Gojira has been riding a pretty decent wave over the past few years and are rightly seen as one of the shining stars in the modern metal movement. Fortitude will do nothing but further burnish their stellar reputation.
This latest album feels like a nice blending of both old and new Gojira. You’ve got plenty of songs of that classic hard driving, odd time signature and sweep picking sound they are know for along with some very forward-thinking and progressive pieces to keep things interesting. I felt like their last album, Magma, was a bit too stripped down and straightforward. This latest album feels a bit more ambitious and in line with some of their classic albums. Standout tracks that feel like they are pushing the band forward are the Sepultura-influenced “Amazonia” (focused on the burning down of the Amazon Rainforest…the dudes still have a very environmentally conscious focus lyrically) and the very proggy “Hold On”.
It’s hard not to feel like this is the best album to come out so far this year. It’s not perfect, but damn, there are some serious riffs and percussive grooves to this one. This will be a good one to hear live once shows become a thing again.
4.5 flip flops out of 5
DISPATCHES FROM THE VOID 