Other cuts conjure similar visuals, as though Gojira is immediately and irately urging on cataclysm. “We don’t want to be negative or critical about the fate of humanity,” vocalist Duplantier says. “But the situation on Earth is growing critical and the way humans behave is so catastrophic that we really need to express our exasperation about it. It’s not fear, but anger.”
And fury it is. The thump of “Toxic Garbage Island” leaves little to subtleness and the wrath of “Adoration for None,” assisted by Lamb of God’s Randy Blythe, can’t be missed.
Gojira isn’t in the business of building optimism. They aren’t here to tell you that everything is going to be alright. Instead, The Way of All Flesh is a record about what we cannot put off and what we cannot run from. The solution, according to the band, is consciousness. “You have the power to heal yourself,” Duplantier tells us on “Esoteric Surgery over a battery of drums.
The Way of All Flesh isn’t fun to listen to. It is painful, an eardrum-abusing monsterpiece that resonates with piercing necessity and chaotic enragement. It is not background music, it is not “nod-your-head” music, it is not entertaining or agreeable music. It is music that may well kill you, eat your pets, and set fire to your summer home.
And Gojira fans wouldn’t have it any other way.
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.