I’ll never forget the first time I heard about Gojira: they were supporting Lamb of God, Machine Head, and Trivium on a 2007 tour. The article I read said that when Gorjia played, the mosh pit was confused — Gojira’s take on death metal was so different and unusual, they couldn’t follow the beats. They didn’t mosh, or bang their heads — they didn’t even nod. By the time the set was done, you could still tell the audience was enjoying themselves, but it was also obvious to the reporter that most attendees had no clue what they had just heard.
That article is still a fairly apt summary of what makes Gojira so wonderful: they’re a death metal band from France that are uninterested in following trends, releasing “bangers”, or following everybody else’s lead. Gojira are thoroughly interested in making their own brand of heavy metal.
Their 2008 record, The Way of All Flesh, might be their best record yet (although it’s tough to pick a favourite from their discography). Oroborus (the album opener) and Toxic Garbage Island are two perfect tracks to dig into this style with: the guitars and drums are pounding and oppressive, the vocal work is impeccable, the production is astounding, and the band’s sense of rhythm is both difficult to approach and easy to appreciate.
All of that isn’t to say that Gojira is impossible to groove to, or that it’s completely experimental — there are moments sprinkled throughout that are easy to whip your dreadlocks to, or riffs that pretty easily played on an air guitar. Gojira simply doesn’t have an interest in that sort of music.
A Sight to Behold is the track I keep coming back to: the song is largely guitar-less, and the verses sound like an electronic song. It doesn’t sound like death metal at all. But Gojira have earned the ability to take the genre in whatever direction they want, and they don’t have to explain themselves.
Gojira is one of the most original and creative bands in heavy metal, and not to say that their other albums are lesser, but The Way of All Flesh is perhaps the clearest statement of their vision.