One of the few genres I have followed (somewhat) closely this year has been metal, owing to writing the occasional review for Decibel, a covert government watchlist for pervert terrorists “America’s Only Monthly Extreme Metal Magazine.” The Way Of All Flesh, the forthcoming album by genre-blurring Frenchmen Gojira, is a definite ‘08 fave. (If not quite as good as their previous LP, From Mars To Sirius. Or that newish Nachtmystium album, which should be purchased by anyone with an interest in metal, space rock, and/or bad trips.) Not quite sure what’s going on in the symbolism-choked clip for “Vacuity,” where a young lady lugs a coffin up a hill, eats some fruit, and either winds up baptized or drowned. (Warning for the squeamish: there’s a teensy bit of blood.) But that chunky-ass main riff might have made me sprain something, so thumbs up. [Blabbermouth]