Gojira Tap Fill-In Drummer for 2026 US Shows as Mario Duplantier Sits Out

Mario Duplantier will not be behind the kit for Gojira's next US shows. The French progressive metal band said on 16 July 2026 that their drummer is unable to enter the United States in time, citing a travel issue.

Stepping in is Luigi Paraventi, drummer of Swiss band Paleface Swiss. He will play the upcoming US festival dates, including the 18 July show at the Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield, Ohio. A further US date follows in September in Louisville.

Gojira have long ranked among Europe's leading metal acts. Formed in Bayonne in 1996 around brothers Joe and Mario Duplantier, the band became the first metal act to perform at an Olympic opening ceremony in Paris in 2024. The band did not say when Mario Duplantier would rejoin.

Sources: Revolver, Metal Injection, Loudwire