GOROD — Neurotripsicks (review)

Album · 2005 · Technical Death Metal

4/5 · 2016-09-02
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GOROD started out under the Gorgasm moniker in their native Bordeaux, France way back in 1997 and originally released their debut NEUROTRIPSICKS under that name on the Deadsun Records label in 2004, but after learning that an band from Chicago, USA already had taken that name, they quickly changed theirs to the now more familiar GOROD (Russian for “city” but not sure that’s what they were going for) and re-released NEUROTRIPSICKS on the Willowtip Records label in 2005 only on this one there are two bonus tracks: “Gorod” and “Submission Transfer.” It seems that any technical leaning French metal bands these days are always worth investigating for they utilize extreme discipline in crafting clever and captivating material. In the ever splintering world of tech death metal more and more bands are finding radically new approaches to the highly demanding and energetic metal music that took off in the 90s and while GOROD began as a technical death metal from the start, their music has evolved into a harder to classify concoction that is best labeled as extreme tech metal for it is far too eclectic to be considered death metal alone although it does indeed employ the utmost extremes of death growl vocals and beyond.

Despite the vocals and other death metal aspects, this music rarely sounds like traditional death metal of the 90s. Unlike most death metal bands with the exception of a select acts like Necrophagist or Obscura, guitarists Arnaud Pantaco and Mathieu Pascal engage in complex neoclassical inspired guitar acrobatics as well as heavy Pantera-esque groove metal riffage with harsh dissonant jazzy overtones that make this music simultaneously slightly catchy and more often than not jarring and slightly off despite an impending feel of soon falling off into chaotic fields. GOROD has a way of balancing out the tension with an accessible strain of melody that brings a more technical version of Amon Amarth or Arch Enemy to mind at times. There are also classical thrash metal types of developments that bring the late 80s to mind as well and add on ample progressive touches that come out of left field and the listener is treated to some highly aggressive chugga chugga type of extreme metal that dares enter many metal arenas while never even coming close to something mainstream. One of the many aspects (worth mentioning) is that they employ is a unique staccato and stop and go type of stylistic approach that utilizes dramatic silent pauses at precise moments to create a counter dynamic to the extreme noisefest.

All the musicians are at the top of their game in this band. Sandrine Bourguignon (YES! a female tech death metal drummer!) has some serious chops in her drumming style and with the extreme string workouts of the guitars and the bass of Benoit Claus delivering highly precise and technically challenging time signature workout, we are treated to a very satisfying overall sound that extreme metal enthusiasts will devour with delight. The only “normal” aspect of the music seems to reside in Guillaume Martinot’s death metal growls and while the music employs serious death metal chops and blastbeats, it more often than not seems to stray into other metal sub genre fields that fuse aspects of classical 80s, groove and thrash all doctored up with progressive touches. NEUROTRIPSICKS is an instantly addictive avant-groovy album to sink your teeth into and GOROD sounds unlike any other band that falls under the ever burgeoning death metal banner. This debut is a very solid release that resonates well for the entire run. Perhaps the only weakness is that there isn’t quite enough diversity amongst all tracks for a masterpiece in the making but these guys sure know how to turn a whole bunch of noise into something highly intelligent and attention grabbing.

The two bonus tracks are pretty cool because they give a glimpse into the primordial ooze of the band’s history as Gorgasm and show exactly how much they evolved their sound in a short time span, thus not essential to the overall album feel but a tagged on historical perspective.