The Way of All Flesh is the fourth studio album by French metal band Gojira. The album was released on October 13, 2008 in Europe via Listenable Records and on October 14, in the US through Prosthetic Records. It sold around 4,200 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at number 138 on the Billboard 200 chart. It also reached no. 1 on the Top Heatseekers chart and no. 21 on the Top Independent Albums chart.
The album was recorded at the band’s home studio while Joe Duplantier produced it. The drums were recorded in Los Angeles and engineered by Logan Mader, who also mixed and mastered the album. The cover features artwork created by vocalist Joe Duplantier, who was responsible for the artwork on past albums. Randy Blythe from the American band Lamb of God appeared as a guest vocalist on the song “Adoration for None”.
The song “The Art of Dying” is a reference to the Buddhist concept of rebirth, and features introspective lyrics. At the end of the song “The Art of Dying”, there is a small part that is played backwards. If backmasked, the section would bear a resemblance to the song “Esoteric Surgery”, which is then repeated at the end of that very next track. A similar technique is used at the end of “Wolf Down the Earth”.
On October 6, 2008, a music video was released for the song “Vacuity”, produced by Julien Mokrani and Samuel Bodin. The video was shot near the band’s hometown in France, and starred the Duplantiers‘ cousin, actress Claire Theodoly.
On January 11, 2009, Gojira released a second music video from the album, an animated video for “All the Tears”, illustrated by Jossie Malis. In March 2013, Listenable Records made a double vinyl format of the album available for pre-order, with the official release date listed as April 29, 2013; 250 copies each of blue and white vinyl were manufactured.
Tracklist:
SIDE A
- Oroborus (Joe Duplantier, Mario Duplantier & Christian Andreu)
- Toxic Garbage Island
- A Sight to Behold
SIDE B
- Yama’s Messengers
- The Silver Cord (instrumental)
- All the Tears
- Adoration for None (feat Randy Blythe)(J. Duplantier & Randy Blythe)
SIDE C
- The Art of Dying
- Esoteric Surgery
SIDE D
- Vacuity
- Wolf Down the Earth
- The Way of All Flesh
Gojira
Joe Duplantier: vocals, rhythm guitar
Christian Andreu: lead guitar
Jean-Michel Labadie: bass
Mario Duplantier: drums
Guest musicians
Randy Blythe: guest vocals on “Adoration for None”
Production
Joe Duplantier: producer, artwork
Mario Duplantier: artwork
Logan Mader: mixing, mastering, drum engineering
Gabriel Editions: executive producer
Emma Salzard: production manager
Undercity Recordings: drum engineering
Laurentx Etxemendi: guitar/bass/vocal engineering
Studio des Milans: guitar/bass/vocal engineering
Mike Rashmawi: drum tracking assistant
Gabrielle Duplantier: photography/artwork
Fred Collinet: artwork
