Meshuggah's Tomas Haake Breaks Down Band's Writing Process 

Its comforting to know that God is actually a pretty chill and down-to-earth Guy.

I misread the title and thought this video would involve a lot more crying.

" This is Jupiter, a planet. It's pretty heavy, I use it as a crash." -normal Tomas Haake

I work as a touristic guide in my country (Portugal). One time my company was organizing an event for a Swedish company, and I was doing like a catering service for their employees. I like to make random conversation with them, and this one group I started talking about music, (being a musician myself) and specially metal music. One guy heard this topic and came to talk with me, and immediately I asked if he liked Meshuggah. He said yes, and he starting telling me a story about Thomas Haake. He and his son lived in the same street as Thomas. And one time, I cant remember how, they got to know Thomas, and this guys son was also a drummer. Basically Thomas was such a nice guy that he showed up at their house and give this guys son some drumming lessons completely free. Some details are probably missing since I cant remember the whole story. But he was just saying how such a nice guy Thomas is. It kinda blew my mind that day to hear that story, wasnt expecting to encounter a Meshuggah fan working for a very formal company.

meshuggah.. a band of old men, making better music than all us kids. i love it

it's crazy to think these guys formed only 6yr after slayer and metallica formed...I love listening to him talk, you can tell he is a VERY intelligent guy...i could listen to meshuggah all day. so pumped for this album

The dude's hair is immaculate.

"We throw darts at a dartboard twice and that's our time signature for a song."

He speaks English better than me

Been playing drums for 25 years and this guy blows me away. You can hear by the way he talks he’s intelligent and knows exactly what he’s doing behind the kit - and what the music is doing.

4:21 Just watch Tomas' hands and hear the great conversation. A come on, it can't be just me.

That Opeth logo under the bass cab/Thomas hands :)

Haake is the Gandalf of metal drumming!

"we just drink a couple of beers and 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000"

i'm tomas haake the living metronome of meshuggah

Does he realize that literally MILLIONS & MILLIONS of people worldwide absolutely WORSHIP this band? Their SKILLS in METAL?!? They're one of the VERY FEW who are STILL around making some of the very best METAL MUSIC IN THE WORLD?? Are they aware of these things as a band??? Much Love from Pennsylvania, USA!! Domari Nolo PA III

At this moment, one of the best drummers in metal industry.

this interview should've been seen much more far and wide. The deeper and more detailed songwriting process of Meshuggah is mind-bending and interesting to hear about. Thanks for the interview and for sharing.

so gentle in spirit and softly spoken. right - Demiurge.

So this explains why programmed drums sound like Tomas Haake

great interview.

Thomas Haake has taken metal to another level of skill. I'm gonna be like my grandpa who only liked classical music - bacuase of it's skill and complexity - but i'll be professing meshuggah for the same reasons...

"15 note segment" Born in Dissonance! :D

That getting the flow of the song is actually something I've been thinking lately.. it makes playing much easier

I'm sorry but he is one beautiful man especially his hair and smile

I appreciate the Opeth logo in the background

It's really cool to see Toby Mac Interview Fabio.

Gotta love the internet. This is priceless stuff.

Bill Burr's favorite drummer.

RESPECT FROM ROMANIA..TOMAS...BEST OF THE BEST

Love Tomas...Love Mashuggah....simple....

You know I have been a fan since the debut album, and Meshuggahhave taken metal to a higher level and I can't praise The Violent Sleep enough - especially Our rage won't Die and Ivory Tower... they just levitate... I bow down in praise of god, thank you!

awsome thanxx

thanks for explaining how you write and in the end hear the music, I was always asking myself if you listen to the 4/4 beat, the section or as you state the "whole song". When I learned to play your songs, actually I tried to hear all three aspects and eventually I think it is even a mixture of all three, isnt it?

Three things: 1. 5:30 half speed 2. Opeth \m/ 3. Meshuggah \\\\\mmm////// can't wait for the album release tomorrow.

Most of these comments do not know polyrhythms lol. Meshuggah is all about 4/4 with some guitar groove happening in some other time signature. Tomas just plays the bass drum to the guitars for simplicity's sake. I saw them play live, and its true...Tomas is in fact a robot.

I love how he’s one of the drummers nobody can ever pronounce his last name right and he doesn’t even clarify the pronunciation when he introduces himself lol

@Vow of Volition - this is how you actually write like Meshuggah 👍

IIII LIIIIKE JUIIIICE!!!

Lol EVERY interviewer thinks their music changes meter. Love it!

But does it Jens?

Damn this interviewer is so much better and way less awkward than that other dude.

I'm actually very surprised they don't even jam together for writing songs

very talented drummer. very intellegant man. writes music around The drums. probably have to say me dream band would include him as a drummer and writer. I can't write for Shit but I'll do my best to belt them vocals out.

4:15 very open discussion being had

His leg is always moving haha. Same my guy.

Is that the Butcher of Blaviken?

“It’ll be an idea like, and we all use the toontrack product, whoever like....” He’s so humble and polite, he’s just tryna say they fake mushrooms and lsd until something sticks, like the rest of us.

That’s a god-tier head of hair

Tomas is a drum programmer \m/

I always assumed their writing process was very mechanized rather than the traditional "building off a jam" style of writing. They would never be able to achieve the kind of complexity and still have it all work together so well without writing it all out MIDI first

His English is so damn good.

They recorded Violent sleep of Reason live in the studio, well live takes anyways to get that band feel back and it sounds really good.

Overall they are thr Band which they understand each other no ego or any other selfish act for intruding their relationship in music, cool band.

Damn you wouldn't even be able to tell that his first language isn't English

why this swedish people speak english so perfectly. fucking love it *-*. and the best thing is... is not with british accent.

Wow I didn’t know Thomas wrote the lyrics

Anyone know what drum program he uses to organize songs?

THE WIZARD!

Is that Tomas' own studio/space? Can anyone see the Opeth symbol behind him? AWESOME! :-)

"Why does everything take so long to come out?"

How come Mr. Haake is the only one promoting the band? Where is the rest of the band? I understand Tomas is technically the leader of the band but if I were discovering Meshuggah for the first time, I would be under the impression that the album is a solo project. "What's the deal with Meshuggah" (in a Jerry Seinfeld voice)

Fan fact: Kolloss means ass in Greek.That is to say,it's BADASS

And he never mention Thorendal ?!

Is that a religious candle with Axl Rose ?lol

In other words: "We have to learn how to play or own songs that a machine recorded" Yeah, makes sense after listening to their songs

Se no me bagna, me sciuga! (Veneto-Italia) (Se non mi bagna, mi asciuga) If it doesn't wet me, it dries me

“Sure, so the next part comes out and then out…” (Interviewer thinks he’s worked out the process) “Kind of.”

mushugganuh rules

band's writing process :-dude! gore ! -duuuuuuude!

Lol he makes it sound so simple

The *drummer* writes the lyrics...!? OK, but damn...very different!

I'm not a fan of their vocalist. but THIS BAND MAKES GREAT MUSIC!!!!

Didn't know Zeus drummed for Meshuggah.

Dumbledore exists :D

Yo

You really just needed a photo of a calculator. Kidding.

Iron Maiden is looking over his shoulder...

Mashaggah?

um um um um um um

Is Leo his son?

Tomas "I'm not that great drummer" haake

Ill be dead before meshuggah releases a new album. Im 16 btw

The natsi zombie of metal drumming. Period

Welcome to the Matrix!

Love these guys but damn that actually sounds kind of sad. Never jamming with your band mates? Just writing songs on your own and programming it in a computer then basically learning the songs? Idk to me as a musician I love making music with other people. Their method just sounds so clinical and calculated. Whatever works I guess.

Djent bands are frantically scribbling notes..

this is funny not even he can explain it ha

GET IVAN MOODY!!!!