The famous French band Gojira (Godzilla’s original name) is not alone in naming itself after a kaiju, those big Japanese monsters with immeasurable destructive powers. In a deeper layer of extreme metal, there’s also the anomaly called Gigan (Godzilla’s enemy!), who’s been humbly at work on the other side of the Atlantic for almost twenty years. But while Gojira is distancing itself evermore from death metal, Gigan is holding fast to the most extreme forms of the genre, pushing its boundaries.
Of all the recent death metal innovators with a fixation on space and science fiction, Gigan has always been the most impenetrable. Even more so than Wormed, Origin and Artificial Brain, this Chicago-based trio builds its universe not only through the speed and unsettling angularity of its structures, but also through the dense texture that unfolds. In particular, there’s a freedom of execution on the drums and a thickness to the guitar layers that one would associate more with free improvisation and post-rock, respectively. Yet the result remains absolutely impassable without some accustoming to the abrasive sounds of death metal.
Fortunately, Anomalous Abstactigate Infinitessimus, Gigan’s fifth album, has its share of hooks that provoke the adrenalin rush expected of the genre. This is intelligent, skillfully composed music for which repeated listens pay off. Despite the opacity of the music, the arrangements are finely detailed. Think of the instrumental additions that enhance the sonic texture, such as synthesizers, theremin and otomatone, which are felt more than heard. Far from being a flashy tactic, these elements contribute to the psychedelic atmosphere that pervades this album. The production, which emphasizes the sound mass rather than the instrumental performance, also accentuates this effect.
All in all, it’s hard to rank Gigan’s albums. They all contribute in their own way to the project’s rich discography. Certainly, Anomalous Abstractigate Infinitessimus, like its predecessors, is the expression of a band in full possession of its means, but also in perpetual quest to surpass itself with fresh ideas.
