''Fortitude'' is the seventh studio album by French
heavy metal band
Gojira. The album was released on 30 April 2021 through
Roadrunner Records
Roadrunner Records is an American record label focused on heavy metal and hard rock bands. Founded in the Netherlands in 1980, it is now a division of Warner Music Group and is based in New York City.
History
The label was launched in 1980 in t ...
. Recorded at the band's studio in New York City, it was produced by lead vocalist
Joe Duplantier
Joseph Andrew Duplantier (born 19 October 1976) is a French-American musician, best known as the rhythm guitarist, vocalist, and lyricist of heavy metal band Gojira. He is also a record producer and environmental activist.
Duplantier was born ...
,
mixed by
Andy Wallace and mastered by
Ted Jensen
Ted Jensen (born September 19, 1954) is an American mastering engineer, known for having mastered many recordings, including the Eagles' ''Hotel California'', Green Day's '' American Idiot'' and Norah Jones' ''Come Away with Me''.
Biography
Ted ...
.
Gojira's ambition was to write a more cohesive and brighter album than ''
Magma
Magma () is the molten or semi-molten natural material from which all igneous rocks are formed. Magma is found beneath the surface of the Earth, and evidence of magmatism has also been discovered on other terrestrial planets and some natural sa ...
'', emphasizing a
progressive sound while incorporating guitar solos and classic rock elements with a positive lyrical message. The songwriting began in early 2018 but was put on hold due to the band's touring schedule. The
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
interrupted the album's mixing, and its release was postponed to a later date.
''Fortitude'' debuted at No. 12 on the
''Billboard'' 200 and sold 27,372 units in its debut week in the US, which surpassed ''Magma''s chart performance. The album topped on both the ''Billboard''
Hard Rock Albums
The ''Billboard'' charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs and albums in the United States and elsewhere. The results are published in ''Billboard'' magazine. ''Billboard'' biz, the online extension of the ''Billboard'' charts, pr ...
and
Top Rock Albums
The ''Billboard'' charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs and albums in the United States and elsewhere. The results are published in ''Billboard'' magazine. ''Billboard'' biz, the online extension of the ''Billboard'' charts, pr ...
charts, as well as the
UK Rock & Metal Albums chart. The album ranked high on the charts in Europe and sold 9,900 units in France in its first week of release. It peaked at No. 3 on the
ARIA Charts
The ARIA Charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling songs and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA became the offici ...
. ''Fortitude'' was the
best-selling album (pure sales) in the United States in its opening week.
''Fortitude'' was met with critical acclaim. ''
Metal Hammer
''Metal Hammer'' is a heavy metal music magazine and website founded in 1983, published in the United Kingdom by Future, with other language editions available in numerous other countries. ''Metal Hammer'' features news, reviews and long-form ...
'' and ''
Revolver
A revolver (also called a wheel gun) is a repeating handgun that has at least one barrel and uses a revolving cylinder containing multiple chambers (each holding a single cartridge) for firing. Because most revolver models hold up to six roun ...
'' named ''Fortitude'' the best album of 2021. The album was placed at number three on ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
''s list of "The 10 Best Metal Albums of 2021". At the
64th Annual Grammy Awards
The 64th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony was held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on April 3, 2022. It recognized the best recordings, compositions, and artists of the eligibility year, running from September 1, 2020, to September 30, ...
, the single "Amazonia" received a nomination for
Best Metal Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance is an award presented at the Grammy Awards to recording artists for works (songs or albums) containing quality performances in the heavy metal music genre. The Grammy Awards is an annual ceremony, where ...
. To promote the album, Gojira was scheduled to embark on their first
arena-level headlining tour in 2022 in Europe and the UK, but it was postponed due to varying
COVID-19 restrictions.
Background
The creative process of Gojira's seventh album began sparingly in late 2017.
Gojira intended to write a "groovy, aerated album" with a strong theme and focused on sharing with the audience, an album where two energies coexist, "both very masculine and feminine".
The album was inspired as an encouragement to self-reinforcement, "to show courage to face up the world, to face tomorrow's problems". Having had sustained requests to tour worldwide in support of ''
Magma
Magma () is the molten or semi-molten natural material from which all igneous rocks are formed. Magma is found beneath the surface of the Earth, and evidence of magmatism has also been discovered on other terrestrial planets and some natural sa ...
'', beyond the initial cycle, Gojira declined in order to focus on writing a new album.
Recording and production
The album's songwriting officially started in early 2018 at New York's Silver Cord Studio, which would become "the cocoon for a two-year creative odyssey".
Mario Duplantier
Mario François Duplantier (born 19 June 1981) is a French-American musician and artist best known as the drummer for progressive death metal band Gojira. He established himself as a powerful, technically precise drummer, using polyrhythmic patt ...
mentioned a slower composition process than before due to musical tastes becoming more diversified over the years.
The goal was to focus the music on the "big guitar riff" rather than on the performance, with a band cohesion emphasizing this point.
The dynamics tended to go towards an organic sound. They used two different guitar
amp heads, depending on the songs, and without
post-production
Post-production is part of the process of filmmaking, video production, audio production, and photography. Post-production includes all stages of production occurring after principal photography or recording individual program segments.
The ...
treatment for a raw result.
While retaining their signature style, Gojira extended their range to a "traditional dimension" and started sliding their sound towards the 1970s and 1980s
major chord
In music theory, a major chord is a chord that has a root, a major third, and a perfect fifth. When a chord comprises only these three notes, it is called a major triad. For example, the major triad built on C, called a C major triad, has pitch ...
s–
progressions of "classic bands", embracing melodies and
guitar solo
A guitar solo is a melodic passage, instrumental section, or entire piece of music, pre-written (or improvised) to be played on a classical guitar, electric guitar or an acoustic guitar. In 20th and 21st century traditional music and popular m ...
s.
Mario Duplantier "took a back seat to serve the riff" on ''Fortitude'', although he kept the
polyrhythm
Polyrhythm is the simultaneous use of two or more rhythms that are not readily perceived as deriving from one another, or as simple manifestations of the same meter. The rhythmic layers may be the basis of an entire piece of music (cross-rhyth ...
ic drumming on some songs.
On ''Fortitude'', the band put forward the use of backing vocals and
choir
A choir ( ; also known as a chorale or chorus) is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which ...
s that were already present on the previous albums but "buried" in the mix.
However, the sessions were interrupted by a tour in Europe, and the writing finished after the 2019
Knotfest
Knotfest is a music festival created in 2012 by American heavy metal band Slipknot. The event has been held both as a touring festival and a destination festival in several countries including the United States, Canada, Japan, Germany, Mexico, C ...
Roadshow tour throughout the United States and Canada.
Joe Duplantier
Joseph Andrew Duplantier (born 19 October 1976) is a French-American musician, best known as the rhythm guitarist, vocalist, and lyricist of heavy metal band Gojira. He is also a record producer and environmental activist.
Duplantier was born ...
produced the album,
and the band recorded it at Silver Cord Studio in late 2019.
Mario Duplantier recorded eleven drum tracks in eight days in one or two takes each.
By January 2020, the vocal recordings were finished, and the album was prepared for the
mixing stage scheduled to begin on March 10.
Andy Wallace came out of retirement to work on Gojira's album. Wallace mixed three songs before the first
COVID-19 lockdowns
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of non-pharmaceutical interventions colloquially known as lockdowns (encompassing stay-at-home orders, curfews, quarantines, and similar societal restrictions) have been implemented in numerous countrie ...
were imposed, while the album was slated for a June 2020 release.
Meanwhile, Joe Duplantier, a New York State resident, was visiting his father in southwest France, which complicated the mixing process. Gojira was then unable to rejoin Wallace in
Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
due to the sanitary situation. Then Joe Duplantier spent several months in a cabin in the
Landes forest
The Landes forest (; La forêt des Landes in French) in the Landes de Gascogne (las Lanas de Gasconha in the Gascon language), in the historic Gascony natural region of southwestern France now known as Aquitaine, is the largest man-made woodlan ...
without listening to the new tracks and forsook his cell phone and computer. Finally, in July, the band returned to the mixing process over the internet and phone with Wallace. He would prefer to be left alone in the studio, without assistants, being vulnerable to
coronavirus
Coronaviruses are a group of related RNA viruses that cause diseases in mammals and birds. In humans and birds, they cause respiratory tract infections that can range from mild to lethal. Mild illnesses in humans include some cases of the com ...
infection due to his age, saying he was "infinitely upset not to be with the band". Wallace retained the desire for a raw rendering and the integrity of the spontaneity of Gojira's compositions while bringing "warmth" to the instrumentation. "I really enjoyed this evaluation of the present moment", said Joe Duplantier.
The album's release date was then pushed to September due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
, then failed afterward, and a further postponement was decided upon.
Composition
Music
Combining the direct approach of ''
The Way of All Flesh
''The Way of All Flesh'' (sometimes called ''Ernest Pontifex, or the Way of All Flesh'') is a semi-autobiographical novel by Samuel Butler that attacks Victorian-era hypocrisy. Written between 1873 and 1884, it traces four generations of the ...
'' mingled with the atmospheric arrangements of ''Magma'', the structure of the songs provided the album an immediacy and more accessibility while offering a return to heaviness.
Reviewing the album in ''
Prog'' magazine, Jerry Ewing wrote that "French metal pioneers Gojira play big prog hand on ''Fortitude''".
''Fortitude'' has been described as a combination of
progressive metal
Progressive metal (sometimes shortened to prog metal) is a broad :Fusion music genres, fusion music genre melding heavy metal music, heavy metal and progressive rock, combining the loud "aggression" and amplified electric guitar, guitar-driven s ...
with a technical approach,
groove metal
Groove metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music that began in the early 1990s. The genre achieved success in the 1990s and continued having success in the 2000s. Inspired by thrash metal and traditional heavy metal, groove metal features raspy ...
,
post-metal
Post-metal is a music genre rooted in heavy metal but exploring approaches beyond metal conventions. It emerged in the 1990s with bands such as Neurosis and Godflesh, who transformed metal texture through experimental composition. In a way simil ...
,
death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. It typically employs heavily distorted and low-tuned guitars, played with techniques such as palm muting and tremolo picking; deep growling vocals; aggressive, powerful drumming, feat ...
,
alternative metal
Alternative metal (also known as alt-metal) is a genre of heavy metal music
Heavy metal (or simply metal) is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the United Kingdom and United States. With r ...
,
incorporating
progressive rock
Progressive rock (shortened as prog rock or simply prog; sometimes conflated with art rock) is a broad genre of rock music that developed in the United Kingdom and United States through the mid- to late 1960s, peaking in the early 1970s. Init ...
,
stoner rock
Stoner rock, also known as stoner metal or stoner doom, is a rock music fusion genre that combines elements of doom metal with psychedelic rock and acid rock. The genre emerged during the early 1990s and was pioneered foremost by Kyuss and Sleep. ...
,
Americana
Americana may refer to:
*Americana (music), a genre or style of American music
*Americana (culture), artifacts of the culture of the United States
Film, radio and television
* ''Americana'' (1992 TV series), a documentary series presented by J ...
,
and
blues rock
Blues rock is a fusion music genre that combines elements of blues and rock music. It is mostly an electric ensemble-style music with instrumentation similar to electric blues and rock (electric guitar, electric bass guitar, and drums, sometimes w ...
elements.
"Amazonia" features a "massive bass groove" from
Jean-Michel Labadie
Jean-Michel Labadie (born 14 July 1974 in Cambo-les-Bains, Basque Country) is a French musician best known as the bassist of metal band Gojira.
Career
Labadie grew up in the Basque Country, and played bass in regional underground bands.
Sin ...
along with the interactive playing of guitarists
Christian Andreu
Christian Roger Andreu (born November 15, 1976) is a French musician best known as the lead guitarist of metal band Gojira, and was guitarist on a Familha Artús album.
Music
Christian Andreu's influences include bands such as Death, Metallic ...
and Joe Duplantier.
The latter exhibits a
throat singing
Throat singing refers to several vocal practices found in different cultures around the world. The most distinctive feature of such vocal practices is to be associated to some type of guttural voice, that contrasts with the most common types of voi ...
vocal delivery on the song, incorporating the
jaw harp and
woodwind instrument
Woodwind instruments are a family of musical instruments within the greater category of wind instruments. Common examples include flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, and saxophone. There are two main types of woodwind instruments: flutes and Reed ...
.
''
Kerrang!
''Kerrang!'' is a British weekly magazine devoted to rock, punk and heavy metal music, currently published by Wasted Talent (the same company that owns electronic music publication ''Mixmag''). It was first published on 6 June 1981 as a one- ...
'' Sam Law noted a
British influence
British Influence, formally the Centre for British Influence Through Europe, was an independent, cross-party, pro-single market foreign affairs think tank based in the United Kingdom, founded in 2012 to make the case for the European Union ami ...
on "Hold On",
while
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
's Thom Jurek echoed this view and compared it to
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath were an English rock music, rock band formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward (musician), Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. They are often cited as pioneers of heavy met ...
. The elements of
neo-psychedelia
Neo-psychedelia is a diverse genre of psychedelic music that draws inspiration from the sounds of 1960s psychedelia, either updating or copying the approaches from that era. Originating in the 1970s, it has occasionally seen mainstream pop su ...
were still noticeable after ''Magma''s stylistic direction. Joe Duplantier's voice on the song ranges from "layered, near-chanted vocal harmonies" to "layered and clean" to "snarling".
Law described "The Chant" as "
chain-gang
A chain gang or road gang is a group of prisoners chained together to perform menial or physically challenging work as a form of punishment. Such punishment might include repairing buildings, building roads, or clearing land. The system was no ...
blues
Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the Afr ...
,
bayou
In usage in the Southern United States, a bayou () is a body of water typically found in a flat, low-lying area. It may refer to an extremely slow-moving stream, river (often with a poorly defined shoreline), marshy lake, wetland, or creek. They ...
gospel
Gospel originally meant the Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words an ...
, bar-room Americana",
while ''
Spin
Spin or spinning most often refers to:
* Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thread by twisting fibers together, traditionally by hand spinning
* Spin, the rotation of an object around a central axis
* Spin (propaganda), an intentionally b ...
'' felt that Gojira took "some risks" with the song, which includes
jangly guitar sound and clean vocals.
The "heaviness" stood out on the album, according to ''
Metal Hammer
''Metal Hammer'' is a heavy metal music magazine and website founded in 1983, published in the United Kingdom by Future, with other language editions available in numerous other countries. ''Metal Hammer'' features news, reviews and long-form ...
''; "Grind" contains an abundance of Gojira's trademark
pick-scrapes, while "Sphinx" features
guttural vocals thus correlated to ''The Way Of All Flesh''.
The shifting rhythms showcase Mario Duplantier's trademark drumming style throughout ''Fortitude'' amid "death metal grooves" and
blast beat
A blast beat is a type of drum beat that originated in hardcore punk and grindcore, and is often associated with certain styles of extreme metal, namely black metal and death metal,Adam MacGregor, ''PCP Torpedo'' by Agoraphobic Nosebleed rev ...
s, while "Grind" was described as "heavy,
syncopated
In music, syncopation is a variety of rhythms played together to make a piece of music, making part or all of a tune or piece of music off-beat. More simply, syncopation is "a disturbance or interruption of the regular flow of rhythm": a "place ...
, technical, and nuanced in production, with raging vocals".
''Spin'' summed up the album's sound as "generally lighter and more accessible, leaning on elements of prog and classic rock" and noted that it was "a far cry from the searing
technical death metal
Technical death metal (also referred to as tech-death) is a musical subgenre of death metal that began and developed in the early- to mid-1990s, with particular focus on challenging, demanding instrumental skill and complex songwriting.
Techni ...
that fueled the band a decade ago".
Jonathan Horsley of ''
Guitar World
''Guitar World'' is a monthly music magazine for guitarists – and fans of guitar-based music and trends – that has been published since July 1980. ''Guitar World'', the best-selling guitar magazine in the United States, contains original art ...
'' wrote that the album's accent was deliberately on prog and post-metal and also nuanced by
electronic
Electronic may refer to:
*Electronics, the science of how to control electric energy in semiconductor
* ''Electronics'' (magazine), a defunct American trade journal
*Electronic storage, the storage of data using an electronic device
*Electronic co ...
elements.
''Fortitude'' has been likened to
Tool
A tool is an object that can extend an individual's ability to modify features of the surrounding environment or help them accomplish a particular task. Although many animals use simple tools, only human beings, whose use of stone tools dates ba ...
,
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in London in 1968. The group comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. With a heavy, guitar-driven sound, they are ci ...
,
Sepultura
Sepultura (, "grave")Barcinski & Gomes 1999, page 17. is a Brazilian heavy metal band from Belo Horizonte. Formed in 1984 by brothers Max and Igor Cavalera,Barcinski & Gomes 1999, page 16. the band was a major force in the groove metal, thra ...
,
Killing Joke
Killing Joke are an English rock music, rock band from Notting Hill, London, England, formed in 1979 by Jaz Coleman (vocals, keyboards), Paul Ferguson (drums), Geordie Walker (guitar) and Youth (musician), Youth (bass).
Their first album, ''Ki ...
,
and
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band formed in Leyton, East London, in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. While fluid in the early years of the band, the lineup for most of the band's history has consisted of Harri ...
.
Lyrics
On ''Fortitude'', Gojira took a different lyrical approach than the one explored on their previous album, ''Magma''. The latter was heavily influenced by the death of Joe and Mario Duplantier's mother and had "a lot of pain and grief attached to it", Joe Duplantier said. This time, the band "had the desire to fill the album with more joy, even if it doesn't come across as joyful music". The album would be emphasized by "more power, and more positivity about life in general."
Gojira structured the album thematically around the notion of "urging humanity to imagine a new world − and then make it happen".
Reflecting later on his state of mind while writing the lyrics, Joe Duplantier observed: "In an uncertain world, chaotic, I choose optimism by default."
Joe Duplantier had been immersing himself in Tibetan and Thai philosophy, which were a source of inspiration for the lyrics of "Born for One Thing", conveying an
anti-consumerist
Anti-consumerism is a sociopolitical ideology that is opposed to consumerism, the continual buying and consuming of material possessions. Anti-consumerism is concerned with the private actions of business corporations in pursuit of financial and ...
message. He said that "We have to practice detaching ourselves from everything, beginning with actual things ... Own less possessions, and give what you don't need away".
"Amazonia", which talks about the
deforestation of the Amazon rainforest
The Amazon rainforest is the largest rainforest in the world, covering an area of 3,000,000 km2 (2,316,612.95 square miles). It represents over half of the planet's rainforests and comprises the largest and most biodiverse tract of tropica ...
(and specifically the
2019 Amazon rainforest wildfires), was released as part of a month-long fundraiser for a
Brazilian indigenous rights
Indigenous rights are those rights that exist in recognition of the specific condition of the Indigenous peoples. This includes not only the most basic human rights of physical survival and integrity, but also the rights over their land (includ ...
charity curated by Gojira.
The lyrics to "Amazonia" chronicles the reckless
deforestation
Deforestation or forest clearance is the removal of a forest or stand of trees from land that is then converted to non-forest use. Deforestation can involve conversion of forest land to farms, ranches, or urban use. The most concentrated d ...
that has accelerated in
Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
under the reign of
Jair Bolsonaro
Jair Messias Bolsonaro (; born 21 March 1955) is a Brazilian politician and retired military officer who has been the 38th president of Brazil since 1 January 2019. He was elected in 2018 as a member of the Social Liberal Party, which he turn ...
, shown in the lines, "The greatest miracle is burning to the ground". "Amazonia" has been described as a
protest song
A protest song is a song that is associated with a movement for social change and hence part of the broader category of ''topical'' songs (or songs connected to current events). It may be folk, classical, or commercial in genre.
Among social mov ...
and a
climate change song. Gojira launched the charity auction on the Propeller platform through a call for solidarity from metal bands such as
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band. The band was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles by vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instrume ...
, Tool,
Slayer
Slayer was an American thrash metal band from Huntington Park, California. The band was formed in 1981 by guitarists Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman, drummer Dave Lombardo and bassist/vocalist Tom Araya. Slayer's fast and aggressive musical style ...
,
Slash
Slash may refer to:
* Slash (punctuation), the "/" character
Arts and entertainment Fictional characters
* Slash (Marvel Comics)
* Slash (''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'')
Music
* Harry Slash & The Slashtones, an American rock band
* Nash ...
, Sepultura,
Deftones
Deftones is an American alternative metal band formed in Sacramento, California in 1988. They were formed by Chino Moreno (vocals, guitar), Stephen Carpenter (guitar), Abe Cunningham (drums), and Dominic Garcia (bass). During their first five ...
,
Lamb of God
Lamb of God ( el, Ἀμνὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, Amnòs toû Theoû; la, Agnus Dei, ) is a title for Jesus that appears in the Gospel of John. It appears at John 1:29, where John the Baptist sees Jesus and exclaims, "Behold the Lamb of God wh ...
, among others.
The fundraiser quadrupled its initial goal of $75,000 and raised over $300,000.
A part of the album is a tribute to
indigenous communities
Indigenous peoples are culturally distinct ethnic groups whose members are directly descended from the earliest known inhabitants of a particular geographic region and, to some extent, maintain the language and culture of those original people ...
.
The song "Another World" was described as a visionary apocalyptic piece.
Title and artwork
According to Joe Duplantier, the album's title ''Fortitude'' "is to inspire people to be the best version of themselves and to be strong no matter what".
The cover art, which represents "the spirit of the album", was designed and painted by Joe Duplantier. His brother Mario brought him various paintings of
warrior
A warrior is a person specializing in combat or warfare, especially within the context of a tribal or clan-based warrior culture society that recognizes a separate warrior aristocracies, class, or caste.
History
Warriors seem to have been p ...
s and
knight
A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the Gr ...
s and showed him ''
Pallas Athena
Athena or Athene, often given the epithet Pallas, is an ancient Greek goddess associated with wisdom, warfare, and handicraft who was later syncretized with the Roman goddess Minerva. Athena was regarded as the patron and protectress of v ...
'', an 1898 oil-on-canvas painting by
Gustav Klimt
Gustav Klimt (July 14, 1862 – February 6, 1918) was an Austrian symbolist painter and one of the most prominent members of the Vienna Secession movement. Klimt is noted for his paintings, murals, sketches, and other objets d'art. Klimt's prim ...
, and
Knights of the Round Table
The Knights of the Round Table ( cy, Marchogion y Ford Gron, kw, Marghekyon an Moos Krenn, br, Marc'hegien an Daol Grenn) are the knights of the fellowship of King Arthur in the literary cycle of the Matter of Britain. First appearing in lit ...
. As he wanted to represent an indigenous person, it ended with his own interpretation of all these elements.
Release
On 5 August 2020, the band released a new single called "Another World", their first single in four years.
On 17 February 2021, Gojira announced ''Fortitude'' and its release date for 30 April 2021 via Roadrunner Records.
On the same day, the band released an official video for its lead single, "Born for One Thing". ''Fortitude'' marked the longest gap between two studio albums in the band's career.
Singles
The single "Another World" became their first ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
''-charting song, debuting at No. 12 on the
Hard Rock Digital Song Sales
The ''Billboard'' charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs and albums in the United States and elsewhere. The results are published in '' Billboard'' magazine. ''Billboard'' biz, the online extension of the ''Billboard'' charts, p ...
chart.
It peaked at No. 5 in its second week.
"Another World" debuted at No. 25 on the
Hot Hard Rock Songs
The ''Billboard'' charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs and albums in the United States and elsewhere. The results are published in ''Billboard'' magazine. ''Billboard'' biz, the online extension of the ''Billboard'' charts, pr ...
chart and peaked at No. 12 in its second week.
The single scored 257,000 U.S. streams and sold 1,000 downloads in the tracking week ending 6 August.
In its first week of release, "Born for One Thing" peaked at No. 22 on the Hard Rock Digital Song Sales chart.
In mid-May 2021, "New Found" peaked at No. 24 on the Hot Hard Rock Songs chart, while "Born for One Thing" and "Amazonia" landed in the top 20.
Critical reception
''Fortitude'' was met with acclaim from music critics. At Metacritic, the album has received a score of 80 out of 100 based on nine reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".
Joseph Schafer, writing for ''
Consequence
Consequence may refer to:
* Logical consequence, also known as a ''consequence relation'', or ''entailment''
* In operant conditioning, a result of some behavior
* Consequentialism, a theory in philosophy in which the morality of an act is determi ...
'', stated: "Gojira have developed into one of modern metal's premier bands, delivering strong LPs throughout their career, but new album ''Fortitude'' makes some bold moves that might help them reach an even wider audience." Schafer deemed the album "could very well be the most solid collection of songs Gojira has committed to tape in 15 years". ''
Forbes
''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also re ...
'' termed ''Fortitude'' as a demonstration of a "strong sense of urgency felt on the number of social–political issues that Gojira highlight", and praised "these haunting yet poignant lyrical themes." ''
Kerrang!
''Kerrang!'' is a British weekly magazine devoted to rock, punk and heavy metal music, currently published by Wasted Talent (the same company that owns electronic music publication ''Mixmag''). It was first published on 6 June 1981 as a one- ...
''s Paul Travers wrote that "Gojira never seemed like a band built for the mainstream", but that ''Fortitude'' "sounds like the album that could propel them the rest of the way to the top." He noted that the album extends the band's palette and "cements their place as one of metal's most skilled and uncompromising bands."
''
Loudwire
''Loudwire'' is an American online media magazine that covers news of hard rock and heavy metal artists. It is owned by media and entertainment business Townsquare Media. Since its launch in August of 2011, ''Loudwire'' has secured exclusive ...
'' described ''Fortitude'' as a "dynamic and thought-provoking collection of groove metal beatdowns" while the band "explores a wide range of warm tones throughout the album's mix".
Olivier Ducruix of
Montreuil's magazine praised "the incredible richness of this record" and wrote that "The riff machine is running at full speed here."
In Tom Morgan's review for ''Noizze'', he gave the album 8 out of 10, as well as remembered previous comparisons of ''Magma''s stylistic departure to Gojira's previous albums as the same as
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band. The band was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles by vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instrume ...
's 1991
self-titled album and Mastodon's 2011 ''
The Hunter''. Different than their respective follow-ups
''Load'' and ''
Once More 'Round the Sun
''Once More 'Round the Sun'' is the sixth studio album by American heavy metal band Mastodon. It was released on June 24, 2014, via Reprise Records. On April 17, 2014, Mastodon released the album's first single, " High Road". On June 16, 2014, th ...
'', ''Fortitude'' "never makes you wish that you were listening to the band's earlier work, and instead simply feels like the natural evolution of this insanely talented band."
Saby Reyes-Kulkarni of ''
PopMatters
''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, fi ...
'' gave the album 7 out of 10. He praised ''Fortitude''s production and mixing qualities "where the drums practically sing throughout the entire duration of the album, even when the rest of the band is blaring at full volume", and that it "certainly ''sounds'' magnificent", but wondered whether a "band this unorthodox is best served by flirting with
stereotypical approach".
Writing for ''
Prog'' magazine, Jerry Ewing described ''Fortitude'' as "easily the best album they've made to date." He also noted that the band embraced a far proggier approach than previous albums and was also aiming for the mainstream like
Mastodon
A mastodon ( 'breast' + 'tooth') is any proboscidean belonging to the extinct genus ''Mammut'' (family Mammutidae). Mastodons inhabited North and Central America during the late Miocene or late Pliocene up to their extinction at the end of th ...
's 2009 ''
Crack the Skye''.
Founder Holger Stratmann of
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
's ''
Rock Hard
"Rock Hard" is a single by the Beastie Boys, released by Def Jam Records on 12" in 1984. The track contains samples from the AC/DC song "Back in Black", which was used without obtaining legal permission, causing the record to be withdraw ...
'' magazine rated ''Fortitude'' 8.5 out of 10 and wrote that the album was "a demanding album that remains highly contagious with interesting details, partly philosophical texts and a positive energy". Giving the album 8 out of 10, Tim Hoffman of ''RIFF'' magazine stated that the band "continues to incorporate its artistry and activism in ways that convey complex thoughts on environmentalism with mind-blowing riffs, shredding and increasingly incredible melodies." Kory Grow of ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'' thought that Gojira "mix heavy music with heavy concepts, and never once do they sound like a drag", and summed up the review by saying, "It's all the rage of death metal mixed with the conscience of
punk rock and the musicality of progressive rock, and it's never boring".
Accolades
Semester-end lists
A "—" denotes the publication's list is in no particular order, and ''Fortitude'' did not rank numerically.
Year-end lists
Other rankings
On the annual ''Metal Injection'' readers' poll of the year's best in music in 2021 (50,000 voters), ''Fortitude'' was named "Album of the Year". It was voted number one in the annual readers' poll of ''Metal Hammer'', "The 50 best metal albums of 2021", and was ranked number twelve on ''Guitar World''s "The 20 best guitar albums of 2021" list.
In addition, "Born for One Thing" was voted number four on ''Guitar World''s "The 10 best guitar riffs of 2021" list.
''Loudwire'' included "Amazonia" on their list of the "20 Rock + Metal Songs With Social Messages" spanning the period from 1970 to 2021. The magazine also elected "Born for One Thing" as the 4th best metal song of 2021.
''Consequence'' placed "The Chant" at number nine on their "Top 30 Metal & Hard Rock Songs of 2021" list.
Awards and nominations
Chart performance
In the United States, ''Fortitude'' debuted at No. 12 on the
''Billboard'' 200, which surpassed ''Magma''s debut on the chart. The album was also No. 1 on the ''Billboard''
Tastemaker Albums
The ''Billboard'' charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs and albums in the United States and elsewhere. The results are published in '' Billboard'' magazine. ''Billboard'' biz, the online extension of the ''Billboard'' charts, p ...
chart and peaked at No. 2 on the ''Billboard'' Vinyl Albums chart. With ''Fortitude'', Gojira made their first appearance in the top ten charts of nine countries. The album peaked at No. 2 on the
SNPE albums chart, which marked Gojira's highest-ranking chart position in the country.
Commercial performance
''Fortitude'' took the top spot on both the ''Billboard''
Top Album Sales
Top Album Sales is a music chart published by ''Billboard'' magazine starting in December 2014. It is a weekly chart documenting the best-selling albums on a weekly basis in the United States. Up until December 2014, this had been documented by th ...
(pure
album sales
Record sales or music sales are activities related to selling music recordings (albums, singles, or music videos) through physical record shops or digital music store. Record sales reached the peak in 1999, when 600 million people spent an aver ...
) and
Top Current Albums Sales charts with 27,372
album-equivalent unit
The album-equivalent unit, or album equivalent, is a measurement unit in music industry to define the consumption of music that equals the purchase of one album copy. This consumption includes streaming and song downloads in addition to traditi ...
s, out of which 24,104 were pure album sales which made the highest opening-week sales for Gojira. It increased their previous sales number by over 10,000 units. Gojira had the top-selling album in its opening week in the United States. ''Fortitude'' was ranked No. 2 in the best-selling list of the French physical record stores
Fnac
Fnac () is a large French retail chain selling cultural and electronic products, founded by André Essel and Max Théret in 1954. Its head office is in ''Le Flavia'' in Ivry-sur-Seine near Paris. It is an abbreviation of Fédération Nationale d ...
in its first week of release. The album sold 9,900 album-equivalent units in its first week in France.
In mid-May 2021, the album moved up from number two to number one in its second week of album sales at Fnac record stores in France.
Touring
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a planned US tour with
Deftones
Deftones is an American alternative metal band formed in Sacramento, California in 1988. They were formed by Chino Moreno (vocals, guitar), Stephen Carpenter (guitar), Abe Cunningham (drums), and Dominic Garcia (bass). During their first five ...
and
Poppy
A poppy is a flowering plant in the subfamily Papaveroideae of the family Papaveraceae. Poppies are herbaceous plants, often grown for their colourful flowers. One species of poppy, ''Papaver somniferum'', is the source of the narcotic drug opi ...
was canceled in 2020 and again in 2021. It was then rescheduled from mid-April to the end of May 2022, although Poppy canceled her participation. In July 2021 Gojira announced a fall US headlining tour which began at
Louder Than Life
Louder Than Life is a hard rock and metal festival that takes place in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. The event is known to also feature whiskey, craft beer, gourmet food and multiple exhibits. It has made a large economic impact on the c ...
on 24 September. The tour included performances at
Knotfest
Knotfest is a music festival created in 2012 by American heavy metal band Slipknot. The event has been held both as a touring festival and a destination festival in several countries including the United States, Canada, Japan, Germany, Mexico, C ...
on 25 September,
Aftershock Festival
Aftershock Festival is a rock and heavy metal music festival in Sacramento, California, started in 2012.
History
In 2019, the festival expanded to three days, and in 2021 Aftershock expanded to 4 days, October 7 to 10.
Aftershock 2012
Afters ...
on 9 October, and
Welcome to Rockville
Welcome to Rockville is a four-day hard rock and heavy metal music festival. The festival is held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida.
History
The first Welcome to Rockville was a one-day event held on Moth ...
on 11 November.
In July, Gojira also announced a 2022 headlining tour across Europe spanning mid-January to mid-March to promote the album.
The band achieved arena-level headlining status (UK/Europe),
appearing in notable locations such as the
Tauron Arena Kraków
Tauron Arena Kraków is an indoor arena located in Kraków, Poland. It has a seating capacity of 15,030 for sporting events. It hosted the 2014 FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship tournament, 2016 European League of Legends Championship Fin ...
in
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
, the
Motorpoint Arena in
Nottingham
Nottingham ( , East Midlands English, locally ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England. It is located north-west of London, south-east ...
, the
Cardiff International Arena
Cardiff International Arena (formerly known as Cardiff International Arena & Convention Centre and later, for sponsorship reasons, Motorpoint Arena Cardiff) is an indoor exhibition centre and events arena located in Cardiff, Wales, and was ope ...
in
Cardiff
Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital and largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a Sir Caerdydd, links=no), and the city is the eleventh-largest in the United Kingd ...
, the
Forest National
Forest National ( French) or Vorst Nationaal (Dutch) is a multi-purpose arena located in the municipality of Forest in Brussels, Belgium. The arena can hold more than 8,000 people. It hosts indoor sporting events as well as concerts done by a ...
in
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
, the
Alexandra Palace
Alexandra Palace is a Grade II listed entertainment and sports venue in London, situated between Wood Green and Muswell Hill in the London Borough of Haringey. It is built on the site of Tottenham Wood and the later Tottenham Wood Farm. Origi ...
in
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
, and the
Rockhal
The Rockhal is a concert hall in Esch-sur-Alzette, in southern Luxembourg. It opened on 23 September 2005, has a maximum capacity of 6,500 people and is sited on the former industrial site of Belval, Luxembourg, Belval in the west of Esch-sur-Alz ...
in
Luxembourg
Luxembourg ( ; lb, Lëtzebuerg ; french: link=no, Luxembourg; german: link=no, Luxemburg), officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, ; french: link=no, Grand-Duché de Luxembourg ; german: link=no, Großherzogtum Luxemburg is a small lan ...
.
[ A three-date arena tour in ]France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
was confirmed in the announcement: Halle Tony Garnier
The Halle Tony Garnier is an arena and concert hall in Lyon, France. It was designed by Tony Garnier in 1905. Originally a slaughterhouse, the building was renovated in 1987 and opened as a concert hall in 1988. With a standing capacity of near ...
in Lyon
Lyon,, ; Occitan: ''Lion'', hist. ''Lionés'' also spelled in English as Lyons, is the third-largest city and second-largest metropolitan area of France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of t ...
on 8 February, the Arkéa Arena
Arkéa Arena (previously known as the Bordeaux Métropole Arena) is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Floirac, near Bordeaux in France. Opened in January 2018, it offers a capacity for all types of shows and events from 2,500 to 11,300. The arena ...
in Bordeaux
Bordeaux ( , ; Gascon oc, Bordèu ; eu, Bordele; it, Bordò; es, Burdeos) is a port city on the river Garonne in the Gironde department, Southwestern France. It is the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, as well as the prefectur ...
on 9 February, and the Accor Arena
Accor Arena (originally known as Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy, and previously as AccorHotels Arena; also known as Bercy in competitions where commercial names are prohibited, such as in the Olympic Games) is an indoor sports arena and concert ...
in Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
on 26 February. Clara Lemaire of ''Rock & Folk
''Rock & Folk'' is a prominent French popular music magazine founded in 1966, and published in the Paris suburb of Clichy. Editor in chief were Philippe Koechlin, Philippe Paringaux, Eric Breton, Philippe Manœuvre and now Vincent Tannières. ...
'' magazine called the arena tour in France "a consecration for the band" after performing at the Paris' Olympia
The name Olympia may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Film
* ''Olympia'' (1938 film), by Leni Riefenstahl, documenting the Berlin-hosted Olympic Games
* ''Olympia'' (1998 film), about a Mexican soap opera star who pursues a career as an athlet ...
in 2017, which was their accomplishment in France at that time. The tour was later postponed to 2023 due to increased restrictions in Europe brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gojira was the headliner on day three of Hellfest Summer Open Air
Hellfest (), also called Hellfest Summer Open Air, is a rock festival focusing on heavy metal music, held annually in June in Clisson, France. Its high attendance makes it the French music festival with the largest turnover. It is also one ...
on 19 June 2022, performing for 60,000 people.
The band performed at the Luna Park arena in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South ...
on 28 August 2022, Rock in Rio 9 festival in Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro ( , , ; literally 'River of January'), or simply Rio, is the capital of the state of the same name, Brazil's third-most populous state, and the second-most populous city in Brazil, after São Paulo. Listed by the GaWC as a b ...
on 2 September 2022, and at the Movistar Arena
Movistar Arena is a 17,000-seat multi-purpose indoor arena in Santiago, Chile. It is located inside O'Higgins Park, in downtown Santiago. Its main structure was built in 1956, but it remained unfinished and without roof, the roof was installed i ...
in Bogotá
Bogotá (, also , , ), officially Bogotá, Distrito Capital, abbreviated Bogotá, D.C., and formerly known as Santa Fe de Bogotá (; ) during the Spanish period and between 1991 and 2000, is the capital city of Colombia, and one of the larges ...
on 4 September 2022. On 30 August 2022, a riot broke out at the Caupolicán Theatre entrance in Chile
Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...
when 80 fans attempted to enter the venue during Gojira's show, which had sold out in less than 24 hours. As a result, two security guards were injured, and this required the intervention of the national police officers.
Track listing
Personnel
Personnel adapted from liner notes.
Gojira
* Joe Duplantier
Joseph Andrew Duplantier (born 19 October 1976) is a French-American musician, best known as the rhythm guitarist, vocalist, and lyricist of heavy metal band Gojira. He is also a record producer and environmental activist.
Duplantier was born ...
– vocals, rhythm guitar, jew's harp, production, arrangements, cover art
* Christian Andreu
Christian Roger Andreu (born November 15, 1976) is a French musician best known as the lead guitarist of metal band Gojira, and was guitarist on a Familha Artús album.
Music
Christian Andreu's influences include bands such as Death, Metallic ...
– lead guitar
* Jean-Michel Labadie
Jean-Michel Labadie (born 14 July 1974 in Cambo-les-Bains, Basque Country) is a French musician best known as the bassist of metal band Gojira.
Career
Labadie grew up in the Basque Country, and played bass in regional underground bands.
Sin ...
– bass guitar
* Mario Duplantier
Mario François Duplantier (born 19 June 1981) is a French-American musician and artist best known as the drummer for progressive death metal band Gojira. He established himself as a powerful, technically precise drummer, using polyrhythmic patt ...
– drums
Additional
* Ted Jensen
Ted Jensen (born September 19, 1954) is an American mastering engineer, known for having mastered many recordings, including the Eagles' ''Hotel California'', Green Day's '' American Idiot'' and Norah Jones' ''Come Away with Me''.
Biography
Ted ...
– mastering
* Andy Wallace – mixing
* Johann Meyer – engineering
* Brian Montgomery – additional engineering
* Dan Malsch – additional engineering
* Jorge Tavares – additional engineering
* Jamie Uertz – additional engineering
* Taylor Bingley – additional engineering
* Morgan David – additional engineering
* William "Billy" Knauft – additional engineering
* Adriana Vanella – vocals on "Amazonia"
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
See also
* List of UK top-ten albums in 2021
The UK Albums Chart is one of many music charts compiled by the Official Charts Company that calculates the best-selling albums of the week in the United Kingdom. Since 2004 the chart has been based on the sales of both physical albums and digi ...
* List of UK Rock & Metal Albums Chart number ones of 2021
Notes
References
Sources
*
*
{{Authority control
2021 albums
Gojira (band) albums
Roadrunner Records albums
Albums postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic
Albums about climate change
Stoner rock albums