Gojira's 'Fortitude' - Album Review

France's Gojira are one of those rare, enigmatic bands that seem to break through all genre restrictions, as well as society-at-large's general distaste for heavier music, and make a career for themselves in a big way. While there are plenty of 'bigger' metal bands out there, there is something interesting about Gojira's rise through the ranks. Most of the biggest metal bands are usually so because either of their long-earned legendary status or through their accessible sound, but Gojira fit into neither of those categories. The band have been around since 1996, but have not reached legend status yet, and, in my opinion, their sound is anything but accessible. I would not even really consider myself a 'true fan' of Gojira, but they are a band that have always fascinated me; and it has been great seeing such an esoteric act getting quite a lot of mainstream attention (even The Guardian, one of the UK's most-popular newspapers, recently ran an article on them). I first came across Gojira back in 2007 when they were part of a four-band bill that toured the UK supporting Trivium's The Crusade. They did not really do much for me at the time, but even back then their mechanical, groove-laden sound intrigued me. I had not really heard anything else at the time that quite sounded like Gojira, and in some ways that statement remains true today. They are a band that are hard to pigeonhole, with their strange mix of progressive, groove, and death metal creating a sound that is very much their own. I have heard them described as transcending traditional metal tropes and taking the genre into new places, which is a bit of a journalistic way to talk about them, but I understand the sentiment. I have also seen them described as post-metal, although I am not really sure what that means, but again I understand why someone would say that. What is clear however is that Gojira certainly are an interesting band - and part of their success is down to their unique sound. Even though I would not really consider myself a huge fan, I have often on this blog called certain riffs as being 'Gojira-esque' - as every so often a band will throw out something mechanical and groovy that sounds as if they have been listening to the French band's discography. This is a discography that has recently grown in stature too, with the release of the band's seventh album Fortitude last month. It took the band quite a long time to get Fortitude together, with the album following five years after 2016's somewhat polarising Magma, but the new album sees the four-piece again taking their sound to new places. While parts of the album are very classic Gojira in tone and style, there are also moments that see the band experimenting with new things. This album is perhaps less pummelling than the band's older albums, and in some ways continues with the sounds forged on Magma - but it also introduces new styles to the band's ever-expanding style.

Despite saying above that I do not find Gojira generally to be that accessible, they have certainly got more so over time. Fortitude is an album that, overall, I have found easier to digest than say 2005's dense, sprawling, progressive From Mars to Sirius - but that is not to say that there is not a lot going on here. The album's opening track, and lead single, Born for One Thing is typically Gojira in style - but the vocal melodies certainly seem a bit hookier than usual. Joe Duplantier still largely sticks to his raspy harsh vocal approach, but there are plenty of hooks to be found. Part of what makes Gojira unique for me is Joe Duplantier's voice; as he really sounds like no-one else out there. It is not just the vocals that provide the hooks however, as Born for One Thing is generally quite melodic - despite the band's mechanical sound being on full display. The verses are groove-laden, with some Lamb of God-esque moments built into the classic Gojira sound, while the choruses are packed with hypnotic melodies thanks to some excellent guitar leads from Christian Andreu. As a result, the choruses are instantly memorable, and they really drew me into the song when I first heard it before the album's release. I had already planned to pick the album up, but Born for One Thing cemented that - and it is the sort of song that allows people like me to enter into the murky world of Gojira. Amazonia goes for a less heavy and more snaking vibe, with a strange percussive opening and an effects-heavy bass presence from Jean-Michel Labadie. There is less of the band's tech metal approach here, with the song instead being a bit of a grind, with a strong mid-paced chug allowing the bass to shine while Mario Duplantier lays down a very simple drum pattern. Some of the riffs found throughout the song are very simple by Gojira's standards, with a power chord pattern that echoes early Black Sabbath somewhat adding a retro doom vibe to the piece. This doomy feeling continues throughout, and the song generally has an unsettling vibe due to the slower pace and the more overt riffing. Another World, which was originally released last year as a stand-alone single, maintains a similar pace to Amazonia, but includes more of the band's usual tropes. The main riff has real hypnotic feel to it, something which is commonly found in the band's sound, while Joe Duplantier's roars convey his usual anguish. There is always a pained feel to Joe Duplantier voice, and the slower pace of this song really conveys this. The whole song as a real mournful feel to it as a result, but the occasional strange guitar squeals from Andreu add some quirkiness. Hold On is somewhat on the lighter side, at least early on, with an intro sequence that is very airy and melodic by Gojira's standards. The swirling guitars from Joe Duplantier and Andreu have something of an Anathema-esque layering approach to then, while the choral vocal harmonies add additional depth. The song does get heavier however, as a mid-paced riff soon crashes in with some potent Mario Duplantier double bass drum patterns to accompany it. Despite this however, the song never becomes particularly furious - with the song's early mid-pace retained, and Labadie's bass often dominating the mix. The song also allows Andreu to shine with a rare guitar solo, as well as containing plenty of space for some of his trademark hypnotic leads.

New Found returns to the classic Gojira sound in a big way however, with some heavy, groove-based riffing and some of the guitar squeals that have always been a big part of their sound. The main riff is still firmly mid-paced, but it has the heaviness of the band's older albums, with the squeals accenting the rhythms perfectly. It is also one of the busiest songs here from a drumming perspective, with Mario Duplantier getting a chance to showcase his talents a little more. He is easily one of the best modern metal drummers, but this album (along with Magma) sees him generally going for a simpler approach to fit with the band's slightly more streamlined sound. New Found has some of his classic busy playing however, with plenty of strong double bass pedal work as well as some rock-solid grooves. As a result, it is one of the songs here that best represents what Gojira have done well over the years - and it is a reminder of the band's much heavier side in what is overall a less heavy and more experimental album. That experimentation is perfectly captured on the next two songs, with the largely instrumental title track dispensing of essentially all of the band's heaviness and instead going for an acoustic-based groove. Simple percussion backs up the groove perfectly, while some wordless vocals provide something of a tribal feel. On the surface the song is quite repetitive and simple, but in many ways the classic Gojira structures are still present. They are a band that tend to built on grooves and melodies as a song progresses, and that approach is maintained here - especially when the song transitions into The Chant. Fortitude and The Chant are essentially one long song - with the former acting as the song's slow-burning intro before The Chant takes things up a notch. The same wordless melodies from Fortitude are maintained throughout The Chant, with the hooks forming something of a chorus, while Joe Duplantier sings the rest of the song in his strange clean vocal approach which he has been perfecting on the band's more recent albums. The tribal feel remains, but the song is heavier than Fortitude - with Andreu's bass picking up more of the slack and proper drums replacing the percussion. There is a lot of strong lead guitar work throughout the track too, with Andreu playing few lengthy, blues-based solos, while also adding some snaking counter melodies to the wordless vocals. There is very organic sound found throughout The Chant as a result, and it is one of the most experimental and interesting pieces here. Sphinx returns to the band's heavier side, and like New Found it is a great representation of their classic sound. Joe Duplantier's vocals are much deeper and harsher here, which harks back to the band's earlier albums, while the riffing and drumming is much knottier than much of the album. The guitar squeals are once again present, and the overall vibe is very death metal-esque - with the sound of From Mars to Sirius somewhat channelled. It is a great return to the band's classic sound after the experimental The Chant, and it is great to see how naturally the two songs sit together - which shows how natural Gojira's sound evolution over the years has been.

Into the Storm picks up the pace, with an atmospheric backing somewhat shattered by Mario Duplantier's fast footwork. The contrast works well however, with the spacy backing still having a great impact atmospherically - while the drumming provides the pace. This pace is maintained throughout much of the song, and it is great to see the band speed things up a little here. Much of the album is fairly mid-paced, which is not a bad thing, but Into the Storm helps the album to feel more dynamic as a result. Things slow down a bit for the song's chorus, which is typical of the album's core sound, but the verses and other riff-based sections are much faster - with Mario Duplantier's drumming driving everything. The riffing here is one of the album's most pummelling moments, and it is great to see Joe Duplantier and Andreu teaming up here for some fast-paced, heavy moments which again recall the band's older albums. There is an aggression here that is rarely found throughout Fortitude, but the slower, more mournful choruses help to ground the song within the core overall approach of the rest of the album. The Trails is a return to the album's core sound however, with a more deliberate pace and plenty of emphasis of Labadie's bass. Like The Chant, the song focuses on Joe Duplantier's clean vocals, but unlike The Chant the song is more grounded in the sound that the band forged on Magma. Magma was a very cathartic album for the band, as it was written and recorded following the death of the Duplantier brothers' mother, and The Trails feels like a natural continuation of that sound - so much so that I wonder if it is a song that was leftover and reworked from those sessions. The atmosphere of Magma is well and truly re-captured here, with its subtle synths, but again the song fits seamlessly onto the album. Fortitude is a very diverse album style-wise, but everything manages to hang together and sound natural. This is emphasised further when the album's final track, Grind, kicks in. Grind is another heavier song, which allows the album to end as it started - with groove-based riffs and some excellent Mario Duplantier drum grooves. There is certainly a lot of Born for One Thing in Grind, but there is a much thrashier approach taken with some faster riffing and more chaotic drumming in spots. There are still a lot of melodies however, and the mournful sections that characterise the album are still present - they are just wrapped up in a much heavier and more old-school sounding blanket. This is the sort of song that is going to appeal to fans who feel that Gojira have lost some of their heaviness over the past couple of albums - but there is still enough of the atmosphere to ensure that it fits in here. In a way, this mix of sounds makes the song a perfect closing cut - and a great overall representation of the album. This is because Fortitude is a real melting pot of sounds. It occasionally looks to the band's past, but on the whole it continues on the Magma sound while also looking forward. It is therefore Gojira's past, present, and future all in one package - and that makes it a captivating listen. It even reached number six in the Official UK Album Chart, meaning that Gojira are starting to really make waves commercially here, and not just within the traditional metal circles - which can only be a good thing for the genre as a whole.

The album was released on 30th April 2021 via Roadrunner Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Born for One Thing.