# L'Enfant Sauvage Drum Setup: Mario Duplantier's DW Era Breakthrough

> Discover Mario Duplantier's complete drum kit on Gojira's Grammy-nominated L'Enfant Sauvage. Full breakdown of his DW Collector's Series maple kit, Meinl Byzance cymbals, and the gear behind the title track and 'Explosia'.

**Type:** Album Drum Setup
**Drummer(s):** [Mario Duplantier](/llms/drummers/mario-duplantier.md)
**Band / Album:** Gojira — *L'Enfant Sauvage* (2012)
**Genre:** Progressive Death Metal

## Overview

Released on June 26, 2012, "L'Enfant Sauvage" is the album that transformed Gojira from a cult metal band into a mainstream critical phenomenon. Signed to Roadrunner Records and recorded at Joe Duplantier's Silvercord Studio in Brooklyn, New York, this album arrived with the force of something genuinely new — progressive death metal played with the precision of a Swiss watch and the ferocity of a natural disaster.

At the core of this transformation was Mario Duplantier's most significant gear evolution since the band's founding. After years with Tama drums and Zildjian cymbals, Mario switched to DW Collector's Series drums and Meinl Byzance cymbals for this record. The change was not cosmetic — it fundamentally altered the tonal character of his playing, introducing a new depth and warmth that suited Gojira's expanding sonic ambitions.

The title track earned the band a Grammy nomination for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance at the 2013 ceremony and landed Gojira on the cover of Guitar World. Mario's drumming here is his most compositionally sophisticated: technique fully internalized, every pattern in service of the song.

See also: [From Mars to Sirius drum setup](/llms/articles/from-mars-to-sirius-drum-setup.md) · [The Way of All Flesh drum setup](/llms/articles/the-way-of-all-flesh-drum-setup.md) · [Mario Duplantier full gear profile](/llms/articles/whats-in-mario-duplantiers-kit.md)

## Gear Breakdown

- **Drums:** DW DW Collector's Series (Custom Lacquer Black Burst finish)
- **Snare:** DW DW Collector's Series Maple, 14" x 6.5"
- **Cymbals:** Meinl — Meinl Byzance Brilliant
- **Hardware / Pedals:** DW 9000 Series (x2 single pedals); DW 9000 Series Hi-Hat Stand; DW 9000 Series Drum Throne; Vic Firth American Classic 5B
- **Heads:** Remo Emperor Coated (batter), Remo Ambassador Snare Side (resonant)
- **Snare tuning:** Medium for balanced crack and body; lighter in atmospheric sections

### The New Foundation: DW Collector's Series Maple

The switch to DW Collector's Series drums marked a pivotal moment in Mario Duplantier's career. After years with Tama — first the Starclassic Performer on "From Mars to Sirius," then the Starclassic Bubinga on "The Way of All Flesh" — Mario transitioned to DW's flagship line for what would become Gojira's breakthrough record.

DW Collector's Series drums are built from North American hard rock maple, chosen for its even response across the frequency spectrum and its ability to project clearly in live and studio environments. Compared to the dense, warm character of Tama's bubinga shells, the DW maple provides a cleaner, more defined attack — each hit articulates with precision rather than blooming into the room.

Mario retained his signature dual bass drum configuration, using two separate 22" x 18" bass drums rather than a double pedal. The DW 22" kick drums deliver a punchy, focused low end that locks perfectly with Joe Duplantier's down-tuned guitar tones.

### The Strike of the Wild Child

Mario's snare on "L'Enfant Sauvage" is a DW Collector's Series maple, matched to the rest of his new DW setup. The 14" x 6.5" dimensions are consistent with his long-standing preference — deep enough for authority, wide enough for sensitivity.

DW's True-Pitch tension rods allow for finer, more consistent tuning around the drum head. For a drummer like Mario who demands precise response across a wide dynamic range — from ghost notes in atmospheric passages to full-force rim shots in the heaviest moments — this tuning consistency is genuinely valuable.

On the album's most aggressive tracks, like "Explosia" and the title track, the snare cuts through a mix of down-tuned guitars and Silvercord Studio's natural room sound. In quieter passages like "The Wild Healer," the same drum responds with ghost notes that add texture without overpowering the arrangement.

### Bright and Complex: The Meinl Byzance Brilliant Setup

The switch from Zildjian K Custom to Meinl Byzance Brilliant cymbals is one of the most significant aspects of Mario Duplantier's "L'Enfant Sauvage" gear story. Where the K Custom series emphasized darkness and complexity, the Byzance Brilliant finish introduces brightness and clarity that changed the character of Gojira's upper-frequency texture.

Meinl Byzance cymbals are hand-hammered from B20 bronze using a process refined over generations of Turkish cymbal craft. The Brilliant finish — a mirror-polished surface applied after hammering — adds projection and a shimmering high end that suits the album's more defined production character.

The 14" Byzance Brilliant hi-hats provide crisp articulation for Mario's intricate patterns. The crash selection spans 17", 19", and 20", giving Mario a range of decay profiles and volume levels. Meinl Byzance crashes are known for their quick response and musical decay — they don't linger unnaturally, which suits Mario's economical approach to accents.

## Key Facts

- Recorded at Silvercord Studio, Joe Duplantier's Brooklyn, New York home studio
- Grammy nominated for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance (2013) for the title track
- Mario's major gear shift: Tama/Zildjian to DW Collector's Series / Meinl Byzance Brilliant
- Guitar World cover story — mainstream breakthrough for a French progressive death metal band
- DW Collector's Series North American maple — cleaner attack than previous Bubinga setup
- Meinl Byzance Brilliant cymbals — brighter and more articulate than Zildjian K Custom
- DW 9000 Series pedals replaced Tama Iron Cobra — infinite variable stroke adjustment
- Vic Firth American Classic 5B sticks (heavier than previous 5A for more authority)
- Dual 22" x 18" bass drums retained — the defining Gojira visual and sonic identity
- Signed to Roadrunner Records for this album cycle
- Estimated kit value: $5,500-8,000 (DW Collector's Series, 2012 configuration)
- Estimated snare value: $600-900 (DW Collector's Series maple snare)

**Source:** https://metalforge.io/articles/lenfant-sauvage-drum-setup

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*Last updated: 2026-06-21 · Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io)*