Voivod is a Canadian heavy metal band from

Jonquière Jonquière (; ; Canada 2021 Census, 2021 population: 60,250) is a List of boroughs in Quebec, borough (arrondissement) of the city of Saguenay, Quebec, Saguenay in the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region of Quebec, Canada. It is located on the Sag ...

(now part of Saguenay)

Quebec Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...

. The original line-up consisted of vocalist Denis "Snake" Bélanger, guitarist Denis "Piggy" D'Amour, drummer Michel "Away" Langevin and bassist Jean-Yves "Blacky" Thériault. The band has had numerous members changes throughout its -year career, with Langevin as the only consistent member. Their current line-up includes Langevin, Bélanger, Daniel "Chewy" Mongrain (guitar) and Dominic "Rocky" Laroche (bass). Voivod's musical style has changed several times since its inception. Starting out as a

speed metal Speed metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music that originated in the late 1970s from new wave of British heavy metal (NWOBHM) roots.K. Kahn-Harris, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'' (Berg Publishers, 2007), , p. 31. It is desc ...

band, they have added a mix of progressive and

thrash metal Thrash metal (or simply thrash) is an Extreme metal, extreme subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by its overall aggression and fast tempo.Kahn-Harris, Keith, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'', pp. 2–3, 9. Oxford: Berg, ...

to create their own unique metal style, and have been credited as progenitors of the "technical thrash metal" sound along with

Coroner A coroner is a government or judicial official who is empowered to conduct or order an inquest into the manner or cause of death. The official may also investigate or confirm the identity of an unknown person who has been found dead within th ...

Watchtower A watchtower or guardtower (also spelt watch tower, guard tower) is a type of military/paramilitary or policiary tower used for guarding an area. Sometimes fortified, and armed with heavy weaponry, especially historically, the structures are ...

, Dark Angel,

Mekong Delta The Mekong Delta ( or simply ), also known as the Western Region () or South-western region (), is the list of regions of Vietnam, region in southwestern Vietnam where the Mekong, Mekong River River delta, approaches and empties into the sea th ...

Anacrusis In poetic and musical meter, and by analogy in publishing, an anacrusis (from , , literally: 'pushing up', plural ''anacruses'') is a brief introduction. In music, it is also known as a pickup beat, or fractional pick-up, i.e. a note or seque ...

and

Blind Illusion Blind Illusion is an American progressive thrash metal band from Richmond, California. The band’s original line-up formed in 1978 by lead guitarist and songwriter Mark Biedermann. Since Blind Illusion’s inception the band has had several l ...

, among others. To date, Voivod has released sixteen studio albums, as well as one EP, one live album, two compilations, seven demos and one DVD featuring a live concert. They have been grouped with

Sacrifice Sacrifice is an act or offering made to a deity. A sacrifice can serve as propitiation, or a sacrifice can be an offering of praise and thanksgiving. Evidence of ritual animal sacrifice has been seen at least since ancient Hebrews and Gree ...

Razor A razor is a bladed tool primarily used in the removal of body hair through the act of shaving. Kinds of razors include straight razors, safety razors, disposable razors, and electric razors. While the razor has been in existence since be ...

and Annihilator in the "Big Four" of Canadian thrash metal. The band found mainstream success in the late 1980s with their fifth studio album '' Nothingface'' (1989), which is Voivod's only album to enter the ''Billboard'' 200 charts, peaking at number 114. The band won the "Visionary" award at the 2017 Progressive Music Awards. In 2019, Voivod's fourteenth studio album, ''The Wake'', won the

Juno Award The Juno Awards (stylized as JUNOS), or simply known as the Junos, are awards presented by Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences to recognize outstanding achievements in Canada's mu ...

for Metal/Hard Music Album of the Year. Voivod's most recent studio album ''Morgöth Tales'', a collection of re-recorded songs, was released in July 2023.

History

Early career (1982–1990)

Voivod was formed in 1982 in

. Influenced equally by the

new wave of British heavy metal The new wave of British heavy metal (often abbreviated as NWOBHM) was a nationwide musical movement that began in England in the mid-1970s and achieved international attention by the early 1980s. Editor Alan Lewis (music journalist), Alan Lew ...

(NWOBHM), the burgeoning

hardcore punk Hardcore punk (commonly abbreviated to hardcore or hXc) is a punk rock music genre#subtypes, subgenre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots ...

scene and 1970s

progressive rock Progressive rock (shortened as prog rock or simply prog) is a broad genre of rock music that primarily developed in the United Kingdom through the mid- to late 1960s, peaking in the early-to-mid-1970s. Initially termed " progressive pop", the ...

, Voivod forged a distinctive brand of heavy music that often relied on lyrical themes such as Reagan-era

Cold War The Cold War was a period of global Geopolitics, geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 unt ...

politics, post-apocalyptic literature and

science fiction Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...

. '' Killing Technology'' (1987) began the band's evolution in earnest, with the character from Voivod's album covers (drawn by drummer Away and named "Korgull" on 1986's '' Rrröööaaarrr'') significantly being depicted in a spaceship. Drawing more heavily on hardcore punk than metal influences by this point, Voivod began evolving without the aid of increasing speed and storytelling on the following ''Dimension Hatross''. Voivod was one of the first thrash bands from Canada to gain popularity outside of their country's borders, reaching the peak of their global popularity with the 1989 album '' Nothingface'', which featured a cover version of

Pink Floyd Pink Floyd are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic music, psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experiments ...

's "

Astronomy Domine "Astronomy Domine" (alternative "Astronomy Dominé") is a song by the English rock band Pink Floyd. The song, written and composed by the original vocalist/guitarist Syd Barrett, is the opening track on their debut album, ''The Piper at the Ga ...

". Other covers include Pink Floyd's " The Nile Song" on their 1993 album ''The Outer Limits'' and "

21st Century Schizoid Man "21st Century Schizoid Man" is a song by the progressive rock band King Crimson, released in October 1969 as the opening track on their debut album ''In the Court of the Crimson King''. Often regarded as the group's signature song, it was describ ...

" by

King Crimson King Crimson were an English progressive rock band formed in London in 1968 by Robert Fripp, Michael Giles, Greg Lake, Ian McDonald (musician), Ian McDonald and Peter Sinfield. Guitarist Fripp remained the only constant member throughout the ...

on ''Phobos''. Much of the band's sound comes from guitarist Piggy's use of dissonant chords, usually played in the high register of the guitar, combined with Blacky's bass tone and chords as well, used extensively on ''Nothingface''. Albums like ''

Dimension Hatröss ''Dimension Hatröss'' ( ) is the fourth studio album by the Canadian heavy metal band Voivod. It was released in 1988 on Noise Records and is a concept album which narrates the exploits of Voivod’s mascot cyborg Korgull. The cover concept an ...

'' are dominated by unexpected time signatures and both Piggy and Blacky's liberal use of dissonant, unconventional minor chords.

Departures of Blacky and Snake, and Eric Forrest-era (1991–2000)

Two of the four founding members (bassist Jean-Yves Thériault and vocalist

Denis Bélanger Denis "Snake" Bélanger (born August 9, 1964) is a Canadian singer and songwriter. He is the lead singer and lyricist of heavy metal band Voivod. Early life Bélanger was born on August 9, 1964 and grew up in Jonquière, Quebec. Career Bél ...

) left Voivod in the early 1990s. Jean-Yves co-founded The Holy Body Tattoo, an avant-garde modern dance company based in Vancouver BC and also wrote extensively all the music for it, as well as other electronic music projects, while Denis Bélanger isolated himself and eventually started a new project, Union Made. Meanwhile, the band recorded four albums as a trio in the mid-to-late 1990s with new member Eric Forrest, nicknamed "E-Force", handling both vocals and bass guitar. Forrest was seriously injured in a car accident in

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

in 1998, and that incarnation of Voivod never regained the momentum they lost during his rehabilitation. After Eric Forrest left the band, his insurance company attempted to sue the band for the injuries he sustained in the crash, as he was in the care of the band at the time.

Reunion with Snake, arrival of Jasonic, and death of Piggy (2001–2006)

Voivod briefly disbanded in 2001 before Bélanger returned to the band. The next incarnation of Voivod featured three of the four founding members:

(a.k.a. "Snake"; vocals),

Denis D'Amour Denis "Piggy" D'Amour (September 24, 1959 – August 26, 2005) was a Canadian guitarist. He was a member of the Heavy metal music, heavy metal band Voivod (band), Voivod from its inception in 1982 until his death in 2005. D'Amour's approach to ...

("Piggy"; guitars), and

Michel Langevin Michel "Away" Langevin (born May 30, 1963) is a Canadian musician, best known as a founding member and drummer of heavy metal band Voivod. He has been a constant member of the band since its formation in 1982. Langevin is credited with the cr ...

("Away"; drums) along with

Jason Newsted Jason Curtis Newsted (born March 4, 1963) is an American musician, best known as the bassist of heavy metal band Metallica from 1986 to 2001. He performed with thrash metal band Flotsam and Jetsam for the first five years of his career before ...

("Jasonic", formerly of

Metallica Metallica is an American heavy metal band. It was formed in Los Angeles in 1981 by vocalist and guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instrume ...

) on bass guitar. The album '' Voivod'' was released in 2003. Guitarist Denis D'Amour died at the age of 45 on August 26, 2005 due to complications from

colon cancer Colorectal cancer (CRC), also known as bowel cancer, colon cancer, or rectal cancer, is the development of cancer from the colon or rectum (parts of the large intestine). Signs and symptoms may include blood in the stool, a change in bowel ...

. In July 2006 they released ''Katorz'', based around riffs found on the laptop of D'Amour. Just prior to his death, he left instructions for his bandmates on how to use them. In November 2006, the song "X-Stream" was featured on ''

Guitar Hero II ''Guitar Hero II'' is a 2006 rhythm game developed by Harmonix and published by RedOctane for the PlayStation 2 and Activision for the Xbox 360. It is the sequel to ''Guitar Hero (video game), Guitar Hero'' (2005) and the second installment in t ...

''.

''Infini'', return of Blacky, and ''Target Earth'' (2007–2013)

Voivod were planning to work on what was to be their final studio album in late 2007, which contained tracks recorded with D'Amour before his death. Voivod was part of the Heavy MTL show that was held in

Montreal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...

on June 22, 2008. Voivod also performed at the Monsters of Rock Festival in

Calgary Calgary () is a major city in the Canadian province of Alberta. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a metropolitan population of 1,481,806 making it the third-largest city and fifth-largest metropolitan area in C ...

Alberta Alberta is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Canada. It is a part of Western Canada and is one of the three Canadian Prairies, prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to its west, Saskatchewan to its east, t ...

, on July 26, 2008, and supported Judas Priest at the

Bell Centre Bell Centre (French: ''Centre Bell)'', formerly known as Molson Centre, is a multi-purpose arena located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Opened on March 16, 1996, it is the home arena of the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL), ...

in Montreal, on August 12, 2008. Voivod also played a full set at Thrash Domination in Kawasaki, Japan, September 20–21, 2008, along with the bands

Testament A testament is a document that the author has sworn to be true. In law it usually means last will and testament. Testament or The Testament can also refer to: Books * ''Testament'' (comic book), a 2005 comic book * ''Testament'', a thriller no ...

and Forbidden. The band consisted of Bélanger, Langevin, a returning "Blacky" Thériault, and

Dan Mongrain Daniel Mongrain (born July 4, 1976) (also known as Dan Mongrain and Chewy) is a Canadian musician, known as a co-founder of the Quebec technical death metal band Martyr, in which he composes, sings and plays guitar. Mongrain is also currently gu ...

on guitar. In early January 2009, Voivod announced that they were putting the finishing touches on their new album and expected to release it in the spring of that year. The album, now known as '' Infini'', was released on June 23, 2009. By July 2010, Voivod had been writing and recording new music (including Dan Mongrain on guitar). On July 4, 2012, Voivod announced the title of their thirteenth studio album, '' Target Earth'', which was released on January 22, 2013. ''Target Earth'' has a more progressive sound than some of their last few albums, and is a return to a more "classic" Voivod sound that can be heard on ''Dimension Hatross'' and ''Nothingface''. All the music was written by Blacky and Chewy, while Snake focused on lyrics, and Away took care of the artwork.

Second departure of Blacky and arrival of Dominic "Rocky" Laroche (2014–present)

On July 10, 2014, it was reported that Blacky had left Voivod again. It was announced that he was forced out of the band. In late January 2015 the band released the new single "We Are Connected" which is the lead track from the 7-inch split vinyl disc with the band

At the Gates At the Gates is a Swedish melodic death metal band from Gothenburg, formed in 1990. The band was a major progenitor of Gothenburg-style melodic death metal alongside In Flames and Dark Tranquillity. Prior to their first disbandment in 1996, At ...

. It is the first music to feature new bassist Dominic "Rocky" Laroche. They also released a new, five-track EP, entitled ''

Post Society ''Post Society'' is an EP by Canadian heavy metal band Voivod released on February 26, 2016. It is the band's seventeenth release overall and the first studio release with Dominique Laroche on bass, replacing Jean-Yves Thériault. Reception T ...

'', featuring two new tracks and a cover of

Hawkwind Hawkwind are an English rock band known as one of the earliest space rock groups. Since their formation in November 1969, Hawkwind have gone through many incarnations and have incorporated many different styles into their music, including hard ...

's "

Silver Machine "Silver Machine" is a 1972 song by the UK rock group Hawkwind. It was originally released as a single on 9 June 1972, reaching number three on the UK singles chart. The single was re-issued in 1976, again in 1978 reaching number 34 on the UK ...

", on February 26, 2016. As early as February 2015, Voivod began work on their fourteenth studio album, which was to be released in 2016 but later pushed back to 2017. The band was expected to begin recording the album in August 2017. In June 2017, Langevin told Rock Sverige that the songwriting was almost completed with an estimated release for early 2018. He also said that the album would probably be a double-album on vinyl due to the songs being "really long and progressive", describing them as "seven or eight minutes long songs" and with it being a concept album as well. In November 2017, the members of Voivod began recording their next studio album, titled '' The Wake'', which was released in September 2018. In 2019, it was revealed that the master tapes for Voivod's MCA-era albums were destroyed in the

2008 Universal Studios fire On June 1, 2008, a fire broke out on the backlot of Universal Studios Hollywood, an American film studio and theme park in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles County, California. The fire began when a worker used a blowtorch to warm asph ...

. Voivod's fifteenth studio album, '' Synchro Anarchy'', was released on February 11, 2022. The band released ''Morgöth Tales'', a collection of re-recorded songs, on July 21, 2023. The band also is currently writing new music for their next record.

Musical style, influences, and legacy

Voivod's style has been classified as

progressive metal Progressive metal (often shortened to prog metal) is a broad fusion music genre melding heavy metal music, heavy metal and progressive rock, combining the loud "aggression" and amplified electric guitar, guitar-driven sound of the former with t ...

, technical thrash metal, and

avant-garde metal Avant-garde metal (also known as avant-metal, experimental metal, art metal and experimetal) is a subgenre of heavy metal music loosely defined by use of experimentation and innovative, avant-garde music, avant-garde elements, including non-stan ...

. Their earlier albums have been labeled

, while ''

Angel Rat ''Angel Rat'' is the sixth studio album by Canadian heavy metal band Voivod. Produced by Terry Brown of Rush fame, it was released in 1991 by Mechanic/MCA Records and is the follow-up to their critically acclaimed 1989 release '' Nothingfac ...

'' has been labelled

alternative metal Alternative metal (also known as alt-metal) is a genre of heavy metal music that combines heavy metal with influences from alternative rock and other genres not normally associated with metal. Alternative metal bands are often characterized by ...

. Their influences include

Béla Bartók Béla Viktor János Bartók (; ; 25 March 1881 – 26 September 1945) was a Hungarian composer, pianist and ethnomusicologist. He is considered one of the most important composers of the 20th century; he and Franz Liszt are regarded as Hunga ...

Igor Stravinsky Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky ( – 6 April 1971) was a Russian composer and conductor with French citizenship (from 1934) and American citizenship (from 1945). He is widely considered one of the most important and influential 20th-century c ...

, Dimitri Shostakovich,

Yes Yes or YES may refer to: * An affirmative particle in the English language; see yes and no Education * YES Prep Public Schools, Houston, Texas, US * Young Eisner Scholars, in Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, and Appalachia, US * Young Ep ...

Einstürzende Neubauten (, 'Collapsing New Buildings') is a German experimental music group, formed in West Berlin in 1980. The band currently comprises founding members Blixa Bargeld (lead vocals, guitar, keyboard) and N.U. Unruh (custom-made instruments, percussion, ...

, GBH,

Genesis Genesis may refer to: Religion * Book of Genesis, the first book of the biblical scriptures of both Judaism and Christianity, describing the creation of the Earth and of humankind * Genesis creation narrative, the first several chapters of the Bo ...

Judas Priest Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band formed in Birmingham in 1969. They have sold over 50 million albums and are frequently ranked as one of the greatest metal bands of all time. Judas Priest have also been referred to as one of the p ...

Iron Maiden Iron Maiden are an English Heavy metal music, heavy metal band formed in Leyton, East London, in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris (musician), Steve Harris. Although fluid in the early years of the band, the line-up for most ...

Killing Joke Killing Joke were an English rock music, rock band formed in Notting Hill, London, in 1979 by Jaz Coleman (vocals, keyboards), Paul Ferguson (drums), Geordie Walker (guitar) and Youth (musician), Youth (bass). Their first album, ''Killing Joke ...

Motörhead Motörhead () were an English rock music, rock band formed in London in 1975 by bassist and lead vocalist Lemmy Kilmister, guitarist Larry Wallis and drummer Lucas Fox. Kilmister was the primary songwriter and only constant member. The band a ...

, Sodom,

Nektar Nektar (German for ''nectar'') is an English progressive rock band formed in Hamburg, West Germany in 1969, by guitarist and lead vocalist Roye Albrighton, keyboardist Allan "Taff" Freeman, bassist Derek "Mo" Moore, and drummer Ron Howden. H ...

Ramones The Ramones were an American punk rock band formed in the New York City neighborhood Forest Hills, Queens in 1974. Known for helping establish the punk movement in the United States and elsewhere, the Ramones are often recognized as one of th ...

, Rush,

Van der Graaf Generator Van der Graaf Generator are an English progressive rock band, formed in 1967 in Manchester by singer-songwriters Peter Hammill and Judge Smith, Chris Judge Smith. They were the first act signed by Charisma Records. They did not experience much ...

Venom Venom or zootoxin is a type of toxin produced by an animal that is actively delivered through a wound by means of a bite, sting, or similar action. The toxin is delivered through a specially evolved ''venom apparatus'', such as fangs or a sti ...

, and

UFO An unidentified flying object (UFO) is an object or phenomenon seen in the sky but not yet identified or explained. The term was coined when United States Air Force (USAF) investigations into flying saucers found too broad a range of shapes ...

. The band has been praised for their unique approach, or cited as an influence, by other bands and artists such as

Pantera Pantera () is an American Heavy metal music, heavy metal band formed in Arlington, Texas in 1981 by the Abbott brothers (guitarist Dimebag Darrell and drummer Vinnie Paul), and currently composed of vocalist Phil Anselmo, bassist Rex Brown, an ...

Meshuggah Meshuggah () is a Swedish extreme metal band formed in Umeå in 1987. Since 2004, the band's lineup consists of founding members Jens Kidman (lead vocals) and Fredrik Thordendal (lead guitar), alongside rhythm guitarist Mårten Hagström, drumm ...

Fear Factory Fear Factory is an American industrial metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1989. Throughout the band's career, they have released ten full-length albums and have evolved through a succession of sounds, all in their main style of industrial met ...

the Fierce and the Dead The Fierce and the Dead (often abbreviated as TFATD) are a rock band formed in London in 2010. Initially known for instrumental post rock, stoner rock and progressive rock compositions, they began incorporating vocals with their 2023 album, ''New ...

(Voivod's bassist for their 2000s albums), and

Dave Grohl David Eric Grohl (; born January 14, 1969) is an American musician. He founded the rock band Foo Fighters, of which he is the lead singer, guitarist, principal songwriter, and only consistent member. From 1990 to 1994, he was the drummer of th ...

. Eduardo Rivadavia of ''

Loudwire ''Loudwire'' is an American online media magazine that covers news of hard rock and heavy metal artists. It is owned by media and entertainment business Townsquare Media. Since its launch in August 2011, ''Loudwire'' has secured exclusive i ...

'' called the band "the preeminent space metal band of our times."

Members

Current * Michel "Away" Langevin – drums (1982–present) * Denis "Snake" Bélanger – vocals (1982–1994, 2001–present) * Daniel "Chewy" Mongrain – guitars (2008–present) *Dominic "Rocky" Laroche – bass (2014–present) Guest musicians *Pierre St-Jean – bass (1992–1993, on ''The Outer Limits'') *Martin Bolduc – bass (1993–1994) *Gilles Brisebois – bass (1994) *Vincent Peake – bass (2002) Former * Denis "Piggy" D'Amour – guitars (1982–2005; his death) * Jean-Yves "Blacky" Thériault – bass (1982–1991, 2008–2014) * Eric "E-Force" Forrest – vocals, bass (1994–2001) * Jason "Jasonic" Newsted – bass (2001–2008) Timeline

Discography

* '' War and Pain'' (1984) * '' Rrröööaaarrr'' (1986) * '' Killing Technology'' (1987) * ''

'' (1988) * '' Nothingface'' (1989) * ''

'' (1991) * ''

The Outer Limits ''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The ...

'' (1993) * '' Negatron'' (1995) * '' Phobos'' (1997) * '' Voivod'' (2003) * '' Katorz'' (2006) * '' Infini'' (2009) * '' Target Earth'' (2013) * '' The Wake'' (2018) * '' Synchro Anarchy'' (2022) * '' Morgöth Tales'' (2023)

References

External links

* * {{Authority control Canadian heavy metal musical groups Canadian speed metal musical groups Canadian progressive metal musical groups Canadian thrash metal musical groups Canadian alternative metal musical groups Canadian musical quartets Metal Blade Records artists Musical groups established in 1982 English-language musical groups from Quebec Nuclear Blast artists Articles which contain graphical timelines Bands with fictional stage personas Saguenay, Quebec 1982 establishments in Quebec Juno Award for Heavy Metal Album of the Year winners Sonic Unyon artists