Terra Incognita Songs Ranked
Terra Incognita is the debut album released by French death metal band Gojira. It was recorded and mixed by Stephan Kraemer. According to a text on the album inlay, the title (Latin for “unknown land”) refers to the area inside of each man, where, according to Hindu legend, Brahma hid the divinity that he had taken from humanity for the punishment of its abuse. In 2009, the album was re-released in a limited edition digipack including three bonus tracks. The 2009 issues of the album were for a limited time only and was eventually reissued once again 7 years later on 10 October 2016. Prior to these two reissues and the following years after the 2009 reissue, copies of the album were getting hard to find and were often selling at higher prices on auction sites and sought after by fans following long periods of time being out of print. Here are all of Terra Incognita songs ranked.
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14. 1990 Quatrillions de Tonnes
“1990 Quatrillions De Tonnes” is another extremely experimental number — in fact, it actually plays like a cut of straight-up, Candlemass/My Dying Bride-inspired doom metal. Its heavy, brooding riffs and twin-guitar-harmonies are underpinned by an ominous, grumbling bass line; and some nightmarish backing vocals (which sound like people screaming while being burned in the fires of hell) top it all off.”
13. On the B.O.T.A
“On The B.O.T.A.,” layers twinkling, siren-like guitar harmonies on top of beeping, thundering bass lines and creepy, robotic-sounding spoken-word whispers. (Needless to say, “On The B.O.T.A.” has a superbly dark atmosphere — opaque, even.)”
12. 5988 Trillions De Tonnes
“5988 Trillions De Tonnes” is an eighty-second long interlude with Latin-sounding hand percussion. There is something about this album that has always painted this image in my head. I feel like im watching humans work as clockwork, as machinery, It feels like a fever dream of Schopenhauer, like some twisted dark concepts make these machines run.”
11. In the Forest
“The set closes with “In The Forest,” which begins with some Metallica-ish clean guitar strumming before graduating to pummeling, thunderously staccato riffage and smashing drums.”
10. Rise
“Rise” begins with a huge and stomping — albeit mid-tempo — riff. But a breakneck tempo change inevitably kicks in, rocketing the song into blistering death/grind territory with Glenn Benton/David Vincent-esque growls, ferocious riffing, and ridiculous, mind-boggling, jackhammer-fast drum fills that evoke Burnt By The Sun’s Dave Witte.
See more: Gojira Albums Ranked
9. 04
“04,” a fantastic and very epic instrumental track composed of one two-minute-long melodic bass solo. (An epic bass melody such as this is reminiscent of, say, Dysrythmia, A Perfect Circle, and Dream Theater.)”
8. Fire is Everything
“Fire Is Everything” offsets its blistering, machine gun riffing and bludgeoning, Earth-moving rhythms with a handful of positively doomy breakdowns (including one near the end where some cool and intelligible — if not quite clean — vocals enter the picture).”
7. Satan is a Lawyer
“Satan Is A Lawyer” adopts humorous, and almost Rage Against The Machine-worthy hip-hop stylings with the guitar weaving some interesting sound effects while frontman Joe Duplantier spits out ham-fisted rapping. This song is also noteworthy for featuring instrumental choruses, where big, chunky riffs storm onto the scene.”
6. Love
“Love” seemingly picks up right where “Fire…” left off, beginning with an eerily slow and quiet intro (with ominous guitar feedback). But Gojira’s patented mammoth, crushing, and rip-roaring riffs then come steamrolling in, as do some really interesting bass lines.”
5. Blow Me Away You(Niverse)
“Blow Me Away You (Niverse)” work similarly, beginning with just over two-full-minutes of gorgeous and progressive guitar noodling. But a huge wall of booming sound then takes over. It also features roaring deathly vocals that trade-off with Jens Kidman-by-way-of Devin Townsend-esque high-pitched vocals, a catchy hardcore breakdown, and pounding, groove-oriented, densely churning riffs.”
See more: Gojira Songs Ranked
4. Space Time
“The album probably has my favorite Gojira riff on the song Space Time, nothing could be more heavy or groovy. Slowly this band is becoming one of my favorites, and the style of Death Metal they play was almost forgotten, but Gojira are here to spice it up.”
3. Lizard Skin
“The Drums is a big part of why I feel this way, many times it just feels like engines, like someone trying to hit a machine, small pieces twisting to fit with each other or like a motor about to overheat.Paired with that you have these guitars that feel like textures or extensions of the machine, accented by how the drums and guitars play together, and also some ambiance of the tracks thats ominous and dark almsot makes you feel claustrophobic.”
2. Deliverance
This is devastating metal with soul and played with a modern approach. The Morbid Angel influence is evident but they are already very different, interpretating an extreme death metal that grooves, or to say it better, that breathes.”
1. Clone
“Clone,” which opens with an ominously quiet intro (with minimalistic noise and futuristic sound effects), before, around twenty-six seconds in, abruptly switching to blistering, chunked-up, Pantera-meets-Meshuggah-meets-Morbid Angel riffing and explosive, rapid-fire drumming.”