There a lot of band that the press or metal fans calls "Meshuggah clones" but most of the top bands that are frequently compared to the work of our favourite crazy swedes are also very good. Textures, Mnemic, Scarve, By Night or A Life Once Lost. When they first started, ALOL was only a basic metalcore act with nothing much but some melodic elements that gave a darker edge than most of the band of the same genre. Then came a EP with more breakdown heavy metalcore. Good songs, but nothing very impressive. A Life Once Lost was just another band in the american scene. It must have been a surprise to a lot of people when they signed to Jacob Bannon's label, Deathwish, and released a record that crossed some obvious Meshuggah influence but still mixed with a metalcore esthetic (Meshuggah with great moshparts). A band that had nothing special had just found their true calling and, from there, left most of their metalcore influence behind them to become an excellent metalband. I really liked A great artist when it came out, even if Cavil sounds a lot like New millenium cyanide christ (but I don't really notice that anymore) and I used to make fun of them because of that. It's very common for me to make fun of a band and then to become a fan of. But honestly, nothing could have prepared me to an album like "Hunter". The Meshuggah influence are still there, but some good old classic Metal too. A Life Once Lost has finally found a sound that they can call their own. The songs are catchy, the riffs are heavier than on any of their previous album. Yes, finally, A Life Once Lost are no longer "a Meshuggah clone" but just a "Meshuggah influenced band". Hey, they even ackownledge that influence with no shame, but they no longer limit themselves to that sound and I am very hopefull about their next album if they continue to evolve as much and to write songs as good as "Vultures" , "Rehashed" or "Pain and panic".
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