Review by UnhinderedbyTalent for Gojira - Magma (2016)

Opening an album with a dull, plodding psychedelic nu-metal song isn't really the smartest of moves. I already had this figured out, Gojira unfortunately haven't and as a result I am exposed to as oppressive and bleak a sounding start to a record as I think I have ever heard.

By the time track two comes along ("Silvera") with its more uptempo pace and frenzied prog sounds I am instantly hopeful of an immediate change of track. However, there's something still really flat and oppressive about the production. It is like the guitar is being played in the room next door to where everything else is. The guitarist seems to move another door down by track 3. As "The Cell" plonks through its course the guitar continues to meander away to itself as if the guitarist is unaware they are in a band with other members.

"Stranded" sounds like a more groove orientated Korn with the machine like lead and riff work. This underlines the frustration of "Magma", instead of getting to jump around like a young, dumb and full of cum teenager, shedding angst in my sweat I just sit like a confused dog tilting my head and pricking my ears with a permanent "WTF?" expression on my chops.

Quite what thought process went into "Yellow Stone" I will never know, in essence it sounds like a rehearsal track that they threw in without any consideration for it being seen as the blatant filler that it is.

I don't think there's much more I can go onto say about "Magma". After 5 tracks it loses me as my interest levels hit rock bottom and I start to wonder if any of my CDs need putting in alphabetical order by genre or in general alphabetical order disregarding genre (answers on a postcard please). Genuinely, I see no part of this ten track effort that deserves more than a passing moment of my attention. Blunted Pantera riffs with hazy bass and tired drums with one dimensional vocals for company. I don't know what it is for and it serves no purpose therefore.