How contemporary world issues influenced the new Meshuggah album

Tomas Haake

As previously revealed to Hammer by Meshuggah drummer and visionary Tomas Haake, the band’s new album The Violent Sleep Of Reason is heavily influenced by the messed up state the planet has currently found itself in. From a divided United Kingdom splitting from the EU to the outrageous American election, it’s safe to say 2016 has been an interesting year so far politically… and certainly one to draw influence from. And that’s not even including the ongoing wars, conflicts and uprisings across the world.

Despite living in the “safe place” of Sweden, and not being directly subjected to these atrocities, Tomas says “you can still see what they mean and the effect that they have,” which has fed into the new record. In the below video, he explains why so much of the record comes from his perceptions of current events especially when it comes to the “tremendous destructive force” of religion.

Meshuggah’s latest album The Violent Sleep Of Reason is out now, via Nuclear Blast.

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