VOIVOD
“Synchro Anarchy”
Album Review by Piers Renfree

8/10

In August 2005, Denis “Piggy” D’Amour sadly passed away from cancer, at the age of forty-five. He had been the guitarist in the band Voivod since it was founded in 1982, in Jonquirére, Québec (now Saguenay, Québec) in Canada. 

Voivod started out as a speed metal band, but over time, elements of prog and thrash metal added into their sound. Drummer Michel “Away” Langerin has been responsible for the band’s artwork, since their debut album “War And Pain” back in 1984. As well as being mainly responsible for the band’s sci-fi themes, he also created the mythology behind the post-apocalyptic Vampire Lord “Voivod”.

Following the passing of D’Amour, the remaining members of the band decided to continue, and their following album, 2006’s “Katorz” featured a lot of guitar parts that had already been recorded by D’Amour.

Currently consisting of Michel “Away” Langerin – drums, Denis “Snake” Bélanger – vocals and lyrics, Dominic “Rocky” Laroche – bass, and Daniel “Chewie” Mongrain – guitar, the band are regarded as one of the big four of Canadian thrash bands, along with Razor, Sacrifice and Annihilator. “Synchro Anarchy” is the band’s fourteenth album, since their 1984 debut and has already won a Juno Award for Heavy Metal album of the year. 

This is my first time listening to Voivod, although I have known about them for many years. A dramatic intro and “Paranormalium” gets things off to a rocking start. There are time, tempo and style changes in the opening song, but it works very well. Every song goes on its own musical journey, and defies any rules and expectations of song writing. The band are no slouches with their instruments either, music like this wouldn’t be possible if they were. “Snake”s vocals are clean throughout the album, and the production, whilst being clear, has a bit of a rough and ready edge to it.

The nine songs here go on for just under fifty minutes. Mainstream music, this is not, but if you like your metal exploratory and stretched to new horizons, then this is well worth trying out.

TRACKLIST

Paranormalium
Synchro Anarchy
Planet Eaters
Mind Clock
Sleeve Off
Holographic Thinking
The World Today
Quest For Nothing
Memory Failure

http://www.voivod.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Voivod

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