Innovative, progressive, psychedelic, and incredibly fierce. Pioneers in terms of modern music. The proverbial needle in the hay stack. A band that cleverly combines several genres and styles of music to create their own unique blend of extremely technical and beautiful heavy metal music. A band that can do no wrong. The heaviest fucking band in the universe!
Of course, I’m talking about French metal Gods, Gojira.

Ah… this is musical enlightenment at its finest. 

Gojira are without a doubt my current favorite band, and one of my greatest musical discoveries, in many years. I was immediately drawn to Gojira’s music the second I heard it. For once, YouTube and Spotify actually “suggested” an artist that fits me like a tailor-made suit. The first album I was exposed to was Magma; which is Gojira’s most recent studio album. It had just recently been released at that time. This album is bit of a departure from their previous material as I now know. Much more accessible, yet experimental and dark. Great album, but I wasn’t quite sure what to make of it at first. 

The second that album I was exposed to was, From Mars to Sirius. Whoa. Fucking mind blowing! This album clicked with me instantly. No fat to be trimmed. Not a skipper on the whole album. Same goes for Gojira’s album, The Way of All Flesh. This album is 75 minutes of pure aggressive musical genius. Great songs, great lyrics, and other-worldly playing and instrumentation. To me it seems to be the record that showcases all their varying talents and styles the best. 

Now, I’ve seen Gojira live three times, and I’ve been fortunate enough to photograph them twice. Their live shows are nuts. I’ve never seen or heard anything like it. Honestly. They are a well-oiled metal machine. Once I saw them live, it forever changed my view of them and my view of heavy music. I’m not even going to attempt to describe a Gojira concert. Just get your ass out there for yourself and see! I’m looking forward to seeing Gojira perform alongside of Volbeat, Behemoth, and Slipknot this summer. The event is being billed as the KNOTFEST Roadshow. I pity the fool who misses Gojira at KNOTFEST!!!  

My Top 3 Favorite Gojira Albums: 

1. The Way of All Flesh (2008)
2. From Mars to Sirius (2005)
3. L’enfant Sauvage (2012)

Gojira the Band

For background and educational purposes, Gojira are a progressive heavy metal band hailing from Bayonne, France. The band was formed in 1996 and the lineup consists of brothers Joe Duplantier (lead vocals, guitar) and Mario Duplantier (drums, percussion), guitarist Christian Andreu, and bassist Jean-Michel Labadie. They’ve released 6 studio albums and 3 live albums. They’re awesome. 

Gojira has a Devoted Fan-Base

I was in North Carolina last month for two Gojira shows. While there I had the pleasure of meeting 3 other serious Gojira fans. These three women are what I call “super fans”. I felt compelled to briefly pick their brains about Gojira. I asked them to share their honest thoughts, feelings, opinions, and experiences related to Gojira’s music. I stayed in electronic communication with these super fans, and what follows are their individual responses to my Gojira inquiry.

Misty Donahay of Nashville, TN

September 14th, 2009. 

Now this may be a random date to you, but for me it was a date that changed my life in so many ways. I was seeing Metallica play Nashville for the first time, and I was excited to hear that Lamb of God and Gojira were opening. I had heard some talk about Gojira, but up until then I had never seen them live.  

I still remember the opening song, “Oroborus”… my jaw dropped. I had been to hundreds of shows before. However, had never seen or heard such raw energy until then. Gojira transitioned into the songs “The Heaviest Matter of the Universe”, “Backbone”, and then into “The Art of Dying”. I stood there mesmerized not only by what I was seeing, but also by what I was hearing. I felt the energy and music on a spiritual level. It was unlike anything I’d ever experienced at a show before. Following that show I was hooked. Since then I’ve seen them all over the US and have traveled overseas to see them in Sweden too. In total I’ve traveled over 20,000 + miles to see Gojira live nearly a dozen times.  

Fast forward to 2019; I have a beautiful 9-year-old autistic son that is obsessed with music, especially drumming. And wouldn’t you know, his favorite drummer is Mario Duplantier, the drummer for Gojira. He watches videos of Mario playing drums for hours on end. I shared that information with Mario after a show once. Since then he always asks about my son whenever I run into him. It’s something that means a lot to me, and it solidifies the fact that Gojira is a genuine class act. 

Gojira are one of the most underrated live metal bands out there. Everyone who is a rock and/or metal fan should see them at least once. Everyone who is a music fan should see them once. It’s a guaranteed life changer. Not only are they incredibly talented musicians, their sound and lyrics will touch you on a spiritual level. Their music heals my soul and my spirit. I will always be a fan.

They say life comes full circle, right? September 14th, 2009 is not just the date I first saw Gojira; it’s also the date I found out I was pregnant with my son. The heaviest matter of the universe indeed.

Misty’s Top 3 Favorite Gojira Albums: 

1. L’enfant Sauvage
2. Magma
3. The Way of All Flesh

Ashleigh Benoit of Archdale, NC

Gojira are a force to be reckoned with. In the world of modern metal they are titans. After over twenty years of making music together, this group of guys has mastered their craft. Gojira released their sixth studio album three years ago on June 17th, 2016. The album, entitled Magma, was met with much praise. They garnered many accolades including Metal Hammer’s Album of the Year, and two Grammy nominations: one for Best Rock Album, and one for best metal performance of the song “Silvera.” 

Magma is considered a stylistic departure and is more accessible than previous records. For this it has drawn some criticism from disappointed fans who were expecting something heavier. I am not one of these fans. Magma is mystical and mesmerizing to me, and I experience an entire range of emotions while listening. Soul-stirring songs like, “The Shooting Star” and Low Lands”, move me to tears, while powerful tracks “Silvera” and “Only Pain” stoke a fire within me. 

By the time the Magma closes with “Liberation”, an instrumental, I’m spent. I have experienced all of this due to what the men of Gojira poured into this album. They have truly gone above and beyond, and they seem to have infused all their passion into Magma. Gojira brings this same passion to every live performance. I was fortunate to be in attendance at all three headlining shows in North Carolina last month on their Road to Roo mini tour leading up to their performance at Bonnaroo.

It was incredible to witness their intense energy on stage. There are truly no words to describe what I experience when they perform. My first Gojira show was life changing, and subsequent shows have felt the same. There is no other band that moves me to sing, scream, and cry like they do. They move me to give my all until the set is over. Gojira concerts are surreal experiences. The return to reality after seeing Gojira live is always inevitable and rough, but the amazing memories will last forever.

Ashleigh’s Top 3 Favorite Gojira Albums: 

1. From Mars to Sirius
2. Magma
3. L’enfant Sauvage

Sarah Needham of Liverpool, England

I discovered Gojira back in 2006 while bored and channel surfing. A metal music channel was showing Gojira’s “The Link Alive.” It stopped me dead. I’d never heard anything like it before. It was heavy as fuck, but infectiously groovy at the same time. I thought the drummer was out of this world. The following year they were supporting Trivium on tour, and I went to the show by myself because I just had to see Gojira. From that night on I’ve been hooked. They absolutely blew me away into another dimension. They were introduced as “The Heaviest Band of the Universe”, and rightly so!

Fast forward to the summer of 2016, I was in a really dark place. The previous year, just two weeks after the passing of Joe and Mario’s mother, my dad took his own life. I had a miscarriage 8 months later, found myself getting divorced, and then had to move back to England by myself. I had to start over. All of that coincided with the release of Magma, and I swear I’d be dead now if it weren’t for this band and the incredible album they made. The song “Low Lands” resonates with me on a level you could only understand if you’ve lost a parent. 

I wasted no time booking tickets for the Magma tour when it was announced, and I’ve now seen Gojira 27 times in 12 countries and across two continents. This band saved me from following in my dad’s footsteps more times that I’d like to remember. Their music and Joe’s lyrics opened my eyes and inspired me to go vegan. I hope to continue following the “musical love of my life” around the world because supporting them is the only way I can show my appreciation for what they’ve done for me.

Sarah’s Top 3 Favorite Gojira Albums? 

“I can’t choose my favorite Gojira albums! It’s like asking a parent to choose their favorite child! Magma has had the biggest effect on me, but the other five albums are incredible for different reasons.” 

We will be covering a few of the upcoming Gojira shows in August! I am really looking forward to seeing this incredible band again. If you would like to check this band out, they will be performing on August 14 for the Knotfest Roadshow in Virginia Beach. You can purchase tickets, here!

All photos featured in this post are from Gojira’s performances at The Ritz in Raleigh, NC and at The Fillmore in Charolette, NC.
All images copyright and courtesy of Andy Jillson.