The djent genre is very polarizing; ask one group of people and they’ll tell you it’s full of amazing music, but ask another group, and there will be a whole lot of smack being said.
One of the most interesting topics of discussions revolving around the djent genre is that of Meshuggah’s feelings pertaining to it. Meshuggah, who just released their ninth studio album Immutable this past Friday, are the band most folks point to as the originators of the genre. The term “djent” was dubbed by that of Periphery guitarist Misha Mansoor, referring to the iconic guitar sounds to come out of Meshuggah’s music.
In an interview with Loudwire, Meshuggah guitarist Mårten Hagström talks about the band’s feelings when it comes to the djent genre; he clarifies that, in fact, the band do not hate the djent genre.
Per Hagström:
“Some bands have popped up that are getting bigger, that are into us. That’s really cool and that’s really gratifying. We really love the fact that people cite us as inspiration. I know I’ve gotten the question, ‘You guys hate the djent movement and you guys hate this and that.’ It’s like, ‘No, dude. That’s not true at all. The simple fact is that we’re old, lazy Swedish dudes who’ve been doing this stuff for a very long time. So when we do a new album, I don’t listen to new music at all.”
He continues, “Whoever you are and whatever you want to do that has any creative nerve or any creative side to it… don’t you want to be a person who inspires others the way you were inspired by something? That’s the greatest compliment, regardless of what they sound like.”
What are your thoughts on the djent genre? In other Meshuggah related news, we interviewed band drummer Tomas Haake. He spoke to the lyrics and thematic exploration that takes place on Immutable, as well as spoke to the band’s legacy of creating “complex” music. Click on the link below to read the full interview.
***
Words by: Michael Pementel
