Kerrang! – July 12, 2019

Frank Carter: an intensely

distracting bandmate

76 KERRANG!

■ Now this is spectacular. On

Glastonbury’s intimate Truth Stage

two nights ago, Gojira were a huge

fish thrashing around in a comically

undersized ornamental pond.

Here, on their own terms, they’re a

majestic space-whale flying through

a universe that’s entirely theirs.

The reaction is initially somewhat

muted for Rolo Tomassi, mind. In

some ways, their blazing technicality and utter

refusal to compromise are perfectly suited to

a Gojira show, but their blurry hardcore and

movie-score synths provide few easy access

points for the unfamiliar. For those in the know,

however, tonight is an artful triumph.

As Gojira arrive and Oroborus raises its

serpentine head, it’s clear that this band now

routinely operate at a level few others can get

close to. At Bloodstock last year, they showed

they could command a festival headlining slot

with ease, and that sense of scale

works brilliantly at their own

shows, too. There are explosions,

jets of dry ice and constant

projections. Only Parkway Drive

have packed more show per cubic

inch into these sorts of venues

recently, but there’s more to Gojira

than just visual flair.

Musically, they’re almost

inhumanly perfect, whether they’re cranking

out the squealing riff of Stranded or drilling

directly into the skull on The Cell. Even when

they stretch Blow Me Away You(niverse) into

an extended space-rock jam, it still sounds

like every note is where it’s meant to be. It’s

clinical, mechanistic music, but delivered with

passion and even a rough bonhomie. The

result is mind-blowing, and show Gojira as a

band at their peak. PAUL TRAVERS

French metal masters

GOJIRA explode hearts

and minds in Manchester

FIRE

STARTERS

photo:

TOM MARTIN

Joe Duplantier suddenly

dreaded getting the

gas bill through

GOJIRA

+ ROLO TOMASSI

O2 APOLLO, MANCHESTER

01/07/2019

KKKKK