Right now, French behemoths Gojira are in the middle of lengthy headline tour of their native land. Then they'll trample the rest of Europe through the end of April. Hopefully, we'll see them back on our shores this spring or summer, but until then take some time to fully digest their excellent 2008 album The Way of All Flesh and watch this video interview courtesy of our friends at MTV Norway.The Gojira clip was produced by Ann Christin “Anki” Rihm for MTV Norway and Denmark and edited by Elisabeth Sjöberg. Click “more” to watch. Read more...
Two dates before Gojira's final U.S. show of 2008, frontman Joe Duplantier is in high spirits. The band will be playing a major New York City gig in just about an hour, but the Frenchman shows no signs of anxiety as he chills with some friends in his dressing room at Terminal 5. 36 Crazyfists are about to take the stage and their room is buzzing live a hornet's next, which makes the low-key Duplantier smile. Soft-spoken and polite, he prefers to save his energy, anger and ferocity for the stage, where it spills out in bubbling fountains.
He'd never say as much, but the throat problems of All That Remains frontman Phil Labonte, which forced the band to drop off the bill, have been sort of a blessing in disguise for Gojira. First, having three bands play instead of four has enabled Gojira to play for almost an hour, and more significantly, it has put them in the more visible direct support slot.
Amidst drinking, talking and other voluble backstage activity, we pinned down Duplantier and talked to him for a few minutes about the In Flames tour, the importance of the French metal market, the upcoming animated video for Gojira's next single "All The Tears" and plans for the upcoming Christmas day. Click "more" to watch the interview: Read more...
The new Gojira album, The Way of all Flesh, is all about mortality and the lyrics are rife with messages of decay and destruction. It seems like some pretty nihilistic stuff. How strange, then, that when we invited frontman Joe Duplantier to write a guest blog, he submitted an essay about positive thinking. Clearly there's more to this man (and band) than meets the eye:
The way we think can affect ourselves and the world on a very profound way. It's obvious that positive thinking is a force that brings oneself forward and our intentions and ideas have an impact on life in general.
An example of negative thinking: "I am weak, ugly and it is not cool to hang out with me." If I think this way, I'll look worried and sad, my self-confidence disappears and after a while, this thought becomes reality. I'll be on my own...
An example of positive thinking: "I am strong, nice, and I'm good company for others." In that case, I project a good energy and image of myself. The simple fact is that such an attitude will bring confidence and a relaxing vibe that will communicate something positive and constructive. (click "more" to read the rest of Duplantier's self-help seminar and watch the Gojira's "Vacuity" video. Read more...
We've been waxing rhapsodic about Gojira's new album, The Way of All Flesh since mid-August, and now fans can finally hear it for themselves. The disc doesn't come out in the U.S. until October stream, but the band has posted 10 of the 12 tracks (the other two are coming shortly), which rip like a fishnet stocking. Click "more" to hear it, see tour dates with In Flames and check out our podcast interview with frontman Joe Duplantier. Read more...
photo by Jon Wiederhorn
It doesn't get much better than artful French demolitionists Gojira when it comes to progressive, brutal and experimental metal. The band's 2006 album, From Mars to Sirius, was an inventive showcase of pulverizing death, sludgy doom and spacious psychedelia. The band's new record, The Way of All Flesh (out October 14) incorporates all of these elements with even more skill to create a bleak, barren landscape of pollution and decay that intersects an open, gleaming sky of promise and potential. It's a striking juxtaposition, but one that never feels forced or ill-advised. Lyrically, the album addresses the process of death, the physical and emotional effects of loss and the alarming environmental conditions that threaten the future of mankind.
We tracked down Gojira frontman Joe Duplantier at his home in France to discuss the creation of The Way of All Flesh, what inspired him to write an album about death, what he thinks awaits beyond the abyss, his contributions to the Cavalera Conspiracy and why the French metal scene is stronger now than it has been in years.
Click "more" to stream or download the podcast. Read more...
When French extreme experimental band, Gojira, released their 2006 album From Mars to Sirius, open-minded listeners marveled at their ability to blend scorching, technical death metal, trudging doom and atmospheric prog-rock. Clearly, the band's willingness to explore is their raison detre , but even Gojira's most devoted followers will likely be rendered speechless by the band's upcoming album, The Way of all Flesh, which comes out October 14. Read more...
