GOJIRA Postpones First Leg Of European Tour 'Due To The Current COVID Restrictions'

French metallers GOJIRA have been forced to postpone the first leg of their European tour "due to the current COVID restrictions" across the continent.

GOJIRA's European tour was split into two legs, featuring special guests ALIEN WEAPONRY and EMPLOYED TO SERVE. The first leg was scheduled to kick off January 17 in Finland and close in France on February 9, with the second leg picking up in The Netherlands on February 20 and wrapping in the U.K. on March 14.

Earlier today, GOJIRA released the following statement: "Due to the current COVID restrictions in place across Europe, we are sadly forced to postpone the first leg of the GOJIRA European tour due to start on Monday, January 17th 2022 in Helsinki, and ending wed February 9th 2022 in Bordeaux. We are currently working on rescheduling all postponed shows and plan to announce the new schedule shortly.

"Please hold on to your tickets which will be valid for the new dates to be published imminently. We will be back together before you know it to experience the healing power of live music again.

"We appreciate your patience and understanding. Stay safe and healthy."

GOJIRA's latest album, "Fortitude", entered Billboard's Top Albums chart at No. 1 last May, while also claiming the No. 1 spot on Billboard's Top Current Albums, Current Rock Albums and Current Hard Music Albums tallies. The release also marked a career high debut on the Billboard 200 for GOJIRA, arriving at No. 12, with several career high chart positions and Top 10 debuts in countries around the globe including: France (No. 2),United Kingdom (No. 6),Australia (No. 3),Germany (No. 8),Belgium (No. 2),Netherlands (No. 4),Denmark (No. 3),Portugal (No. 4),Finland (No. 2) and Norway (No. 10).

"Fortitude" is highlighted by the singles "Another World", "Born For One Thing", "Into The Storm", "Amazonia" and "The Chant", a slow-burning track featuring some of GOJIRA's most melodic material to date.

Furthermore, GOJIRA concluded a month-long fundraising initiative in support of the indigenous-owned NGO The Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (APIB) who advocate for environmental and cultural rights of indigenous tribes in the Amazon. Working with the social good-focused digital platform Propeller, the charitable campaign raised over $300,000 through an auction and raffle of one-of-a-kind items from the band and their friends in METALLICA, TOOL, SLIPKNOT, SLAYER, Slash and more. All proceeds will be donated to APIB to support their work aiding the indigenous tribes of the Amazon who have suffered immensely — victims of deforestation, land loss, forced labor, violence, and harassment.

Recorded and produced by Joseph Duplantier at Silver Cord Studio — GOJIRA's Ridgewood, Queens, New York headquarters — and mixed by Andy Wallace (NIRVANA, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE),"Fortitude" is GOJIRA's first album in five years and the follow-up to 2016's Grammy-nominated LP "Magma". A collection of songs urging humanity to imagine a new world and then make it happen, "Fortitude" has been earning widespread critical praise with Rolling Stone naming it one of their best albums of April 2021 and remarking "It's all the rage of death metal mixed with the conscience of punk rock and the musicality of progressive rock." NPR hailed "Another World" as "an apocalyptic banger," and Paste called "Into The Storm" a "much-needed revolutionary anthem." Stereogum declared, "hearing this band operating at their peak is a life-affirming thing," while Revolver attested "Fortitude" "could spark a revolution."