After almost 30 years (happened me with “A Real Live One” by Iron Maiden) it’s again an artwork that got me close to a band I didn’t know existed: in fact searching for images on the web I spotted the amazing Cover Art of Titanomachy, the french metal band Gorgon debut album and I gave it a distracted listening without imagining that I would soon be running to buy it on their official webstore.
What are we talking about exactly? Of a Melodic Death Symphonic with a strong and particular epic vein that takes inspiration from the splendid Greek mythology of the origins: the ascent of the Olympics, the defeat and exile of Titans in the depths of Tartar, the gift of fire to humanity from part of Prometheus and civilization’s dawn. A lot of interesting matter for Gorgon who prove not only to master this, but to love it too and to know how to translate it in music it with an unusual taste for arrangement. Instruments selection and sounds extremely close to the greek world are the first stylistic choice to hit in the production of a concept album that simply could have been inspired by that mythology, but which is instead full of passion and a depth such as to become the trademark and the beating heart of the band, enhancing their peculiarities, from the moniker choice, passing through the Cover Art to their inspired songwriting.
The instrumental intro “Oros Othrys” opens the way for the song that summaries Gorgon’s music, the aggressive “Arising Thuderlord“, but the band’s passion and professionalism emerge from every single track and gives solidity and consistency to the album from the first to the last note, gifting us 40 minutes of pure energy. Arrangements and orchestrations are the undoubted strength of Titanomachy, but it is important to underline how these are built on a very well built rhythmic base that tirelessly grinds tight passages laden with pure epic. Sometimes melodic lines appear not strictly original, but never banal or forced: the synergy between band’s members is noteworthy and the production of the record is superior to what I heard in recent times, it’s a shame that the same synergy leaves little space for individual musicians and does not give us interesting digressions to enhance their personality: more experimentation in this sense, despite the genre, would not have spoiled and would have given greater originality to the whole.
Gorgon’s Titanomachy turned out to be an unexpected and pleasant surprise, an obligatory purchase for those who appreciate the Melodic Death Symphonic and greek mythology, a special combination to have in one’s own music collection like first episodes of God of War in videogames, an epic, brutal poetry that leaves you petrified under the Gorgon’s gaze. Come on guys, I’m looking forward to the new album!
SCORE 84/100
