From Mars to Sirius

Finally, real genre-spanning progressive metal. This record touches on too many styles to name, but never stays on one long enough to be labelled. That is something you cannot dismiss.

My first exposure to these songs was live, and it prompted me to pick up the record immediately. And I was not disappointed; the energy in performance and passion for the subject matter is perfectly carried through to disc. It really feels like Gojira is doing exactly what they want to do and don’t care at all what anyone thinks. Although this can be a marketing ploy in itself I really feel it may be true here.

What I find coolest about this band is that none of the members are trying to be the next virtuoso of their instrument. They don’t overshadow each other, and everything is in place sonically. That is a great accomplishment in metal, where usually people can complain about one instrument or the other being too high or low in the mix. Not the case here.

Almost every song has a really cool part or arrangement which adds a particular Gojira stamp and has you remembering the compositions individually. What’s coolest is that these stamps are never the same gimmick, sometimes it’s a technical progression, other times just a properly pitched vocal, or even just the way a note rings out. I won’t ruin any surprises by doing a track by track, but I will say with no shame (okay maybe a little shame) that I shed a tear the first time I read along to Global Warming when he sings “I hold my inner child within / And tell him not to cry / Don't fear the living”.

My only criticism after repeated (and lo!) listens is that a few of the songs drag on a little too long. Mostly this happens with outros, which makes it that much more noticeable because it is usually in the intros that Gojira throw in the most stop-start-surprise-prog stuff.

Definitely worth a purchase, because I promise it’s different than anything in your collection.