A Snail Along A Straight Razor – Dividing Itself Through Motion

Song: ” I “

Artist: Meshuggah

Album: I [EP] (2004)

… Umeå, Sweden …

This is probably my favourite EP at the moment, its like mechanical sledgehammer lobotomizing you. From the very start of the track you get those blast beats and that one cord repeated over and over again until it all stops for a second then explodes in one long, agonizing scream.

” I “ is composed of one, 21 minute long track. Once again Meshuggah’smathematical precision is astounding and they manage to create a track that is not only colossal in structure but also in sound. From the oddly timed progression to their amazing drumming and rapid fire guitar work, I just cant get enough at the moment.

The track itself was described by Meshuggah “about a self…a psyche trying to decide if he is put on this earth to be a human or the nemesis of mankind.” To me it outlines the fact that we all have the ability to create but more often its our ability to destroy that comes to the forefront.

Sleep On…Fly On

Song: “Ants Of The Sky”

Artist: Between The Buried And Me

Album: Colors (2007)

…North Carolina, United States…

An absolutely exceptional album, diverse, extremely technical and complex with each song having a myriad of influence that bubble to the surface. It is a monster of an album with a ravenous appetite to match.

Ants of the sky is the centre piece of the album, and illustrates perfectly the diversity that this album has created. Whether it be middle eastern or jazz influences or in the case of this song, towards the end, country music (a hoedown, complete with clinking bottles and a good ‘ol time in the background) you find no matter how far they divert, in the end they always return to the central metal sound of the track.

“I wrote this song in an airport. When I listen to music on my headphones, I like to watch the world work and think about what every single person is doing that day. This song is about each one of us creating our own itinerary and flying through our life on one big vacation. Trying to find happiness, perfection, and love.

It’s a “bloody, bumpy” road for most, and others it’s a wonderful journey. We fly away from our problems and towards our solutions (at least what we think are our solutions). We are the ants of the sky…aka the walking dead.”
-Tommy

Lastfm – http://www.last.fm/music/Between+the+Buried+and+Me