Normally I wouldn’t review a single here in the hallowed (?) halls of Metal Monday but I felt that the sheer magnitude of the people involved in Gojira’s “Of Blood And Salt” merited a little more time. Plus, it’s my column and I can do what I want…and there’s like 3 metal releases next week so a single seemed like the safe prelude to the metalness to come.
Is there such a word as metalgasm? No? Then “Of Blood And Salt” would be the song that would describe the term in the Webster’s Dictionary of Metal which I’m currently writing for a fall release (Not really) (cue up disappointed Blerd sigh-ED.).
Gojira featuring Devin Townsend AND Meshuggah’s Fredrik Thordendal? Are you fucking kidding me? It’s part of The Sea Shepherd 4-song EP due later this year and if this is just a taste then we’re in for a helluva treat. Personally, I’d rather a full-length but after getting into these French eco-metallers when From Mars To Sirius was released in 2005, I’ll eat up anything they release…even an EP that supports that boat from “Whale Wars”. Yes, that’s why it’s named The Sea Shepherd EP.
Townsend starts the song above a lurching riff that feels like you’re on the actual Sea Shepherd during a storm. The first time you actually hear vocalist Joe Duplantier alone isn’t until over 2 minutes into the six and a half minute beast of a song as it switches back and forth between the Townsend-led crunch and the Duplantier brother (Brother Mario plays drums in Gojira) drum/guitar machine gun assault. Don’t take my word for the mightiness within though, listen to it below right-frickin-now!
Watch for Joe Duplantier to return the favor when he pops up on Townsend’s Deconstruction due out in June which will be reviewed here soon.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ho-CH6PgrqA