Released 20 years ago
Nothing
Meshuggah · 2006
53 min · 10 tracks · progressive metal
A relentless barrage of polyrhythmic chaos interspersed with haunting melodies, embodying the essence of avant-garde metal.
Top tracks — play these first
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Rational Gaze — This track exemplifies Meshuggah's signature sound with its intricate rhythms and dissonant riffs, encapsulating their unique approach to songwriting.
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Stengah Start here — Kicking off the album, Stengah showcases a blend of crushing heaviness and melodic elements, setting the tone for the entire record.
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Perpetual Black Second — This track’s relentless pace and complex structures highlight the band's mastery over rhythm, making it a standout example of their avant-garde style.
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Organic Shadows — With its atmospheric soundscapes and layered instrumentation, this track demonstrates Meshuggah's ability to fuse heaviness with ambient textures effectively.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
Meshuggah's 'Nothing' showcases intricate compositions and technical mastery, solidifying its place in progressive metal.
What we noticed
- Several tracks incorporate haunting melodic interludes that contrast sharply with the aggressive instrumentation.
- The first half of the album maintains a relentless pace, while the latter half introduces more atmospheric elements and varied dynamics.
- Composition 25% of the score
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8/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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9/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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7/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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9/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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8/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Significant within its genre. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- steady mid-tempo exploration
- eerie melodies amidst complexity
- focused headphone detail hunting
- immersive journey through texture
Maybe skip if you
- seeking upbeat, fast-paced tracks
- prefer short standalone songs
Where this album fits
- In the catalog
- Critical Peak — Represents a high point in Meshuggah's artistic development and influence.
- Themes
- polyrhythmic chaos· ambient heaviness· mechanical precision
- Career context
- Released in 2006, Nothing is Meshuggah's sixth studio album and follows their critically acclaimed effort, Catch Thirtythree. This record marks a point where the band solidified their influence on the djent movement, further pushing the boundaries of extreme metal with complex time signatures and innovative songwriting.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Gojira· Tesseract· Between the Buried and Me
Tracklist
- 1 Stengah Start here 5:38
- 2 Rational Gaze 5:04
- 3 Perpetual Black Second 4:38
- 4 Closed Eye Visuals 7:25
- 5 Glints Collide 4:55
- 6 Organic Shadows 5:07
- 7 Straws Pulled at Random 5:10
- 8 Spasm 4:14
- 9 Nebulous 6:33
- 10 Obsidian 4:22
If this landed
Records by other artists that run on the same instinct.
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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