Decibrity Playlist: Gorguts - Decibel Magazine

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Gorguts released its long-awaited fifth album today, the band’s first in over 12 years. To celebrate, vocalist/guitarist Luc Lemay decided to take a breather from death metal and reveal a little bit of his softer side, highlighting five songs/pieces of music that show the “beauty and poetry in music.” Once you’re done checking out Luc’s picks, not only can you turn to Colored Sands for the hard stuff (which Chris Dick deemed “fucking incredible” in our latest issue), but Gorguts will be hitting the road this week for four select East Coast dates that you probably won’t want to miss.
Feel free to listen along here.

Steven Wilson’s “The Watchmaker” (from 2013’s The Raven That Refused to Sing (And Other Stories))
This is such a beautiful song. Every time that I was on a night drive, I would play this song first and then I would bring the record to the beginning, this way I could hear it twice. There’s something very poetic and nostalgic about this music…beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.

Philip Glass–Symphony No. 3 (1995)
It took me many, many years to become a Philip Glass fan. Around 1994, I remember I received as a gift a CD with Glass string quartets and it didn’t do anything for me…not that the interpretation was not good, it was Kronos Quartet. But a few years ago, I discovered the soundtrack of Naqoyqatsi, which was composed by Glass and it was a total shock. Pure beauty! It made me revisit his work and I instantly fell in love with this symphony for string. The first movement is just stunning!

Opeth’s “Benighted” (from 1999’s Still Life)
This is such a beautiful and poetic song, it gives me goosebumps every time I listen to this gem of music. I can’t help myself, I need to close my eyes and listen the soft sound of the fingers on the strings with Mikael’s voice painting on this soft and tranquil canvas.

Shostakovich–Symphony No. 4 (1935-1936)
This is such an amazing work of art! Wow! Every time I listen to this symphony, it just brings [out] the Slavic roots in me (having a Russian grandmother)…very emotional. It’s hard to explain the feeling, [but] it’s very special. When Shostakovich’s music first came into my life in ’93/’94, it was totally life changing. It touched me like nothing else before. It had the same impact on me as when I discovered death metal. The second movement from this symphony (28:39) is very dark, mystic and yet beautiful. I just totally adore every single note from the work.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7e8bpBFyCMw

Philip Glass’s “Media Weather” (from 2002’s Naqoyqatsi)
This recitative for cello and orchestra is so poetic and beautiful. I love the way Yo-Yo Ma plays in this piece. To me it sounds like a human voice telling a story, whispering something to my ear. It has a very contemplative mood, and in this movement I don’t hear the typical Glass rhythmic signature…beautiful and unique.