--- name: "Mario Duplantier" band: "Gojira" page_type: "gear_evolution" profile_url: "https://metalforge.io/drummers/mario-duplantier" evolution_url: "https://metalforge.io/drummers/mario-duplantier/evolution" source: "https://metalforge.io" last_updated: "2026-06-26" --- # Mario Duplantier Drum Kit Evolution — Complete Timeline Mario Duplantier co-founded Gojira (originally Godzilla) in Bayonne, France with his brother Joe Duplantier in 1996. As the band's drummer, vocalist, and visual designer, Mario has spent nearly three decades developing a drumming vocabulary unlike anyone else in extreme metal — tribal tom patterns, precise dual bass work, and dynamic range that bridges delicate atmosphere and thunderous brutality. This timeline documents every major equipment era from Terra Incognita to Fortitude. See also: [Mario Duplantier drummer profile](/llms/drummers/mario-duplantier.md) · [Mario Duplantier gear breakdown](/llms/articles/mario-duplantier-gear.md) --- ## Terra Incognita Era (1996–2004) **Albums:** Terra Incognita (2001), The Link (2003) **Tours:** Early French club circuit The formative years. Mario and Joe built Gojira from nothing in the French Basque Country, playing whatever affordable gear was available on the regional metal circuit. The dual kick configuration — Mario's defining setup — was established from the beginning, even before the music reached international ears. - **Drums:** Pearl Export Series — poplar shells: dual 22" kicks, 10"/12"/13"/16" toms - **Snare:** Pearl Sensitone Steel 14"×5.5" (cutting chrome steel shell) - **Cymbals:** Paiste 2002 — 14" hi-hats, 16"/18" crashes, 20" ride, 18" China - **Hardware:** Pearl P-2002C Eliminator double pedal - **Sticks:** Vic Firth 5B hickory - **Heads:** Remo Ambassador (clear on toms) - **Estimated kit cost (original):** ~$3,000 **Key developments:** - Dual 22" kick configuration established as Mario's defining setup - Developed the tribal tom-pattern vocabulary unique to Gojira - Playing style bridges jazz influence with extreme metal aggression - Terra Incognita (2001) released on independent label Listenable Records > "We had nothing. We were just trying to make the most powerful music we could with whatever was available in Bayonne." — *Metal Hammer Interview, 2005* --- ## From Mars to Sirius Era (2005–2008) **Albums:** From Mars to Sirius (2005), The Way of All Flesh (2008) **Tours:** From Mars to Sirius European Tour; The Way of All Flesh World Tour The breakthrough. *From Mars to Sirius* put Gojira on the global metal map and brought Mario his first major endorsement deal. The Gretsch USA Custom's warm maple resonance shaped what became one of the decade's most celebrated heavy metal drum sounds — especially the mountainous tom fills on "Flying Whales." - **Drums:** Gretsch USA Custom — maple shells: dual 22"×18" kicks, 10"/12"/13"/16"/18" toms *(switch — first major endorsement)* - **Snare:** Gretsch USA Custom 14"×6.5" maple, die-cast hoops *(switch — warmer, more resonant)* - **Cymbals:** Paiste 2002 — 14" Heavy hi-hats, 18"/19" crashes, 22" ride, 20" China *(continued)* - **Hardware:** DW 5000 Turbo Double Pedal *(switch — more responsive for increasing complexity)* - **Sticks:** Vic Firth 5B hickory (continued) - **Heads:** Remo Emperor double-ply on toms, Powerstroke 3 on kicks *(upgrade — durability for touring)* - **Estimated kit cost (original):** ~$9,000 **Key developments:** - First major Gretsch USA Custom endorsement begins - Dual kick expanded with larger 18" floor tom for deeper tonal range - *From Mars to Sirius* (2005) — Gojira achieve international breakthrough - *The Way of All Flesh* (2008) — Grammy nomination raises global profile > "The Gretsch gave me something warmer, more musical. I could still hit hard, but now there was depth behind each stroke." — *Modern Drummer Feature, 2006* --- ## L'Enfant Sauvage Era (2009–2015) **Albums:** L'Enfant Sauvage (2012) **Tours:** L'Enfant Sauvage World Tour; festival circuit 2012–2014 Widely considered Gojira's masterpiece, *L'Enfant Sauvage* required Mario's most versatile performance — from searing blast beats to delicate atmospheric passages in the same song. The cymbal switch to Meinl Byzance reflected the album's broader sonic ambition, and the expanded kit configuration gave Mario tonal range to match Gojira's most compositionally sophisticated work. - **Drums:** Gretsch USA Custom (expanded) — dual 22"×18" kicks, 8"/10"/12"/13"/16"/18" toms *(upgrade — added 8" rack tom for atmospheric range)* - **Snare:** Gretsch USA Custom 14"×6.5" maple (continued) - **Cymbals:** Meinl Byzance — 14" Traditional hi-hats, 17"/18"/19" crashes, 21" Vintage ride, 18" China *(switch — darker, more complex tonal character)* - **Hardware:** DW 9000 Double Pedal *(upgrade — improved response for longer live sets)* - **Sticks:** Vic Firth 5B hickory (continued) - **Heads:** Evans G2 on toms, EMAD on kicks *(switch — better attack definition and kick focus)* - **Estimated kit cost (original):** ~$12,000 **Key developments:** - Cymbal switch from Paiste 2002 to Meinl Byzance — major tonal shift - Kit expanded with 8" rack tom for atmospheric register - Evans heads adopted for improved kick attack definition - *L'Enfant Sauvage* (2012) — widely considered Gojira's finest album > "L'Enfant Sauvage was about more control, more dynamics. The Byzance cymbals gave me that musical depth I needed for the quieter passages." — *Drum! Magazine, 2012* --- ## Magma / Fortitude Era (2016–Present) **Albums:** Magma (2016), Fortitude (2021) **Tours:** Magma World Tour; Fortitude World Tour; Metallica M72 World Tour (support); Paris Olympics 2024 Gojira reached global headliner status — opening for Metallica at stadiums, headlining Download Festival, performing at the 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony. Mario's Sonor SQ2 rig is his most refined and visually striking setup. Every specification — shell material, dimensions, finish — was chosen precisely for Gojira's demands. - **Drums:** Sonor SQ2 Custom — maple/beech hybrid: dual 22"×18" kicks, 10"/12"/13"/16"/18" toms *(switch — fully custom specification, maximum projection for stadiums)* - **Snare:** Sonor SQ2 14"×6.5" custom maple *(switch — matched shell material, consistent tonal character)* - **Cymbals:** Meinl Byzance — 14" Traditional hi-hats, 17"/18"/19" crashes, 21" Vintage ride, 18" China *(continued — long-term Meinl partnership)* - **Hardware:** Tama Iron Cobra 900 Power Glide (dual pedals) *(switch — Power Glide cam for fluid dual bass control)* - **Sticks:** Tama Mario Duplantier Signature *(signature — first signature stick, custom specs for tribal patterns)* - **Heads:** Ahead drumheads (batter surfaces) *(switch — durability for marathon festival and arena sets)* - **Electronics:** Full IEM click track integration *(new — arena touring requirement)* - **Estimated kit cost (original):** ~$18,000 **Key developments:** - Switch to Sonor SQ2 — fully custom shell specification - Tama Mario Duplantier Signature sticks launched - Tama Iron Cobra 900 Power Glide replaces DW pedals - *Fortitude* (2021) — Grammy nomination; global stadium touring - 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony performance — largest audience in Gojira history > "The SQ2 is the most personal kit I've ever played. Every dimension was chosen for what I do. There's nothing accidental about any of it." — *Sonor Artist Profile, 2017* --- ## Career Cost Overview | Era | Years | Kit Cost (Original) | Inflation-Adjusted | |---|---|---|---| | Terra Incognita Era | 1996–2004 | $3,000 | ~$5,500 | | From Mars to Sirius Era | 2005–2008 | $9,000 | ~$15,000 | | L'Enfant Sauvage Era | 2009–2015 | $12,000 | ~$17,000 | | Magma / Fortitude Era | 2016–present | $18,000 | ~$18,000 | --- ## Gear Brand Partnerships Timeline - **Pearl Export** — 1996–2004 (formative era) - **Gretsch USA Custom** — 2005–2015 (international breakthrough endorsement) - **Sonor SQ2** — 2016–present (current flagship kit) - **Paiste 2002** — 1996–2008 (founding cymbal partnership) - **Meinl Byzance** — 2009–present (current cymbal partnership) - **DW 5000/9000** — 2005–2015 (pedal partnership) - **Tama Iron Cobra** — 2016–present (current pedal) - **Tama Mario Duplantier Signature Sticks** — 2016–present --- ## FAQ **Q: What drum kit did Mario Duplantier use on Magma?** A: Mario recorded *Magma* (2016) with his new Sonor SQ2 custom kit — maple/beech hybrid shells with dual 22"×18" kick drums, and toms in 10", 12", 13", 16", and 18" sizes. Cymbals were Meinl Byzance series. Hardware was Tama Iron Cobra 900 Power Glide double pedals. **Q: What cymbals does Mario Duplantier use?** A: Mario has used Meinl Byzance cymbals since approximately 2009, replacing the Paiste 2002 he used for the first decade of Gojira's career. His current Byzance setup includes 14" Traditional hi-hats, 17"/18"/19" crashes, a 21" Vintage ride, and an 18" China. **Q: What drum kit did Mario use on From Mars to Sirius?** A: *From Mars to Sirius* (2005) was recorded with Mario's first major endorsement kit — the Gretsch USA Custom in maple shells, with dual 22"×18" kick drums. Cymbals were Paiste 2002, and hardware included the DW 5000 Turbo double pedal. **Q: What is Mario Duplantier's current drum kit?** A: Mario's current kit is the Sonor SQ2, a fully custom-specification maple/beech hybrid shell kit. His cymbals are Meinl Byzance, pedals are Tama Iron Cobra 900 Power Glide, and sticks are his Tama Mario Duplantier Signature model. **Q: Why does Mario Duplantier use dual bass drums?** A: Mario has used two physical kick drums — not a double pedal on a single drum — since Gojira's earliest days. The dual configuration gives independent resonance from each shell, creates the visual impact central to Gojira's stage design, and allows subtle groove variations between feet that a single-drum double-pedal setup can't replicate. **Q: What sticks does Mario Duplantier use?** A: Mario plays the Tama Mario Duplantier Signature drumsticks, introduced around 2016 when his Tama hardware and pedal endorsement began. The signature model features a custom taper and bead designed for his tribal pattern approach and aggressive attack style. --- ## Related Pages - [Mario Duplantier Drummer Profile](/llms/drummers/mario-duplantier.md) - [Mario Duplantier Gear Breakdown](/llms/articles/mario-duplantier-gear.md) - [Gojira Band Profile](/llms/bands.md) - [Fortitude Album Drum Setup](/llms/articles/fortitude-drum-setup.md) - [Metal Drumming Facts & Stats](/llms/facts.md)