA555]

I Guess he was wearing 2 sets from the start.

[@ZolFox]

I remember hearing Haake say in an interview that he had to essentially relearn how to play drums just cuz of this song and I’m guessing that’s what you were referring to with the triplets starting on one foot then THE OTHER rather than always starting with the dominant cuz I don’t think the song is playable that way...well it’s essentially not playable any way. Probably only for a select few drummers on the planet. Cuz I got pretty good at drums at one point and I can play through almost every one of their songs. This one...basically the only part I can do is that break in the middle where there’s no drums lol.

[@pedrocarlos7287]

'He's changed his socks.' Best comment.

[@MoonJellyGames]

"Time gets fucked up with these guys" That's the most accurate description of Meshuggah I've ever heard.

[@mikesliff]

11:14 Garrett: "yeah, time gets fucked up with these guys." Yes, Garrett... That is the literal definition of Meshuggah. 😂

[@filippians413]

One of the best metal songs of all time.

[@MajesticDemonLord]

One interesting thing I've always found with Thomas Haake (Bearing in mind I'm not a huge Meshuggah fan) is that of all the Drummers I've ever heard, he has the most prominent 4/4 Pulse in all of his playing. 'But he rarely plays simple time signatures - check out this that's some ridiculas number of another silly number' - Listen to his right hand, it's so consistent and you can hear the 4 count in his playing, regardless of what Time Sig he's actually doing, there's a constant 1,2,3,4 on the hi hats or ride for A LOT of his playing - and considering what he's actually playing, it makes it even more impressive.

[@silenceyoufear7127]

I think it's what keeps all their songs centered. If it wasn't for that pulse a lot of their music would just sound like a bunch of random beats. That constant 4/4 keep it all tied together and gives the song a good foundation.

[@notadestinygun6556]

@@silenceyoufear7127 Ive heard Haake explain in an interview that thats actually the purpose of it. Also to help everyone just really stay in time and not drag or speed up.

[@Jonnygurudesigns]

His ability to recognize the shit first time only adds to my respect for him in his reaction videos .. Tap tap, tap the hat!

[@MadSandman]

One of my favorite song of all time. I knew what they were doing is insane, insanely powerful and beautiful, but I've very basic understanding of music theory and listening to you talking about this song made me realise that it's even crazier than I thought. Thank you.