Author Topic: The Official Voivod Thread - Snake, Piggy, Blacky, Chewy, Away, E-Force, Jasonic  (Read 3633 times)

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Offline Mister Gold

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As anyone who followed my recent Top Fifty Albums list already knows, I became a fan of Voivod not too long ago and was surprised that the band did not have a thread of their own here yet!

So here I am to change that! :tup

Who else here is a fan of the band? What's your favorite album by them? What do you think of Chewy and his work on Target Earth? Did he do a good job keeping the spirit of Piggy's songwriting alive in Voivod?

Will I ever stop asking questions? :biggrin:

As for myself, my favorite is currently Nothingface. Listening to that album for the first time just absolutely blew me away and I've been replaying that album a lot ever since. :hefdaddy Also quite fond of The Outer Limit, Phobos and Target Earth! :metal
« Last Edit: June 08, 2014, 01:53:08 PM by Mister Gold »
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Offline Scorpion

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Re: The Official Voivod Thread - Snake, Piggy, Blacky, Chewy and Away
« Reply #1 on: June 08, 2014, 01:39:19 PM »
Nothingface is a good album for a Voivod noob?
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Hey, the length is fine :azn: Thanks!

Offline Mister Gold

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Re: The Official Voivod Thread - Snake, Piggy, Blacky, Chewy and Away
« Reply #2 on: June 08, 2014, 01:41:41 PM »
Nothingface is a good album for a Voivod noob?

I think so. Nothingface or Dimension: Hatross are probably the best starting points for Voivod. It worked for me, at least! :tup If not, maybe check out The Outer Limit?
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Offline jammindude

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Re: The Official Voivod Thread - Snake, Piggy, Blacky, Chewy and Away
« Reply #3 on: June 08, 2014, 01:44:55 PM »
With Voivod you're going to get so many different sounds...   A copy and paste of a post I made a while back at the MP site.

A quick breakdown:
 
War and Pain (1984):
Slightly experimental, but basically a screamo punk/thrash album
 
RRROOOAAARRR!!! (1985)
Less experimental.  Purely a screaming thrash punk album.  The lyrics are the only thing proggish about these first two releases.  All of the first four albums tell the continuing story and adventures of the Voivod character.
 
Killing Technology (1987)
Still maintaining the thrash style vocals...but the music changes significantly.  Longer, more experimental tracks...deeper arrangements...and the infusion of jazz stylings.   Still pretty thrashy...but this is where Voivod *really* begins for me. 
 
Dimension Hatross (1988)
My favorite album.  First album with clean vocals.  Most rhythm and timing experiments yet.  Final album in the story of the Voivod. 
 
Nothingface (1989)
Most people consider this album to be their masterpiece.   Still metal...but what little thrash remained on Dimension Hatross is completely gone here.    There's a *brilliant* cover version of Pink Floyd's "Astronomy Domine"...and that pretty much captures the mood of this entire album.   A brilliant blend of Pink Floyd and metal. 
 
Angel Rat (1991)
Produced by Terry Brown.  Possibly *a bit* mellower than Nothingface...but mostly very similar.   Great album...fantastic album.  But misses Nothingface's brilliance by a hair. 
 
The Outer Limits (1993)
To be honest, I havn't heard it.   I've heard great reviews.   Most people say it's their proggiest album of all....and with the 17 minute song "Jack Luminous" it's hard to argue.   At the time the album came out, I was just caught up in other things.   This is the first album without the original bassist "Blacky" (the first sign that there was trouble within the band)   It was recorded as a trio.   The band was a mess, but the album is a cult classic.   They briefly broke up after this album. 
 
Negatron and Phobos (1995 and 1997)
Piggy and Away decided to replace Snake and Blacky with a single bass player/lead singer Eric Forrest.  Recorded as a trio.   Eric's vocals are a return to the screamo/cookie monster vocals of the first three albums.  I never got into it.  I'm not against screaming vocals...it just wasn't Voivod any more to me.  The band broke up again. 
 
Voivod, Katorz and Infini (2003-2009)
Jason Newsted joined Voivod as "Jasonic" on bass and original vocalist Snake came back.  I've heard very little of these albums.   Some songs are better than others.   The stuff from the first self titled album sounded pretty awesome.   But Piggy died in 2005.   Katorz was recorded while he was still alive, but released posthumously.  Infini was pieced together from Piggy's final demos.   Most people thought they were done.   
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Offline Mister Gold

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Re: The Official Voivod Thread - Snake, Piggy, Blacky, Chewy and Away
« Reply #4 on: June 08, 2014, 01:48:31 PM »
With Voivod you're going to get so many different sounds...   A copy and paste of a post I made a while back at the MP site.

A quick breakdown:
 
War and Pain (1984):
Slightly experimental, but basically a screamo punk/thrash album
 
RRROOOAAARRR!!! (1985)
Less experimental.  Purely a screaming thrash punk album.  The lyrics are the only thing proggish about these first two releases.  All of the first four albums tell the continuing story and adventures of the Voivod character.
 
Killing Technology (1987)
Still maintaining the thrash style vocals...but the music changes significantly.  Longer, more experimental tracks...deeper arrangements...and the infusion of jazz stylings.   Still pretty thrashy...but this is where Voivod *really* begins for me. 
 
Dimension Hatross (1988)
My favorite album.  First album with clean vocals.  Most rhythm and timing experiments yet.  Final album in the story of the Voivod. 
 
Nothingface (1989)
Most people consider this album to be their masterpiece.   Still metal...but what little thrash remained on Dimension Hatross is completely gone here.    There's a *brilliant* cover version of Pink Floyd's "Astronomy Domine"...and that pretty much captures the mood of this entire album.   A brilliant blend of Pink Floyd and metal. 
 
Angel Rat (1991)
Produced by Terry Brown.  Possibly *a bit* mellower than Nothingface...but mostly very similar.   Great album...fantastic album.  But misses Nothingface's brilliance by a hair. 
 
The Outer Limits (1993)
To be honest, I havn't heard it.   I've heard great reviews.   Most people say it's their proggiest album of all....and with the 17 minute song "Jack Luminous" it's hard to argue.   At the time the album came out, I was just caught up in other things.   This is the first album without the original bassist "Blacky" (the first sign that there was trouble within the band)   It was recorded as a trio.   The band was a mess, but the album is a cult classic.   They briefly broke up after this album. 
 
Negatron and Phobos (1995 and 1997)
Piggy and Away decided to replace Snake and Blacky with a single bass player/lead singer Eric Forrest.  Recorded as a trio.   Eric's vocals are a return to the screamo/cookie monster vocals of the first three albums.  I never got into it.  I'm not against screaming vocals...it just wasn't Voivod any more to me.  The band broke up again. 
 
Voivod, Katorz and Infini (2003-2009)
Jason Newsted joined Voivod as "Jasonic" on bass and original vocalist Snake came back.  I've heard very little of these albums.   Some songs are better than others.   The stuff from the first self titled album sounded pretty awesome.   But Piggy died in 2005.   Katorz was recorded while he was still alive, but released posthumously.  Infini was pieced together from Piggy's final demos.   Most people thought they were done.

Thanks for the summary, jammindude! :tup :metal

What did you think of Target Earth, btw? :)
Beyond the limits of the mortal frame
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Offline jammindude

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Re: The Official Voivod Thread - Snake, Piggy, Blacky, Chewy and Away
« Reply #5 on: June 08, 2014, 01:48:47 PM »
It was very interesting growing up with them.   They changed *so drastically* from album one to album 5...and yet each album seems like a natural progression from the one before it. 
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Than the pride that divides when a colorful rag is unfurled." - Neil Peart

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Offline jammindude

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Re: The Official Voivod Thread - Snake, Piggy, Blacky, Chewy and Away
« Reply #6 on: June 08, 2014, 01:50:02 PM »
Target Earth is *brilliant*.   I'm just ticked at them for not touring for it.   :mehlin

It is the perfect balance between the rawer side of Dimension Hatross, and the trippyness of Nothingface.


EDIT:  You need to put "Jasonic" in the thread title.  :xbones

EDIT 2:  And "E-Force"
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Offline Mister Gold

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Re: The Official Voivod Thread - Snake, Piggy, Blacky, Chewy and Away
« Reply #7 on: June 08, 2014, 01:56:44 PM »
It was very interesting growing up with them.   They changed *so drastically* from album one to album 5...and yet each album seems like a natural progression from the one before it.

I have to agree, especially the transition from Killing Technology to Nothingface.

Target Earth is *brilliant*.   I'm just ticked at them for not touring for it.   :mehlin

It is the perfect balance between the rawer side of Dimension Hatross, and the trippyness of Nothingface.


EDIT:  You need to put "Jasonic" in the thread title.  :xbones

EDIT 2:  And "E-Force"

I haven't had a chance yet to see anything about them touring. I'd love to see them live though! :metal

Completely agreed. I actually like it a little more than Dimension: Hatross myself. I'm really interested in seeing where Chewy will go on future albums. At this point, I'm sure he'll keep the musical spirit of Voivod and Piggy alive in any future albums, but it'll be neat to see if he puts more of his own stamp on the music as time goes on too?

Done and done! :tup
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Offline jammindude

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Personally, Dimension Hatross is Voivod's masterpiece.   I really love Nothingface...but it's a bit more polished, and since I had grown up with the rawness of War and Pain and Killing Technology, it just seemed like the last vestiges of the old sound were completely gone.
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Offline Mister Gold

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Personally, Dimension Hatross is Voivod's masterpiece.   I really love Nothingface...but it's a bit more polished, and since I had grown up with the rawness of War and Pain and Killing Technology, it just seemed like the last vestiges of the old sound were completely gone.

I think it's probably because I started off with Nothingface then. I do like bands having a raw and heavier sound though! :biggrin: It might just take me more listens to Dimension Hatross and the earlier albums to better appreciate them. :tup :metal
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Offline jammindude

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By the way, even though I never could get into Negatron I went back and listened to Phobos after Target Earth came out, and I knew right away I liked it much much better.   E-Force's vocals just took some getting used to.   And I guess it was a continuation of the Voivod character from the first four albums.
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Than the pride that divides when a colorful rag is unfurled." - Neil Peart

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Offline Mister Gold

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By the way, even though I never could get into Negatron I went back and listened to Phobos after Target Earth came out, and I knew right away I liked it much much better.   E-Force's vocals just took some getting used to.   And I guess it was a continuation of the Voivod character from the first four albums.

I haven't listened to Negatron yet, but I've enjoyed listening to Phobos quite a bit. :metal
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Offline a51502112

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I've loved Voivod since Nothingface. Maybe I connect with them because I'm a fellow French Canadian. Denis D'Amour was a genious, and a great guy. I met them at Roxanne's in Hull, Quebec, and Piggy was icing his wrist after the show and signed my Nothingface cassette.

I love how Chewy wrote and played on Target Earth in the style/spirit of Piggy.

I recommend the D-V-O-D-1 DVD. It's got their full performance from the TV program "Solide Rock" and Piggy tracking in the studio.

Also, It sucks that Blacky just left the band again.

Offline jammindude

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The really great amazing fantastic news is that VOIVOD WILL FINALLY TOUR NORTH AMERICA!!!!!!!!!

The disappointing news is that they will be co-headlining with Napalm Death and several other grind-core acts will be opening.    :-\

I was kinda into Napalm Death about 25-30 years ago.  But I'm just really not into that stuff at all any more.  Maybe Voivod did similar stuff in the War and Pain and ROAR days, but their classic material is nothing like anyone else on the bill, and I just don't see this as a great combination.

Anyway...dates if anyone is interested. 

From www.voivod.com

Quote

NAPALM DEATH and VOIVOD have announced their North American tour, “Through Space And Grind”, which will take place in January/February 2015.

Said NAPALM DEATH frontman Mark “Barney” Greenway: “As a celebration of both the unconventional and more straight-out methods of musical attack, I think this tour lineup really hits home.

“To think that 30 years ago I was marveling at the savage eccentricities of ‘War And Pain’ and now I’m sharing stage / living space with Snake, Away and co… surreal, almost.

“From NAPALM’s perspective, we’ll bring the overdrive to the spaciness. It’s all going to rage whichever way you slice it.”

Added VOIVOD drummer Michel “Away” Langevin: “I am psyched to tour North America with NAPALM DEATH, for which I always had a huge respect. We crossed path over the years and finally we’ll get to unite VOIVOD’s spacy thrash metal with NAPALM’s grindcore. A perfect combination!!”

NAPALM DEATH and VOIVOD tour dates with EXHUMED, IRON REAGAN and BLACK CROWN INITIATE:

Jan. 27 – Miami, FL – Grand Central*
Jan. 28 – St Petersburg, FL – State Theater*
Jan. 29 – Atlanta, GA – Masquerade*
Jan. 30 – Winston-Salem, NC – Ziggy’s*
Jan. 31 – Baltimore, MD – Soundstage*
Feb. 02 – New York, NY – Gramercy Theater*
Feb. 03 – Philadelphia, PA – Union Transfer*
Feb. 04 – Toronto, ON – Opera House
Feb. 05 – Ottawa, ON – Maverick’s
Feb. 06 – Montreal, QC – Club Soda
Feb. 07 – Worcester, MA – Palladium*
Feb. 08 – Poughkeepsie, NY – The Chance Theater*
Feb. 09 – Cleveland, OH – Agora Ballroom*
Feb. 10 – Chicago, IL – Reggie’s*
Feb. 11 – Minneapolis, MN – Amsterdam*
Feb. 12 – Winnipeg, MB – The Zoo
Feb. 13 – Regina, SK – The Exchange
Feb. 14 – Calgary, AB – Republik
Feb. 15 – Edmonton, AB – Starlite Room
Feb. 17 – Vancouver, BC – Rickshaw Theater**
Feb. 18 – Seattle, WA – Studio 7 #
Feb. 19 – Portland, OR – Hawthorne Theater
Feb. 20 – Oakland, CA – Metro ##
Feb. 21 – Fresno, CA – Strummers ##
Feb. 22 – Los Angeles, CA – House Of Blues
Feb. 23 – Tempe, AZ – Club Red ##
Feb. 24 – Albuquerque, NM – Sunshine Theater ##
Feb. 25 – Denver, CO – Summit Music Hall ##
Feb. 26 – Lawrence, KS – Granada Theater ##
Feb. 27 – Dallas, TX – Gas Monkey ##
Feb. 28 – Houston, TX – Fitzgerald’s ##

* RINGWORM
** DAYGLO ABORTIONS
# THEORIES
## PHOBIA

"Better the pride that resides in a citizen of the world.
Than the pride that divides when a colorful rag is unfurled." - Neil Peart

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Offline Mister Gold

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HOLY SHIT, THEY'RE PLAYING IN NORTH CAROLINA! :metal I GOTTA GO TO THAT!

Wish me luck!
Beyond the limits of the mortal frame
To the farthest boundary of eternity
Where I, the Cosmic Sea
Watch the little ego floating in me.