Wow, that song really is excellent and totally classic Voivod. Their Target Earth song was really good too; this is shaping up to be a great return-to-form (and I liked their S/T alright).

This fucking. Computer. Won't. Let me. Watch. THE VIDEO!!!

What does the new tune sound like, people? The curiosity is killing me!

Like the lost middle ground between Dimension Hatross and Nothingface. Nothing has been lost. In other words, completely effing awesome.

Goddamn that sounds badass. Just the mere thought of it is awesome. If the whole album sounds like what I imagine, then we're in for a treat!

This song was ridiculously good. Wow.. I did not see this coming. Much better then anything they have done in a while. Hopefully everything else fallows suite.

TBH I think their music hasn't aged that well. I like them a lot for what they are and my memories of them as a band that was important to me when I first got interested in heavy metal years ago, but I hear those records now and while I like them, I can see how future generations are going to be turned off pretty severely by what's going on there musically. You see elements from their style being adapted by artists as diverse as charting modern rock acts to dubstep DJs. I think that those elements are being pushed so far now within the context of mainstream music that the quality of the songwriting doesn't really elevate what they did enough long term to make the sort of impact that a band which was more visceral and elemental (i.e. Slayer, Morbid Angel, Darkthrone). It's a "they're underrated for a reason" situation.

(for the record, I feel the same way about gabber, industrial, and any merger of those genres with rock/metal. Not that anyone cared, but just to get that out of the way...)

sounds like Phobos with Snake, pretty cool

But on the flipside Voivod still sounds like Voivod, which keeps their music relevant to me; nobody really does what they do in the way that they do it (as far I know). I do understand what you're saying, though.

Right right! I love Phobos! It's so ominous and dark and inhuman, and the sound is basically perfect as far as I'm concerned. Away's drums sound huge! Favourite songs...well, maybe the title track, "Bacteria", "Neutrino"....

And War and pain is definitely one of their best albums. It's not at all commonplace; I really don't know why anybody who's spent a good amount of time listening to it would say that. Sure, it's abrasive, punky in spirit at least, but it's still pretty weird, both in terms of production and in the sense that Piggy's riffs sound very spontaneous and yet somehow a bit twisted out of shape. Pretty original..come on, just listen to "Live for Violence" with that odd intro section that you'd never hear any band pull off..or "Nuclear War", a song they still play today tthat consists of a marching, commanding hymn to the apocalypse (listen to that riff!), and then an eruption into an out-of-control speed metal massacre with Piggy just going absolutely nuts on his guitar, throwing wild bluesy solos around left right and centre and making those last riffs sound completely unhinged and off-the-rails. Oh yes, it's one of the best albums to ever come out of Canada.

I haven't really listened to anything since Phobos. TO me that's always seemed like their last studio album, since the stuff they've released since is basically leftovers that were half-written, if I'm not mistaken. Maybe I am! Well in any case, they apparently have something new coming and I'm interested in hearing it as people say it's definitely a return to something creative and interesting. Aha, I see that new stuff ahs already been talked about here; I'm going to go and listen shortly.

I disagree about Voivod being underrated; they're an extremely respected band, in circles far wider than among metal fans alone. I've talked to guys who don't even seem to listen to metal who seem to know at least who Voivod are and to respect them, especially if they're musicians. I believe their influence can be heard in a lot of contemporary music, and it's always going to be a pretty subtle touch, but I've little doubt that it's there. I'm sure a lot of these modern noisy hardcore-ish bands with lots of weird chords owe a huge debt to VOivod. I know Virus (Nor) does, and I'm pretty sure THought Industry worship their Voivod records (although I guess few people remember Thought Industry these days, they were definitely ahead of their time, too). I am not going to say that Voivod are better than Morbid Angel, Slayer, etc, but I think in many ways their legacy may outlast those bands, or at least transcend the barriers of the genre they belong to in a way that those bands never will, because of the effect their music has had on musicians all over the spectrum. Whether that's a good thing or not, I'm not going to say; I just think it's cool that they're basically the King Crimson of the metal scene, and I'm not just comparing the two bands because they're progressive/great musicians...those who listen to both bands in their various eras will probably understand exactly what I mean.

I agree with their general level of influence. It is just that, long term, 20 years from now, will people still pick up Voivod records and be like "wow, listen to how fresh this still sounds"? I don't think they sound that fresh now. I think the same about Wrathchild America, so it isn't just them.



I guess my difficulty with this is that I'm not sure Voivod stands up like King Crimson does. It's interesting that you bring up Thought Industry as a comparison point. I only ever heard the first two records and I haven't listened to either in probably several years. Interesting band, though I'm not sure they're what I really look for musically right now. Their last record was something like 15 years ago - its been awhile - so I tend not to think of them as Voivod's progeny (even if they kinda are). OTOH, I hear a lot of their influence in various Devin Townsend acts, Tool, Green Carnation, etc. I think history will see bands like that as having really pushed the medium more than Voivod, who will be referenced in passing, but I don't know that they're gonna get more than that.

If the album's as good as this song, we all owe Mongrain (and maybe Blacky) a huge "Thank you."

The self-titled album they did right after Phobos, which was the reunion album with Snake, was a regular studio album that had Piggy's full involvement and they toured to support it. I thought that one was pretty good, if a little shaky, like they were still finding how to work together again, and the production was too dry, but it wasn't one of the albums that was pieced together after Piggy's death from recordings he left on his laptop.

The next album, Katorz, is the first Voivod album I did not get into at all and I didn't bother to pick up Infini. Might have to get this new one though.

Great song, i blame it on Blacky's return.

Phobos is where it is at. That album is just so weird, out there, alien. If you are familiar with the rock-in-opposition style that was... 'popular' back in the 70s, early 80s, this is metal-in-opposition. Completely different from what anyone really did. A magnificent album that really puts you out there, all alone, on the moon of another planet. Well, if you ignore M-Body and the King Crimson cover. The former is just bad and the latter is a good cover, but doesn't really fit the rest of the album.

Other than that, I'm fond of the two albums that combine thrash, dissonance and technicality very well: Killing Technology and Dimension Hatröss. As well as the prog rock of The Outer Limits. The rest are pretty forgettable to me though Nothingface has a couple of songs with memorable choruses.

You mean, the quasi-grunge of The Outer Limits? I really don't like that album.



I agree with you that Voivod's influence is a fairly subtle one, often. Virus is a good example of their influence weaving itself into something rather strange (on the other hand, Carl really plays up the 'vod stylings on Aura Noir's Hades Rise in a much more obvious manner). But I don't think they'll ever surpass Slayer's legacy (ie: basically, in some way, directly or indirectly influencing every extreme metal band or extreme band in general). Voivod's influence might push people to use some weird chords or strange, robotic, honky vocals but they've always been a sort of fringe band... whereas, in many ways, Reign in Blood is still the benchmark against which a lot of extreme music is judged. I'm not really sure where I'm going with this... haha.

waiguoren, I hope you're not implying that there were only 2 bands on Noise who were worth listening to!

Ortab, can you even call the first two albums "relatively straight forward", though? It's like Motorhead and the Dead Kennedys played by aliens. In some ways, I'd say War and Pain is as 'weird' as their late 1980s stuff.

I'm seeing Voivod live next friday, and I'm really looking forward to it.

Um, what? The Outer Limits was full on prog rock with some occasionally heavier influences than the previous two records. Sure, "Fix My Heart" was a little alternative, but that song was still great, and I'd consider that album one of my absolute favorites by the band.

I don't hear grunge at all in the Outer Limits or Angel Rat for that matter. They're both a lot more hard rock based, but grunge?

I wouldn't say they're more hard rock based. Angel Rat is, in places, basically Voivod playing Husker Du on some songs and it's actually pretty cool. The Outer Limits is maybe more 'progressive' (see: tedious 17-minute long songs) but there's definitely an influence from some of the 1990s alternative rock stuff creeping in (apparently, in the early 1990s they toured with Soundgarden and Faith No More which makes sense).

I really enjoy Killing Technology. Nothingface is a close second. Rrröööaaarrr and War and Pain are tied for third. I also have the 1984 Power Metal demo vol. 1 on cassette. Great band love just about everything they do.

Jack Luminous rules, bro.

My experience with Voivod is sadly rather limited as I've really only listened to Ravenous Medicine in depth. Pretty interesting song, even if its video is the thrash metal equivalent of Call Of The Wintermoon in terms of ridiculousness...

Outer Limits is Rush-playing-alt-rock. Some songs are alright I guess.

And Phobos is full-on prog metal (King Crimson/Pink Floyd influence), the rock/metal-in-opposition comparison doesn't really hold water. Though RIO is such a niche thing anyway.

First heard Voivod around '86 or '87 on the first Best of Metal Blade comp. "Blower" was on there. From there - I got the first two albums and absolutely loved them. 'War and Pain' will probably always be my favorite - for if no other reason than it was one of those albums in my formative listening years and one of the first albums that took the heaviness of what I was listening to to the next level.

I'm really very solid with the band through The Outer Limits. I didn't mind their venture into my proggy territory since I love prog rock and am a huge Floyd fan - and found their cover of "Astronomy Domine" a very interesting choice (and eventfully done).

Other than that - I'm really only familiar with the self-titled album with Newstead, which I though was excellent - if not all that complicated.

A truly unique band with lots to like for people of varying tastes.

Same here. I was at my older brother's place with a friend one night when he was playing that comp and Blower came on. After we left, my friend and I were both like, 'what the hell was that' / 'that song was insane.' Speaking of Blower, of course. Soon after I borrowed a copy of Killing Technology and was hooked. It took a few plays to sink in, but it wasn't long before it all made sense and I had to get my own copy. Once Dimension Hatross hit, it was all over. They were pretty much my favorite band.

I really like everything right through The Outer Limits too. I got Negatron and was glad to see them recording again and was impressed by the heaviness of it, but it's my least favorite of their 80's - 90's releases and I've never felt like playing it since the first few weeks I bought it. I think it's pretty one dimensional and tedious. Phobos was a huge improvement, and I liked the self-titled one pretty much too, but The Outer Limits is still the last really great Voivod album to me.

Heard Voivod many years back and liked them, it was something off Killing Technology I think, don't remember which song though. Didn't buy any of their albums for a long time until I finally picked up Katorz because it was cheap. Nice album, good band, though for some reason I'm still not motivated to collect any more of their stuff even though I know I'd like it.

Hey Mechinal Mind is pretty good!

I am a huge fan of War And Pain - The Outer Limits. I was smart enough as a teen to buy Angel Rat & Outer Limits when they were released.

Lately I've been checking out the other 5 studio albums. I was reluctant for years to listen to Negatron & Phobos, but I actually enjoy them quite a bit. Much heavier than Outer Limits, and interesting that more fans didn't pick up on that. I'm not as fond of the trio of "Jasonic" albums, but they are growing on me - especially Katorz. Definitely one of my favorite bands, and it's very interesting and rewarding to dig through their discography.

I recently purchased the remaining pre-self-titled studio albums to fill out my collection (minus Rrroooaaarrr due to being out of print), and I'd say I'm quite happy with them. Though honestly, if this were 1991, I'm sure I'd hate Angel Rat. It is a huge step away from thrash in general, and I can understand why many fans dislike that album. Now, though... wow, does The Prow kick ass or what? I'm still warming up to The Outer Limits, as it's very very prog-rocky, in both the good and bad ways.

I already had Negatron, but I'll restate my opinion: if you want a heavier Dimension Hatross, this will deliver. Insect deserves a spot on their live set as much as any other classic, and any fan who ignores the album for the lack of Snake is doing themselves a huge disservice. Phobis, meanwhile, is almost sludgey by comparison. Heavy, yes, but driven more by atmosphere than riffs or melodies. Piggy's love of psychedelia is shown in full force. It's probably the least Voivod-esque album they've done, if that means anything.

I've given the remaining albums a listen, and unfortunately I just can't recommend them except maybe Infini. The passion and energy just aren't there. Still, some fans will find some material of value, just as some Metallica fans enjoy Re/Load. But just as no Metallica fan will claim Reload to be better than Ride The Lightning, I can't see any Voivod fan claiming Katorz to be better than Nothingface.

Were Voivod ever truly a thrash band, though? I can't really say I consider them so. I guess there's a song called 'Thrashing Rage' on their second album (which I haven't heard yet, so I can't really comment there). I guess they just came out at the same time as the thrashers. I mean, War and Pain is like Motorhead meets the Dead Kennedys (with a side order of Discharge), but it's still not super thrashy to my ears (maybe my ears just need cleaning). At any rate, they'd pretty much dropped all the marginal thrash influence they had by the time of Nothingface, anyway.

Angel Rat is a step away from metal, though, I'll give you that.

Edit: yes, 'The Prow' rules. Husker Du and the Buzzcocks in SPACE!

I enjoy Voivod up to & including Killing Technology. Did not care for their progressive direction afterwards. Killing Technology is a good example of a metal album experimenting with a different sound & not sounding gay. War And Pain is obviously a classic too.

Are you saying that Nothingface sounds "gay"?

You need to work on you priorities man...

The new song seems to be legitimately awesome by the way.

I just picked up Infini and the self-titled tonight. Can't wait.

That's pretty damn good. Modern progressive tech <something> with VoiVod influences. Nah, sounds like Voivod alright...weirdly good...mellow yet interesting.

Yes, on Killing Technology especially.

Voivod were definitely thrash on Rrröööaaarrr, although of the utterly filthy variety production-wise. "Thrashing Rage", "To The Death", and especially "Ripping Headaches" were way faster than anything on War & Pain, and pretty much had no 'progressive' qualities to my ears except for some ugly chords. That album sounds like a sped up early Venom record if anything.

Man, Voivod were excellent last night. Definitely one of the best gigs I've ever seen. It's strange to hear such weird music take on a kind of anthemic quality in the live setting. The only real downside was the fact that they played 'Jack Luminous', which isn't a bad song as I'd previously thought (some parts are fantastic), but it's certainly doesn't earn its 17-minute playing time. I'd have rathered more stuff from Killing Technology and War and Pain instead. Still, this is a very minor quibble, the band really did put on an excellent show, the sound was perfect and the setlist was generally great, too. They played 3 new songs and it sounds like it's going to be a very good album.

It floors me how well Mongrain managed to adopt Piggy's writing and playing style; it shows both live and on the new recording. I'm watching some of their live videos on Last.fm and he just nails every song.

Also, Snake is just hilarious on stage. I need to see these guys soon.

So excited to see these guys next month with Neurosis. Been a Piggy worshiper for years and was really shocked they continued without him, but the new stuff is done with such taste and honor for Piggy it blows me away. New song is excellent. I am a fan of all eras to some degree, but hold in highest regard Dimension Hatross , Killing Technology, War and Pain, and Nothingface in that order. For some reason RRROOOAAARRR never did that much for me. Of all the later stuff I guess Outer Limits would be my favorite. I really need to go back and revist negtron and Phobos though, I remember being excited that they were going back to a heavy sound, but somehow the vocals made me feel like it wasn't Voivod. Strange since i have always though Snake was a terrible vocalist, but somehow he fits the band perfectly.

He's a really good and versatile guitarist, and clearly was influenced by Piggy long before he was involved with Voivod, so it shouldn't be too surprising. Yet still, it kind of is. This is one of the best examples of someone picking up for a one-of-a-kind musician and actually just about filling his shoes. If the album is as good as it seems like it's going to be from what we've heard so far, I'm ready to give Mongrain sainthood.

They played a couple new songs on their current tour. They sounded really good live aswell.