Gojira
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Gojira performs at Tuska Open Air Metal Festival in 2006
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| Background information | |
| Also known as | Godzilla |
| Origin | Bayonne, France |
| Genres | Progressive metal, technical death metal, groove metal |
| Years active | 1996–present |
| Labels | Roadrunner, Prosthetic, Listenable |
| Members | Joe Duplantier Mario Duplantier Christian Andreu Jean-Michel Labadie |
| Past members | Alexandre Cornillon |
| Website | www |
Gojira is a French metal band from Ondres, close to Bayonne in the South West of France. Formed in 1996, the band was known as Godzilla until 2001. Gojira is composed of Joe Duplantieronvocals and rhythm guitar, his brother Mario Duplantierondrums, Christian Andreuonlead guitar, and Jean-Michel Labadieonbass. Since their first studio album, Gojira has had no changes in lineup, written five studio albums and produced two live DVDs. They are known for their environmentally-themed lyrics and have gone from "utmost obscurity" to being mentioned regularly "amongst the genre's leading new millennium upstarts", according to Allmusic.[1]
Gojira are from Ondres, France, a village close to Bayonne. Gojira's music combines elements of death metal, groove metal, thrash metal and progressive metal. The band started touring and recording under the name Godzilla and released their demos Victim, Possessed, Saturate and Wisdom Comes in 1996, 1997, 1999 and 2000, respectively. After touring, supporting Cannibal Corpse, Edge of Sanity, Impaled Nazarene and supporting Immortal in September 1999,[2] legal problems forced Godzilla to change their name. They changed their name to Gojira, the rōmaji spelling of the fictional monster Godzilla.[3] Their debut album Terra Incognita was released under the new name in 2001.
The band released their second studio album in 2003, The Link (reissued in 2007 with remastered audio and new booklet artwork).[4] After the success of the first two albums and their live performances they made a DVD in Bordeaux produced by Gabriel Editions. Since 19 May 2004, The Link Alive has been on sale in France.[2] In 2005, Gojira decided to sign with French-based Listenable Records to help give them exposure outside of France with the album From Mars to Sirius.[5]
Gojira was featured on Children of Bodom's US tour in late 2006, joining Amon Amarth and Sanctity as the openers.[6] Furthermore, Gojira supported Trivium on the UK dates of their European tour in 2007 with Sanctity and Annihilator.[7] Later they supported Lamb of God on their 2007 American tour along with Trivium and Machine Head.[8] In late 2007 they took part in the Radio Rebellion Tour, featuring co-headliners Behemoth and Job for a Cowboy, as well as Beneath the Massacre.[9] In October 2007, Listenable Records re-released Gojira's 1997 demo Possessed as a limited edition.[10]
The Way of All Flesh was released on 13 October in Europe via Listenable Records and 14 October in North America through Prosthetic Records in 2008.[11] On 25 July 2008, the band announced the track listing and revealed the final cover art for the record.[12] Joe Duplantier told Revolver magazine, "I would say that it's the logical next album. It's more intense, more brutal, and more melodic at the same time — it's more everything! I'm very happy with the new songs and the recording is very good. I think it was a good thing for us to come to the States to work with Logan [Mader] on the drum tracking because it really brought something — it's more tight, it's more powerful. I'm very positive about the new production, and even the writing is more straight to the point, more one tempo. We still have a lot of double bass, very fast, and at the same time there are melodies."[11] Joe Duplantier also stated about the album: "This record is a lot darker — like, a lot darker, I would say. The music is darker and more violent."[13] The album will be "more intense, more brutal, and more melodic" than its predecessor.[14]『That's the theme — it's about death itself,』he explained. "It's also about the immortality of the soul. That's the main subject for us".[13] Randy Blythe from the American band Lamb of God appeared as a guest vocalist on the song "Adoration for None"[15] The album took four months to write and record, and three months to mix.[16] On 17 March 2009, the band's first North American headlining tour was announced. Opening bands were The Chariot and Car Bomb.[17] Gojira accompanied Metallica on their tour 14 September – 18 October,[18] performing before Lamb of God. Gojira entered a Los Angeles, California-area studio in early November 2010, with producer Logan Mader to begin recording a new non-profit four-song EP, the proceeds from which will benefit Sea Shepherd, an anti-whaling organization.[19] According to Joe Duplantier, the EP will feature guest appearances from the international metal scene.[20] "Of Blood And Salt" will feature Devin Townsend and Fredrik Thordendal. The other tracks will feature Randy Blythe, Anders Fridén, Jonas Renkse and Max Cavalera.
As a preview of their Sea Shepherd EP, Gojira released the song "Of Blood And Salt" in May 2011, featuring Devin Townsend as a guest vocalist and a guest guitar solo performed by Fredrik Thordendal. They were acquired by Roadrunner Records.[21] and released L'Enfant Sauvage on 4 April 2012 on that label. The title translates to "The Wild Child." The album features 11 tracks, and was released on 26 June 2012. The title song "L'Enfant Sauvage" was released as a single along with a video to support it followed by a release of the song "Liquid Fire" as free download on Gojira's official website. The album was released 26 June 2012 through Roadrunner Records.
In a recent interview with Metal XS, Joe Duplantier, revealed that the concert on 24 March at the O2 Academy Brixton in London, England was professionally filmed for DVD release. [22]
Setlist for the show was as follows: Explosia, Flying Whales, Backbone, The Heaviest Matter of the Universe, L’Enfant Sauvage, Toxic Garbage Island, Wisdom Comes, Oroborus, Drum Solo, The Axe, The Gift of Guilt.[23]
Joe Duplantier was invited by the founders of influential Brazilian band Sepultura, brothers Max and Igor Cavalera, to join their new band Cavalera Conspiracy as a bassist. The album Inflikted was released in March 2008 and a tour followed in mid-2008.[24] Also, the Duplantier brothers formed an avant-garde metal band called Empalot in 1998, starring Stéphane Chateauneuf, who appears in The Link Alive DVD's short show called "Thang & Tanguy". Their first release was a demo album called Brout, in 1998. Two albums followed: Tous aux Cèpes in 2001 and a live CD called Empalot en Concert.[25]
Gojira's sound is not easily classifiable[2] as they blend several styles.[26] Genres that have been associated with Gojira are technical death metal,[27] thrash metal and progressive metal. Gojira has been influenced by metal artists such as Sepultura, Death, Morbid Angel, Meshuggah, Tool, Metallica, Pantera, and Neurosis.[28][29]
Gojira plays a technical and rhythmic style of heavy metal with precision drumming, unusual rhythm patterns, and start-and-stop riffs. Gojira has also been known to incorporate textured atmospheric elements and instrumental songs into their music.[4] Gojira songs have progressive and uncommon song structures, rarely using the standard verse, chorus, verse songwriting.[4] The vocal style is varied, ranging from the screamed style often employed in extreme metal, with the death growl style predominantly used in death metal, in addition to clean vocals and higher screams. At times, death metal growls and clean vocals are mixed to create an aggressive but melodic effect.[26][28]
The members of the band were raised in Bayonne, a city on the south west coast of France (Pyrénées-Atlantiques/French Basque Country). The surrounding scenic countryside and rugged coastline inspired Gojira's interest in nature and the earth. Gojira uses its lyrics to spread its spiritual beliefs and concerns for the environment.[5] They also cooperate with Sea Shepherd to protect marine animals, especially dolphins, whales and sharks. Members from Sea Shepherd are allowed to run a merchandise booth at Gojira gigs. In addition, Gojira is working on the Sea Shepherd EP with well known musicians from the metal scene, e.g. Devin Townsend. All proceeds from that project will be transformed to the benefit of the organisation.[30]
Morbid Angel, Metallica, Tool, Meshuggah, Neurosis, Death
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