At this year's Bloodstock Open Air festival in the UK, Gojira drummer Mario Duplantier confirmed that the band's long-awaited new album will finally arrive in 2026. The follow-up to 2021's Fortitude has been in the works for several years, with recording sessions already underway.
"We already did record some drums and guitars and basses," Duplantier told Bloodstock TV's Oran O'Beirne. "It took us a long time. We needed that time, I think, just to make sure we are all on the same page, make sure what Gojira is bringing next is strong enough.
"Also, we don't have that much pressure. We are not a young band anymore… We've been a band for 30 years, so Gojira is already an established band. It doesn't mean that we can be lazy — it doesn't mean that — but it's very crucial to take the time to bring something fresh and new and powerful."
He added: "For the new songs, we took so much time just to make sure everything is fine and powerful enough and — I don't know — smart enough as well. But it's on the way, it's on the way. 2026, for sure."
In a separate interview with Le Parisien, Duplantier teased what fans can expect from the as-yet-untitled album. "It's almost finished. We're going back to big guitar riffs and a more metal, but more modern, sound," he said. "There are two more songs to refine. We wanted to move quickly, but we didn't succeed. We thought about it so much that we almost got lost. It's harder to match our tastes than when we were 20, and that's normal."
Since releasing Fortitude, Gojira have ascended to unprecedented heights for a metal band in the modern era. They became the first metal act to perform at the Olympic opening ceremony — a collaboration that also earned them a GRAMMY Award — and have since toured the world with Korn and prepared to join Metallica on the road. Earlier this year, they also performed at the Back To The Beginning farewell concert for Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath, cementing their place among metal's elite.
Also, the fact that new Gojira is probably going to be stupid heavy is exciting. Give me From Mars To Sirus 2: Fuck You, This Is Even Heavier.
