VoiVod
VoiVod

July 2003
Released: 2003, Chophouse Records
Rating: 4.5/5
Reviewer: EvilG

My favorite VoiVod album has always been NOTHINGFACE. So when I read about this album having some similarities to that album, I was excited…almost as excited as I was about original vocalist Snake (Denis Belanger) coming back to the fold!



Let me first comment on the line-up additions and re-additions. Bassist/Vocalist Eric Forrest joined the mighty VoiVod following the recording of the OUTER LIMITS album. He then appeared on NEGATRON (my favorite album with Eric), PHOBOS, KRONIK, and VOIVOD LIVES. He brought a heavier more aggressive edge to the band. It wasn’t exactly the same though, and by KRONIK I had pretty much lost interest and was only buying the albums because of who VoiVod WERE. So when I heard Snake was returning to the band I was hyped for a return to the VoiVod I loved. With Eric gone and Snake back on vocals, the bass position also needed to be filled. Enter high profile bassist Jason Newsted (ex (Metal)lica). I am VERY glad he didn’t change the VoiVod sound to anything remotely resembling anything from his former band!! I was a bit worried that might happen, but thankfully it did not. Having him in the band has gotten them into the spotlight no doubt, so good for them, they totally deserve every bit of recognition and respect they can get.



The album opens with one of the best tracks, “Gasmask Revival”. This pretty much sounds like NOTHINGFACE inspired material with very catchy riffing. However, it’s followed up by “Facing Up” which has verse riffing that sounds too garage rock groovy for VoiVod with it’s big bends on the riff. Around the 2min mark it makes it way back to familiar VoiVod material so don’t let the intro make you hit the skip button if you are one of those who don’t want to hear VoiVod playing this style. “Blame Us” starts out with a cool riff and it’s here I really noticed the great guitar sound that Piggy (Denis D’Amour) has for this album. “Rebel Robot” is a bit more aggressive than it’s predecessors on the album. Snake again sounds great on this one adding a touch to the song and melody that only his unique voice can bring to VoiVod. Again, this one is not unlike something that could of fit on NOTHINGFACE. A nice delay effect on the guitar introduces “The Multiverse”. The drumming of Away (Michael Langvin) stands out in this one all over. His drumming made me again realize just how great he is. After an oddly clean guitar intro “I Don’t Wanna Wake Up” comes in with those insane dissonant chords that are Piggy’s signature. That’s one thing I’ve always loved about his riffing that has been with the band all along. The rest of the song is a little safe sounding and I sort of hoped it would get weirder, heavier, and more experimental. Album closer “We Carry On” is a great song, except for the annoying repetition of “we carry on” over and over at the end of the song! The band selected this one to make a video for which I’ve only managed to catch once.



As for criticisms of this self tiled album…for starters, I wish they’d of given the album a title like “The Multiverse” for example!! There is nothing on here quite as cool as “The Unknown Knows”, “X-Ray Mirror”, or “Pre-Ignition” from NOTHINGFACE. From another of my fav VoiVod album we again get nothing on here like “Tribal Convictions” “Psychic Vacuum” from the killer DIMENSION HATROSS. I would of liked more insane guitar solos from Piggy! Where are they?!?! I also would of liked a couple more VoiVod thrashers, “Rebel Robot” and “Reactor” come close, but I know they have it in them to do something more thrashy.



I shouldn’t complain too much, this is the best album from them in a long time and after all Snake is back in the band!! So with my minor complaints aside, this is still a fine comeback for VoiVod. VoiVod are back and have reclaimed their rightful spot as Quebec’s best metal band, and one of Canada’s finest.