Gojira is something huge! After the first demo, "Possessed" in '98 and the first official and outstanding album "Terra Incognita" in 2000. Was "The Link" released in late 2003 on the French label Boycott Records only in France and Switzerland for instance. Now in 2005 "The Link" has been re-released worldwide on Listenable Records. The entire album has been remixed and re-mastered for something fresh and exciting. The biggest difference between the 2 releases are the sound of the drums, and the sound picture as a whole is much bigger. There have also been changed a couple of things on some tracks, take 'Rememberance' where the outro is shorter than original and the track 'Dawn' where some of the bird twittering on the outro is gone.

This re-issue also comes with a DVD containing an excerpt of their live DVD (great DVD by the way), which also will be re-released by Listenable this year.

What Gojira plays isn't easy to describe. It's death metal with many groovy alternatives, really diverse compositions and filled to the edge with originality. A mix between experimental death metal, grind, thrash metal spiced up with rhythmic heaviness, progressive and technical skills, some doom and crust elements. Besides that, the vocals are great, just like the lyrics. That's how I experience and like this incredible band.

The album opens with 'The Link' a somber track with much feeling and great breaks and a nice melody. 'Death Of Me' is damn groovy and powerful, I really appreciate the vocal line on it, the drumming is impressive, just as the guitars. One of the best tracks for sure. Followed by the instrumental and cool but strange 'Connected' directly glued to 'Rememberance' which has much to give from the guitar and drum playing. 'Torii' is an instrumental interlude. 'Indians' follows, another highlight, riffs à la Nostromo (Swiss death/grind) but groovy as hell, filled with impressive breaks. Then we have 'Embrace The World' with pachydermic feelings, damn strong. There is a doomy/heavy intro on 'Inward Moments' and then bloody riffing, incredible voice, ouch, it hurts! It's not over yet. More good moments to come like 'Over The Flows', the voice is in the background, and an intruiging guitar pours out some bizarre notes, and the whole track seems strange. The short but fast 'Wisdom Comes' learn us how to suffer before we dive into 'Dawn' an instrumental, groovy, progressive, heavy and loud track which fades out into relaxing bird twittering.
    
"The Link" should be added to your record collection whitout any hesitation. Prepare yourself for Gojira's next assault which should be out in September 2005.

Gojira website

Distributed in Denmark and kindly supplied by Target