Meshuggah - Tomas Haake Drummer Profile & Gear | MetalForge
Meshuggah, formed in 1987 in Sweden, pioneered djent and polyrhythmic metal.
Discover Tomas Haake's revolutionary polyrhythmic drumming with Meshuggah.
Meshuggah History
Meshuggah formed in Umeå, Sweden in 1987 around guitarist Fredrik Thordendal and vocalist/guitarist Jens Kidman, with drummer Tomas Haake joining in 1990 to replace original drummer Niklas Lundgren. The band's 1991 debut, Contradictions Collapse, still leaned on conventional thrash structures, but by Destroy Erase Improve (1995) Meshuggah had begun developing the extended-range guitar tunings and mathematically complex polyrhythms that would define its sound.
Albums like Chaosphere (1998), Nothing (2002), and Catch Thirtythree (2005) built Meshuggah's reputation as one of metal's most technically demanding bands, layering guitar riffs in odd time signatures over Haake's polymetric drum patterns, where the kick, snare, and cymbals frequently occupy different rhythmic cycles simultaneously. The band's uncompromising, almost mechanical precision made them a cult favorite among musicians long before wider mainstream metal audiences caught on.
Meshuggah's sound directly gave rise to the "djent" subgenre — named for the onomatopoeic guitar tone the band popularized — inspiring bands like Periphery, TesseracT, and Animals as Leaders. Despite rarely courting commercial trends, Meshuggah is now cited by musicians across metal, jazz fusion, and even electronic music as one of the most influential heavy bands of the past three decades.
Meshuggah's Place in Metal Drumming
Tomas Haake's drumming is a case study in polyrhythmic independence: his limbs frequently play in different time signatures from one another and from the guitars above them, an approach he has described as deliberately "meta-metric." That style has made Haake one of the most studied drummers in progressive and technical metal, and Meshuggah's insistence on rhythmic complexity over speed for its own sake reshaped what "technical" metal drumming could mean.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the drummer for Meshuggah?
Tomas Haake has been Meshuggah's drummer since 1990 and has recorded every studio album from Contradictions Collapse (1991) through Immutable (2022).
Was Tomas Haake Meshuggah's first drummer?
No. Meshuggah's original drummer was Niklas Lundgren, who played in the band from its 1987 formation and appeared on the 1989 self-titled EP before being replaced by Tomas Haake in 1990.
Has Meshuggah's lineup changed much over the years?
The core lineup has been remarkably stable. Founders Jens Kidman and Fredrik Thordendal have been present since 1987; Marten Hagstrom joined in 1993; bassist Dick Lovgren became a full member in 2004, replacing longtime bassist Gustaf Hielm, who had himself replaced founding bassist Peter Nordin in 1995.
Who played drums on Meshuggah's "Contradictions Collapse"?
Tomas Haake played drums on "Contradictions Collapse" (1991).
Who played drums on Meshuggah's "Immutable"?
Tomas Haake played drums on "Immutable" (2022).