Gojira

Formed in 1996 in Bayonne, France, this progressive death/doom metal band didn't make its U.S. debut until 2006 when Prosthetic Records released the acclaimed third full-length From Mars To Sirius. Originally called Godzilla, vocalist/guitarist Joe Duplantier, guitarist Christian Andreu, bassist Jean-Michel Labadie and drummer Mario Duplantier were legally forced to change their name due to copyright infringement. They decided on Gojira, the Latin translation of the Japanese title for Godzilla. Rooted in death metal, the band also utilizes sludge and doom metal undertones for a progressive, technically advanced sound that lyrically tackles socio-political issues like global warming and spiritual theories like Impermanence.