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September 7, 2008 |
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01. Ocean Planet
02. Backbone
03. From The Sky
04. Unicorn
05. Where Dragons Dwell
06. The Heaviest Matter Of The Universe
07. Flying Whales
08. In The Wilderness
09. World To Come
10. From Mars
11. To Sirius
12. Global Warming
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For those unfamiliar with giant monster movie lore, "Gojira" is the original Japanese name for "Godzilla" before the Americans got a hold of it and bastardized the title and film. Admittedly, Godzilla is a cooler name, but the Japanese word is a hybrid meaning "gorilla whale," an apt description for what France's GOJIRA sounds like: a combination of primal brutality and immense heaviness. Just as the original film "Gojira" brought a fresh take to monster movies, the band GOJIRA's latest album, "From Mars To Sirius," pounds new life into a well-explored genre.
At first listen, GOJIRA seem to fall neatly into the ever-growing field of Art-Doom. Imagine "Obsolete"-era FEAR FACTORY producing a MASTODON record, with OPETH's love of experimentation, and that should at least prepare you for the onslaught. However, they take that genre's conventions (oppressive atmosphere, accomplished instrumentation, and massive wall of sound), blow them up to the size of the band's namesake, and then decimate Tokyo.
The music has a real weight to it, a crushing mass that overwhelms everything in its way, pinning the listener to their chair. This is partly due to the songs' deliberate pace, but a lot of it comes from the heavy bottom end, which imparts a sense of doom without resorting to sludge. Gabriel Editions' clear production allows Joe Duplantier's throaty roar to cut through the MESHUGGAH-esque drumming and looping guitars without overpowering them, while bassist Jean-Michel Labadie adds a subtle sense of thudding desperation that peeks out from behind everything else.
The tracks evolve and progress, going from violent mid-tempo Death Metal sections to quiet atmospheric passages, and generally feel more like compositions than traditional verse-chorus-reverse songs. There is a definite science fiction/fantasy theme, from the dragons inside men to the vast expanses of space outside our planet. Although the lyrics are only rarely legible, the music itself conveys the necessary feelings of isolation and grandeur. "Ocean Planet" really makes you feel like the narrator, trapped in a watery tomb of his own making; "From The Sky" slams home a feeling of anxious fear; "The Heaviest Matter Of The Universe" is exactly that; and "Flying Whales" probably would sound like the song indicates they do.
"From Mars To Sirius" really is challenging, rewards repeat listenings, cures cancer, and all the other usual hyperbole afforded to records this good. It certainly isn't for everybody, but fans of NEUROSIS and ISIS who are wondering what happened to the brutality and songwriting of those two groups, respectively, should love this. Go pick up this record and the two-disc special edition of "Gojira". You won't regret it.
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