Gojira have shared a small update on their next album.
The record, which the environmental French metallers are currently in "the middle of", will serve as the follow-up to 2021's Fortitude.
During a recent appearance on the Loudwire Nights podcast, frontman Joe Duplantier revisited drummer/brother Mario Duplantier’s comments from last year, where he revealed that the project would be “heavier” than their previous.
"It’s not a secret, but I’ve gotta say we’re in the middle of it, and until it’s completed, it’s hard to tell people what it’s gonna be", Joe says, keeping his cards held close to his chest.
"And also, I don’t want to," he affirms. "I want people to be surprised. But we’re working. We’re trying to deliver something that is meaningful and impactful.
"We’re very ambitious in terms of writing songs and the quality of it. And we wanna take a clear step forward and upward with this album. So we’re putting all our love and energy on it.”
Gojira recently made headlines for their groundbreaking performance at the opening ceremony of this year's Olympics in Paris on July 26, where they played a cover of the French revolution song Ah, Ça Ira! from the windows of the Conciergerie palace, surrounded by fire and red blood-like streamers.
The band have now made the track available to stream - listen below.
Following the performance, the metallers were hit with claims made by Christian viewers that their set was "Satanic".
In an interview with Rolling Stone, Joe denied the Satanic imagery, and drew attention to the performance's revolutionary theme.
“It’s none of that,” he states. “It’s French history. It’s French charm, you know, beheaded people, red wine, and blood all over the place – it’s romantic, it’s normal. There’s nothing satanic.”
He continued: “France is a country that made a separation between the state and religion during the revolution. And it’s something very important, very dear to the foundation of republican France.
“We call it laïcité. It's when the state is not religious anymore, so therefore it’s free in terms of expression and symbolism.
“It’s all about history and facts. We don’t look too close closely at symbolism in terms of religion.”
Later this month, Gojira are set to tour North America with Korn. See the list of dates below.
Gojira North American tour 2024, supporting Korn:
Sep 12: Tampa Midflorida Credit Union Ampitheatre, FL
Sep 14: West Palm Beach Ithink Financial Amphitheatre, FL
Sep 16: Alpharetta Ameris Bank Amphitheatre, GA
Sep 18: Charlotte PNC Music Pavilion, NC
Sep 20: Camden Freedom Mortgage Pavilion, NJ
Sep 21: Mansfield Xfinity Center, MA
Sep 23: Newark Prudential Center, NJ
Sep 25: Toronto Budweiser Stage, Canada
Sep 27: Clarkston Pine Knob Music Theatre, MI
Sep 28: Tinley Park Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre, IL
Sep 29: Louisville Louder Than Life, KY
Oct 02: Albuquerque Isleta Amphitheater, NM
Oct 03: Phoenix Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre, AZ
Oct 05: Los Angeles BMO Stadium, CA
Oct 08: Portland Moda Center, OR
Oct 10: Tacoma Dome, WA
Oct 12: Nampa Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater, ID
Oct 13: Salt Lake City Delta Center, UT
Oct 16: Greenwood Village Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre, CO
Oct 18: Kansas City T-Mobile Center, MO
Oct 20: The Woodlands Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, TX
Oct 21: San Antonio Frost Bank Center, TX
Oct 23: Tulsa Bok Center, OK
Oct 25: Omaha CHI Health Center, NE
Oct 27: Saint Paul Xcel Energy Center, MN
