On Meshuggah’s seventh album they waste no time kicking it into heavy gear with the legendary sound fans have come to expect. They turn down the technical aspect a bit in favor of a slightly slower chugging guitar. Their previous effort obZen was flirting with the technical aspect a little too much so Koloss is a welcome departure. Not to say these Swedish fellas have lost their edge; one listen to tracks like “The Demon’s Name is Surveillance” and “Swarm” will reassure any fan that the band are still firmly planted in their roots. They are simply branching out in ways that make each album unique. The album in its entirety is absolutely exhausting. Come the last riff of “Demiurge,” the listener is blessed with a slow instrumental to close things out and in perfect time; any more punishing riffs and you would be bleeding out of your ears and your brain would be mush. “Do Not Look Down” and “Marrow” open with friendly almost bouncy riffs that draw you in, but the intensity resurrects itself quickly and the listener is thrown, once again, into an uncontrollable fit of rage. This album is certainly one of Meshuggah’s finest to date. (Nuclear Blast, nuclearblast.de/en) Scott Wolfe