“Immutable” is a word that means “unchanging” or “unable to be changed.” Here, it might bear a cheeky double entendre, referring to a sound so loud that it cannot be muted.
In the case of tech-metal legends Meshuggah, either is accurate. The Swedish quintet has spent so long playing oppressively heavy metal that it’s sometimes difficult to remember that they themselves are mere mortals, not the eternal metal demigods that they seem.
Meshuggah isn’t just textbook djent: they’re basically the reason the genre exists. Their signature sound, comprised of ultra-detuned riffs through uber-distorted amps and experimental time signature changes, has been copied by countless imitators. But even with a throng of proselytes marching behind them, there’s no substitute for the real thing. While many djent bands can come across as almost cartoonishly heavy, Meshuggah is deadly serious about what they do.
Immutable—their ninth studio album—offers up exactly what Meshuggah does best. The riffs are punishing and brutal, guitars so thick that they sound more percussive than melodic. Dissonant lead lines feel like the onset of insanity. The drums pound so rapidly and powerfully it feels like your skull is getting kicked in.
Yet despite staying true to their trademarks, there are plenty of surprises. The most enjoyable of which is likely the near-ten minute instrumental “They Move Below.” It opens with cascading layers of clean guitars before kicking in with a commanding riff that proves the thickness of their guitars doesn’t require an absurd tempo. As the track continues, lead guitar soars high above the rhythm section while the band flexes off some seldom-seen melodic muscles. The closing moments adopt a major key and rung out chords that would be more expected from Pelican than Meshuggah.
The track is a bit of a change for the icons, but it doesn’t feel out of character. Even playing at a slightly lighter shade, they retain every mite of their power. And in the middle of a sixty-minute tour-de-force, the track serves to make everything on either side of it sound even more devastating. And with monstrous tracks like “The Abysmal Eye,” “Kaleidoscope,”and “Armies of the Preposterous,” it’s clear that Meshuggah isn’t content to do what they do best: they’re pushing themselves to be the best they ever were. A formidable task, given their body of work, but Meshuggah is up to the task, and Immutable isn’t found wanting.
Immutable is out April 1 on Atomic Fire.
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