Here is album number two from French tech deathsters Gorod (formerly known as Gorgasm) and in a year that has seen such tech death metal luminaries as Decapitated, Gory Blister, Spawn of Possession, Psycroptic and Anata deliver arguably their finest efforts, Gorod enter the fray with their own equally exceptional offering to the genre.Though they share the same skill levels as their peers, what sets Gorod apart is that the band makes the dizzying complexity and brutal intricacy somehow melodic and memorable within the framework of their expected technical bliss. This solo heavy, shorter song approach to technical death metal makes for an immediately enjoyable album, that also has the genre’s necessary ‘multiple listen’ need; a special mix indeed.

Starting with the breathtaking duo of “Here Die Your Gods” and “Thirst For Power” as the arpeggio ripe “Blackout” pretty much each track on Leading Vision is a stunning example of tech death metal perfection that should have Necrophagist’s Muhammed Suiçmez sweating bullets that his tech death crown might be in jeopardy if the next album isn’t sheer genius. The tangible brutalization of the Death/Atheist/Cynic guitar and bass work is still present and the melody seems more purposeful than the slightly random melody injections of Neurotripsicks. However, though not a beef for me, some of the grizzled death metal types may find some of the guitar work a bit too ‘happy’ (i.e. closer “Hidden Genocide”). For me though, it’s a pleasant change from the usual grim nature of the genre. As with Neurotripsicks drum fatale Sandrine is a furious force behind the kit and folks in the drum community should now start mentioning her near elite circle and not just because she’s a ‘girl’ and vocalist Guillaume delivers a sturdy bellow, free from experimentation, allowing the music to be the focal point of this superb album.

The band seems to have also matured lyrically as instead of “”Pigs Bloated Face”, “Harmony in Torture” or “Rusted Nails Attack” we get a more cerebral approach that matches the brilliantly challenging music that’s more befitting the music (“State of Secret”, “Eternal Messiah” and “Obseqiuim Minaris”). All these steps in the bands development from Neurotripsicks, make Leading Vision a standout technical death metal album that easily measures up to this years other fine releases.

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