Joe Duplantier says Greta Van Fleet's latest album gave him “more faith in humanity”

Love 'em or hate 'em, Greta Van Fleet have tapped into music fans' nostalgia for heavy-riffing classic rock to amass a considerable following since the release of their debut LP, 2017's From the Fires.

And among the group's ever-growing legion of fans is Gojira main man Joe Duplantier, apparently.

In a new interview with Revolver, Duplantier reveals that the Michigan quartet's latest full-length, The Battle at Garden's Gate, “blew [his] mind” when he heard it for the first time.

“I heard about them as being a rip-off of Led Zeppelin,” he says. “I think these kids are very talented – I hate calling them kids, by the way, because it shows how old I am.

“Seeing a bunch of 20-year-olds grabbing vintage instruments and fucking laying it down like they do, like in the good old days. You can say they sound like Led Zep or this or that; it doesn't matter to me. I have more faith in humanity when I hear that. I'm like, ‘Yes, some things are not lost.’ That album is absolutely amazing.”

Greta Van Fleet have faced comparisons with Led Zeppelin throughout their career. Though in a 2021 interview with Guitar World, guitarist Jake Kiszka said he and his bandmates weren't phased by such comments.

“Art is supposed to elicit strong reactions, isn’t it?” he said. “I actually think it’s a beautiful thing. There’s something sort of perfect about having one or another direct response to what we’re doing.”

Later on in the interview, he said: “We're honored by that affiliation, but there's a point within factions of society that are drawn to ignorant criticism.”

Elsewhere in the Revolver interview, Duplantier touches on the prospect of a new Gojira album, despite the French outfit's latest offering, Fortitude, arriving only earlier this year.

“Of course, it's a bit early to talk about a new album, but we can't help it,” he says. “Mario [Duplantier, drums] and me, especially after doing a few tours, we're like, ‘Okay, what's the new Gojira going to be like?’”

When asked if they have any new riffs or ideas written so far, Duplantier continues: “Mario's on fire. He's throwing drum patterns at me day and night, and I'm like, ‘Wait, wait, wait, let me digest what we've just been through.’

“I almost, sort of out of respect for Fortitude, don't want to think about a new album now because we're about to go on tour in Europe and it's going to be one of the biggest tours we've ever done in terms of capacity. So I'm really, really focused on that.

“There's one thing I gotta say, though. As much as I appreciate melodies and exploring new vibes and new tonalities with Gojira, I'm still a death-metal head in my heart, and Mario, too. And after doing this album that's more toward a rock approach – although there're metal elements in it – I wouldn't be surprised if it gets a bit harder on the next album.”