French Tech Death Legends Gorod are releasing another mind bending album “The Orb” coming out March 7th. Gorod has been around for 20+ years which is impressive and your average band is in a steady decline at that point of longevity. 2018’s “Aethra” was no slacker either bringing the big compositions, complexity, groove, heaviness and soaring vocals you expect from Gorod each release. “The Orb” takes that to another level later in the band’s history, proving they still have plenty of tricks up their sleeve. France has given the world a lot of great extreme metal bands and Gorod might be one of the, if not most unique one. They’re a rare breed where a tech death band can write catchy music on top of being a bit complex at times. It’s a rare feat and I am going to explain why I’m all about “The Orb”.
First and foremost the guitar work is phenomenal, whether its slower or quicker. The riffs are mind blowing, some subdued and more quicker and complex sounding. The band also knows when a chord progression is needed and not shredding the fretboard like Archspire. Gorod knows that and going from one style to another is a huge mood change. Some songs have beautiful, emotional guitar leads and some are quicker and shreddier. It’s very diverse and appealing to one’s ears.
The band on “The Orb”: “The overall composition of this album stretched out more in time than Æthra, which allowed us to try new things. We wanted to go both a little further in new experiments but also return back to our own sources in order to highlight the contrasts. From the most spontaneous to the most polished, we’ve put together the most accessible and extreme material we could.”
The vocals are another strong force as expected. Very heavy, dynamic and diverse. There’s a lot of low and mid ranged growls, with some higher moments (not many). There’s a blend of some aggressive singing as well and some lighter moments, making “The Orb” an even denser experience than anticipated. Dense is a great word to describe this album for sure. Most Gorod fans will dig this release as it’s another strong effort by this longtime band.

As previously stated, the rhythms are absolutely impeccable. The drums and bass are a standout as well. Lots of great fills on drums and bass lines, not stealing too much of the spotlight. A tight rhythm section can take you very far and helps with the impeccable songwriting that Gorod brings forth every time. There are some cool twists on “The Orb” but in the end still sounds like Gorod and what you would expect from the band. They are masters at trying new things but not deviating far from their original sound and songwriting style.
“The Orb” showcases how important Gorod is for any metalhead and the genre as a whole. They show even at an older age they still have it and you can mix some groove with brain melting riffs and speeds. The band puts on an absolute masterclass on this album and you should take the time to absorb in it. Again, this album drops March 7th so prepare your ears for one amazing musical feast.
https://www.facebook.com/TMRWNY
https://www.facebook.com/GorodOfficial
Categories: Album Review, Death Metal, Experimental, Technical Death Metal