Gojira

Gojira is a French heavy metal band from Ondres, formed in 1996 under the name Godzilla. The group adopted the name Gojira in 2001. Since that change, the band’s lineup has remained stable, consisting of brothers Joe Duplantier and Mario Duplantier, alongside guitarist Christian Andreu and bassist Jean-Michel Labadie.

Gojira is associated with progressive and technical death metal, and is also described in relation to groove metal and other metal subgenres. Their music is frequently discussed in terms of its rhythmic precision and progressive approach within heavy metal, with an emphasis on technical playing and evolving structures. Lyrically, the band’s work often addresses spirituality, philosophy, and environmentalism, placing abstract and ecological concerns alongside the intensity of extreme metal.

In accounts of the band’s trajectory, Gojira is described as having moved from relative obscurity in the early part of its career to broader international recognition later on. The name change from Godzilla to Gojira in 2001 marks a clear dividing point in the band’s history, coinciding with the establishment of the long-running lineup that has defined their subsequent output and public identity.