Sweden’s own M.A.N are back with their third album Massive Audio Nerve. Having followed their journeyman frontman Tony “JJ” Jelencovich and his many projects/side projects (b-thong, Transport League, Icon In Me, C-187, Angel Blake, Mnemic (for a blink of an eye), etc.), I’m always interested to see what he has up his sleeve next. Being a fan of their two previous albums (Obey, Consume, Reject and Peacenemy), I was more than stoked to get my hands on the new disc. Seeing that I’ve never heard of a “junior jinx,” what could possibly go wrong…right?

If you’ve ever heard any of M.A.N’s previous releases, you know there is a heavy Static-X influence present – not only musically, but vocally as well. To me, one thing that really separated M.A.N from Static-X were unmonotonous songs/vocals and their ability to add monster breakdowns at key moments. The first three tracks are a perfect example of what I am talking about. “Logocide” gets the party started with some absolutely brutal, bottomed-out chops and thumping drum work. Not to be outdone, Tony “JJ” comes out blasting some hellacious screams and demented singing. The only thing that didn’t feel up to par was the few singing sections that aren’t as pretty as they should or could be. “Identical Abuse” and “Don’t Wake Up” are both plain sick and disgusting with their menacing fragmented guitar licks, bouncy bass and rapid fire vocal brutality.

While M.A.N do incorporate a lot of Static-X into their style, they tend to mesh that with off-time tempos and grooves of bands like Meshuggah and Mnemic as well. Take the tracks “Mock At My Motion” and “Dead Set” for instance. The sampling in “Mock At My Motion” sounds like it was taken straight from the Static-X archives. The song does have some killer bounce and breakneck rhythm sections, but the major flaw was just how unbelievably repetitive it became. “Dead Set” felt just like the previously mentioned track. It has all the necessary intangibles for a great song – big grooves, memorable breakdowns and awesome vocals. But, once again, I was surprised at just how uninterested I became halfway through.

Another thing I want to mention is the overall production on Massive Audio Nerve. I haven’t heard anything this mammoth in a very, very long time. Guz’s seven string, Engberg’s drums and Rob Hakemo’s bass all sound like a colossus that’s crushing the ground (and everything it steps on) with each step it takes. Pop this sucker in at home and you better have all your stuff nailed down, because it will rattle the very foundation you’re standing on.

Fans of Meshuggah will definitely want to check out “False Memory Syndrome” and “Last Light Drains.” Even though “False Memory Syndrome” is a rather short instrumental track, it’s truly one of the most monstrous songs on the disc. Clocking in at just over two minutes, it’s an off-time Meshuggah-like beast from beginning to end. I would have loved to see the band expand it and add vocals, possibly resulting in the best song on the tracklist. The album’s opus and ending track is “Last Light Drains.” Once again, M.A.N create a landscape of total devastation that just cannot be rivaled. From the acoustics at the beginning to the annihilation set forth shortly thereafter, it’s just amazing. Monster off-time grooves careen back and forth through your cranium as Jelencovich mashes any braincells that you might have left. An absolute beast of a track to end the album on.

When all is said and done, I was really surprised at just how much Massive Audio Nerve lost me in spots. There are portions of the album that will blow you away, but then there are places where songs tend to drag, feeling overdone and rather monotonous. One thing is for certain though, M.A.N is an extremely talented band that is just one album away from rivaling the biggest acts out there. Only problem is, I don’t think this disc is the one to do that.

3.5/5