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Gojira - Fortitude



7.8 | 461 votes |
Release date: 30 April 2021
Style: Alternative metal

Owners:

198 have it
24 want it


01. Born For One Thing
02. Amazonia
03. Another World
04. Hold On!
05. New Found
06. Fortitude
07. The Chant
08. Sphinx
09. Into The Storm
10. The Trails
11. Grind

The Best Alternative Metal Album Of 2021

Additional info
Produced by Joe Duplantier at Silver Cord Studio.
Mixed by Andy Wallace.
Cover art by Joe Duplantier.

Staff review by
musclassia
Rating:
7.5
Reviewing a divisive album by a major metal band? I'm sure this will be a rewarding experience for me.

Read more ››
published 02.05.2021 | Comments (28)

Guest review by
Mehrad
Rating:
8.5
The new Gojira album is not Magma 2, and it's not completely a "U Turn" from it. It has the perfect combination of both "old" and "new" Gojira.

Read more ››
published 03.06.2021 | Comments (6)

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Comments: 144   Visited by: 1007 users
04.05.2021 - 16:34
Rating: 9
Mehrad
Written by BCI on 04.05.2021 at 15:54

Written by Boxcar Willy on 04.05.2021 at 00:22

I can't believe the band that wrote "Backbone" and "The Heaviest Matter In The Universe" wrote this absolutely bland and boring garbo. What a shame.


Those two are my favourite songs from the pre L'enfant era. TBH I don'tike a single track from The way of All Flesh, and I especially dislike the first 3 tracks of the album. And that's coming from a fan! Goes to show how hard it is to please everyone...

not even the Art of Dying ? that's their masterpiece
----
Ride a horse that's cleaving through the air and space of dreams.
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04.05.2021 - 22:17
Desha
delicious dish
Written by Mehrad on 04.05.2021 at 16:34

not even the Art of Dying ? that's their masterpiece

Usually what people think, but I think it's not my favourite anymore from that record even. Much less in total.
----
You are the hammer, I am the nail
building a house in the fire on the hill
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04.05.2021 - 23:32
Rating: 7
JavierPaper
Well in the end the controversial album that everyone is talking about is not "that
" bad, the truth is that it is nothing to do with the three best ones (L'efant Sauvage, The way of all flesh, From mars to sirius).
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04.05.2021 - 23:36
Rating: 7
JavierPaper
It is undoubtedly one of the worst
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04.05.2021 - 23:41
Rating: 7
JavierPaper
Written by MMEmperor on 30.04.2021 at 15:39

Another "Magma" but but even more soporific. This is alternative metal now. Then the effects on Joe's voice...I don't find that incredible.
I miss "From Mars To Sirius" and "The Way Of All Flesh". Overated band now, in MY opinion.

You're right, I don't know why this is marked as "progressive death metal".

It is alternative metal with some progressive touches.
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04.05.2021 - 23:44
Rating: 7
JavierPaper
Last year I listened to "Another World" and I thought it was kind of "meh", but now compared to the whole album it is the best song.
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04.05.2021 - 23:50
Rating: 7
JavierPaper
Written by Mehrad on 30.04.2021 at 08:38

Written by Space Pangolin on 30.04.2021 at 07:45

Written by Metal Rasputin on 30.04.2021 at 03:40

What's up with the 1's? Is it really THAT bad?


Its obviously not that bad, in fact is better than magma IMO

I think it's their best since TWOAF

In my opinion L'efant Sauvage is 3 times better than this album and Magma is a little better but Fortitude still competes with it.
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05.05.2021 - 08:06
Rating: 9
Mehrad
Written by JavierPaper on 04.05.2021 at 23:44

Last year I listened to "Another World" and I thought it was kind of "meh", but now compared to the whole album it is the best song.

man you are entitled to your opinion but I strongly disagree
literally every other song on this album is better than Another World IMO
----
Ride a horse that's cleaving through the air and space of dreams.
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05.05.2021 - 08:07
Rating: 9
Mehrad
Written by Desha on 04.05.2021 at 22:17

Written by Mehrad on 04.05.2021 at 16:34

not even the Art of Dying ? that's their masterpiece

Usually what people think, but I think it's not my favourite anymore from that record even. Much less in total.

what's your favorite from TWOAF ?
----
Ride a horse that's cleaving through the air and space of dreams.
Loading...
05.05.2021 - 10:35
Desha
delicious dish
Written by Mehrad on 05.05.2021 at 08:07

what's your favorite from TWOAF ?

I keep going back and forth between "Vacuity" and "Yama's Messengers" usually.
----
You are the hammer, I am the nail
building a house in the fire on the hill
Loading...
05.05.2021 - 10:57
Rating: 9
Mehrad
Written by Desha on 05.05.2021 at 10:35

Written by Mehrad on 05.05.2021 at 08:07

what's your favorite from TWOAF ?

I keep going back and forth between "Vacuity" and "Yama's Messengers" usually.

Yama's Messengers
REALLY underrated
----
Ride a horse that's cleaving through the air and space of dreams.
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05.05.2021 - 14:37
Rating: 7
JavierPaper
Written by Mehrad on 05.05.2021 at 08:06

Written by JavierPaper on 04.05.2021 at 23:44

Last year I listened to "Another World" and I thought it was kind of "meh", but now compared to the whole album it is the best song.

literally every other song on this album is better than Another World IMO


What is so special about the other songs that "Another World" doesn't have?

It might be kind of bad that in that song the same riff is repeated throughout the song but it's still good IMO.
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05.05.2021 - 16:21
Rating: 9
Mehrad
Written by JavierPaper on 05.05.2021 at 14:37

Written by Mehrad on 05.05.2021 at 08:06

Written by JavierPaper on 04.05.2021 at 23:44

Last year I listened to "Another World" and I thought it was kind of "meh", but now compared to the whole album it is the best song.

literally every other song on this album is better than Another World IMO


What is so special about the other songs that "Another World" doesn't have?

It might be kind of bad that in that song the same riff is repeated throughout the song but it's still good IMO.

no Another World is not a bad song
but I like New Found , Grind , Sphinx and The Trails way more
----
Ride a horse that's cleaving through the air and space of dreams.
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05.05.2021 - 18:42
Rating: 9
Mehrad
Alternative metal ??
sure it's no "prog death" but it is Progressive/Groove with some death elements
----
Ride a horse that's cleaving through the air and space of dreams.
Loading...
06.05.2021 - 04:50
Rating: 7
JavierPaper
Written by Mehrad on 05.05.2021 at 16:21

no Another World is not a bad song
but I like New Found , Grind , Sphinx and The Trails way more

Yes, those songs are the best of the album

The worst ones were the 5 they showed before releasing the album.
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06.05.2021 - 04:58
Rating: 7
JavierPaper
Written by Mehrad on 05.05.2021 at 18:42

Alternative metal ??
sure it's no "prog death" but it is Progressive/Groove with some death elements

Yes, in my opinion this album is alternative metal with some progressive parts.

The one that was like a "progressive groove metal" album was their previous album Magma.
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06.05.2021 - 05:03
Rating: 7
JavierPaper
For now this album deserves the award of the biggest disappointment.
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06.05.2021 - 09:02
Rating: 9
Mehrad
Written by JavierPaper on 06.05.2021 at 05:03

For now this album deserves the award of the biggest disappointment.

----
Ride a horse that's cleaving through the air and space of dreams.
Loading...
06.05.2021 - 09:04
Rating: 9
Mehrad
Written by JavierPaper on 06.05.2021 at 04:58

Written by Mehrad on 05.05.2021 at 18:42

Alternative metal ??
sure it's no "prog death" but it is Progressive/Groove with some death elements

Yes, in my opinion this album is alternative metal with some progressive parts.

The one that was like a "progressive groove metal" album was their previous album Magma.

I never understood what alternative metal actually is lol
but arguing about the genre is pointless
----
Ride a horse that's cleaving through the air and space of dreams.
Loading...
06.05.2021 - 14:04
Rating: 7
Jaro
Written by Mehrad on 05.05.2021 at 08:06

Written by JavierPaper on 04.05.2021 at 23:44

Last year I listened to "Another World" and I thought it was kind of "meh", but now compared to the whole album it is the best song.

man you are entitled to your opinion but I strongly disagree
literally every other song on this album is better than Another World IMO

I'm of the same mind, also Fortitude into The Chant is lovely
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06.05.2021 - 14:23
Rating: 9
Mehrad
Written by Jaro on 06.05.2021 at 14:04

Written by Mehrad on 05.05.2021 at 08:06

Written by JavierPaper on 04.05.2021 at 23:44

Last year I listened to "Another World" and I thought it was kind of "meh", but now compared to the whole album it is the best song.

man you are entitled to your opinion but I strongly disagree
literally every other song on this album is better than Another World IMO

I'm of the same mind, also Fortitude into The Chant is lovely

yes
so beautiful
----
Ride a horse that's cleaving through the air and space of dreams.
Loading...
06.05.2021 - 15:50
Rating: 7
JavierPaper
Written by Mehrad on 06.05.2021 at 09:04

Written by JavierPaper on 06.05.2021 at 04:58

Written by Mehrad on 05.05.2021 at 18:42

Alternative metal ??
sure it's no "prog death" but it is Progressive/Groove with some death elements

Yes, in my opinion this album is alternative metal with some progressive parts.

The one that was like a "progressive groove metal" album was their previous album Magma.

I never understood what alternative metal actually is lol
but arguing about the genre is pointless

I never really understood what it was either, but from the name, it's having several genres of music in the same song or album.
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06.05.2021 - 15:54
Rating: 7
JavierPaper
Written by Jaro on 06.05.2021 at 14:04

Written by Mehrad on 05.05.2021 at 08:06

Written by JavierPaper on 04.05.2021 at 23:44

Last year I listened to "Another World" and I thought it was kind of "meh", but now compared to the whole album it is the best song.

man you are entitled to your opinion but I strongly disagree
literally every other song on this album is better than Another World IMO

I'm of the same mind, also Fortitude into The Chant is lovely

From what I remember the song "The Chant" was a very good song.
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06.05.2021 - 23:38
nikarg
Staff
I was going to staff pick this but there is no point really, you must be living under a rock if you haven't listened to it already.

If you were expecting another From Mars To Sirius, this is not it of course. Not a problem, if you ask me. Fortitude is the logical step forward after Magma, and it is a great album in its own right. Yes, it is more commercial but this has never been a bad thing in my book. It is an album that flows effortlessly, with songs that stick to your mind, it is diverse, catchy, and is focused on proper songwriting, as opposed to a "chugga-chugga-listen-to-how-skilled-musicians-we-are" show-off. Yes, there are a couple of ideas here and there that they have used before but can you name one band as big as Gojira that has never done that? Quite frankly, I hear minimal rehashing on Fortitude but I admit not being an expert on their music. After all, what is the problem exactly, the fact that they have departed from their previous sound or the repetition of things they have done before? Because, I have heard both arguments and I am puzzled as to how both can be valid at the same time.

Most of us agree that From Mars To Sirius is untouchable; even though I was never a big fan of Gojira and often found them to be tiring to my ears, I could always appreciate and enjoy a masterpiece such as this. But I can safely say now that Fortitude is my second favourite (with Magma being the third), which I suspect should be the case for many people that weren't really into Gojira before. I have played it more than twenty times since it came out and I never skip a song, although I wouldn't mind if they hadn't included "Another World". I enjoy the hell out of it. It will be in my year-end list and possibly in a relatively high spot too.
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06.05.2021 - 23:54
Redel
Moderator
Written by nikarg on 06.05.2021 at 23:38

I was going to staff pick this but there is no point really, you must be living under a rock if you haven't listened to it already.


I havent -- but I like rocks.
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07.05.2021 - 20:59
Rating: 9
Mehrad
Written by Redel on 06.05.2021 at 23:54

Written by nikarg on 06.05.2021 at 23:38

I was going to staff pick this but there is no point really, you must be living under a rock if you haven't listened to it already.


I havent -- but I like rocks.

----
Ride a horse that's cleaving through the air and space of dreams.
Loading...
08.05.2021 - 23:39
Rating: 7
Jaro
Written by Desha on 05.05.2021 at 10:35

Written by Mehrad on 05.05.2021 at 08:07

what's your favorite from TWOAF ?

I keep going back and forth between "Vacuity" and "Yama's Messengers" usually.

Yama's Messengers has that ridiculously good section that somehow initiates a circle pit in any living room
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09.05.2021 - 16:25
Stormm
Like 10 years ago, Derrick Green said about Gojira, that this band is only really progressive band in death metal territory. So except from band like this that they will continue with same recipe and there will be something like From Mars to Sirius, part 2, is wrong from step one. I was hoping for less Magma feel, but Fortitude is essentially continuation of it, even more of meditative feeling all around which makes everything somehow more bland. More typical Gojira's straightforwardness would be nice.
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09.05.2021 - 18:36
Desha
delicious dish
Written by JavierPaper on 06.05.2021 at 05:03

For now this album deserves the award of the biggest disappointment.

This is not it for me simply because I didn't expect anything after Magma. So I wasn't let down, my expectations were just kinda met.
----
You are the hammer, I am the nail
building a house in the fire on the hill
Loading...
09.05.2021 - 18:51
Desha
delicious dish
Written by nikarg on 06.05.2021 at 23:38

Fortitude is the logical step forward after Magma


Exactly this I don't feel at all honestly. It's kind of limbo between Magma and L'Enfant Sauvage, while taking the worst two things from either. It just kinda feels like nothing. Something like Magma's title song or "Shooting Star" is still the biggest (ok) deviation from their mainstay sound.

Written by nikarg on 06.05.2021 at 23:38

with songs that stick to your mind, it is diverse, catchy, and is focused on proper songwriting, as opposed to a "chugga-chugga-listen-to-how-skilled-musicians-we-are" show-off.


Well the last point would've been a new low for Gojira, as none of their songs before have felt like that. I don't think any of these songs sticks in my mind except "The Chant", and that one only cause I hate it. I listened to it a few times now and you think I can actually remember a single riff from "Sphinx"? And that's maybe the best song on the entire record. I really struggle to understand how you can find this memorable at all.

Written by nikarg on 06.05.2021 at 23:38

After all, what is the problem exactly, the fact that they have departed from their previous sound or the repetition of things they have done before? Because, I have heard both arguments and I am puzzled as to how both can be valid at the same time.


I'm someone who would say that both are valid at the same time. They tried some new stuff ("The Chant"), but then also have some very formulaic songs on here (I mentioned a lot of the singles felt like L'Enfant Sauvage b-sides, which was an album that already had trouble being very memorable in its midsection). They didn't make a solid "here's the sound you know"-record, but they also didn't really experiment further on from Magma, in fact this is a step back honestly.

This record is the equivalent of your cat standing right inside the opened door, not staying inside or going out. "In or out, Gojira?" is where my frustration comes from.
----
You are the hammer, I am the nail
building a house in the fire on the hill
Loading...

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