20 Greatest Alternative Albums Of 2016

We predicted that this one would be a success in our mid-year metal review, but we couldn’t have foreseen just how good it would turn out to be.

Entitled Magma, this is Gojira’s most accessible work to date, but it’s conveyed so eloquently that it doesn’t detract from their core foundation. Sure, it’s less death metal than their previous work, but it’s also more expansive and embracing of other musical styles. Not to mention, the soundscapes that the group conjure up here are nothing short of breathtaking.

You’d be hard pressed to find an album with better pacing as well. Beginning with the desert trawling, call to arms ‘The Shooting Star’ and ending with the calm after the storm, acoustic soother ‘Liberation’, and it’s hard not to feel like you’ve embarked on an epic journey. By the end the band sound like they are trying to burrow themselves into the earth’s core. It’s an album that feels like an album – something that is becoming a rarity in this day and age.

Particular mountain peaks on this visceral LP include the middle-eastern-flavored crusher ‘Silvera’, the anthemic chugger ‘Stranded’ and the stunning, cloud swirling title-track. But really, you’ll want to just listen to the whole thing, thanks to its cohesive nature.

With Magma, Gojira confirm their place among metal’s elite in the most stunning and emotionally effective way possible. Simply unmissable.