It wasn’t immediately obvious in 2002, but Fredrik Thordendal of Swedish prog-metal titans Meshuggah has since become one of the most influential guitarists in our humble little subgenre. Nu metal was on its way into a premature sunset at the time, but the djent sound was inescapable within a couple years of the group’s landmark album Nothing, and now just about every up-and-coming nu metal band throws in a nod or two to Thordendal’s unique take on the bounce riff, and the retroactively monumental decision to ditch seven-string guitars for a lower and grittier eight.
And listen, some people commit to the bit more than others. Deftones had a banner year with the release of their much-anticipated tenth album, private music., and founding guitarist Stephen Carpenter has not only embraced the drop-tuned chugging potential of the eight-string, but continues the "How Low Can You Go" game by incorporating the deeper chugs you can get with a nine. He’s got more tools in his kit, and shows a few of them off on the album, but like Thordendal, the man likes to chug.
This would be a slam dunk already if it weren’t for Carpenter’s side project and Cypress Hill collaboration Sol Invicto. As part of the group’s ongoing “Vault of Shadows” series, they released a song called “Nothing,” making it even harder for Stef to beat the allegations that he’s just out here making the same moves Thordendal did in ‘02. Check it out below and decide for yourself.
