This is a project aimed at making it easy to see who inspired the bands you love or even hate. For this I try not to use any influences that the band don’t claim themselves. There will be a focus on predecessors but successors will be added as they site the band. These trees become more and more interactive as new bands are added, allowing you to click any band that has a tree and jump to it.

We want our lists to be better. If you know something that belongs on this list, let us know. When in doubt we will leave it out, so we need reliable sources.

Gojira are a progressive metal band heavily rooted in groove metal with some death metal elements. Their first album has the most death metal style vocals and the death metal influences persist after that but they have become far less death metal over the years. Their line up has been consistent from the first album. On guitar/vocals Joe Duplantier, second guitar Christian Andreu, bass Jean-Michel Labadie, and drums Mario Duplantier. Early album have writing credits shared but later albums are noted as being written predominantly by Joe and Mario. With a more openness to non metal influences in recent years, I will be curies to revisit this in the future and see if they are naming some of those influences to a greater extent.

Led Zeppelin are hugely influential and among the first hard rockers. Joe said the band all have a Zeppelin influence.

Mike Oldfield

Metallica are the Fathers of thrash. Christian, Joe and Jean-Michel name Ride The Lightning as a big influence on them. Joe and Jean-Michel both said “Fade to Black” was the first song they learned to play. Joe said that Master of Puppets defines … — Metallica are the Fathers of thrash. Christian, Joe and Jean-Michel name *Ride The Lightning* as a big influence on them. Joe and Jean-Michel both said “Fade to Black” was the first song they learned to play. Joe said that *Master of Puppets* defines metal for him. Mario said that Lars was his biggest influence when he started out. Jean-Michel said Jason Newsted is the reason he plays bass and names Metallica has his biggest influences.

Slayer were pushing the aggression that thrash was capable of. Joe said he would listen to South of Heaven riding the bus to school to prepare himself for the day. He also praises Tom as a frontman.

Death are often seen as the fathers of death metal and went into a progressive direction with it. The whole band names them as a huge influence.

Sepulture are best known for their death/thrash sound. Early on they were pioneering death metal and later they became influential for their groove metal as well. Joe said that Chaos AD was a huge influence on them. Mario named Igor as one of hi… — Sepulture are best known for their death/thrash sound. Early on they were pioneering death metal and later they became influential for their groove metal as well. Joe said that *Chaos AD* was a huge influence on them. Mario named Igor as one of his main influences.

Morbid Angel are an important and influential Death metal band. Joe and Jean-Michel named them as an influence.

Cannibal Corpse are one of the most well known death metal bands. Jean-Michel named them as a band they listen to.

Pantera are the fathers of groove metal. Jean-Michel named them as a big influence.

Rage Against The Machine are pioneers of rap/rock. Joe named their self titled album as a favorite. Mario and Jean-Michel also have praise for it.

Tool are an influential alternative/progressive band. Mario, Joe, and Christian all name them as an influence.

Machine Head are a groove metal bands formed by an ex thrasher of Vio-lence. Joe named them as an influence.

Strapping Young Lad was an extreme metal band led by Devin Townsend. Joe said he is a fan of Devin and Mario said that Joe picked up some things after getting into his work and working with him.

Devin Townsend put out solo albums and also album sunder Devin Townsend Project. Again, Mario said that working with Devin had an influence on Joe’s approach to music.

Mastodon are a progressive metal/rock band. Joe is a fan and has said talking with them has helped him learn to appreciate his more non metal influences.

Mario and Joe are brothers. As kids they heard the music their mom would play. Mario played she played The Beatles, Tina Turner, and Michael Jackson. After that they got into Metallica.

Mario said “At 12 years old I started my own band with a friend from school. We played Nirvana covers, Metallica covers and Sepultura. When I turned 13 I was really into death metal.” He said his brother got into death metal later than him. Later Mario took drum lessons for seven years consisting of “one hour of jazz, one hour of rock, one hour of Afro-Cuban. I learned a bit of everything.”"

When talking about their move way into a less metal sound Mario said they still love their metal influences but also like bands like Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, Radiohead, and James Blake. He also said him and Joe were both exposed to classical music early on and have a love and understanding of it.

Joe said as a kid he heard a lot of bands like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Dire Straits on the radio. He said his favorite French singer is Alain Bashung.

In several interviews in the most recent years, Joe talks about trying to be less constrained and bringing in non metal influences from their younger years.

When asked about favorite current bands, Joe names Massive Attack, Portishead and Radiohead. As well as, Meshuggah, Tool, Devin Townsend, The Atlas Moth, Die Antwoord, and The Mystery of Bulgarian Voices.

Bands influenced by Gojira!

As this project advances, bands will be added here…

Sources:

https://www.telerama.fr/sortir/les-cinq-albums-de-metal-qui-ont-change-la-vie-de-gojira,143153.php
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/gojiras-joe-duplantier-my-10-favorite-metal-albums-201839/sepultura-chaos-a-d-1993-193622/
https://www.ladepeche.fr/article/2004/07/16/259032-rock-tellurique-avec-les-landais-de-gojira.html
https://www.lemonde.fr/musiques/article/2016/06/16/gojira-le-metal-c-est-de-la-dentelle_4951952_1654986.html
https://loudwire.com/gojira-joe-duplantier-early-music-influences-french-curse-word-of-choice/
https://www.musicradar.com/news/gojiras-mario-duplantier-reveals-all-about-his-astonishing-technique
https://www.kerrang.com/features/inside-gojira-new-metal-masterpiece-fortitude-and-their-fight-for-our-future/
https://metalinsider.net/interviews/gojiras-joe-duplantier-discusses-fatherhood-sea-shepherd-2
https://www.powerofmetal.dk/interviews/gojira.htm
https://ainhoaaristizabal.wordpress.com/tag/joe-duplantier/
http://www.radiometal.com/article/gojiras-subconscious,69268
https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/gojiras-mario-duplantier-lars-ulrich-was-maybe-the-only-influence-i-had-when-i-was-starting-out/
http://liveandloudmagazine.com/2012/09/live-n-loud-meets-gojira/

Metal Family Tree

We want our lists to be better. If you know something that belongs on this list, let us know. When in doubt we will leave it out, so we need reliable sources.

Fates Warning are among the earliest Progressive Metal bands. Jim Matheos has been the only consistent member since the beginning. John Arch was the original vocalist on the first three albums but Ray Adler has been on every album since. The band has had several second guitar players and sometimes only Jim. Victor Arduini played on the first two albums, Frank Aresti would play on the next five, skip a few and then return again for a time. Bass players have been fairly consistent with Joe DiBiase there from the beginning through he mid 90s and Joey Vera stepping in since then. As for drums Steve Zimmermann played on the first four albums, Mark Zonder stepped in till 2005, and Bobby Jarzombek has been on albums since. Jim has been the primary song writer over the years and on some albums the sole writer although other members have also contributed on many albums. For this reason his influences probably carry more weight with the bands sound.

Jethro Tull are an influential progressive rock band often remembered as the band with the guy who plays the flute. Jim and Victor named them as an influence.

Deep Purple were a hard rock band who dabbled in heavy metal. Victor named Ritchie Blackmore as an influence. Bobby named them as an early influence.

Genesis were a very important progressive rock band. Jim named them as an influence.

Grand Funk Railroad was a hard rock band big in the 70’s. John and Victor named Mark Farner as an influence.

Led Zeppelin are easily one of the most important hard rock bands. Victor named Jimmy Page as an influence.

Emerson, Lake, and Palmer are another influential progressive rock band. They were an influence on Jim.

Black Sabbath are the fathers of metal. Jim named them as an influence. They are a huge influence on Victor who even played in a Sabbath cover band when he was 18. Joe named Geezer as an influence. Bobby named Sabbath as an early influence.

Uriah Heep were a progressive rock band who also dabbled in heavy metal in their early days. Jim named them as an influence. John named Dave Byron as an influence.

UFO are a very influential hard rock band. Jim named them as one of his influences.

Budgie was a heavy rock and progressive band that dabbled in metal from time to time. Victor named them as an influence.

Thin Lizzy are a very influential rock / hard rock band. Joe named Philip Lynott and Thin Lizzy as his favorites.

Scorpions are a very influential hard rock / heavy metal band. Ray named them as an influence.

Kansas were a popular progressive rock band. Jim named them as an influence and said Steve Walsh was his favorite singer. John also named him as an influence.

Jefferson Starship was formerly Jefferson Airplane and later just Starship. John named Mickey Thomas, who sung with Jefferson Starship and Starship, as an influence. — Jefferson Starship was formerly Jefferson Airplane and later just Starship. John named Mickey Thomas, who sung with Jefferson Starship and Starship, as an influence.

Rush are an important progressive hard rock band. Joe named Geddy as an influence. Bobby named Neil Peart as an influence.

Judas Priest are known as the metal gods and for good reason. John named Halford as a later influence. Priest was Ray’s first big influence and says that Unleashed in the East was probably the album that made him want to be a singer. Bobby named session drummer Simon Phillips as an influence.

Kiss were a huge American hard rock band. Joe said they was his first influence.

After leaving Deep Purple Ritchie Blackmore started Rainbow along side Ronnie James Dio. Victor named Ritchie as an influence.

Journey was on the poppy side of rock music. Ray said Steve Perry was a big influence on him as a kid.

Randy Rhoads

Boston was a hard rock band with progressive elements. John named Brad Delp as an influence. Frank was also a fan.

Al Di Meola

Yngwie Malmsteen is a neoclassical metal shredder considered one of the best in guitarist ever. Frank named him as a influence.

Iron Maiden are one of the most influential metal bands of all time. John named them as a big influence and named Number of the Best as one of his favorite albums of all time. Bruce is definitely John’s hero and a later influence on him. Joe named S… — Iron Maiden are one of the most influential metal bands of all time. John named them as a big influence and named *Number of the Best* as one of his favorite albums of all time. Bruce is definitely John’s hero and a later influence on him. Joe named Steve Harris as an influence. Ray also named Maiden as an influence.

Accept are German metal masters. While the NWOBHM was going on Germany had Accept. Victor named them as an influence.

Mercyful Fate was super technical switching riff to riff although most would never consider them progressive they certainly are on that side of the spectrum. Victor named them as an influence.

Metallica are the fathers of thrash. Victor named them as an influence. Frank was into Metallica.

Exodus was one of the first bay area thrash bands. Frank was into them as well.

Anthrax were one of the big four of thrash and the only one from the east coast. Frank was also into them.

Armored Saint were bringing Traditional heavy metal from the Bay Area. Ray named them as an influence.

Slayer were one of the most aggressive early thrash bands. Frank was into them.

Queensryche are progressive metal pioneers. Ray named Geoff Tate as an influence.

Trouble were one of the doom pioneers of the 80’s that followed in the foot steps of Black Sabbath. Victor named them as an influence.

Wait… What? Yes Ray said that John Arch was one of his favorite singers.

John played guitar and did vocals in cover bands before joining Fate’s Warning.

Victor wrote on the first two albums but those were the only albums he was part of.

Joe DiBiase was with the band from the beginning through 1996. He has writing credits on two albums during that time.

Steve Zimmermann was the first drummer but only has writing credits on the fourth album which was the last one he played on. I am unsure of his influences.

Bobby Jarzombek has been with the band since 2007 and has a couple co-writing credits. Some of his influences not mentioned above are Frank Zappa, Yes, Three Dog Night, and U.K. drummers, Terry Bozzio, and Bill Bruford. He also named Simon Phillips who not only played on a Judas Priest album with a ton of other bands.

Other members have not contributed to writing that I’m aware of.

Bands influenced by Fate’s Warning!

As this project advances, bands will be added here…

More Family Trees

Sources:

http://www.progressiveworld.net/html/modules.php?name=Interviews&rop=showcontent&id=90
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6A9Tl0Ql54
https://www.jaimevendera.com/new-interview-with-john-arch-by-austin-jenkins/
https://ringmasterreviewintroduces.wordpress.com/2013/05/17/beyond-the-fate-an-interview-with-victor-arduini-of-freedoms-reign/
https://deadrhetoric.com/features/arduini-balich-interview/
https://www.metaltoinfinity.be/INTERVIEWS/Freedomsreign_2013.html
http://fateswarning.com/2001/04/18/interview-with-frank-aresti-4182001/
http://fateswarning.com/2001/04/29/interview-with-joe-dibiase-4292001/
http://fateswarning.com/2013/11/14/cryptic-rock-interview-with-ray-alder-11142013/
http://fateswarning.com/2018/01/16/bobby-jarzombek-interview-by-jimmy-cabbs-01-16-2018/
https://metalwarehouse.nl/2015/11/12/fates-warning-awaken-the-guardian-lineup-reunion-wont-affect-current-band/
https://gtdspod.wordpress.com/2013/11/15/episode-33-bobby-jarzombek/

Gojira Family Tree

Mike Oldfield

Bands influenced by Gojira!

Fates Warning Family Tree

Metal Family Tree

Randy Rhoads

Al Di Meola

Bands influenced by Fate’s Warning!