Just as I sit down to write this review a message pops up on Facebook informing that it is Voivod’s 30th birthday today! Exactly how accurate this is I am uncertain of but it gives me the perfect introduction for this. On their very first demo ‘Anachronism’ in 1983 the Quebec based band comprised of Snake, Piggy, Blacky and Away. I wonder if those early, mainly cover songs have ever been released? I have certainly not heard them but the band really made an impression on me on first hearing their 87-88 albums ‘Killing Technology’ and ‘Dimension Hatross’. They were partly responsible for throwing a person far more into punk and gothic music into a whole new world, one of undeniable rage and alien sonics, one of sci-fi grooves and futuristic dystopian melodies. Yep they had my imagination and everything that went with it, hell they came close to taking my very soul.
Following through the years I vaguely remember gigs at the old Marquee and other places and I had no real problem with ‘Angel Rat’ at all. As for ‘The Outer Limits’ I loved that and ‘Negatron’. The line-up changes never really fazed me either, partly due to the fact that I loved Eric Forrest’s delivery and fondly remember seeing the band in the pouring rain at Dynamo Open Air 1996 and being blown away by them.
I kept my eye on Voivod through the following years quite enjoying ‘Phobos’ but the spark had waned a bit and then came the split and I thought that was it. When they got back with Jasonic on board I have to admit the next two albums were ones that I really disliked, I have come to enjoy them a bit more now but still I can’t really gel with them. Of course the tragic and untimely death of Piggy was horrible and I was glad that the last album with his contributions ‘Infini’ was one that I found a lot more of that spark of old behind.
So bang up to date, new member Chewy on guitar, Blacky back on bass and a brilliant recent show illustrating that the new material was not to be dismissed, what’s the verdict?
Well on the whole it’s bloody good! The artwork for a start is blinding and gets the sci-fi geek in me all stirred up and as the title track rumbles in with some heavy rumbling bass, those vocals sounding best they have in ages and the guitars spiraling away I am slamming fists and banging my head like a teenager. ‘Target Earth’ has hit and the title track is excellent with a killer chorus to boot, it contains everything a fan could really want. The main thing being that despite the new member this sounds so quintessentially Voivod it beggars belief. Some of the songs have sort of tribal starts to them be it ethnic instruments or the chants on the start of oddly titled ‘Kluskap O’Korn’. The band still have these convictions (sorry). I think that particular song may have been played live when I saw them After the strange chants it has a thrashy backbone about it and a neck snapping demeanour about its beefy backed up chorus. Of course that psychedelic guitar intensity is all over it as it twists and turns. The single ‘Mechanical Mind’ should have been heard by most Voivodians now, it was flying off the shelf like hot potatoes at the show. It has a real leaden groove about it and harmonic vocal croons, with what sounds like a bit of effect making them slightly alien again. There is quite a lot to get your head around here, the song has lots of parts to it and defies any linear verse, chorus, verse sort of set up. Voivod have always been about making their own rules though and it is a case of going with the flow and see what part of the cosmos this is going to take you to.
‘Warchaic’ is a bit more of a gentle number, it rolls around with some beseeching vocals before rising into more angry parts. The melody is impetuous and either meanders away or at the louder parts more heavily driven. A sudden wild solo high in the mix catches you a bit off guard and is a quick burst, again lots going on here. Spiky and sharp ‘Resistance’ has a bit of a thrash, crust, post punk feel to it. Some of the riffs are a bit Killing Joke and this is one that snaps the listener back into life being more focused and direct. It even contains the Voivod equivalent of a beat-down and gets all strange towards the end. I reckon ‘Kaleidos’ would have been a good choice for a single too, it’s a catchy beast of a number and gives you a rigorous muscle flexing workout as it rattles away but on the whole it’s a tricky choice picking a standout track. The first two do start the album off in real style though.
‘Corps Etranger’ is ace, shorter and punchier with it, starting with a bit of a Floydian vibe before hammering it away like The Young Gods at their fastest, although having said that I think it has a lot to do with the fact it is sung in French. Lots of bass and thunderous rumbling brings us racing toward the end on ‘Artefact’ another rousing number and quite honestly this would have been the perfect point to leave ‘Target Earth’ on as the tenth track ‘Defiance’ at just over a minute and a half seems pointless. It just gets going and finishes and leaves me with a feeling like watching an arty French film that has kept me intrigued all the way through and tosses out a meaningless and ambiguous ending. Perhaps they intend to continue it opening the next album?
Still that is just one criticism of an album that clearly shows Voivod are back in the driving seat and have plenty to celebrate whether it is indeed their 30th birthday or not!
(8/10 Pete Woods)
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