Gojira seem determined to singlehandedly change France’s role in extreme music history. After 2012’s amazing ‘L’Enfant Sauvage’, brothers Duplantier took their time, and, now living in Brooklyn, searched – and found as it turns out – the way to make their music a little more accessible without sacrificing its particularities. Their mother passed away during the writing process for the new record, and this has given an even more powerful sentimental substance to ‘Magma’.
‘Silvera’ is the battering ram of the album, one of the best songs they’ve written, and I doubt it will ever leave their setlist. Interestingly though, it’s not an accurate representation of what goes on with the rest of the album; ‘Magma’ is, for the most part, an atmospheric mid-tempo creation, with songs such as the title track and ‘Pray’ really shining through. The progress of Joe Duplantier in the vocals is apparent, while baby brother Mario tears down his drum kit with with impressive technique.
‘Magma’ is a strong contester for the album of the year, being an evolution for a band that already possessed a complete and unique musical identity.
