Gojira Learn That Brooklyn Doesn’t Speak French

Gojira consists of four dudes from France who write English lyrics. On Sept. 21, when the death metallers played their second New York City-area show this year, frontman Joe Duplantier asked the crowd at Music Hall of Williamsburg, "Can anyone speak french in Brooklyn?"

The replies were vague, but it was pretty obvious he knew what the answer would be regardless. "Did anyone take French in school?!"

Despite the band's mild offense to playing in front of a bunch of unilingual Americans, Gojira plowed through the night with an uncompromising set. Guitarist Christian Andreu, bassist Jean-Michel Labadie and Duplantier played their stringed instruments like daggers piercing the dusty stage air. They swept across the stage, crossing each other and slapped fans' hands in between songs.

When drummer Mario Duplantier (he's the frontman's brother) did his mid-set drum solo, the backstage security guard opened the stage door ajar and watched with his jaws dropped. I could read his lips from where I was standing. Although I'm not a certified lip-reading professional, I can attest he was saying, "Oh my f---ing God."

And, that's why Gojira are touring with Metallica and Lamb of God. Brooklyn, on the other hand, got a nice off-date treat with a roster that included Zoroaster and Burst.

For the Gojira virgins: They make groovy tech metal that's a couple branches away from Cynic and Meshuggah -- but Gojira have defined their own brand of the genre. Their debut album, 'Terra Incognita,' will be re-released on October 15.