Gojira: The band's performance at the Olympics is projected onto the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.

The controversial performance by the French band Gojira at the opening of this year's Paris Olympic Games was projected onto the iconic Arc de Triomphe in Place Charles de Gaulle.

The opening show featured a performance of “Mea Culpa (Ah! Ça Ira)” – listen below – a traditional song from the French Revolution, alongside opera singer Marina Viotti (via 89 FM ). The performance, which took place in a castle, was considered epic, as it was the first time a heavy metal band had participated in the event.

An event called Summer Games projected recordings of the performance at the French monument, as the band was unable to attend due to their North American tour with Korn.

The monument was obscured by the performance that took place outside the windows of the Conciergerie building overlooking the Seine River—it was projected onto the arch at night.

Gojira released “Mea Culpa (Ah! Ça Ira)” as a single after the positive response to their opening ceremony performance. However, there were also French politicians and religious figures who claimed that the theatricality of the performance – which referenced the violence of the French Revolution – bordered on the “satanic.”.

When commenting on the matter, vocalist Joe Duplantier replied : “It’s French history. It’s French charm, you know, decapitated people, red wine and blood everywhere. It’s romantic, it’s normal.”

According to the musician: “France is a country that separated state and religion during the revolution. This is something very important, very dear to the foundation of republican France,” explained the musician, noting that there is even a word to define it:

“We call this ' laïcité ' (in translation: secularism). It's when the state is no longer religious and, therefore, is free in terms of expression and symbolism. It all has to do with history and facts. We don't look too closely at symbolism in terms of religion.”

Watch the projection of the show at the Arc de Triomphe below, followed by the track released as a single. See photos of the performance at the opening of the games here.

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