Gojira

Combining intense incendiary live shows that will leave you open-mouthed in awe, with richly textured and brutally powerful compositions that transcend the normal death metal style, there’s no doubting that Gojira are an exceptional band. And one that, in the 10 years of being together has seen them rise up from the extreme metal underground like (their namesake) Godzilla from the sea, breaking through the confines of the scene that spawned them, hungry to spread their message of environmentalism and spirituality across the globe, hungry to make the world a better place and hungry for success. And like Godzilla before them, Gojira are flattening all competition in their wake – thanks to the growing critical acclaim that their phenomenally brilliant third album ‘From Mars To Sirius’ have gained across Europe and more recently America – since signing to Prosthetic Records.

Gojira’s songs will explode into you life, lift you up and send you spinning off into outer space, and you won’t want to come back. Such is their power. And even though their influences may be drawn from the likes of Metallica, Meshuggah and Morbid Angel, Gojira are in a class of their own. They are unique.

The four-piece whose members are: Joe Duplantier (vocals/guitar), Mario Duplantier (drums), Christian Andreu (guitar) and Jean-Michel Labadie (bass) are from a small town called Bayonne on the South West coast of France. A beautiful place, and one whose scenic countryside and rugged coastline has informed and inspired much of Gojira’s passion and love for nature and the planet as a whole. Creating the backbone to the strength and power of their sound and the foundation to their spiritual beliefs and concern for the environment. Those 10 years have seen the four-piece tour relentlessly across the length and breadth of their native France and have cemented their reputation for being one of the heaviest, goosebump-inducing, mind-blowing live acts around. This reputation has garnered not only a huge fanatical fan-base, but has inspired the mainstream music press to sit up and take notice in France, the rest of Europe and now America.

Since setting up their own label Gabriel Editions over eight years ago, the four-piece have released two albums, Terra Incognita, The Link and a live DVD The Link Live and although fiercely independent and self-sufficient decided two years ago to sign with French-based Listenable records to help give them exposure outside of France with From Mars To Sirius. It worked! 2006 saw Gojira tour extensively through Europe, England and America, and is set to continue in 2007 and beyond.

This is one determined, unstoppable metal monster on a very powerful mission and the message is clear: Stop existing, because it’s time to wake up and feel alive! One listen to Gojira, and you will…

Lucy Williams