This is the third album from this plucky French progressive metal outfit. Previous albums have seen them deconstruct themes such as anthills(!) and the spirit of the working class, whilst the concept this time is of an adventurer and his handmade flying machine.
Beginning with cinematic eastern flavours that characterise the entire album, the sitar of “Ddulden Dreams Beyond The Peak” segues into the gentle djenty riffs of “Sky High Streaming”. The complex rhythms are kept in check by the soothing atmospherics of traditional instrumentation, and the laid-back croons of vocalist Franck switch between Layne Staley-esque singing and the enunciated aggressive roaring associated with fellow countryman Joe Duplantier of Gojira fame.
The array of ethnic instruments that contribute massively to Grorr’s sound conjure a thoroughly ambient atmosphere, so when it the music does get heavier, it’s more striking and there’s an almost horrific violence about it that really grabs the listener. These heavier proggy djentisms really hit their stride on “Sirens Call” and “Blackened Rain”, with certain passages bringing to mind the technical riffing of both TesseracT and the aforementioned Gojira.
“Last Flight” serves as a fitting crescendo veering again into Gojira territory, though I do also imagine that this is what 90’s Alice In Chains would’ve sounded like jamming on Meshuggah songs. There are also a couple of bonus tracks tagged on which serve as a kind of “prequel” EP to the album (despite being on the end!)
Interestingly, no information on Grorr is available from Metal Archives; the self-appointed contrary gatekeepers appear to be fine with Rush, Anathema and Meshuggah, but neither TesseracT, Spiritbox nor Grorr are considered “metuhl enuff”. Pah.
Grorr’s musicianship and songcraft is doubtless unquestionable, however the songwriting could do with a little more dynamism, as some passages meander and get a bit samey. Overall, though, this is an intriguing album from an original and engaging band.
(7.5/10 Doogz)
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