French extreme metal outfit Gojira has perhaps become as renowned for its crushing noise as for its intellectual lyrical content, adding their namesake to the list of thinking person’s music with four studio albums since their formation in 1996 in the town of Bayonne.
With 2005’s From Mars to Sirius ripping a swath across Europe, the band turned to an examination of the world and humanity’s struggle within it. The record pounded heads in the metal business when it was released in North America the following year, giving the quartet American touring gigs alongside the likes of Children of Bodom, Behemoth, and Lamb of God.
Built on the themes of Sirius, Gojira’s fourth studio album, The Way of All Flesh, moves the looming doom from the planet to a more personal level. The inescapability of death and the impact of such certainty on life are explored through the record’s 12 tracks, offering intricate lyrics over a broad, deafening musical setting.
Sonically, Gojira will break your face.
The guitar is lethal, emerging with ear-splitting fluency in all the right places and thundering with devastating, intense precision. Mario Duplantier’s drums pound away like meteors crashing to earth and Jean Michael Labadie’s bass brings up the lower levels with shadowy richness. Vocalist Joseph Duplantier is hard to peg, alternating with screams, shouts, bleats, and growls over the rolling sonic mugging.
To sum up Gojira’s attack on The Way of All Flesh in one word would be difficult, but “relentless” comes close. The album is a diabolical attack on the senses, with few spaces left for air (perhaps the instrumental break of “The Silver Cord” will do) and fewer spaces left to cool down your eardrums.
Take the single, “Vacuity,” as Exhibit A. The track is adamant, pounding forward like a crew of bloodied souls rowing a gruesome ship in the furious seas. Drums collide and smack about like crashing waves and the song’s remorseless urge is barely contained in the five minutes the creature is allowed to breathe.
Article comments
1 - Foo
This album awesome in every way, it is the perfect follow up from Mars to sirus.
epic brutal and beautiful
2 - Madison
That has to be the stupidest review I've ever read.
As for the album, it's really good. A lot more progressive than their other work and theirs more melody, tapping and sweeping. There is also a lot more variety in the vocal department.
3 - Jordan Richardson
Thanks Madison. That has to be the stupidest comment I've ever seen.
4 - Ragd
I saw them Live in barcelona the da of their album release (13th of cotober 2008)...what a blast!!!
Good review Jordan, thanks!
5 - Anonymous
I completely disagree with the last paragraph of this review!
This is album has a great deal of melodic and serene moments...yet you make it sound like it's a Cattle Decapitation album!
And for the record, I did nod my head to most of the songs..if you are going to write about BRUTALLY WRATHFUL METAL then at least get a band that isn't as tame as Gojira!
6 - julian torres
ugh, this review was cheesy.
Light up some grade A bud, and listen to this album, amazing.
7 - Nibiru
I agree with ya, Julian. This album has to be one of the best and epically one of the most swaying of all metal albums out there. It seems the review is just a tad bit cheesy, and strained too much to get the best summary of this album. Try this on for size:
You think From Mars to Sirius was good?
This shatters the world you came down yonder and leaves you breathless in the far reaches of space; although, only to discover what is really out there.
8 - Tom Johnson
This is hilarious. A typically excellent review by Jordan, which, I might ad, is also a VERY positive review, is getting slammed by fans of the band for not being . . . well, I don't know. This is simply ridiculous.
If all reviews were like Nibiru, no one would ever bother reading reviews, nor would they bother checking out anything even if they did read them. If I wasn't already aware of Gojira, I'd be curious because of Jordan's descriptive review. Nibiru's "Space: The Final Frontier" review does nothing for the new listener. You know, you guys can sign up to review for Blogcritics. Why not give it a try and see how successful you are, since you have so many suggestions?
9 - Brian aka Guppusmaximus
Yea, I agree with Tom... It's the stereotypical, pot-smoking "Metal-Head" response from these few jack@$$es that ruin it for everyone else. Although, I wouldn't say that this album is as brutal as Mr. Richardson describes it, he did write a decent review.
Personally, I think they kinda suck. Gorod is a much better offering from France & Leading Vision sounds as good now as it did in '06.
10 - Ryan
Man, this album WAS fun to listen to. It was not painful, not an eardrum-abusing monsterpiece that resonated with piercing necessity and chaotic enragement. It is potentially background music, it is definitely “nod-your-head” music, it is extremely entertaining and agreeable music.
I don't know what the hell Jordan Richardson is talking about.. This review just seems like a hollow description filled with unsubstantial metaphors and cliches. It's pretty obvious this dude doesn't listen to metal...
11 - Sasha
Sure, the review celebrates some of the positive aspects of this record, but that last paragraph is pretty far off. An environmental metal band is going to eat my pets? Seriously. And the albums is FUN to listen to. I have fun every time I listen to it, even if the implications of the lyrical content are painful. How can you not have fun listening to Yama's Messengers?
12 - Clumpy
I also feel that this album is very entertaining, though naturally individual results may vary. I can't help but wonder if the reviewer has really heard a lot of metal, as Gojira's appeal certainly comes from something far greater than its mere volume.
13 - Subsidian
This review does little to actually describe what the album sounds like. Far from being a 'metalhead jackass' my criticism is that the writer is just trying too hard to make long winded and superfluous metaphors that go nowhere near explaining the real sound of the CD. And yes it is fun to listen to - A sight to behold is almost danceable.
14 - Truth
I think you all are missing the point of the review. If you take into consideration the meaning of the lyrics put into line with the tone and mood they portray in their songs, you get something that, unless you know and agree with what their saying, will slap you in the face. Yes, if your one of those mindless half-retarded "metal heads," your not going to get it, and hence the bashing of the review.
15 - No Abstinence
This will probably be the last comment, so here it goes.
Although I disagree with a few aspects of the review (Cannibal Corpse will eat my pets, not Gojira), I find the points that Jordan is trying to make to be accurate.
Gojira is a powerful music act that will destroy your face and rebuild your soul. Bantering about "what is progressive" in metal is quite difficult to do, and I don't think that label fits Gojira completely. I find them to be quite unique and inspirational, which is more than I can say for many other bands.