Eloy Casagrande
Pull a thread
Brazilian Metal Drummers: Why Gojira, Slipknot and the World Keep Calling São Paulo
When Gojira lost their drummer to a US immigration problem in July 2026, they called a 21-year-old Brazilian. If that sounds familiar, it’s because it keeps happening — and the pattern is the story.
The news, in sixty seconds
Mid-July 2026, Gojira had three American festival dates on the calendar and a serious problem: Mario Duplantier — the drummer, one half of the Duplantier brothers, arguably the most recognizable rhythmic voice in modern metal — couldn’t get into the country. The band’s statement kept it short: “Mario is dealing with an immigration issue that has made it impossible for him to travel to the US in time for our shows” (Loudwire, July 16, Lauryn Schaffner).