Magma Drum Setup: Mario Duplantier's Tama Bubinga Breakthrough | MetalForge
Mario Duplantier recorded Magma (2016) on a Tama Starclassic Bubinga kit with a Tama S.L.P. G-Maple snare.
Discover Mario Duplantier's complete drum kit on Gojira's Grammy-nominated Magma (2016). Full breakdown of his Tama Starclassic Bubinga kit, Zildjian cymbals...
Frequently Asked Questions
What drums did Mario Duplantier use on Magma?
On Magma (2016), Mario Duplantier played a Tama Starclassic Bubinga kit. The bubinga/birch hybrid shell construction delivers a warm yet focused tone, refined further from the voicing used on L'Enfant Sauvage into a warmer, more focused balance for Magma's leaner production. His configuration included dual 22" x 18" bass drums (two independent instruments, not a double pedal), 10" and 12" rack toms, and 14" and 16" floor toms. He paired the Tama kit with Tama Iron Cobra 900 single pedals — one for each bass drum.
Was Magma Grammy nominated?
Yes. Gojira received their first-ever Grammy nomination for Best Metal Performance at the 2017 Grammy Awards (59th Grammy Awards) for "Silvera" from Magma. This was a landmark achievement — Gojira became the first French metal band to receive a Grammy nomination in any category. The nomination reflected Magma's commercial and critical breakthrough: the album debuted at #11 on the US Billboard 200 and reached #1 in France, making it the highest-charting Gojira release to date. Gojira was nominated alongside Baroness, Disturbed, Periphery, and Trivium, ultimately losing to Disturbed.
How does Magma's production differ from L'Enfant Sauvage?
Magma is significantly leaner and more direct than L'Enfant Sauvage. Where L'Enfant Sauvage featured dense arrangements, complex guitar layering, and a produced clarity from a brighter Tama Bubinga/Zildjian voicing, Magma strips Gojira's sound to its essential elements. Songs are shorter, arrangements are sparser, and the production foregrounds the core guitar-bass-drums interaction. Mario's further refinement of the Tama Starclassic Bubinga tuning contributed to this: the bubinga/birch hybrid shells add warmth and body that suits the album's more minimal production. The Zildjian K Custom/A Custom hybrid cymbal setup also shifted the upper-frequency character — from the brighter L'Enfant Sauvage-era voicing to a fuller, more musical tone that fits the album's direct approach. The result is Gojira's most accessible album without sacrificing the intensity and originality that defines them.
What cymbals did Mario Duplantier use on Magma?
For Magma, Mario Duplantier played a full Zildjian K Custom/A Custom hybrid cymbal setup. His setup included 14" K Sweet hi-hats, crashes at 17", 19", and 20", a 21" Z Custom Mega Bell Ride, and an 18" K Custom China. The K Custom and A Custom lines are hand-hammered from B20 bronze and deliver a full, musical tone with controlled warmth. Compared to the brighter voicing used on L'Enfant Sauvage, this Magma-era hybrid setup sits warmer in the mix — a tonal complement to the Tama Starclassic Bubinga drums' bubinga/birch character.