Album Review: Meshuggah – Catch Thirtythree [Reissue]
Reviewed by Oli Gonzalez
Meshuggah. A name that instantly demands respect from seasoned musicians and casual music fans alike. More than a one hit wonder – though ‘Bleed’ is by far their most recognisable and famous song – the Swedish legends have crushed pretty much every stage they have ever stepped foot on. Though they’re reaching the twilight of their epic career now, recent performances on British soil at Bloodstock Open Air, Arctangent, and Download festivals show that they’ve still very much got it! The jury is very much out as to which of their studio albums takes top prize as their finest. Some point to “Obzen”, whilst others argue the case for “Violent Of Sleep Of Reason”. Under the microscope today will be “Catch Thirty Three”, an album widely considered to be crucial in establishing Meshuggah’s reputation amongst extreme metal’s elite.
Right from the start, you can see why they’ve earned this reputation! With no fancy introductions to ease you in, they drop you straight into the deep end and watch you squirm with unease during ‘Autonomy Lost’! Before you’ve even had time to process the all-consuming waves of distortion, you’re immediately thrown into the next song…and then the next! It’s 2026 now, and the band have become subject to multiple memes and stitches given the relentlessly brutal guitar tones and unfathomably complex rhythmic patterns and structures. How did they even decide how to write something like this? What inspired this ? I’d have loved to have been a fly on the wall during a writing session!
Things slow down considerably during ‘The Paradoxical Cycle’, and whilst the pace has reduced, this is still a suffocating maelstrom, a nigh-on impossible enigma to decode and unravel! Whilst the crushing guitar and bass tones take front and centre, one cannot overlook the metronomic drumming of Tomas Haake. As compared to the original – which utilised programmed tracks from the ‘Drumkit From Hell’ – there’s something that feels different in this remix. With sharper snare hits and cymbal strikes with much greater resonance and reverb, these feel like the work of a genuine acoustic kit; a sound that simply cannot be fully captured digitally. Or maybe that’s just my interpretation!
Another constant within the album is the sharper and ferocious mid-range growls of Jens Kidman. A ferociously underrated metal vocalist who’s receiving the praise he deserves finally in this late stage of his career.
If the sonic pounding was too much, you have chance to get some respite in the shape of ‘Minds Mirror’. With the futuristic electronic vibe – best personified by the heavily distorted spoken word – evolving into the haunting and spinechilling series of guitar arpeggios to keep you on edge. Then suddenly, you’re thrown back into another near 20 minute frenzy where you’re left to fend yourself! Every song flows gracefully into the next feeling like one continuous onslaught, designed to be consumed in one setting! Though the band show some mercy, and allow you time to decompress and offer some kind of debrief in the form of the 7 minute ambient track ‘Sum’.
Some may point to the repetitive nature of the songs and the album feeling a little copy and paste at times. That may be valid. This isn’t for everybody. “Catch Thirty Three” certainly isn’t easy-listening or accessible metal. It’s designed for those craving unparalleled heaviness and will satiate lovers of punishingly crushing grooves. “Catch Thirty Three” serves as an empathetic reminder of Meshuggah’s unquestioned legacy and impact they’ve left on the world of metal.
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