Fortitude
| Gojira
Fortitude
Fortitude is the seventh studio album by French metal band Gojira. The album was released on 30 April 2021 through Roadrunner Records. It was recorded at the band's studio in New York City, and was produced by Joe Duplantier and mixed by Andy Wallace. -Wikipedia
Critic Reviews
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Angry Metal Guy
Fortitude feels more like an album of leftovers, of songs that didn’t quite work for Magma. It’s sad to say, but Gojira have crafted their least compelling album.
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Kerrang!
This is an important album, not only because it extends Gojira’s palette and cements their place as one of metal’s most skilled and uncompromising bands. They’re also one of the most inspiring as they call for strength, for action and above all for fortitude. Hang in there, and Gojira will be right beside you.
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Sonic Perspectives
Overall, “Fortitude” sees the French colossus returning to scene with an astonishing record full of memorable moments that come off from their eclectic and defying blending of musical approaches. Their broad-spectrum ranges from straight aggressiveness, bold, progressive moments, and a technical display of mastery while keeping melodic hooks that resonate with the anthemic spirit of many of these meaningful songs, which millions will sing along at every major festival around the world.
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Forbes
‘Fortitude’ Solidifies Gojira As Modern Metal’s Most Relevant Act.
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Kill Your Stereo
Gojira’s latest at least provides that resilience in musical form.
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Sputnik Music
As it stands, Fortitude is a decent metal record. However, it doesn’t really offer anything that Gojira’s prior albums haven’t done better.
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Rock Sins
Gojira are on the rise. They want to save the planet but they might just save heavy metal too.
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Distorted Sound Magazine
GOJIRA are the only band that could have made Fortitude. Who else could execute such technical, contemporary metal to this degree? The list is short. But more than musically, this is a record that returns the quartet to the battleground of a fight they’ve been in for 20 years. They’re the credible, ethical, inspirational outfit we’ve been crying for. Lots of bands exist, but GOJIRA? They make a difference.
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PopMatters
The world isn’t exactly starved for another gifted, challenging metal band that follows Metallica off the cliff into the realm of mega-popular mediocrity. Let’s hope Gojira don’t go that route. As it stands, Fortitude reveals enough ingenuity and spirit to suggest that it’s not too late.
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mxdwn Music
While Gojira certainly holds no punches on Fortitude, there is a lack of punchiness, and just energy, despite being a heavy metal album. There is a lack of atmosphere and liveliness, despite being a Gojira release. Full support could and should be given to any band that decides to experiment and evolve as an entity, but if Gojira are fully committed, it’s going to need a little bit more work.
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Audioxide
Not everything sticks - the harmonised vocals that open “Hold On” is perhaps the most peculiar inclusion – but I suppose all the great metal albums contain at least a small portion of cheese. I would liken Fortitude to a mild cheddar. Versatile, resilient and, sometimes, unbeatable.
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Antihero Magazine
The road has been long and far from easy, but Gojira have established themselves as perpetuators of prolific, entrancing Metal for thinkers and lovers of giant, mountainous rhythms, towering like the Alps that run through their native Europe. For a perfect glimpse of such refinement, listen to the ninth track, “Into the Storm” – wow.
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Erie Reader
The family tree of metal is evident here, with sections that hearken to Led Zeppelin, Sepultura, and Iron Maiden, as well as contemporaries like Meshuggah and Mastadon. There's shredding aplenty, as evidenced in the opening licks of "Another World'' melded seamlessly with epic sequences of forceful riffs and choruses.
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Cryptic Rock
Fortitude, therefore, is an opus that bleeds technical proficiency as it meanders through peaks and valleys, oftentimes seeming to flow from one track to the next without pause; a sign of inspiration overload. And while it is certainly likely to polarize their established fanbase, it stands to be the most impactful 11 songs that Gojira will ever record.
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NME
The French four-piece's seventh album is a thunderous yet playful thing that bristles with raw power.
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Markus' Heavy Music Blog
‘Fortitude’ is a superb album that reveals more and more of its strengths as time goes on. At the same time, the band remains true to itself and embodies all its trademarks on this album. Gojira stands for development and evolution, both pillars of the new output. Who has not yet ‘Fortitude’ on the radar should make it up as soon as possible.
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Backseat Mafia
‘Fortitude’ sees Gojira yet again pushing the extreme metal envelope and whilst their sound carries such destructive power, Gojira are only intent on healing the planet.
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Noizze
Unlike Load and Once More ‘Round The Sun, 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.
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Ghost Cult Magazine
The most varied and heterogeneous record from the band thus far, some of the more experimental material on Fortitude is likely to be met with a certain amount of resistance, but there’s still more than enough heads down, neck-breaking heaviness to please the most devoted Gojira old-schooler. The vocals might be cleaner, the music more eclectic and eccentric, but for those who embrace progress, the rewards will be many.
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Stereoboard
‘Fortitude’ is on one hand a return to safer territories, but that move is juxtaposed with music Gojira would not have been able to wrangle in their earlier years. It makes for a glorious set of guaranteed hits, though the sequencing does undermine its force a little. On balance, this is another outstanding record from metal’s brightest stars.
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The Needle Drop
Gojira's conceptual thoughtfulness remains a mark in their favor on Fortitude.
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Louder Than War
Gojira are further proof of the powerful and lasting legacy of metal as it impinges on the mainstream.
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Louder Sound
Gojira have delivered 2021’s most important metal album with Fortitude.
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Wall of Sound
I can’t recommend Fortitude highly enough. As a band Gojira have now consistently proven themselves to be one of the most forward-thinking metal bands, who have not only carved out a niche but have a distinct sound that is all their own. Each of their albums is different enough to the last, with Fortitude combining many of the previous sonic experiments with a few new ideas. What is most interesting is that this album can open them up to a new audience, the material is both classically Gojira but also has some big hooks.
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New Noise Magazine
Taking Fortitude at its word then, Gojira have crafted another dynamic, multi-faceted record that speaks to determination over division, courage over competition, and hope over hatred. “Fortitude is what we need to display,” declares the frontman. “It’s what we need to embrace. It’s what we need to be in a world where everything is uncertain–even the near future.
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Rock 'N' Load
As the album progresses, it continues its full-force assault on the senses with a multi-dimensional sound that feels like music through a prism. As the full spectrum of sound is experienced, there is no doubt that this is a phenomenal album that really does push Gojira to the upper echelons of the Metal world. Fortitude has everything and is going to blow you away.
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Clash Magazine
Only Gojira could make an album so suffused with positivity and faith in the human spirit, and then wrap it all up in the most earth-shattering package of heavy metal you’ll receive this year. Très bien!
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The Moshville Times
A modern-day masterpiece for the ages.
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Upset Magazine
On ‘Fortitude’ they steer their technical death metal further into stadium-metal seas.
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Treblezine
The execution on Fortitude is impeccable. While the few songs that break from the group’s locked-in, riff-driven tech-prog metal might not be enough to lure those who aren’t already converted, Gojira nonetheless continue to display a mastery over their signature metal sound.
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Northern Transmissions
Gojira’s new album Fortitude continues from where 2016s Magma left off, moving the band’s sound in new directions while retaining their signature riffing style. Magma marked a change for the band, expanding on the bludgeoning drums and guitars the band was known for and including more atmospheric parts while frontman Joe Duplantier expanded on his use of clean vocals on many of the tracks.
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Punktastic
‘Fortitude’ is another fine addition to an increasingly stellar back catalogue.
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Heavy Blog is Heavy
Fortitude is great, but it could have been even greater, and, in retrospect, I suspect it will be seen as somewhat of a course correction or transitional record, rather than its own definitive statement.
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Exclaim!
Fortitude is an album that takes a few listens to fully wrap one's head around, and there's no denying just how much there is to be heard in these 11 versatile tracks. If there was any doubt still about Gojira's potential, Fortitude proves unequivocally that the band are MVPs of modern metal.
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The Rock Fix
Gojira has struck gold once again with ‘Fortitude’. The band’s momentum has been unstoppable recently and this album may just be the thing they needed to skyrocket themselves into headliner position when festivals come back around. Gojira continues to amaze me and if you haven’t checked them out yet I’d highly recommend this album being your first taste of the French Progressive Death Metallers!
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Metal Planet Music
As for many, the album has been anticipated, the french metallers have done it again, they have created something beyond just art. Their seventh full length album IS consistent and at it’s finest and their overall sound in this album reminds me of their old stuff like rough and raw album ‘The Link’, fabulous job done.
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