From Mars to Sirius

I was first introduced to Gojira back in 2013 with the album L'Enfant Sauvage. I dug their sound from the get go but for some reason didn't explore their back catalog until recently. After hearing the first single Stranded from their new album I was curious to see what the older works had to offer. My curiosity certainly paid off as From Mars to Sirius is one hell of a record. From start to finish each track is excellently varied and never stale. You have the slow atmospheric songs, the absolute head crushers, and even a seemingly grunge inspired song. The production is crystal clear which works for such complex music. Albeit a little sterile, it works very well with the mechanized sound heard on many tracks.

Every member is in top form when it comes to their particular instrument. Mario Duplantier is a monster on the kit, churning out fantastic fills and jackhammer like double bass. He really is the driving force of this album. Joe Duplantier and Christian Andreu supply the crushingly heavy riffs that songs like Backbone are known for. Jean-Michel Labadie helps keep the rhythm in check on bass although he is slightly low in the mix. The vocals are a completely different beast altogether. Joe spews out everything from the deepest growls, highest screams, and excellent cleans. It's very interesting to see how he incorporates multiple styles into one song.

I could talk about every nuance of this amazing album but instead I'm going to highlight some key tracks. Ocean Planet is a great opener that encapsulates everything you can expect from this album. Backbone hammers your brain with an unrelenting riff fest that never loses any steam, a truly intense song. From the Sky is a fast paced number perfectly utilizing the trademark squeal Gojira is known for. A slower and more atmospheric song, Where Dragons Dwell delves into mythological themes. If there is only one track you check out from this album, please let it be The Heaviest Matter of the Universe. The Morbid Angel influence is strong as chaotic drumming makes way for fantastically heavy riffs and a deluge of alternate vocal styles. Oddly enough World to Come reminds me of an early Alice in Chains song, with cleanly sung verses and slowed down guitar work. The song wouldn't feel out of place on Facelift or Dirt in my opinion. And the last highlight is Flying Whales, a nearly 7 minute epic with many great tricks up its sleeve. It starts out with gentle drumming mixed with whale sounds before turning into a groovy riff heavy tale about the majestic flying whales.

Really the only flaw I can find with this album is some songs tend to drag on a little too long. But even then it's only a minor nitpick. There really is no bad track on this album, and while I like some better than others I'm never inclined to hit next. From beginning to end it remains an engaging listen absolutely worth your time. If you're a fan of death metal or extreme metal in general then give this one a shot. I guarantee you will find at least some semblance of enjoyment from this magnificent effort.