Gojira interview with Mario Duplantier: "We played 35 shows with Metallica and what they did for us is amazing because a lot of people discovered Gojira due to Metallica"

The French Gojira have caused enough buzz around their name in recent years. With the release of yet another excellent album, they seem to be able to achieve more important things and to reach to new highs. After repeated postponements, we finally managed to contact the band's drummer Mario Duplantier, who talked to us about the new album and the band's immediate plans, in a very short time we had available for this conversation.

Hi, how are you doing?
I am very well. It is summer and I am at France right now.

Congratulations for another great album.
Thank you very much.

Why did it take you four years in order to release a new album?
First of all, we changed the status of the band. At the beginning we were just a French band touring in France all the time. Later we became a little more famous in the world and we started touring in the USA and then back to Europe and then back to the USA again. We did a lot of touring and also for the composition of the new album, we had to find a new label, new management. It took us almost one year to do all the settings around the band. We found a new label, a new management, we had to find a roadcrew. This is not music but we had a lot of meetings and a lot of negotiations. This is not the easy task of the business and we don’t really like those things actually. It took us one year to finish those things.

How long had you been working on your new album in terms of creating music and writing the lyrics?
It took us eight months to compose new songs. After that we went to the studio for two-three months. Usually we start composing music and jamming and then we write the lyrics. Sometimes we do both them in parallel. Usually the first step is the music and the second step is the lyrics.

Which do you think are the differences between "L'Εnfant Sauvage" and the previous albums, if any?
Sometimes the musicians are not in the best place to talk about the music. Instead I prefer to observe the reaction and the opinion of the people who listen to the music of Gojira. The opinion of the band is that the music of the previous album ("The Way Of All Flesh") has more anger and is more violent. The new one is more atmospheric, less violent, more clear, more mature. Above all it is more atmospheric.

Which are the main sources of inspiration for the music and lyrics as well?
I would say that it is life and the emotions. Now we are mature, we are not 20 yeas old anymore. We want to express something more atmospheric, more emotional. I know that Joe is in a moment of his life in which he has to decide whether to leave France or not and to go to the USA, New York City to be precise. He has reflection about his life and his identity and many times he puts words about his life and his emotions. He is very talented to put emotions in words. Besides, we had a reflection about the "Wild Child" of how we can stay free in this life dealing with money and the business.

What about the album title. Do you think the message is more clear in French?
We thought that "L'Εnfant Savauge" sounds very good and besides we enjoyed the meaning of the word. The meaning in English "The Wild Child" doesn’t work. We decided to put the French title because even though Joe speaks very good English, it was very cool for the others in the band to understand the title in French, as it works better in this language than in English.

After the "The Way Of All Flesh" and the extensive touring, sometimes alongside Metallica, do you think that Gojira has reached new highs?
Yes, for sure. Metallica decided to bring us to their tour after the "The Way Of All Flesh" because they really enjoyed the album. We did 35 shows with them and what they did for us is huge, amazing because we played in front of so many people. We want to thank them for their support because for us it is a big exposure and a lot of people discovered Gojira due to Metallica.

Certainly, it is great and important to share the same stage with this band.
It is amazing. We had such a good time with Metallica, they were gentlemen, nice, human and very close to people. It was the best experience ever to tour with them.

Are you going to support your new album with any concerts or any tour?
Of course, we have plans for touring. We have to leave for the USA to do 35 shows with Lamb of God and after that in November we have a European tour and in January we have a USA tour and then we will go back to festivals. We have one year of intense touring to promote our new album.

What do you remember from your two live shows in Greece?
The weather was amazing and fantastic. When you leave in France, Greece seems very exotic. It has a very good reputation with the food and the kindness of people. For us playing in Greece was amazing. The last time was at Sonicsphere, I remember the crowd was crazy and I have a very good memory of those shows.

Your appearances were great as well. Do you still produce your own artworks and videos?
I am painting every day. I make some pictures. I love just to be creative all the time. This period we are not touring so I have the chance to paint every day and it is very important for me.

Where would you categorize Gojira in the contemporary metal scene?
Let’s say modern, atmospheric, progressive metal band.

If you ask my opinion I would say experimental, progressive extreme metal, even though it is difficult to categorize Gojira.
I totally agree.

Would you like to say anything to the Greek fans?
We love Greece, the people and the food. Each time we have a show in Greece it is a big pleasure for us. We are very enthusiastic for any potential next show.

So, we are expecting you for another show. Thank you very much.
Thank you too.