Mario Duplantier

Duplantier developed an early interest in music and started drumming at the age of eleven. In 1996, he co-founded the death metal band Godzilla with his older brother Joe. After a period of self-study, he enrolled at Agostini's drum school and co-founded Empalot in 1998. Godzilla changed its name to Gojira due to legal issues in 2001 and released its debut album, Terra Incognita. His side project, Empalot, was placed on hiatus in 2004 during the rise of Gojira. Duplantier acquired varied experiences through a range of musical styles from extreme metal, jazz, rock, and funk drumming. He exhibited his paintings in France in 2010. He holds dual French and US citizenship.
After constant touring and recording, Duplantier has gained international recognition. He has been described as "one of metal's most creative rhythmic and technical drummers". He has been listed as one of the "world's best metal drummers" by professional music journalists, magazines, and reader polls. He was voted No. 1 four times.