Gojira's Joe Duplantier on breaking up with "childhood friend" death metal | Aggressive Tendencies
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 1 ก.พ. 2017
- Vocalist/guitarist Joe Duplantier talks about Gojira's quest to create something powerful, like a storm, a mountain or a wave crushing. He explains that, as they've aged, they've been less concerned with sounding like bands like Morbid Angel or Death, or even belonging to a certain scene. He likens death metal to a childhood friend, whose impact on your life will be felt forever even when you've drifted apart. He assures fans that they still love death metal, elements of which can certainly be heard in their music, but they've just added more elements. One of those elements, the clean singing, has been subject of a lot of dissection from critics and fans alike. Duplantier doesn't get the big deal, explaining, "We're a rock band. That's what we do; we do whatever the fuck we want." October 20, 2016.
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Its funny how rock n roll/Metal is about rebellion and when bands try to change their sound a little they have to rebel against some fans who want their original sound. Many people say that mainstream music sounds all the same like Rap but when their favourite metal/rock band changes their sound they complain and they don't want them to change. So you want your band to sound the same for the rest of their careers? these fans are hypocrites
James Rodolfo the "metal" community in general is full of elitists that talk shit about every band they don't like and then tell you which band are "good" or "real metal"
If you don't get why "real" metal lovers don't like it when bands go mainstream you just really don't get what metal is all about.
James Rodolfo I think you’re right and wrong. One I think it feel like a betrayal to people. With metal bands that come up with a great style of their own music it’s tough. People and most importantly metal fans get attached to a feeling that the music gives them. Some fans grow seriously attached to this thing that the band has made. By changing people probably feel like the band is in a way abandoning them. A lot of the anger towards bands that are progressive with their sound is mostly just a form of separation anxiety. Metal fans are legitimately infected with a lot of elitism. Some of them are so entrenched in their own self righteousness that it’s sickening, no doubt on that. But being that metal culture is such an offset of society they probably feel they have to be. It’s one of those things where I kinda get where the metal heads are coming from. I don’t understand the hate they perpetuate though. The instant label of “mainstream” is just a cop out for most people who aren’t willing to admit they are emotionally effected by something. With Gojira or a band like mastodon I don’t quite get it. They’re still making fantastic music they’re just experimenting like progressive musicians and in general artists do. I’m from the opposite field I prefer bands that try something new with every album. I wanna hear different textures and sounds . I love what opeth did with watershed into heritage. I love that jarring change. The music is still complex and interesting. I can’t stand when band that I respect so much like say meshuggah just adheres to a sound. I grow bored of it really fast. Metal can become stagnant when it firmly roots itself in a style. Like the nu metal era. Right now is such a great time for metal. Progressive music is the big dog right now in the genre and it’s awesome. It’s really poking a stick at the big beehive that is the collective metalhead community. Tons of the loyal are starting to open their minds and accept different music. There’s still lots of faithful who are retreating deeper and deeper into that collective, but it’s fracturing. Metal is growing. Painfully for a lot. But it’s growing. Individual thought is starting to take hold. Bands like Gojira, mastodon, or tool are making people think for themselves and start to use their intellectual side more than just that raw emotion that metal is good at gripping and pulling from ya. I’m excited.
They are just fucktards
Tyler Jacobson I get that but its also up to the individual to grow with the band or stick with one sound. Anyone who really cares about their musicianship will probably change their sound to keep it from getting boring. People either have to adapt with the band or stay bitter and loathing the new sound
great great interview. he didn't et offended by the question of their music changing. he explained it perfectly.
Thanks so much! He was very courteous, as was Mikael Akerfeldt when we interviewed him. Both realized I asked to give them their chance to explain to a metal community that might not have taken the chance to listen yet. It's far from a personal dig, as I appreciate their recent works too.
Agreed, Joe is great at expressing their feelings. I don't remember who it was he was being interviewed by, but when they asked about the shift in style, he explained it as "a tree." As a tree grows, it doesn't just grow upwards, it would be a silly looking, super tall and thin...thing. The tree grows up a bit, but then sprouts branches, grows outwards, thickens.
I love all of Gojira’s stuff. Can’t seem to get sick of it. They put on one hell of a show too
The way their production pulsates with their groovy music is just...SO GOOD!
The problem isn't change itself, the problem is BAD change. Gojira changed and is still good. In Flames changed and now they're just Korn pretending to make fun of Linkin Park.
Hahahaha that description of In Flames is hilarious.
I'm half dead after reading your description of In Flames... If I read it again you'll have to bury me
The way he explained what they wanted their music to sound like was perfect. I randomly bought The Way of All Flesh because I heard good things about Gojira. And damn, it felt like listening to a heavy metal version of a storm.
He's very poetic!
0:57 "Just play the music we want to hear" I love this man
Apologize for NOTHING! Magma is a class album!!
its eh
@@maximus_crotchrocket907 you're fucking eh
BloodySabbath88 that’s the greatest comeback I’ve ever seen
Man... Mario expresses his thoughts so well. Gojira, Mastodon, Opeth, and Slipknot to me are great examples of artists who truly go with the flow of human emotion. Music (to me at least) is a journey and an expression of emotion. We never feel the same way, so it's very hard for me to demand artists to keep the same emotions when making music. Change is part of life... we must all come to accept that. Thanks for the interview!
...Joe, but I agree with you
This is why Metallica and Megadeth have done so many varied and musical diverse records along the way...You can't be all the way "thunder heavy death metal " all the way forever... as musicians they need to expand their sound, and Joe and the guys have done it perfectly, the Magma record is just awesome from start to finish. \mm/ Thanks for these interviews - Aggressive Tendencies-
Thank YOU for watching!
metallica and megadeth have not done anything good versatile though
I guess people get all emotional when bands change their sound because they don't like change. I've read an article once which explained that people tend to like more the music that sounds similar to what they're used to listen to. That's why most people listen to pop and fewer people listen to metal. So maybe even metalheads, who should be less bound by this instinct, have this tendency to dislike change. I have to say that the first time I listened to Magma I was kinda disappointed too, I was like omg what's this, but then I listened to it again and again and now I love it as much as the other albums. I think I will like anything Gojira does, unless they start doing black metal or something like that ahah
Lowlandweller _ WHAT HAVE YOU GOT AGAINST BLACK METAL? >:(
Black metal with Gojira sound ? GIVE IT TO ME ! NOW ! ;D
Z R
It's preachy and annoying and most of it sucks.
Mojebi I really dont see how its preachy or annoying. There is alot of it that sucks dick bc its retards that want to replicate that early mayhem vibe and be TRVE KVLT. But when its done right, its amazing
Mojebi I don't think bands like Burzum or Darkthrone are preachy
Awesome! Honestly, this record has gotten me into Gojira. I'm typically not into straight death metal, and constant heavy vocals anymore. The mixture really does it for me, a combination of melody and brutality :-)
You know even though Joe says that they were trying to sound like certain other bands, I cannot name one band that they sound like or compare them to, even in their earlier years. Ive listened to quite a bit of death, technical death, and progressive death metal and nothing hits or sounds like terra incognita or the link. Gojira has and will always be unique from any other death metal band.
one great band
i prefer their new sound, both great but the new one is so very colorful
I mean i appreciate magma but it really doesnt sound as "colorful" as their other albums. From Mars to Sirius, the link, terra incognita, L'enfant Sauvage are way more intricate, active and colorful when it came to the instrumentals and the way of all flesh is an absolute masterpeice along with from mars to sirius. This album felt kinda bland except for a few songs. I do agree it has a great flow and works altogether... but just does not compare to their earlier works where you can pick almost any song and its stands out rather than feeling like its a peice of and overall narritive you have to listen to actually feel it.
Thank you for the amazing music you and your band create. Old, new, whatever you do, as you say, keep doing you! Freaking love your vibes!
I love Gojira and am a huge fan of their pre-Gojira, Godzilla, demos.
The music is all that matters
memo to gojira...most fans approve of you just keep doing whatever the fuck you want.
Fascinating to see the parallel between them and Opeth. I really like what both they're doing now as well as what they were doing before, and I agree, it's strange how fans feel betrayed when singers want to sing rather than growl. I honestly think the metal community has probably pushed Opeth, to some degree, into staying further away from metal than they might have. I think when you're a band that's innovated for years (as both bands have) and get told to do something by your fans, your reaction will be to continue doing what you want, but I wonder if they extreme and silly negativity experienced by both in some cases leave a foul taste for the metal community in their mouths.
You're honestly likely not too far off. Sort of a knee-jerk reaction. Like oh you tell me to do this? I'm doing the opposite because fuck that.
love this band
SAME!
Love that he compares their sound to the heavier elements and events of nature. It’s one of my big arguments for people who don’t understand ‘why metal has to be so loud and intense’, as though that intensity is somehow unnatural. When I hear Gojira I think of earthquakes and floods and avalanches and tidal waves and massive thunderstorms and the power of large animals like elephants and buffalo and large predators, as much a part of the natural order of creation and destruction as a gentle flowing brook or a breeze flowing through trees or the joyous chirping of birds. Nature is brutal.
i love band when they evolving ... i mean .. there will be some controversy like what metallica, opeth or even in Flames have done.. but eventually they found their own sound and they don't defined by subgenres ... they just who they are
Interesting I got into them because of Magma...saw them last night in Brooklyn what have I been missing!!! Fcking insane live!!!
I completely understand why their music changed. Magma was actually one of my favorite albums for a little while. I can accept that it's different. It's good that they're experimenting and changing, it means they're doing what they want, not what people want them to. Imagine playing the same style, for 30 concerts a year, for 20 years. They'd gonna get up on stage and have no vibe. It'd be like working in an office building day after day and suck the soul out of you. I can't wait to hear what they come up with next. It's been three years so I'd expect them to have another album coming soon. I'm new to Gojira but listening to all their albums, they're all unique in their own way and they know how to make simple sound heavy.
Eloquent as usual 👏
For me, a lot of death metal bands that stick to their roots for pretty much their entire careers, are boring. Its all the same stuff at the end of the day go fast for the sake of being fast, hardly any melody, un-interesting vocals and so on. After a while it gets stale. This is why I love Gojira. Every album is different and has its own unique sound.
And there are bands like Edge of Sanity, who grew and pushed themselves with every release.
i understand but changing the sound after 3albums it's too quick too soon
Bullshit. Lot's of bands evolve within the genre. Death metal is just not as big of a commercial product as Gojira wants it to be, so they tamed it down and went mainstream.
they grew on each album though,from terra inc and the link sound nothing alike,from Mars and they way doesn't sound the same.and l'enfant was pretty much the highway to what magma istheyve changed with each album,it's just that magma isn't nearly as heavy as the previous 4-5 albums they released.they been playing the same music for just about 20 years,so saying the change was too quick is a bit of a reach
People who say this sort of thing are always the people who have never truly explored death metal.
We will meet again friend, don't worry, in a decade or so.
Continuez comme ça les gars.
This is the first and only time I’ve heard joe say fuck
A natural disaster is the perfect way to describe GOJIRAs sound....BOOM !!
You need to do an interview with Karnivool, if you get any chance. They changed their style on each album, and every single one of these is amazing in it's own kind of way.
I feel like if you are already innovating in the early stages of your career, no one will have a problem with it. Only later, when you are established and well-known you are likely to have more close-minded and intolerant fans. I feel like those are mostly people, who are not really interested in discovering new music. They will have their 20 bands and listen to them on a regular basis. I don't think those people listen to music all day long, like some of us do. When you do that, you will get bored quickly by restricting yourself on two-three styles of metal. And every new record of a band in this style will start to sound stale and uninteresting and give you the feeling that you've heard everything possible.
That's the point, where you need to search for new music and broaden your horizon, so you might get to know bands or artists in totally different genres that give something to you emotionally. In a different way that you haven't experienced before. That's the moment you'll realize there are interesting and relevant acts in each genre.
Will definitely look into talking with Karnivool if they come over here. My pals play in a band called Northlane and are super into that band.
He kinda looks like Bon Scott in the Stranded video….
Everyone in the comments as if they were some intellectual "I think its boring if a band keeps their one sound"
Personally I don't like death metal that much, but really love gojiras stuff, especially their newest album.
Yeah I'm one of those guys that twinks twice about the bands when doing different things and that's ok, but I have to say it, metallica ruled on the 90s and then with fuel just bullshit, different with Gojira that still getting the fuck out of me since day 1, Gojira rules, different vocals maybe but they still fucking rule!!!
Global warming by Gojira got me into them and it’s all good in my opinion. If you have to bitch about not liking them then move on! Listen to something else and keep the negativity to yourself. We have enough parasites without all of the bitching about what’s heavy and what’s not.
I don't fucking get why people are mad about Gojira's changes. Joe still screams, shit's still heavy, they just change up their sound. Shit, they've changed their sound every album. Magma's a little softer, sure, but it doesn't make it worse.
People are also mad about opeth
Well now I think better of Magma when it comes to Fortitude. God that album just doesn't sound very good sometimes. Not all bad tho
his eyes are really dilated
Golden Rooster xd
People need to realize that exactly what he's saying applies to butthurt Mastodon fans too. They change. Get over it. There won't be another album like Remission or Leviathan. If you want to hear that go listen to those albums. Simple as that.
Most mastodon fans don’t really have that grudge. Maybe the ones who were giant fans of the sludge in remission were attached. Mastodon is lucky because they went progressive quickly. They’ve grew a fan base that was more open to change. Gojira has changed but they were more like opeth with a sudden drastic change after a bunch of albums that all have a similar sound.
Mastodon decided to get better at composing and creativity after that how dare they
I Love death metal, but magma is their best album ever, like Kirk Hammet Said, a masterpiece. Gojira is a band that had never realeased a bad album, and each one shows musical evolution.
Ha benim koçuma.
Pourquoi cet album est si court, pourquoi j'ai le sentiment que la basse est en retrait sur cet album, pourquoi pas de morceau caché? Est ce que vous excusez pas un album fait à la va vite pour diverses raisons par des faux arguments? Vous avez toujours fait ce que tu expliques selon moi. Moi j'ai juste l'impression que le seul qui s'est cassé la tête sur cet album est ton frère qui semble être un bosseur acharné.
Coeur DegangstR j ai aussi eu du mal à la première écoute de magma. grosse déception.
puis je l'ai écouté et ré écouté.
et j'ai compris qu'adopter un """"style"""" différent, n'est pas une mauvaise chose.
et oui, aujourd'hui c'est un de mes albums favori.
et pour moi, à aucun moment Joe essai de trouver des excuses.
je ne dis pas qu'adopter un style différent est une mauvaise chose même si ça déroute certains fans, je suis pour l'innovation et l'évolution dans un groupe ! En revanche j'ai juste un ressenti de "fais à la va vite", de "manque de recherche" et de trop cour par rapports aux autres albums. par exemple je trouve complètement inexploité l'interlude Doom/stoner et l'outro de l'album. Certaines mélodies au chant aussi sont un peu bateau et sans surprise contrairement à ce que j'ai déjà pu entendre de Joe sur les albums précédents. Du coup, j'aime beaucoup cet album parce que je reste un grand fan inconditionnelle de Gojira depuis plus de 10 ans maintenant mais il se classe quand même pour moi en dernier dans mon ordre de préférence. Je suis d'accord pour la technicité, la batterie c'est de plus en plus dur; le travail du son, de l'originalité et des accentuations à la guitare aussi, ( en même temps 20 ans de pratique supplémentaire d'un instrument en ayant rencontré tous les plus grands musiciens de la Terre du milieu metal, ça aide et on en attendais pas moins de ces talentueux musiciens :D ) en revanche la basse... bof... et ça ça me dérange beaucoup même si je reconnais que y a eu une évolution dans le son de basse je la trouve trop en retrait et sans histoire à raconter dans cet album. Du coup ça manque de profondeur. De plus, l'album sonne hyper "propre", je n'ai pas eu l'occasion de les voir en live depuis la sortie de Magma pour en juger vraiment, mais j'ai la grosse impression que cet album est vraiment composé de morceaux bien plus typé studio (comme la plus part des musiques actuelles commerciales) que live, je m'explique : musique impossible à faire sonner aussi bien ou mieux tel quel en live que sur album contrairement à la musique que les Gojira faisaient avant car il ne faut pas oublier qu'il ont été réputé sur la scène metal et ont gagné leur réput' comme celle d'un groupe de live, au jeu quasi irréprochable et à la musique, puissante, profonde et hypnotisante. Je verrais ça à Paris en avril, j'ai hâte !
Coeur DegangstR haha j'y serais à Paris debut avril, on verra bien 😁
Merci pour ton commentaire argumenté.
On va pouvoir parler entre gens bien éduqués.
Mais... t'es tu demandé si tu n'étais tout simplement pas passé à côté de l'album ?
Que tu n'avais pas compris leur démarche ? Je ne parle pas de l'explication que donne Joe dans l'interview, mais de la forme qu'a pris leur musique.
Moi j'y vois (entends) une musique épurée, moins violente, certes, plus intimiste (pour ne pas utiliser le terme de "profond" qui ne veut pas dire grand chose finalement), mais toujours avec cette puissance et cette rage qui plane.
Pour ce qui est de ta supposition concernant leur performance Live de ce nouveau matériel, je te suggère de ne pas prendre parti avant des les avoir vu Live. On ne sait jamais, tu pourrais être agréablement surpris.
J'espère vraiment être surpris et prendre ma claque comme à chaque fois que j'ai pu les voir.
Pour le "intimiste", oui, je pense qu'ils ont crée une musique qui correspond à leurs goûts musicaux et états d'esprits actuel .
Ils ont aussi abordé des thèmes très perso. comme leur maman...
Pour la performance live, j'ai pour habitude d'apprendre tous les morceaux de Gojira sur mon instrument ( on est fan ou on ne l'est pas :D ) et j'ai ressenti que y a des passages où il est humainement vraiment compliqué si ce n'est impossible physiquement de reproduire ce qui est enregistré à la triple croche prêt. exemple : leur morceau "tube" de l'album "Silvera" où le pont n'est clairement pas enregistré en une prise et mon expérience me dit que en live, ça sera forcément pas aussi jolie.
Ce genre de morceaux à commencé à apparaître sur l'enfant sauvage ( born in winter par ex ) et les morceaux dont je parle, je ne les ai jamais vu les jouer en live, c'est que je dois avoir plutôt raison pour le coup et qu'ils ont conscience que le morceau ne vas pas rendre comme ce à quoi on s'attend. Du coup j'espère me tromper et prendre ma claque encore une fois, je verrais bien.
ps ; quand je parle de profondeur, je parle d'Harmonie, j'aime quand la basse ne se contente pas de jouer la Tonique de l'accord mais change la couleur des notes de guitares et voix pour ajouter plus de nuances. Sur cet album, c'est dla basse metal lambda caché derrière les guitares et ça me déprime.
I understand the guy to a point. But when you’ve developed your entire fan base on a particular formula, you can’t completely change that formula. Look what happened to Coca Cola when they tried to pull that shit. You’ve got to stay loyal to your fan base. You can still get creative and grow through experimentation. But if you’re going to completely change your formula, do a side project or start another band. I guess these guys toured with Metallica and saw dollar signs or got some shitty advice. Besides, you can still grow and get heavier. Pantera did it in the 90’s. Far beyond Driven went no.1 on billboard top 100. And that’s an abrasive fucking album.
Gojira is a great band. Don’t fuck it up to become a “brand”. Go heavy or go home🤘🏻
Who says they can't change that formula? The only people in charge of what they can or can't change is them. They make the music, and if they get tired of a particular style of music, them continuing to make that particular style of music specifically to please the fans is fake. It wouldn't be genuine. That's not what art is about. Art is about true self expression, not about pleasing people. They're not just a death metal band, they're artists, and if they want to expand upon/change their sound, whilst also making quality music, who are you, or anyone else to say they're in the wrong by doing so?
B T Gojira didn’t completely change the formula. They still have some technical and heavy songs on Magma and L’enfant Sauvage. I’d say they’ve added to the formula more than they’ve changed it. And while I understand the “stay loyal to your fan base” point,changing your sound doesn’t always mean you’re betraying your fans. What got them where they are now is being themselves and creating music for themselves,and that’s built them the fan base they have now. If L’enfant Sauvage and Magma are truly what the band wanted to make at the time (and by all indications,it was) then there is no problem with them making those albums. The problem is with the fans putting their wants and desires over the band’s; since art comes from the heart and is a form of expression from the creator,the fans’ wants and desires should never come before the band’s.
BT: This isn't right bro. Some bands DO follow a formula, they DO develop a brand, they DO cultivate a fan base. Gojira are not one of those bands.
This has been said before, but it remains valid; A band that are true to themselves can only create music for themselves. The fans cannot be anywhere in their thoughts until it is time to walk out on stage. Then the band and the fans become one and magic happens.
When they are writing they must be completely selfish. If they are true to themselves then they grow. When a band grows they lose some fans and gain others.
Gojira are not here to please us. They are here to please themselves. If we tag along for a while, that's great. If we leave after a certain point, that's great too. They move on, we move on.
At least he admits they don't like death metal anymore, and godamn it sure as hell shows on their latest album. What a snooze fest. You can change as a person when you get older and listen to other kinds of music too, sure. But when you turn your back on the good old metal completely, this is what happens and it's just sad. Conclusion: they have gone full mainstream now and will keep abandoning their old fan base, get a new crowd and make short shitty albums with commercial sounding songs from now on. Congrats Joe, you have made it!
you are what's wrong with music,you refuse to let musicians to express and explore different musical horizons.all because it's not heavy enough for you and you want them to sound the same for every album for 20 years.so by them switching it up (mainly due to their mothers death) you think they've gone mainstream,which they haven't in the slightest you're salty.thats a fucked way to go about things
Gojira went shit way before Magma. They went from a brilliant creative death metal sound (The Link, Terra Incognita)to melodic wank and now this rock, poppy commercial shit.
It seems when bands 'evolve' they become a watered down, dog piss version of their former selves, relying on new simpleton fans to replace the old loyal ones. Korn are a great example of this.
@@CircleofShit did you read the comment above you??
Bruh you were right. Fortitude is trash