A lot of songs have parts like that in them. Is there a guitar solo after the first chorus and before the verse? That's probably there to give the singer a short break. The glockenspiel part of Closer to the Heart was added so Alex Lifeson would have time to switch from his acoustic to an electric.
@@j.alvarado7629 Sorry, but you are a complete moron if you actually believe that the guitars/bass isn't that hard. Yeah, playing the main riff at full speed a couple of times isn't maybe the hardest thing, but this song is over 7 minutes. It's quite a big challenge and exercise in rhythm and stamina to play this song perfectly from start to finish. Any guitar player that actually tried to play this song would tell you the same.
@@j.alvarado7629 If you had basic reading comprehension skills you'd understand that my point wasn't about what technique to use to play this song. But rather that you claimed it isn't that hard or an easy song to play on guitar/bass which is just ridiculous. "Not that hard" and easy songs is something a beginner/intermediate player could learn pretty fast with some practice. No way a guitarist of that caliber ever learns how to play this song flawlessly from beginning to finish. Period. And besides, your so called "argument" could be applied to the drums also. Haake plays the same patterns on drums with his feet as the guitars do and it's all about technique and movement economy for the drums as well. Still doesn't make it an easy song in any shape or form.
@@j.alvarado7629 Yes, you did. Did I say something else? How is that basic reading comprehension going for you? Drums play same pattern as guitar. Both guitar and drums require technique, stamina and movement economy to play properly (specially if you are gonna play it TIGHT for 7 minutes). Still you say that the guitar is easy and the drums are hard. That makes no sense. Overall, the drums are probably harder, yes, but the guitar is by no means "easy". You know what's easy? Smells like teen spirit or shit like that. Do you now understand my point or do I have explain myself so even a child would understand? And no, most guitar players would not play the whole song from beginning to end properly after two years. And you keep bringing up and assuming my skill of guitar like it is relevant. It isn't. But since I can actually play it properly I know it's not an easy song. But let me guess, you are that player that's been playing for 2 years and thinks you pull off Bleed flawlessly but it sounds like shit but you don't realize it? Yeah, we've all been there... thinking we were good but then you realize after you've been playing for 5-10 or even 20 years that you were complete garbage and that you still have a lot to learn.
Not even Haake could play this according to what he said in an interview he gave some years back. He said that he really had to learn a whole different way of playing the drums to master this.
It's actually not triplets (although on the surface it does sound like that). If you're familiar with drum rudiments, the riff follows a "herta" pattern which can be thought of as 2 32nd notes followed by 2 16th notes. In total it takes up 3 sixteenth notes worth of time before it repeats which creates the over-the-bar-line polymeter feel of the song. Very cool tune and pattern.
Music that brutal and precise cannot be created by minds that are anywhere near true insanity. This performance is like the Blood Angels from Warhammer 40k took off their powered armor and decided to slay some ears for a change, lol.
Well put, if you get past the first impression of "this is just chaos" it actually makes a lot of sense. Many of their songs including Bleed are (mostly) 4/4.
word. it's something that's worth pointing out people bitch about repetition in their music as if repetition weren't a staple characteristic of music in general. their music isn't exactly intuitive, the repetition just gives you time to let it sink in, but more importantly, most of their riffs _need_ to be repeated a certain number of times for the rhythm to come back around and put them in an appropriate place to move on to the next riff. like, for the purpose of timing. their music is difficult enough without having to lop measures in half every time they progress to a new riff.
@Barry Oliver well bu your definition, it’s actually been done a bunch. Indian classical music for instance is devoid of western style harmony entirely, replaced by greater melodic and rhythmic intricacies.
@@pat8437 this is true; however this approach is new to western music which is why Meshuggah is so revolutionary. Add in the fact that they are from the sticks in sweden and self taught is truly genius. Apparently their biggest influences are actually electronic groups such as Autechre and Squarepusher, and it totally shows. They don't listen to other metal, which is why they sound incredibly unique.
Nod TM I concur!.... Live is so much better and dare I say heavier!.... especially when they launch into Bleed without any intro or clue!....... Snap your spine moment!
***** Chugging under low F string is basically what they have been doing for past two decades, isn't it? Its just our personal opinion. And yes their will be moments in the set where you feel bored with odd time and heavy tone but am sure you will have the best brutal heavy djenty metal headbanging moshing experience.
There is no song I've played that burn my shin muscles more in 13 years of playing than bleed. This is one tough song to get down. The patterns, the changes and the endurance are super tough. Your feet never stop moving.
The intro riff has to be most addictive riff i've heard. I've heard this song thousands of times and it still doesn't get boring. My jogging playlist starts with this and i can run fuckin miles just from this song.
Yeah as Mezei already mentioned, it's all in 4/4. As for the syncopated (a.k.a "choppy") subdivisions, most of it is based on what's called "the Herta", i.e. three 32nd notes followed by one 16th note. Granted, the Herta fits more naturally in other time signatures, 12/8 for example , but clearly it works here as well ;)
Lance Jones I was worried when I was going to see Lamb of God live if they'd sound as good as they do in the studio. I had nothing to worry about, I found out they practice 5 days a week to keep their songs sounding tight live.
it actually sounds a bit heavier I think. besides the lower voice, the slightly different notes of the guitar solo and the cheering, it's almost like a remix
ticks and leeches, bleed, dance of eternity, angel of death, lateralus, new millennium cyanide christ, criminally insane, the enemy inside all stand out to me. ALSO DON'T EVER FORGET MÖTORHEAD
Beams of fire sweep through my head Thrusts of pain increasingly engaged Sensory receptors succumb I am no one now, agony My crimson liquid so frantically spilled The ruby fluid of life unleashed Ripples ascend to the surface of my eyes Their red pens drawing at random, at will A myriad pains begotten in their wake The bastard spawn of a mutinous self The regurgitation of my micro nemesis Salivating red at the prospect of my ruin, my doom Malfunction the means for its ascent Bloodletting the stringent voice to beckon my soul So futile any resisting tension As death-induced mechanics propel its growth The implement, the device of my extinction The terminating clockwork of my gleeful bane The definitive scourge of its mockery The end-art instruments lethality attained Heed, it commands, heed my will Bleed, it says, bleed you will Falling into the clarity of undoing Scornful gods haggle for my soul Minds eye flickers and delegates as I let go Taunting whispers accompany my deletion A sneering grin, the voice of my reaper Chanting softly the song of depletion
I was there. I’m telling you: it was tighter,bigger and more intense than this video can capture. Less than a year after it’s official release. I’ve seen them 9 times total, and this is the Bleed that still reigns. No one there had ever seen anything like this before, I promise you.
It's just unbelievable, isn't it? Probably their simplest song (there's an oxymoron for ya!), but it just thunders over you like an avalanche of buzzsaws during a thunderstorm. Absolutely hypnotic.
definitely NOT their simplest song... and that isnt really an oxymoron but hey I get ya :D mesmerizing at least, its sheer force is ground-breaking man I cant wait to see them live holy fucking shit
Gotta give credit to the bassist to man. The precision he has on keeping up with every beat is insane. And seeing them live is just like listening through headphones it sounds exactly the same that’s how tight this band is
Pure genius. I love how each song on this album is a 'project' in itself. Spending the time to learn the lyrics and riffs, rhythms, polyrhythms etc takes days if not weeks (to simply listen to, not play!). Or maybe I'm just a little bit slower than everybody else.
Yup every record is a project. I have most of their current record memorized at the moment, but it took literally 3 years to figure it out all the way.
I have never in my 47 years heard chugging on the guitar sound more cool and powerful than this. They are definitely on the same clock. The sound quality in this LIVE video is fucking perfect in my opinion. The drumming and bass and guitar are like a fucking machine in this. 0n top of all that there are playing it faster than normal. Did anybody in this comment section go to this show?
I just want to see the sheet music score to this song! The rhythms must be insane. This band is the reason that I know about polyrhythms. It came in handy in Music Theory this year. Thanks Meshuggah.
I wouldn't believe that they used to play thos live if I didn't see it myself at Pier 4 back in like 2012 or 2013 in NYC. They have nothing to prove now, but I think this song has to be one of the heaviest in all of metal. No band touches this one when it comes to weight. Not one band.
I don't understand how they can not fuck this song up. Not only is the rhythmic precision impressive, but the endurance required to play something like this is insane. Plus the entire band is really tight.
you would be surprised what you can do when you set your mind to it. i think most musicians dont push themselves that far, and once they get talented they stay within thier comfort zone. meshuggah seems to thrive on pushing the limits on metal composition. as a percussion nerd i always love and appreciate stuff like this.
Took them as long to learn this song as it took them to learn all of the other songs on the album combined. It was an additional six months of playing live before they were able to play the entire version of the song. They are the real deal...Tomas Haake is a fucking machine...their grooves are polyrhythmic masterpieces...in my mind, they really are gods of metal.
I love the Demons Name is Surveillance, but Bleed is something out of this world. It turned everything upside down in 2008, it is a milestone in music, not only metal; in every genre. It is fucking epic.
MESHUGGAH PITS ARE FUCKING BRUTAL!! I feel right at home. Soundwave was AMAZING!!! This song played. I lost my shit. A massive circle pit immediately formed right next to me. I dove into it. When you love metal as much as I (we) do, this is paradise. This is HOME. You never feel as content and complete anywhere else in your life than when you're being bruised and battered in the pit. Nothing can compare to the awesomeness of metal - in its entirety - and Meshuggah delivers EVERY SINGLE TIME...
These guys are SO f'ing brutal. Seen 'em live 2x, both shows except for when I had to step out to catch my breath I spent the entire show in the pit. Loving music means being willing to bleed for it. If the band is going to lay it all out how can you as a "fan" do any less? By the end of their shows I am beaten to a pulp, gasping for air, and with cramping legs. And I love every second of it, it's like walking through fire, burns you clean. I will see these guys every time they come to town. This is FU metal, zero compromise, start heavy, drop the hammer, and don't stop for anything. And BTW weak pit NYC, 5 people bumping into each other, really? Sacramento put you to shame.
I am a guitar player myself and I tried to play this song. It's simply insane and it takes a lot of practice let me tell you. Same goes for all the drummers out there. Respect guys.
Fucking deadly precision. I don't wanna know how many metronome clicks these guys took in their ears before getting so accurate. That's just insane. COLOSSAL song.
98% percent of my football team listens to rap. They plug a phone into the aux cord that plays music through the big speakers in the locker room. I just put my phone in my locker and turn up this and listen to it on my own. This shit hypes me up way more than a motherfucker slapping some lazy ass rhymes together
Machine learning - "the application of artificial intelligence that allows systems the ability to improve without being explicitly programmed". Origin - first stumbled upon by a group of software engineers and programmers who watched Meshuggah play live
I hear rumblings about triggers being for 'pussies', but if you were to play something like bleed as fast as it is without triggers, it would sound fuzzy. Like a cell phone vibrating but detuned two octaves. A sound isn't triggered unless the head is struck (if set up optimally, which I still can't get right), so every kick note is being played with a high enough velocity to make the head vibrate as it would naturally, causing the rim to vibrate, at which point the trigger is activated and sends a single signal to the 'brain', an external interface which has the stored sounds used live. It's not any easier to play Bleed, it just sounds better when that digital 'click' is added so you can actually hear every note being played.
True, and given how important time signatures are to Meshuggah's music, not being able to hear every note played, no matter the instrument, would throw the entire song off.
Satyr000 And I'd also like to add that playing with triggers requires a more skillful player than it requires to play without since it needs more precise playing to not sound bad. In other words the triggers enhance your mistakes too
Tunturisorsa It really does. The notes are so defined that if you're off, it can screw everything up and the audience will immediately notice- especially metal fans.
12ealDeal - Not to mention that as I've heard from people who record and mix drums, they usually use the natural drum sounds in addition to the triggers, anyway.
![Meshuggah - Bleed [Alive DVD]](/img/logo.svg){kind=logo}
