Gojira frontman Joe Duplantier seemed out on the tens of hundreds of heavy metallic followers stretched out earlier than him at Discovery Park in Sacramento and clearly appreciated what he noticed.
“It’s good to be back to our favorite (expletive) festival in the United States — Aftershock,” the vocalist-guitarist stated.
Principally, he summed up what everybody in the home — or, umm, subject — was considering: It was certainly so extremely nice to be again and rocking to 4 days of heavy music on the mighty Aftershock Pageant.
The 2025 affair, which kicked off on Thursday and was set to proceed by way of Sunday, was as soon as once more loaded with prime sights — from pop-punk icons Blink-182 and U.Okay. metalcore champs Deliver Me the Horizon to shock-rocker Rob Zombie and Sacramento alt-rock heroes Deftones — in addition to a slew of rising stars, younger abilities and different worthy acts decrease down on the invoice.
And, in fact, there was Gojira — which made Saturday the true can’t-miss date of the four-day run.
The unimaginable French band, which blends technical-death, progressive and groove metallic kinds, delivered an equally punishing and engaging hourlong set that simply topped anything we noticed that day at Aftershock.
Kicking off with “Only Pain” — one among a 4 songs from the band’s sixth full-length, 2016’s “Magma,” to make Saturday’s setlist — Gojira would go on to powerfully illustrate why it’s the best metallic band on the earth not named Metallica.
The music was fiercely muscular, however with nuance and depth. Propelled by the almost unbelievably quick and heavy enjoying of Mario Duplantier — Joe’s brother, who is totally pretty much as good a drummer as you’ll discover in metallic historical past — the music comes at listeners in dense however distinct layers, providing up a lot to each take pleasure in and, if you happen to care to go to the hassle, examine.
Whereas the drummer is the musical star of the present, the remainder of the band can be top-notch — with Joe Duplantier mixing roars and melodies in seamless style as he wails away as a part of a electrical guitar staff with Christian Andreu and bassist Jean-Michel Labadie holds the entire exactly tuned mechanism collectively.
It’s the identical 4 guys who’ve been rocking in Gojira from the very begin of their recording profession — going again to the 2001 debut “Terra Incognita” — and that sort of familiarity, earned by way of numerous gigs, bus rides and late nights, definitely pays enormous dividends in the way in which the musicians are capable of so cohesively mix their kinds on the stage.
Gojira served as one of many predominant help acts on Saturday, slightly below Korn and Unhealthy Omens within the operating order. Subsequent time the group performs Aftershock, nonetheless, I totally anticipate them to prime the invoice.
Gojira has greater than paid its dues and constructed a large fan base by way of excursions with Deftones, Korn and, most importantly, Metallica. Then there was that vastly buzzed-about efficiency through the opening ceremonies on the 2024 French Olympics.
But, the group hasn’t launched a brand new studio album since 2021’s sensible “Fortitude.” However when Gojira does finally difficulty a follow-up, I totally anticipate the group to capitalize on all that they’ve achieved, prime the album charts and at last rework into arena-level headliners within the U.S.
You heard it right here first, metallic followers.
The second greatest set from Saturday additionally got here courtesy of a European troupe — Germany’s Powerwolf — which definitely made fairly an impression throughout its Aftershock debut.
Led in light-hearted style by the big-voiced Attila Dorn — who studied classical opera at an academy in Bucharest — Powerwolf delivered an over-the-top horror present that drew equally from the facility metallic style and ’80s arduous rock. And the gang was extremely into the present, chanting the band’s title and waving hundreds of palms within the air because the group rocked by way of “Dancing With the Dead,” “Bless ’em With the Blade,” “We Drink Your Blood” and different songs that can by no means be lined on “American Idol.”
Demon Hunter additionally was unbelievable, showcasing the kind of insightful and provoking lyricism and intriguing mixture of heavy music kinds that has made the Seattle act so worthwhile following over the previous 20-plus years.
August Burns Crimson was one other winner, serving up a cool set of melodic metalcore, whereas Slaughter to Prevail confirmed that it actually has nothing to supply apart from quantity and aggression. Kittie, as anticipated, offered loads of highlights, particularly when sisters Morgan and Mercedes Lander would share vocal work on the identical music.
Korn drew the most important contingent of followers — a few of which truly wore corn outfits — and closed Day 3 of the competition with a 90-minute set that included “Falling Away From Me,” “Coming Undone” and different nu-metal favorites.
Blink-182 performs on the Aftershock Stage through the first day of the Aftershock Music Pageant at Discovery Park in Sacramento on Oct. 2, 2025. (Chris Riley/Instances-Herald)
Gojira setlist:1. “Only Pain”2. “The Axe”3. “Backbone”4. “Stranded”5. “Flying Whales”6. “The Cell”7. “Born for One Thing”8. “Another World”9. “Silvera”10. “Mea culpa (Ah! Ça ira!)”11. “Amazonia”
Adam Lazzara swings the microphone as he sings with Taking Again Sunday on the Aftershock Stage through the first day of the Aftershock Music Pageant at Discovery Park in Sacramento on Oct. 2, 2025. (Chris Riley/Instances-Herald)
Initially Printed: October 5, 2025 at 11:13 AM PDT
