Gojira's forthcoming album Fortitude is set to be one of the key releases on 2021 when it's released on 30 April, and now they've revealed another song from it with the juggernaut Amazonia. The high production new video sees the band including guitarist/ vocalist Joe Duplantier and guitarist Christian Andreu showcasing their latest Charvel and Jackson signature models (a Charvel Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 2 and Jackson Pro Series Rhoads), but in true Gojira style, it also carries a heavy environmental message.
Coming on like the spiritual successor to Sepultura's landmark Roots era, Amazonia features the influence of traditional indigenous instrumentation alongside the driving heavy rhythms of the French four-piece – and the PAF-driven tones Joe Duplantier told us about last year. The song and video highlight the environmental devastation man has wrought on the Amazon rainforest in South America. But Gojira want to go further in supporting the victims of deforestation.
“This is a call for unity"
Joe Duplantier
The band and other artists have provided instruments for a special auction in a fundraising initiative to help raise funds for the Indigenous-owned non-government organisation APIB (The Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil), which advocates for environmental and cultural rights of Indigenous tribes in the Amazon.
“We don't want to just release a song called Amazonia – we want to do something on top of that,” says Joe Duplantier. “We feel a responsibility as artists to offer a way for people to take action.”
“This is a call for unity," adds Duplantier."The music community can be powerful when united towards something meaningful like this! So many friends, great artists, bands have joined the movement without hesitation by donating instruments. This is a collective effort from so many people around us!”
Charvel Joe Duplantier Signature Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 2 HH Mahogany
The auction has launched with platform Propeller part of a month-long campaign, with more items to be added in the coming weeks. It currently includes a Joe Duplantier signature guitar (pictured above) that's hand-engraved by Duplantier himself with art depicting Amazonian wildlife. There's also a hand-engraved Nash Guitars bass from Metallica's Rob Trujillo and his wife Chloe, a signed photo print from Lamb of God’s Randy Blythe, ltd ed Rockhard Slayer motorcycle helmet, and more.
Check out the auction here.
Gojira have also announced a limited-edition art print to benefit APIB –the first 500 fans to purchase will have their names added to the final design.
More info at gojira-music.com
