Gojira have returned with their seventh album Fortitude, available 30th April.
So Gojira released two singles of off the new album. I love them both.. Love them more than I did some of the previous singles and got super hyped about the new album.
They have this dark and somber feel, great brutal & crushing riffs but also hooking grooves, all of which set them apart from most heavy metal bands out there. With this super interesting combination, Gojira definitely has a very distinct sound. They can easily get away with using this unique sound over and over without boring the listeners as they manage to get pretty creative in the golden formula they have cracked.
Both Born For One Thing and Another World hit me immediately and have been keeping growing on me too.
After singles like Silvera and Stranded, I wasn’t expecting to be blown away with heaviness, but I was wrong. These tracks have right amount of heaviness and aggression, plus the famous hooking grooves! And so much character! Dang, I can’t wait! Hurry up April already!
They are both very engaging songs and perfectly match Joe Duplantier’s vocals. Now the question is, will the harsh vocals be toned back on the new album, like they were on Magma? Or full on heavy stuff with deep atmosphere? Will they sacrifice some of the aggression in favor of more atmospheric and song-oriented leanings? or crush our heads with heaviest riffs? They seem to have been digging deeper in search of something that’s been there all along and we will see the answers to these questions pretty soon.
For Gojira noobies, here are some songs to check out: Vacuity (which has some of my favourite riffs overall), Pray (one of those songs that have very interesting structures and build up intensity very well ), The Art of Dying (oh, the transition between drum stick solo and whole band kicking in, sigh!), The Link (if you prefer more raw heaviness), Stranded (where you can hear some of the best octave pedal riffs since Pantera’s ‘Suicide Note Pt. II) and many more.. The Heaviest Matter Of The Universe, Toxic Garbage Island, The Gift of Guilt, Oroborus, Explosia, L’enfant Sauvage, you can also check out songs like Born in Winter and Low Lands (where you can discover their more melancholic side, with dark and depressing feel)
Preferably pump these songs on full blast in your car on the freeway at midnight with the bass booster fully on.
You will be very happy if you appreciate environmentally & socially aware lyrics as the themes in their music range along the lines of environment, existence, human spirituality and how all those relate to the way we experience life.
If you get to see them live after the pandemic, get ready, they will own you! I love the vibe Christian Andreu has on stage. Mmmm…. What else should I say? Oh.. of course.. MARIO DUPLANTIER IS EASILY ONE OF THE BEST METAL DRUMMERS OF ALL TIME. Period.
Cheers,
Lady Obscure
You can get it on CD, limited edition picture disc, exclusive sea blue vinyl from Gojira’s official store and exclusive black ice vinyl from Indie stores.
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