Search - Meshuggah :: True Human Design

An E.P You Can Surprisingly Listen to, Again and Again

Mono-Grind | Here | 04/09/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"You wouldn't think that, with 4 remixed versions of the Meshuggah song "Future Breed Machine" and 1 Live version of it, you could listen to this over and over again and enjoy it everytime. But you definitely can. "Future Breed Machine" to me, is a great Meshuggah song, but not one of my personal favourites..But i can still listen to this, and keep coming back to it, because it's Meshuggah. And they really make great remixes of their songs too.



The first song "Sane", is the exact version you'll hear on their 1998 album "Chaosphere"..so to fans who already have "Chaosphere" there's nothing new there. And to fans who maybe don't own "Chaosphere", "Sane" is a good 'sample' of what that album sounds like. In my opinion, their best album to date.



The second song is the Live version of "Future Breed Machine", recorded in Umeå, Sweden in May 1997. It's actually the only Live song of theirs i have ever heard, and it truly blows me away with how tight they are on stage as well as in the studio. Nothing is out of place here, and they really capture the intensity of the show too.



The "Mayhem" version of "Future Breed Machine" starts off slow, and then on comes the crushingly heavy slowed-down riffs. Believe me, the riffs mixed with Jens Kidmans screaming, really define how heavy Meshuggah are/can be..even if this is a remix of the song "Future Breed Machine". This song in many ways, reminds me of the "Concatenation Slomo Remix" that can be found on the Meshuggah "Rare Trax" CD, released in 2001. They're both equally as heavy, i think.



The "Campfire" version of "Future Breed Machine" is basically a short, amusing (At first), version of the song that can really get tedious after the first few listens. I don't know who sings it, it's definitely not Jens Kidman, but they do get really annoying after a while. But it shows that Meshuggah do have a sense of humour, and don't take themselves too seriously like some other Metal bands.



The next two songs that follow are techno remixes of "Future Breed Machine", that are actually pretty listenable. Both go over the 6 minute mark, and it's hard at times to really pick out which parts of "Future Breed Machine" are in there..sometimes there's no connection at all..but both are good experimental tracks. The first one almost sounds like an atmospheric Godflesh, if you know of that band, with how Jens Kidmans screaming vocals are heard at particular times during the song. And the second techno remix (Which i think is better) sounds more advanced and technical..almost like Autechre in a small way. It also has Jens Kidmans screaming vocals in it too, at certain times.



So, if you really like the song "Future Breed Machine", then i think you'll thoroughly enjoy this E.P. If you're like me, and find it's a great song but it isn't one of your favourites, then you'll obviously still enjoy it as well.



I give it 4/5. A great E.P by a truly unique and amazingly talented band."

A loud mix of Meshuggah

Mono-Grind | 06/17/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"What you get with this album is a mixed bag, but nonetheless crushingly brutal Meshuggah. This is what EPs are meant to do, allow some leverage for the band and allow them to try some new stuff and have some fun, which is exactly what this album accomplishes. With this you get Meshuggah, and their unbridled aggression and extremely complicated musical style of metal. The CD opens with Sane, a song more tuned to Chaosphere-style Meshuggah. It is typical DEI Meshuggal bit a bit faster with lots of cymbals; a great aggression-dripping song. Then we have a live version of FBM, which is definitely on my list for the best metal song of all time. How they accomplish their music live with the same techical proficiency as on their recordings is an insurmountable feat that only this band could accomplish. They have just as much energy live, according to this track, if not more so than on thier recordings. Metal fans, get ready for THE heaviest song ever recorded. The Mayhem version of FBM the most aggression and anger-filled opus ever concieved. This track will blow you away with its heaviness. This song is the personification of a heavy song. Hear it for yourself, I'm sure you'll agree. Then there is a funny version of FBM, which proves this band has a sense a humor in addition to excellect musucianship. Then we have 2 techno mixes of FBM, the first of which is more of actual techno. It is an interesting mix, definitely catches your attention. The second is FBM, but in an almost ambient/atmospheric mix. The results are amazing, as this long track proves that techno, ambient, and heavy music can collide and just sound good and aggressive. This is not an album for the uninitiated to Meshuggah, as it is just not representative of their sound. But for the Meshuggah fan, it is an excellent Meshuggah release that demands your attention."

Few Humans in Mind

Mono-Grind | 04/04/2003

(3 out of 5 stars)

"True Human Design . . . a must for Meshuggah fans, but hardly an essential disc for the curious listener. Futile Bread Machine is the only stand-out track on this EP. Although it is nice to hear Meshuggah's live prowess, it would be infinitely nicer to have an entire live Meshuggah album--only one live song just leaves you hanging, especially when it isn't one of their greatest songs. Still, it is worth buying just to hear Meshuggah make fun of themselves and play "unplugged"--and the artwork is pretty cool."