Angel Rat

Angel Rat is a curious case. Voivod's evolutionary path had clearly started to steer them away from their speed/thrash roots, and though those were still somewhat present for their iconic fifth release, Nothingface, one of the greatest progressive releases of all time, few could have predicted the follow up's further deviation from what had been their core sound. Sure, the progressive aspect of their sound and identity had been on the ascent since 1987's outstanding Killing Technology, but perhaps a more logical guessing of their next sonic step would have been a foray into the more technical stuff bands like Atheist, Coroner or even the high-flying Megadeth were doing at the dawn of the 90s. Or perhaps they felt confident enough to pull off the maligned but almost mandatory (for progressive bands) concept album. But Voivod wouldn't deny being Voivod to the world, and a much adventurous, weirder, unique and, dare I say, fulfilling route, was chosen by the Canadian extraordinaires.

This is clearly a divisive album, right at home with other examples like the visionary Obscura by their fellow nationals Gorguts, Amorphis' Elegy, the failed duo that is Load and Re-Load, or a more recent and obscure case by yet another Canadian act, the fascinating 2020's Opulent Decay by power trio Spell. And I get it, everybody experiences that from time to time. People were expecting something out of a record, a film, a trip, a new experience, and what they got is markedly outside of those expectations and preconceptions. The contrast is just too much for some to accept, the comfort zone too distant, and the new soundscapes too alien and unrecognizable to enjoy. It's like when I was living in Spain and I gave a few Spanish friends some Pulparindos to taste. Their minds and bodies just weren't prepared for the mixture of spicy, sweet and bitter taste that those industrially produced traditional Mexican sweets detonated inside their mouths. It was not pleasant. They said to me they couldn't even comprehend how an adult would enjoy those, let alone a kid. But then, here we eat that stuff since before we learn how to speak, so…

Angel Rat is like a deluxe special edition Pulparindo, with the best ingredients available, and opened for consumption at the best time, but definitely not for everyone's palate. I'm not sure it was the best time for Voivod to release it, though. It was not as critically nor commercially successful as its predecessor, and perhaps in that regards it is a failure, a missed chance for greater aspirations and a brighter future as a band, despite the fact bassist Blacky already wanted out. But it remains a masterful and delightful exploration of several outer influences the Canadian quartet had not fully nor partially exposed before, and that's why it isn't a surprise that this masterpiece has its great share of supporters, defenders and cultists, like myself. Its classy blend of Nothingface-esque lighter moments with dreamy, psychedelic passages and nods to the most experimental of alternative rock, like Sonic Youth or Swans, is just too interesting to mindlessly discard and disregard as a failure, or even more obnoxiously ordinary, as a “sell-out” effort.

While 'heavier' might equal 'better' for many metalheads, Angel Rat is proof that the loss of heaviness doesn't always translates as loss of quality. I will go further, by stating that while being their most accessible recording, Angel Rat is also their most memorable, with twelve short tunes that will just adhere to any open-minded metalhead's brain like the barnacles on a wave-breaking bow of a ship. Speaking of bows and ships, “The Prow” is my favorite tune here, with its Little Nemo-meets-Peter Pan fantastic imagery, equally maritime as it is cosmic, and its psychedelic rock 'n' roll drive. In less than four minutes time, you experience a trip that's as dreamy as it is intense. But I enjoy them all, and this is one of the albums I can listen in its entirety every day, any day, and I never get tired of it. The pristine production values, clear but potent for all instruments, perfectly balance the trio of musicians weaponry with Snake's vocals, which this time around are less tricky, less focused on inventive and more bent in fluidly narrating these twelve short surreal stories, which lyrically remind me of the Peter Gabriel era of Genesis, only with a high dose of sci-fi replacing the Victorian themes.

“Panorama”, “The Prow” and “Twin Dummy” are the speedier, more energetic tracks, more so in fast alternative rock fashion than as in a speed metal one. The rest of the songs are more mid-paced, but all of them still have those fantastic signature Piggy riffs as their core and primary force. The rhythmic section is usually more straightforward than in previous records, but Blacky and Away still shine throughout the entire voyage, and have their moments in the spotlight as well (just check out the second half of “Best Regards”, exquisite stuff). But 'mid-paced' is just the description of the tempo, in reality there are many sounds and influences coexisting and interacting with each other, like a myriad coral reef creatures; the atmospheric solemnity in the naïve tragedy of “Angel Rat”, the angry, robotic bass-lines of the Asimov-esque “Golem”, the post-punkish “Nuage Fractal”, the cowboy swagger of “The Outcast”, or the progressive build-up of shoegazer “Freedoom”, my second fav here. Angel Rat has bits and parts from many bands and rock genres, and while it decidedly sounds like Voivod, it's unlike anything they had previously concocted.

I understand the disconcert this caused when it was released, but Voivod would more or less carry on in a similar direction with the more accepted The Outer Limits in 1993, re-amping up the heaviness a bit, and trimming away many of the satellite influences Angel Rat exhibits. But now, 30 years after its release, with so many movements, evolutionary roads, experimentation, cross-pollination and what not that have transpired in the metal world, the greatness of Voivod's sixth LP is more evident than ever. Not the expected path perhaps, but this band started to deviate from what was expected from them early on, to the benefit of us all. A curious but flawless path, I'd say, at least well past their first decade of existence. Angel Rat may perhaps forever remain their riskiest business, their overlooked jewel, an ugly duckling for some, but a majestic unique entity for others, a curve ball that ultimately serves its purpose in winning the game.