LEADING VISION

Leading Vision is the second album from French technical death metal band Gorod. Gorod started their career under the Gorgasm monicker but changed name to Gorod after their debut album. The debut album has since been re-released under the Gorod monicker. I was very impressed with Gorod´s debut album Neurotripsicks which really made a great entry in my mind. Fast runs, tempo and time signature changes and a brutal aggressive sound is what you can expect if you listen to Neurotripsicks.

The music on Leading Vision continues the style that was introduced on Neurotripsicks but adds a more simple approach to the music which means that this album is a bit more direct and brutal than Neurotripsicks ( This also means that it is a bit more memorable IMO). The many melodic guitar runs on Neurotripsicks are fewer on Leading Vision. There are some great guitar solos on Leading Vision. Some are semi-jazzy. Gorod´s overall sound has taken a notch up in the brutality department ( best examplified by the opening song Here Die Your Gods) and the music can be compared to bands like Suffocation and Aborted but with an additional complex approach. This is first and foremost a death metal album though. Very powerful. The technical playing is a means to an end and not the focal point in Gorod´s music on Leading Vision.

The growling vocals from Guillaume needs to be mentioned here as he is a great vocalist. No semi-growling powerless vocals here say thank you. Guillaume´s vocals are ultra brutal and powerful. He really gives his all. The technical level of all the musicians are way above average and it´s a real joy for me to listen to musicians this accomplished.

The production is excellent. Note how clear you can hear the bass in the mix ( The bass is sadly missing focus on many metal productions IMO) yet the overall sound is still sharp and edgy.

If you enjoy bands like Cryptopsy, Decapitated, Necrophagist, Martyr and Death, Gorod is sure to please your taste. Technical death metal that emphasises power and brutality before complex playing fits my taste very well and I think Leading Vision is highly recommendable to fans of the genre. The album fully deserves 4 stars.

After a quite satisfying debut album in the form of "Neurotripsicks," the then newly named GOROD (formerly Gorgasm) released their second album LEADING VISION two years later with the exact same lineup which offered a fleeting moment of security although the unique drumming style of Sandrine Bourgugnon would jump ship after this album. This one was released by Willowtip in 2006 and then on Candlelight Records the following year. LEADING VISION refines the sound on the debut and takes several elements and refines them into a tasty progressive death metal smorgasbord feast. All the elements still reside here with new touches and more nuanced takes of progressive technical gymnastics all the while keeping their listenability creds in shape by crafting all the necessary accessibility factors to keep the listener engaged throughout the album's run.

Right from the beginning track "Here Die Your Gods," the listener is treated to a more energetic and progressive groove metal type of experience than what was experienced on the debut and becomes slightly more frenetic and a bit more accessible here. While the debut focused on extremely progressive types of delivery, this one focuses on dishing out more accessible riffs that carry on the Pantera-esque riffs and even tones down the neoclassical wankery and channels it into a more Dimebag Darrell type of bad boy bluesiness, albeit in a more progressive way with killer time signature workouts and other tech death artistry. Don't get me wrong though. The neoclassical guitar tradeoffs do indeed occur, just not as often. Once again Guillaume Martinot delivers the most tortured soul death vocal workouts with Arnaud Pontaco and Mathieu Pascal offering their now classic dual guitar assault that melds melody, dissonance, thrashy groovilisicous riffage and highly energetic ear assaults. Benoit Claus also provides a more than competent bass ravishment with Sandrine's drum ecstasy complete with cymbal inappropriateness. The band is simply on full fire.

The album is also shorter than the debut which serves such demanding metal music well as there is more than enough energy delivered throughout to wear out even the most indefatigable listener as it is incessant in its aggressive approach with only their signature staccato and stop and go approach that utilizes intermittent dramatic pauses to counter-effect the unremitting extreme metal assault. GOROD succeeds in creating a dramatic and differing sophomore release that successfully sets itself apart from the debut without alienating any fans who became addicted to their unique sound on "Neurotripsicks." All the death metal chops infused with jazz-infused technical yet melodic workouts are on full display here and more than match the debut. While some find this to be a better release than the debut, i find them to be on equal footing. There were tradeoffs in the changes going on between the albums. Each album displays different strengths and different weaknesses yet both are equally dynamic in their approach. I find this release to be no better nor no worse but certainly an excellent listen that creates a totally unique sonicscape that demands full attention.