Not being a big fan of most industrial music, my first thought upon first hearing Meshuggah was, "I like this kind of complex industrial music." After listening further, I realized it wasn't industrial music, there was no sampling or anything like that; it had just a very intense machine-like sound.

That is the Meshuggah sound, and it comes from the harshest, most dried-out guitar tone I've ever heard, a hollow and very punchy bass drum sound, and the inorganic tightness that the entire band plays with. Over this basic sound, they place harsh dry-lung shouting, surreal jazz-colored solos, and clean, odd-length arpeggios.

Meshuggah also alienates/interests with their repetitive polyrhythms and start/stop riffs that seem to break up the groove at first, yet after a while seem to build one up. On None, the rhythms are not as complex as on DEI but are more focused and effective.

The songs are also more focused; there is not a single moment where the listener does not know where to "look." The best songs are Humiliative and the absolutely crushing Gods of Rapture.

None is a good strong EP - harsh, alien, grooving, and focused.

© 1999 abasmagorsulpherion