Gojira - L'Enfant Sauvage

Looking back a few years, if someone were to have told me that Gojira, a French metal band, would be signed by the same record label as Slipknot and Trivium and open up for Metallica, I would’ve laughed in their face. But after years of constant touring and a string of records acclaimed by fans and critics alike, it makes perfect sense that a band this talented and consistent would eventually get some international recognition. For Gojira, that recognition came in 2012, when they signed to Roadrunner Records. Shortly thereafter, L’Enfant Sauvage was recorded and released, forever cementing Gojira’s place as the most important contribution to heavy music ever to come from France.

When a band signs to a major label, their first release very frequently divides the fan base. For Gojira, this division was drawn along the lines of vocals. Joe Duplantier sang extensively (instead of solely screaming) on L’Enfant Sauvage, which for many long-time fans was off-putting. I would argue though that his choice to expand his style makes this record much more accessible to the average listener. That said, on a grand scale, Duplantier’s style tweaks are minor. Tracks like “Explosia” and “Planned Obsolescence” are exceedingly aggressive, and familiar elements of Gojira’s past releases can be found throughout L’Enfant Sauvage. Plenty of catchy riffs, pick slides and pinch harmonics abound, tons of memorable melodies, and last but not least, world-class drummer Mario Duplantier’s POSITIVELY DOMINATING drum performance.

Though I would readily categorize L’Enfant Sauvage a progressive record, you all should be pleased to know that it never derails into the sort of superfluous prog wankery that metal nerds like me are into. The band takes it’s time with each passing riff, and songs have relatively straightforward (albeit excellently arranged) structures. A prime example of this can be found in “The Axe”. The song progresses until they finally land on the “right” riff. Rather than try to reinvent the wheel, that one riff is tactfully ridden out for the last third of the song. It’s simple, but effectively catchy. Even now, three years removed from the release of this record, I can still remember it in it’s entirely.

Familiarity is somewhat important for a band, especially one like Gojira, whose signature sound is well-defined. That said, they aren’t hesitant in the least to try new things. The album opener immediately assaults the listener with a massive groove before somehow transitioning into what sounds like a prog-metal take on a Spaghetti Western soundtrack. Odd? Yeah, maybe, but in the context of the song, it’s perfect. “Born in Winter” and “Liquid Fire” both feature catchy melodic choruses without losing any grit.

Notably, L’Enfant Sauvage is pretty short by Gojira’s standards. At a “modest” runtime of 53 minutes, it’s ten minutes shorter than any of it’s predecessors. Critics in the past had complained that said releases were too long, and L’Enfant Sauvage recognizes this. If nothing else, I would argue that the shorter play time aids listeners in remembering each song, and practically asks to be played again.

Okay, so, maybe you’re not into heavy music like me, and you’re thinking “Why should I care about a metal record from 2012?”. That’s easy. Because Gojira don’t even seem like they’re trying. This monstrously aggressive and technical record somehow sounds effortless. It’s like hiding a kid’s medicine in applesauce, except in our case the “medicine” is nerdy stuff like polyrhythms and phrygian modes, and the applesauce is groovy riffs that make you want to fist pump through the roof of your car. That’s the best thing about L’Enfant Sauvage. Gojira have written a developed record that is so committed to it’s sound that the majority of people who hear L’Enfant Sauvage will only enjoy it for what it is on the surface, they’ll never REALLY listen to it in depth. Good thing too, we don’t want them to figure out there was medicine in the applesauce…

Below is the first track off of L’Enfant Sauvage, “Explosia”. Get lost in this awesome record and enjoy!