Jens Kidman

Jens Kidman

Jens Kidman performing with Meshuggah in Prague on June 25, 2008.
Background information
Birth name Jens Roland Kidman
Born (1966-06-08) 8 June 1966
Origin Umeå, Sweden
Genres Extreme metal, progressive metal, djent
Occupation(s) Musician
Instruments Vocals, guitar, bass, drum programming
Years active 1987−present
Labels Nuclear Blast
Associated acts Meshuggah
Mushroomhead (guest on XIII)
Website www.meshuggah.net

Jens Kidman (born 8 June 1966) is a Swedish metal vocalist. He is best known for being the lead vocalist for the Swedish extreme metal band Meshuggah. He is famous for his very aggressive shouts and screams and for his unique stage presence.

Musical career and style

Kidman initially received his first electric guitar from his parents, which was of a poor condition that had previously been owned by the older brother of a friend of Kidman's. Kidman had been learning to play the acoustic guitar whilst in school.[1]

Kidman and Meshuggah guitarist Fredrik Thordendal lived on the same block during their youth both playing with each other in garage bands.[2]

Kidman was a member of the original incarnation of Meshuggah in 1987, but was kicked out briefly, for reasons that Kidman states he "cannot remember". Kidman described his earlier vocal delivery as being akin to that of Anthrax.[3] Kidman then went on to form a band called Calipash, which would later morph into the Meshuggah line-up that featured on the band's earliest recordings.[4] Kidman stated that during the early days of the band, he began to explore thrash metal such as Metallica, which influenced the development in his vocal style.[5]

Initially, Kidman handled both vocal and rhythm guitar duties. He later left his role as a rhythm guitarist to focus on vocal performance, although he later contributed guitar, bass, and drum programming on Meshuggah's 2005 studio album Catch Thirtythree.[6]

His vocal style consists of growls, hardcore shouts and aggressive screams. Kidman's vocal style has distinctly evolved over Meshuggah's career: Earlier Meshuggah albums like Destroy Erase Improve and Chaosphere showcase Kidman's aggressive shouts and growls. In later albums such as Nothing and Catch Thirtythree, feature Kidman's distinctively harsh screams.

Kidman works with the rest of the band to make sure that his vocals take on a near-rhythmic quality when set to the music, sometimes even re-writing lyrics entirely for this purpose. The track "Ritual" from the EP None is a rarity in Meshuggah's discography as it conveys Kidman using a clean vocal style, something that has not featured since on any Meshuggah studio recordings. Occasionally, Kidman will also double track his vocals.

In 2013, due to a serious case of flu, Kidman had to miss Meshuggah's U.S. tour with Animals as Leaders and Intronaut.[7]

He contributed vocals on the track "The Dream Is Over" from the album XIII by American alternative metal/industrial metal band Mushroomhead.

Singer, Jens Kidman, Meshuggah, live 2016.

See also

References

  1. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OCQjtzEFdc
  2. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OCQjtzEFdc
  3. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OCQjtzEFdc
  4. ↑ https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Calipash/3540346138
  5. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaHAvG_k6G0
  6. ↑ https://www.metal-archives.com/artists/Jens_Kidman/7281
  7. ↑ http://loudwire.com/meshuggah-vocalist-jens-kidman-misses-u-s-shows-due-to-illness-replaced-by-cardboard-cutout/
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