Mårten Hagström is a Swedish musician, best known as the rhythm guitarist for the experimental metal band Meshuggah. Born on April 27, 1971, Hagström joined the band after the release of their debut album, allowing Jens Kidman to focus on his vocal performances.
With a strong and complex style, Hagström's guitar playing has been influenced by a wide range of artists, including Rush, James Hetfield, Squarepusher, Autechre, Strapping Young Lad, and GISM. In an interview with Metal Injection, Hagström emphasized the importance of using music as a tool to express oneself, rather than solely focusing on technical proficiency.
Growing up in Sweden, Hagström was surrounded by a culture that highly valued guitar virtuosity. This led him to decide early on that he wanted to focus solely on rhythm guitar playing. Despite this, he has developed a strong sense of songwriting, and has contributed to many of Meshuggah's songs, including "Nebulous", "Acrid Placidity", and "Neurotica".
In addition to his work with Meshuggah, Hagström has also branched out as a songwriter, co-writing the album "Catch 33" with drummer Tomas Haake, and penning the lyrics for the abstract EP "I". Hagström and Haake have been making music together since they were just nine years old.
Hagström and fellow guitarist Fredrik Thordendal were ranked #35 on Guitar World's list of the top 100 greatest heavy metal guitarists of all time. With his unique style and contributions to Meshuggah's music, Hagström is an important part of the band's sound and success.
