Gojira – “The Way Of All Flesh” [Album Review]

Attention metalheads: Gojira has just released their fourth studio album, The Way Of All Flesh. These French, groove metal kings have been on a rampage since 1996 and gaining exceptional momentum as of late. In case you don’t already know, Gojira is the rōmaji spelling of Godzilla; which makes sense considering the type of music they write could literally tear the planet into pieces.

I found it very interesting that the band chose rōmaji for the spelling of their name. So you are aware, rōmaji is when one spells Japanese words with Latin letters; ironically the music possess elements from both cultures. The name is further interesting seeing as Godzilla was a giant monster that destroyed cities and disrupted the environment, while Gojira’s music is a WALL of sound that boasts lyrics pertaining to matters related to the environment. Coincidence? I think not.

Beside from the Japanese and Latin influences, thrash elements dominate the whole of the music. The thrash aspect usually contains specific drum patterns, guitar styles, and of course, vocals. The Japanese touch is also very much prevalent throughout the music, for example on the tune “A Sight To Behold”. The vocals have a robotic distortion placed over top, which actually makes me think of modern Japan, considering the technological advances. Even the guitar patterns have a Japanese feel to them.

“The Art Of Dying” is one of the more popular tracks on the album, and that’s for good reason. The introduction reminded me of the movie Mortal Kombat. The beats and odd “spirit” type vocals in the background remind me of the scene when Liu Kang is fighting Shang Tsung at the end of the movie. After a minute of this groove, the metal is turned on. Palm mutes, sick drumming, and a thick baseline dominate the entirety of this track. The vocals come in a little bit later, which actually add to the epic feel throughout the entire song. The end of the track is a bit quiet, and sounds as if it’s being played backwards. When played in reverse, it sounds like a soft version of the intro for the next track on the album, “Esoteric Surgery”.

To be entirely honest, I wasn’t a fan of this band before I heard this album. I guess I hadn’t heard the right tracks. I would definitely pay top dollar to see these guys live. Give this album a listen if you love Godzilla, French men, Environmentalism… or Thrash!

The Way Of All Flesh Track Listing:

01. Oroborus
02. Toxic Garbage Island
03. A Sight To Behold
04. Yama’s Messengers
05. The Silver Cord
06. All The Tears
07. Adoration For None
08. The Art Of Dying
09. Esoteric Surgery
10. Vacuity
11. Wolf Down The Earth
12. The Way Of All Flesh

Run Time: 75:07
Release Date: October 14, 2008