Alive is the first official concert film DVD/CD from Swedish technical metal oddballs Meshuggah. The DVD, produced by Ian McFarland, contains an HD-filmed color concert interlaced with black-and-white, behind-the- scenes footage. But we will focus on just the CD, which boasts the same 12 live tracks recorded in Tokyo, Montreal and Toronto.

You just never know what to expect from Meshuggah. They are one of a kind, to say the least. You either find them totally amazing or just ridiculously chaotic. Precise, thought-provoking, methodical, mesmerizing, technical, intricate and brutal are all words that may come to mind when describing Meshuggah.

Most of the 12 tracks on "Alive" are from "Obzen," and for a live album, the production is sonically fantastic ... feedback and all.

It's a live experience that's in your face and shows the true colors of this monolithic-sounding band. The Tokyo audience reaction is not so exuberant, but that just might be the polite Japanese crowd. Or the fans were just in awe at their musicianship and were left somewhat speechless.

I don't feel the need to talk about any of the tracks on "Alive" because if you're already into Meshuggah, you will be pleased. And if for some reason you haven't been introduced to Meshuggah's madness, after hearing this live album, you will soon be checking out their studio albums.

A band of Meshuggah's caliber knows how to put on a great live show, and on "Alive," they know what they're doing extremely well. If you're not really a fan of live albums, you should still give "Alive" a shot, because the sound is so precise and clear, plus the live DVD is well worth it.