Artist: Gorod
Album: The Orb
Label: Self Released
Release Date: March 7th, 2023
Location: Bordeaux, France
Written by Brian Lloyd
For the better part of two decades France’s Gorod have carved their own niche into technical and progressive death metal. When last we heard them on 2018 Aethra, Gorod was pushing the boundaries of what the genre could produce in terms of both technical virtuosity and expansive songwriting, on The Orb they prove that they have nothing to prove to anyone as they are the kings of modern prog death.
It’s been over 5 years since we last heard Gorod and in that time they have been honing their songwriting and perfecting a sound that is all their own. The Orb was worth the wait. A blazing, punishing and often beautiful slab of progressive death metal that puts the rest of the genre to shame. Somehow brutal and elegant at the same time, Gorod seem to have outdone themselves.
Launching out of the gate like a bat out of hell is “Chrematheism” a soaring opening that wastes zero time getting to the blast beats and technical virtuosity of guitarists Mathieu Pascal and Nicolas Alberny. While the guttural and chaotic screams of Julien “Nutz” Deyres are laid through out, leaving any listener wondering just what hit them. Later “Breeding Silence” takes technicality to a new level, showcasing the tight and proficient machine that is Gorod’s rhythm section of Benoit Claus on bass and Karol Diers on drums.
The stand out here is the title track “The Orb” Showing that not only can Gorod shred they also know a little something about caring a riff and a rhythm to it’s fullest extent. Groovy wizardry abounds, giving little doubt that Gorod are the absolute cream of the crop when it comes to tech/prog death.
Self releasing an album in today’s climate of ten million tech death bands all trying to get ahead of one another is a risky venture but Gorod seems to know that they have created their own little pocket of the genre that’s all to themselves. The Orb is a masterpiece, an absolutely dense 39 minutes of perfection. It must be heard to be believed.
Listen to and order the album:
