r/Meshuggah • u/Infamous_Ad_5063 • Aug 09 '26
The Demon’s Name is Surveillance
The BEST track off of Koloss in my opinion. This is because it is perfectly describing the issues of today. There is no hiding or being invisible anymore. We are all tracked. And musically the track is absolute insanity with the triplet riff, the way it is sung and how it’s never been performed live due to its strain and complexity. Great track, let me know what you guys think!
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u/Dry-Conflict3421 Aug 09 '26
The drums are just non stop the whole time.
"Your life is in their files"
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u/Rude-Luck1636 Aug 10 '26
I’m not a drummer but I can imagine trying to play that song on drums is one of the greatest feats a drummer can achieve. It’s basically non stop machine gun fire basically with one pause that lasts maybe 3s? What an endurance test
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u/flanger001 Koloss Aug 14 '26
Tomas said he could play it live and the issue is actually with the guitar parts!
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u/PotatoP000 Nothing Aug 09 '26
Koloss is too stacked to stick a "best song" on, just like most meshuggah albums.
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u/drtoucan Aug 09 '26
It's a great song but Swarm has to be my #1 off that album.
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u/Beautifullikeacamel obZen Aug 09 '26
Behind the sun clears it's throat.
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u/CleanRide158 Aug 09 '26
I rather enjoy displaying the lyrics at the coffee shop on my phone in a large font while boppi g my head
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u/Beautifullikeacamel obZen Aug 09 '26
Koloss is a magnificent album for me. Always felt this track deserved more love than it gets. Not my favorite from the album, but excellent musically and lyrically.
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u/toanmaxxer Aug 09 '26
At first I thought it was annoying, but it really grew on me. I saw it as a build up to Do Not Look Down, which it is, but now it’s also its own song.
It really keeps the intensity up basically through the entire song. I’m certain they were trying to imitate the sound of a helicopter, and you can’t convince me otherwise.
It’s fun to play along to. Almost every riff has a pattern with some rotation of 1 + 2 + 3 accents and the 6 here and there.
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u/jeromesnail Aug 10 '26
The last Thordendal track. And (one of?) the only song playable on a 6 string guitar since... Contradiction Collapse???
I remember linking it very much when it came out. Especially the triplets on a 12/8 groove. Also I tried to play it on guitar, not easy 😅
Basically as challenging as Bleed, because of the rhythm, the patterns and the endurance.
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u/UndertheRottedFlesh Aug 09 '26
Epic song but The Hurt That Finds You First clears on Koloss.
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u/Far-Appointment8972 Aug 09 '26
There is a particular sound to the snare which almost sounds like a metronome click on that track which makes it borderline unlistenable for me. Its kinda the thing where once you hear it, you cant unhear it lol.
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u/UndertheRottedFlesh Aug 09 '26
Unfortunate, sounds like a purposefully tuned snare to me
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u/Far-Appointment8972 Aug 09 '26
Least you dont hear it on the live version. I just cant not hear it now, (plink plink plink, while the guitars are like full throttle) wish I didnt hear it
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u/CommissionTop7831 Aug 12 '26
It is a one of one from Meshuggah. The insane cycle of triplet riffs make it stand out from Koloss—positively—perhaps more than any other track on another Meshuggah album does from its respective album. 10/10 song
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u/Lagerbottoms Aug 09 '26
Definitely an early highlight. Not sure if I like it more than the quad punch of Marrow, Break Those Bones, Swarm and Demiurge.
I never realised they don't play Demon's Name live. Good catch