Voivod: Kluskap O' Kom – new video

And, as snow graces Jerusalem, another fine VOIVOD video graces this blog. ‘Kluskap O' Kom’ was created by filmmaker and graphic designer Syl Disjonk and follows ‘Target Earth’ video, created by an Italian filmmaker and multimedia artist Nicola Piovesan. Both tunes come off VOIVOD's latest album ‘Target Earth’, issued in January 2013 on Century Media Records, which brought back the original bass player Blacky (Jean Yves Thériault) and is their first album to feature guitarist Chewy (Dan Mongrain) who stepped in to fill late Denis D’Amour's (Piggy) shoes (and who “cut his teeth playing guitar to the late Denis D’Amour's riffs and has matched his style to a tee”). The album was recorded at producer Pierre Rémillard's Wild Studios in Quebec, and mixed by Sanford Parker at Hypercube Recording Studio. ‘Target Earth’, available as a CD, gatefold double vinyl and as a limited edition deluxe box set here (CM Distro Europe) and here (CM Distro USA), and do not forget the iTunes and Amazon options, has been just placed 15th among Rolling Stone's 20 Best Metal Albums of 2013. The album's art was once again created by drummer Away (Michel Langevin) and is said to features color schemes from each one of the band's' previous albums:

“Writing and recording a new album that would live up to VOIVOD's reputation for innovation would seem to be a daunting task; but if it was, you’d never know it from hearing ‘Target Earth’. This is extreme, gnarly, experimental VOIVOD at their level best; the music is difficult, dramatic, and intense. … Older fans can breathe a sigh of relief: ‘Target Earth’ is not only better than we had any right to expect, it’s relentlessly creative, inspired, and manic,” [wrote Thom Jurek, AllMusic – more here:]

VOIVOD's career started 30 years ago in Jonquière, Quebec, Canada:

“From their beginning in the early '80s, their main goal was to be different from anyone else, and thus they incorporated odd musical tempos and futuristic story lines into their songs, often dealing with technology taking over the world. With their unique style of performing and writing, VOIVOD opened the way for other Canadian thrash and metal bands,” [immortalized the band John Book, AllMusic – more here]

Starting out as a thrash metal band, VOIVOD released (“as subtle as being hit by a sledgehammer”, courtesy Greg Prato, AllMusic – more here) ‘War And Pain’ album in 1984 and ‘Rrröööaaarrr’ in 1986. VOIVOD had taken their first progressive rock steps on their 1987's ‘Killing Technology’ and 1988's ‘Dimension Hatröss’, only to perfect their style on their major-label debut, 1989's album ‘Nothingface’, rated near perfect by AllMusic and “highly recommended to just about any aficionado of twisted, original heavy metal or prog rock,” by its reviewer Greg Prato (more here). ‘Nothingface’ was also VOIVOD's first album to enter the Billboard Top 200 charts, peaking at number 114. Produced by Terry Brown of RUSH fame, ‘Angel Rat’, issued in 1991, was the last album recorded with bassist Jean-Yves Thériault (Blacky) until his recent return. Before bassist and vocalist Eric Forrest entered the fold, VOIVOD recorded their seventh album, 1993's ‘The Outer Limits’. With Forrest, the band recorded 1995's ‘Negatron’, 1997's ‘Phobos’ and a compilation album called ‘Kronik’ in 1998. Ex-METALLICA bassist Jason Newsted did his part on VOIVOD's self-titled 2003's album which saw the return of vocalist Denis Bélanger (Snake) and which was the last album the band completed before guitarist Denis D’Amour's (Piggy) death in 2005. He died of colon cancer during the recording of VOIVOD's 2006's album ‘Katorz’, age 45:

“VOIVOD has always been among the most intelligent bands in any genre of music; they have evolved into an entity that gives up nothing when it comes to pure rock mania, yet offer something more as well: thoughtful songs that provocatively and critically examine the world we live in,” [complimented Thom Jurek, AllMusic – more here]

In 2009, VOIVOD released their last album recorded with Jason Newsted. ‘Infini’ included guitar contributions recorded by Denis D’Amour prior to his 2005 passing:

“Back in the '80s when most metal guitarists were busy shredding away and/or trying to “out thrash” the next guy, Piggy's jazz-oid guitar playing was a breath of fresh air amongst all the standard shredding/noodling going on at the time. And it was an instantly recognizable, signature style he pursued until the very end,” [commented Greg Prato, AllMusic – more here]

VOIVOD features: Denis Bélanger (Snake) – vocals, Daniel Mongrain (Chewy) – guitar, Jean-Yves Thériault (Blacky) – bass and Michel Langevin (Away) – drums