My Top 20 of 2012 – Number 12
Day 9 of my Top 20 rock/metal albums of 2012
Day 8, featurfing some tasty UK thrash metal can be found here.
Gojira
‘L’Enfant Sauvage’
Roadrunner Records
I never expected this to be an album that I liked, let alone find itself in my Top 20. Previously, the output of French metallers Gojira had left me unmoved. Too modern, too metalcore, too shouty I think were my reasons based on a far too limited listen. With all the hype that surrounded this release, I felt that maybe I had been too hasty and decided to give Gojira another go. I am delighted I did because ‘L’Enfant Sauvage’ is terrific.
What I like most about this album is the level of sophistication that Gojira achieve via an extreme form of metal. Forget my preconceptions about metalcore and the like, this is progressive death metal done very well indeed. The technicality is first-rate with jagged riffing juxtaposed with clever time signatures, polyrhythms and quirky drumming that take a few listens to fully appreciate. But then there’s an epic quality to the music too, with big wide open spaces filled with subtle melodies and vocals that are growled and snarled but yet can soar.
<img src=”http://manofmuchmetal.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/gojira-2.png” alt=”gojira 2″ width=”275″ height=”183″ class=”aligncenter size-full wp-image-352″ />
‘L’Enfant Sauvage’ has shown me the error of my ways and when combined with the fact that it is a damn addictive listen, it had to find a place in my year-end Top 20.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEnOgnWJWMc&w=560&h=315]
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHvojSdiVG8&w=560&h=315]
If you’ve missed any of my previous posts, they can be found here:
Day 7 (Norwegian progressive black metal)
Day 6 (Prog Rock/Metal)
Day 5 (Melodic Hard Rock)
Day 4 (Symphonic Folk black metal)
Day 3 (Modern Death/Thrash Metal)
Day 2 (Melodic Prog Metal)
Day 1 (Dark/Doom Metal)
