Mario François Duplantier (born 19 June 1981) is a French-American musician and artist best known as the drummer for progressive death metal band Gojira. He established himself as a powerful, technically precise drummer, using polyrhythmic patterns and distinctive jazzy fills and drum breaks. He has been practicing painting and drawing since 2009. Duplantier developed an early interest in music and started drumming at the age of eleven. In 1996, he co-founded the death metal band Godzilla with his older brother Joe. After a period of self-learning, he entered Agostini drum school and co-founded Empalot in 1998. Godzilla changed its name to Gojira in 2001 and released its debut album, Terra Incognita. His side project Empalot was placed on hiatus in 2004 during the rise of Gojira. Duplantier acquired varied experiences through a range of styles from extreme metal, jazz, rock, and funk drumming. He exhibited his paintings in France in 2010. He holds dual French and U.S. nationality. After constant touring and recording, Duplantier has gained international recognition. He has been described as "one of metal's most creative rhythmic and technical drummers". He has been listed as one of the "world's best metal drummers" by professional music journalists, magazines, and reader polls. He was voted No. 1 four times.