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Gojira - The Link
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Artist...............: Gojira
Album................: The Link
Genre................: Progressive Technical Extreme/Death Metal
Source...............: CD
Year.................: 2003 (2005, 2007)
Ripper...............: Exact Audio Copy (Secure mode) & Pioneer DVD-ROM DVR-109
Codec................: Free Lossless Audio Codec (FLAC)
Version..............: reference libFLAC 1.2.0 20070715
Quality..............: Lossless, (avg. compression: 67 %)
Channels.............: Stereo / 44100 HZ / 16 Bit
Tags.................: VorbisComment
Information..........: Produced by Gabriel Editions.
Recorded, Mixed and Mastered @ Studio Des Milans, France.
Engineered and Pre-Mixed by Laurentx Etchemendy.
Mixed by Joseph Duplantier and Jean-Michel Labadie.
Mastered by Larentx Etchemendy.
Record Label: Listenable Records.
This is the Re-Recorded, Re-Mastered and Re-Released 2005/2007 version.
Originally released in 2003 on Boycott Records.
Ripped by............: shogun on 10/15/2008
Posted by............: shogun on 10/15/2008
News Server..........: news.astraweb.com
News Group(s)........: alt.binaries.sounds.lossless.metal / alt.binaries.sounds.lossless
Included.............: NFO, SFV, PLS, M3U, LOG, PAR v2, CUE
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Tracklisting
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1. (00:05:01) Gojira - The Link
2. (00:05:48) Gojira - Death Of Me
3. (00:01:19) Gojira - Connected
4. (00:04:35) Gojira - Remembrance
5. (00:01:44) Gojira - Torii
6. (00:03:58) Gojira - Indians
7. (00:04:40) Gojira - Embrace The World
8. (00:05:54) Gojira - Inward Movement
9. (00:03:05) Gojira - Over The Flows
10. (00:02:25) Gojira - Wisdom Comes
11. (00:08:39) Gojira - Dawn
Playing Time.........: 00:47:08
Total Size...........: 331.22 MB
NFO generated on.....: 10/15/2008 11:54:51 PM
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Review from: www.metalreview.com
Review by: Erik Thomas
Ratings:
Production - 6/6
Songwriting - 4/6
Musicianship - 5.5/6
I'd like to give credit to France's Gojira for providing me with opportunity to
write one of the hardest reviews I've ever had to write. With The Link, they
have provided some of the most captivating and eclectic yet frustrating and
confusing metal I've heard in years. Both brilliant and annoying, Gojira
refuses to be pigeonholed into any single metal genre. I guess a good place
to start to at least allow you the reader some form of starting point would be
Meshuggah; unpredictable, complex thrash chuggery with slight jazz fusion.
Throw in some death metal lurches and growling, tribal interludes, bizarre
sampling and a complete spectrum of shifting atmospheres and ambience;
you come close to Gojira's indefinable sound. Dead Horse was the only direct
comparison that kept creeping into the back of my foggy mind. Oh and did I
mention all the aforementioned characteristics are delivered with an 800 lb
rhythm section and the guitars are rendered with Scarve-like mechanical
precision?
Few albums are an exhaustive listen, and even fewer require the song by
song breakdown that follows, but The Link requires your utmost attention to
comprehend its subliminal heaviness but it's often detracting experimentation
and continually shifting pace. If you can absorb its quirky structures, you'll be
rewarded with some immense weight. The opening title track is a poor start
with a lackluster droning pace and ineffectual chorus, but it's an early display
of Gorija's adventurous style and abusive production. The stumbling lurch of
"Death of Me", has a hefty, chaotic march, solidifying the Meshuggah
comparison, and is the first cut that reveals some brilliance pulsing behind the
eccentrically extreme exterior. "Connected" is an early foray into tribal filler
that's one of the album's detracting moments, breaking up the excellent mood
started on the prior track. "Remembrance" starts with more predictable
ground with a tighter, mechanical blasting style akin to country mates Scarve
or No Return, but soon morphs into a choppy, convoluted, didgeridoo laced
mess. "Torri" is more instrumental, but peaceful filler, but it gives way to the
utterly massive "Indians", with its vast resonant opening riff. However, the
song's mammoth like pace is broken up by more traditional thrash breaks that
while perfectly competent, break up the dirge like mood of the song. I can't
decide if it's brilliant song writing or haphazard musical histrionics. "Embrace
the World" kind of sums up Gojira's schizophrenic nature; pummeling
percussion layered over stop start riffs, disjointed vocals and even some
chanting. Again-superior talent or random elements thrown together? Each
listener will no doubt feel differently from listen to listen. It seems each play
of the album opens up another snippet of brilliance or another seemingly
needless time change or interlude. Just when you think Gojira have settled
into some kind of groove or pace, they shatter it as seen in the startling shift
from dream like doom to frenzied math metal that occurs during the superb
"Inward Movement", and that's not even going near its abrasive yet epic shift
at 4:20, that will have some cringing. Again though, in a consistently
inconsistent fashion, it's followed up with the head scratchingly bad "Over the
Flows" with its sudden lack of heaviness and sudden change of vocal
delivery. So you want brutal? Just absorb the head-crushing two minute
blaster 'Wisdom Comes".
As the album closes, I'm in awe at some of the material Gojira delivers,
especially when it comes with such a powerful production, but as the eight
minute instrumental "Dawn" fades with discordant, directionless length and
naturalistic samples, you can't help wonder if a band can be too adventurous
for their own good? I understand the need to break free from categorization
and be unique, but in Gorija's case, it makes an otherwise magnificent album
somewhat disjointed and reflect attention away from some major talent.
Hence the non generous song writing score.
Still, Gojira hold promise to be France's most promising export, and along with
7th Nemesis, Comity and Kabbal, will raise the level of respect for French
extremity that goes beyond the overrated Scarve and No Return.
For the bold metal head only.
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Review from: www.metal-invader.com
Review by: Spyros Papadakis
Rating: 6/6
This is the re-release of the second album by French metal band GOJIRA,
only this time fully remixed/remastered and made available worldwide. The
press release says that they are the "most respected and popular rock/metal
band in France today". I can't say that I have ever heard of them.
Now, the good thing about this band, and it is something that they have
used to their advantage - to build their success so to speak, is the extreme
experimentation and the various styles that they amalgamate to build their
sound. It is true that it is very difficult to describe their music in words. Their
sound reminds me a lot of PANTERA taken to the next level - in actual fact
this is what PANTERA would sound like if they played even more technical and
progressive stuff. But yet, GOJIRA go a step beyond and mix many different
elements from other genres as well (you will find influences by MESHUGGAH,
STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, even MORBID ANGEL and so on) making all kinds of
experimentations with their music and ending up with widely varied
arrangements and orchestrations. This just adds to the fact of how tight
GOJIRA are as a band.
Highlights of the album include "Death of Me", "Wisdom Comes", "The Link"
and "Dawn" (an 8-minute epic instrumental - and in case you were asking, no
it doesn't get boring at all!). There are also a couple of songs that act as
bridges to the main tracks.
This album worth's a six, but because their new album comes out in
September, I will wait until then to give them full points. Just go out and buy
this record, it is worth every penny you'll give…
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Gojira - From Mars To Sirius
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Artist...............: Gojira
Album................: From Mars To Sirius
Genre................: Progressive Technical Extreme/Death Metal
Source...............: CD
Year.................: 2006
Ripper...............: Exact Audio Copy (Secure mode) & Pioneer DVD-ROM DVR-109
Codec................: Free Lossless Audio Codec (FLAC)
Version..............: reference libFLAC 1.2.0 20070715
Quality..............: Lossless, (avg. compression: 87 %)
Channels.............: Stereo / 44100 HZ / 16 Bit
Tags.................: VorbisComment
Information..........: Produced by Gabriel Editions.
Recorded and Mixed @ Studio Des Milans, France.
Engineered by Laurentx Etchemendy.
Mixed by Joe Duplantier, Laurentx Etchemendy and Jean-Michel Labadie.
Mastered @ La Source Mastering, Paris by Jean-Pierre Chalbos and Seb Dupuis.
Record Label: Prosthetic (Under license from Listenable).
Ripped by............: shogun on 10/15/2008
Posted by............: shogun on 10/15/2008
News Server..........: news.astraweb.com
News Group(s)........: alt.binaries.sounds.lossless.metal / alt.binaries.sounds.lossless
Included.............: NFO, SFV, PLS, M3U, LOG, PAR v2, CUE
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Tracklisting
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1. (00:05:33) Gojira - Ocean Planet
2. (00:04:18) Gojira - Backbone
3. (00:05:48) Gojira - From The Sky
4. (00:02:09) Gojira - Unicorn
5. (00:06:54) Gojira - Where Dragons Dwell
6. (00:03:58) Gojira - The Heaviest Matter Of The Universe
7. (00:07:44) Gojira - Flying Whales
8. (00:07:47) Gojira - In The Wilderness
9. (00:06:53) Gojira - World To Come
10. (00:02:25) Gojira - From Mars
11. (00:05:38) Gojira - To Sirius
12. (00:07:51) Gojira - Global Warming
Playing Time.........: 01:06:52
Total Size...........: 506.72 MB
NFO generated on.....: 10/15/2008 11:28:21 PM
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Review from: www.metal-observer.com
Review by:
Rating: 9/10
France has to be cheating. There's no way one country can produce such
high quality Metal on a regular basis and it be legitimate. When GOJIRA are
the result, though, I can't help but abandon my ponderings, because "From
Mars To Sirius" slapped them out of my head. Brandishing pummeling
instrumentation and a gigantic sound overall gets the job done here,
thankfully without serving as the all-too-familiar crutch.
GOJIRA possess distinct modern elements and can be compared to a host of
peers. I hear FEAR FACTORY during the latter half of "Ocean Planet" and
STRAPPING YOUNG LAD in "The Heaviest Matter Of The Universe."
MASTODON are included, too, as well as a production reminiscent of
MESHUGGAH. The approach is uncannily similar to that of their predecessors,
therefore "From Mars To Sirius" showcases a band neck-deep in aggression
and MESHUGGAH-esque mind-fuckery. Out of twelve songs, most contain
sections that are verifiable earthquakes. Unlike earthquakes, however, the
onslaughts are predictable but no amount of preparation will ready you for
the upheaval. Besides the gentler "Unicorn" and "From Mars," every other
opus fully encapsulates what GOJIRA are about and what kind of damage
they are capable of inflicting. Still, "From Mars To Sirius" is not without its
blemishes, no matter how miniscule. When the growls dissipate on "Global
Warming" it's easier to understand the lyrics and they unfortunately come
across as hokey. Also, the song titles themselves can be deceiving as
"Unicorn," "Where Dragons Dwell," and "In The Wilderness" are more in
league with Power/Progressive Metal rather than a style like this. I was
pleased with the length, but I can envision some drifting after forty or fifty
minutes of such perplexing intricacy.
Whatever the case, "From Mars To Sirius" is exemplary in a number of ways.
In addition to the instrumental wizardry, the group's songwriting skills are
conspicuous. Adorers of any of the bands I mentioned in this review are
encouraged to take a stab at this, because GOJIRA are simply too powerful
and competent to ignore. Though much of the record's appeal leaves me
futilely searching for descriptive words and phrases, rest assured that the
impact and subsequent devastation are both unavoidable and irreparable.
You might see it coming, but it'll still knock you on your ass. It's one of the
better things I've heard this year and while we're on the subject of Listenable
Records (well, sort of), check out VILE's "The New Age Of Chaos." Just buy
them at the same time. Thank me later.
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Review from: www.metalstorm.ee
Review by: Jeff
Rating 9.2/10
Of all the young French bands Gojira is without any doubt the most promising
and probably the most talented. Even if their first two albums were already
excellent and even if we all know that a third release can be fatidic, it can
also be a nice confirmation. It's a confirmation yes, a confirmation of all the
potentiality of this amazing combo and it's not really surprising to see that all
the media in Europe say that it is one of the best release of the year 2005.
"From Mars To Sirius" is a must…
As always with Gojira, you'll find one more time their really typical sound. I
could say that it is a mix of Thrash, Death, with some really progressive
elements and even some atmospheric touches. Actually it's impossible to do
any comparisons. Gojira play Gojira's music but I saw them live several times
and they were all super impressive every time, they are great musicians.
This album has twelve songs, and some of them are really impressive. "Ocean
Planet" with its excellent melodies or the aggressive "The Heaviest Matter Of
The Universe" with it catchy choruses are two good examples of the really
high quality of this release. Evidently the other songs are really good too and
the general atmosphere of this album is awesome. Like on Terra Incognita,
there is something mystic on this album (the lyrics help a lot) and I really hope
that you'll be lucky enough to discover them through this album and in that
case, don't forget their previous albums.
With a great production, some great artworks and layouts "From Mars To
Sirius" is for me the best release of the band. Those guys rock and they
prove that they are one of the best bands that come from France. "From
Mars To Sirius" is an excellent release and probably the best release of the
year 2005 in France. Don't miss it…
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Review from: www.lordsofmetal.nl
Review by: Jasper
Rating: 91/100
So the lead singer of the French metal act Gojira may see whales fly, that
cannot be a reason to put him in an insane asylum. Together with his fellow
warriors the good man delivered the most relevant French release in years.
A while ago already 'The Link' made clear that we dealt with a special act
here. On 'From Mars To Sirius' this French flagship proves that with a great
imagination and a pinch of courage a whole different kind of sound can be
created. Here the good parts of death metal battle side to side with
Meshuggah-like rhythm and a lot of genuine creativity.
The intense flowing riffs together with the lyrics have a very good
atmospheric effect and make sure that estranging images like flying whales,
unicorns, dragons, and oceanic planets receive a comprehensive soundtrack.
Sixty six minutes maybe quite a long time to journey with these French
giants, but 'From Mars To Sirius' does never really sound pretentious. Of
course there are some very bombastic parts, but what else can you expect
on a song like 'The Heaviest Matter Of The Universe'. On 'The Link' I was not
fully convinced of the vocals, but some impressive work was done ( they are
more aggressive, more varied, and even clean parts!) and on the new album
'Mr. Whale-spotter' sounds just as powerful as the rest of his band.
I am curious if a relatively small label like Listenable can push this band to the
top position they deserve, anyhow this is without doubt one of the more
essential releases this year.
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Review from: www.metal-archives.com
Reverse Godzilla - 92%
Written by DrSharK on February 7th, 2008
Gojira, the menacing progressive death metal band from France, have more
or less made a record to be remembered, for a very long time.
First things first, the name Gojira is very misleading. These guys are basically
the Green Peace of extreme metal, not some kind of "destroyer of worlds"
band. It greatly influences their music, not only in their lyrics, but in the
themes as well, which is particularly obvious on this album.
From Mars To Sirius starts out with a crushing groove as "Ocean Planet" more
or less assaults the listener. The mood has already been set for the rest of
the album by now, but unlike many bands who just maintain a constant mood,
Gojira decides to mix things up and have both uplifting, happy songs, but also
melancholic songs, such as Where Dragons Dwell.
The crushing grooves certainly don't stop there. Many of the songs on From
Mars To Sirius have grooves- MIGHTY grooves mind you, instead of the
typical blast beats you often find in Death Metal. It's certainly a welcome
change from the usual, and they have managed to perfect it with their style.
Standout tracks on this album are definitely the crushing Ocean Planet, the
fast Backbone, and In The Wilderness. That's not to say there are bad tracks
on this album though, they all fit the theme and the style very well. Great
songwriting on Gojira's part.
The production of the album is more or less stellar. Very clear sound quality,
with great mixes that's sure to satisfy people who look specifically for that.
All the members are extremely proficient at what they do. The drummer is a
maniac, pumping out some of the best fills you'll ever hear, while the
guitarists mix things up even more, with their "whale songs". They basically
play the guitar in a way that makes it sound like a whale. You have to hear it
to understand it.
The lead singer is really good as well. He sings in many different ways
throughout this record (Shrieks, growls, yells, screams and clean singing, also
with some doomish spoken parts). It fits the music very well.
One could've wished for even more "ocean" influences than are here, but
what's there is appreciated. It makes the concept of the album, that is, global
warming, much easier to understand, for us people who don't really
understand harsh lyrics that well.
The album is also extremely long for a death metal record, as death metal
albums nearly never even reach 50 minutes. This album is 65 minutes, of pure
awesomeness.
So what's actually bad about this album?
Some of the riffs seem a bit uninspired, and it could've been more progressive
than it is now. While the songs do change their mood, they usually only do it
BETWEEN songs, not IN songs. However, if you see the album as 3 huge
songs, it's definitely progressive in nature.
From Mars To Sirius is an astounding achievement by Gojira. One can only
hope their next album will be just as good, hey, maybe even better?
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Review from www.metal-archives.com
Out Of This World. - 90%
Written by Perplexed_Sjel on November 7th, 2007
Gojira were a bit of a surprise, that's for sure. Lately, i've been willing to put
aside my issues with the death metal genre and search for some talent within
it. I came across Gojira by sheer accident, as per usual and decided, as their
latest full-length received some positive reviews, that I would give it a whirl
and see how it goes. I was pleasantly surprised by what I had found. It was
unlike any death metal band I had heard before and because I don't exactly
have an acid passion for the genre, that was a good thing.
It's not the most brutal of affairs, is 'From Mars To Sirius'. It's not as
aggressive as I had expected. Death metal bands usually opt for an attack
on the mind, body and soul by using superhuman low growls brought to you
by the devil himself. Their approach is also quite restricted due to the
brutality they are aiming to create. The guitars don't really have much room
to manoeuvre and are restricted to fast and heavy solos, much of the time
anyway. Gojira aim to tear this stereotype of death metal apart. They this
rather convincingly and have even me, a man who usually shuns away from
the genre, drooling over what they have created.
Finally, a death metal band who can express themselves competently
through instruments and vocals, perhaps the most surprising element of all.
According to Metal Archives, the band also incorporate thrash into their
music, this is perhaps where the vocals profit so much from. They're not
typical at all. They don't come in the form of low guttural growls. Instead,
they're more open to change. Variation is something the vocals like to
surprise you with. They have a habit of sticking to one particular style and
then surprising the audience with a new sound at different intervals. They're
unpredictable, but in a good sense of the word. Generally speaking, they're
high pitched screams, but with a low edge. It's quite unusual. This very fact
makes Gojira instantly interesting. As well as the always altering percussion
section. 'From Mars To Sirius' isn't simply filled with blast beats and overly
using the cymbals, it's varied and exciting.
By no means are they restricted from change. They, at times, do turn from
these screams to low growls which will appeal to the hardcore fans of the
genre. Although seemingly not brutal on the surface, if you peel away the
facade that Gojira elegantly wears, you'll come across an uncompromising
band that leaves no prisoners. The lyrical themes suggest the brutality lies
hidden within the band. The one element that keeps cropping up, is the fact
that the individuals behind the instruments and the vocalist, aren't restricted
by the genre. There is always room for musical expression. Mostly, this
comes in the form of the melodies created by using two guitarists. They play
simultaneously together and it works a treat. Solid riffs flow from the hands
of the musicians and will keep fans of melodic music happy for hours on end.
The bass is where the heaviness of the band lies. It's subtle, but effectively
working it's magic behind the scenes. Weaving it's way in and out of the
solos, it majestically forms a concrete barrier of noise. Gojira's atmospheric
tendencies are what keeps them interesting. Generally speaking, death metal
bands keep atmospheres on records quite similar throughout. It's meant to
portray an image of death and brutality. To an extent, it works. Gojira don't
aim to do this.
They change the soundscapes throughout, making this full-length incredibly
interesting. There is always a new element of the music that you pick up on
every time you listen to it, which makes it a winner. Also, unlike many death
metal acts, Gojira aren't afraid of producing lengthy songs. To me, this is a
great thing. I like gradual build ups and an explosion of noise towards the
middle and end. Gojira fulfil this desire effortlessly. With their sufficiently
good production, they're able to let all their musical explorations out with
ease. Highlights have to be 'Ocean Planet' and 'From The Sky'.
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Review from: www.metal-archives.com
Seriously Impressive Stuff! - 95%
Written by corviderrant on November 3rd, 2007
WOW...I am throughly impressed with this band. WIth minor quibbles aside,
this is an excellent effort that moves me. Like the reviewer before me, I first
heard these guys opening for Behemoth last month and I was impressed
enough to score this album, and I am not disappointed at all.
This is reminiscent of a primo mashup of Strapping Young Lad, Morbid Angel,
and even Helmet. You've got the sweeping, dramatic feel of SYL, which
includes a plethora of riffs that are equal parts disciplined, structured,
melodic, and crushingly heavy; there is the throughly chaotic feel on several
songs that evokes MA in their evil prime (the riffs in "From The Sky",
"Backbone", and "In The Wilderness" in particular--tell me you don't hear Trey
Azagthoth's warped sensibility in their approach on these tunes); and the
drumming is the ace in the hole in this album. Like John Stanier (Helmet),
Mario Duplantier is the hero in Gojira, his style providing a versatile and
swinging feel to even the heaviest riffing moments, the odd blast parts
excepted, of course. His is the role that makes the music really breathe and
work and groove--yes, groove, and not in the lunkheaded Pantera/Lamb of
God wannabe sense. Groove in the elusively funky sense, I mean, a la Van
Williams of Nevermore, to cite another example.
The songs focus on swaggering, stomping mid tempos with a palpable sense
of forward motion no matter how repetitive the music gets. And they work
the repetition angle to its maximum effect, establishing a concrete base and a
hypnotic feel that really drags you in. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that
they channel the essence of their daikaiju namesake very, very well,
menacing and dark yet heroic in an odd manner. The odd blast part surfaces
here and there, and while I thought they were gratuitous at first they've
grown on me, like the chaotic rush of "Backbone". But yet they also come off
as simultaneously relaxed and confident as well as aggressive, an
odd-sounding combination that manages to work.
Gojira even incorporate gentle, atmospheric instrumental parts like the short
and sweet "Unicorn", which has haunting snippets of whale songs--those, in
fact, pop up throughout the album to add a thematic coherence to it--and
that takes courage and a firm belief in your music to write something like that
and have it fit so well instead of seeming out of place.
Joe Duplantier's vocals are best described as a harsh yet melodic shouting
that somehow seems all him. He delivers his deep lyrics with conviction and
occasional clean vocals as well as death growls here and there, all the while
surprisingly coherent too--his accent is very minimal and he enunciates very
well. And the lyrics are heady stuff, intelligent and well-written, dealing with
a variety of subject matter of the spiritual/personal order that adds a healthy
dollop of emotional resonance. His and Christian Andreu's riffing is tight and
makes ample use of pinch harmonic squawks for punctuation and occasional
Martian squalls--but no solos. And I don't miss them on this album at all; if
there were any they'd seem out of place and disruptive. You do not interrupt
a groove this massive and profound for self-indulgence.
The production is perfect, as well; the kick drums only occasionally sound
triggered and the guitars are crisp and clear, plus the bass has its own niche
in the mix that fills out the sound with gritty Fender tone to maximum effect.
Every instrument fits into the whole to create a beautfuil sonic picture,
something you don't get too often with metal at all. And I love it!
Standouts for me are "Ocean Planet" (what a great opener), "Backbone",
"Unicorn", the crushing "Where Dragons Dwell", and the menacing Morbid
Angel worship of "In The Wilderness" and "From The Sky". Overall, the grand
and again, sweeping epic feel of this album is breathtaking and will have you
gently bobbing your head rhythmically in time witht the music more than
headbanging. And this is not a bad thing, to me.
I really hope these guys make some headway in America given that the
anti-French sentiments of a few years back may well still be alive in some
parts of this country. Forget all about that crap and settle in with this album
for some deep listening, you will need to absorb this album over the course of
several listens, as I did. Give it time to win you over, I think you will not
regret it.
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