#VOIVOD band

[savage-kult-of-gorthaur]

TEUTONIC MEETS CANADIAN THRASH IN AN UNHOLY ALLIANCE ACROSS EUROPE IN '87.

PIC(S) INFO: Spotlight on a vintage sleeveless band tee design for thrash metal bands KREATOR × VOIVOD European "Blind Faith Tour" '87. Tee photos courtesy of @g2desu, a dead serious tee collector out of Osaka, Japan, uploaded to Instagram in May 2024.

Source: www.picuki.com/media/3355526710325644209.

[slavghoul]

As you may remember, a few weeks ago I made a post about the upcoming Voivod documentary "We Are Connected" which features interviews with various musicians who are fans of Voivod, including Tobias. Above you can see a short snippet.

Here's some news from Felipe, the director of the documentary: so far, the film has been officially submitted to five Canadian film festivals and one in Europe. The world premiere will take place at Fantasia International Film Festival in Canada this summer, though exact date is not known as of now. Digital / DVD release will follow after the festivals. Currently the film is still in post-production, but the work is moving fast. Stay tuned!

[starfuckerzzz]

shoutout to old metal band posters, gotta be one of my favorite genders

[gorehoundhammett]

Jason Newsted, your midwestern accent has bewitched me.

[heavymetal-maniac]

[thatrickmcginnis]

VOIVOD Montreal 1989

Sometimes I forget how ambitious I was when I was young. I had sold a portrait or two from the film festival to the Village Voice in the fall of 1989 when Edna Suarez, their photo editor, called me from New York to ask how hard it would be for me to get to Montreal to shoot a band. I didn't tell her that it was no small trip given Canadian distances, but I wanted the job really badly, so I mumbled something about taking the train and got the assignment to photograph Voivod, a heavy metal band from Quebec who had just shifted from noisy thrash to a complex prog metal that would give birth to a whole subgenre. I got the phone number for the band's manager and arranged a day for the shoot, then got on the phone with VIA Rail. (Canada's Amtrak. Keep in mind this was the pre-internet world, and my only other option would have been going to a travel agent or down to Union Station to book a ticket, which I'd have to do anyway to pay for my fare once it was reserved.) I was on an overnight train from Toronto to Montreal - over eight hours in a coach seat, but thankfully they didn't charge for baggage, and I would be bringing most of my studio with me - two cameras, light stands and the ProFoto ProAcute 6 strobe kit I'd just bought with money I'd inherited after my mother had died.

Voivod are, in my opinion, one of a half dozen really original bands that have come out of Canada. (Also on that list: Simply Saucer, NoMeansNo, Death From Above 1979.) I'd liked them since early, abrasive records like Rrröööaaarrr, and wasn't the only one intrigued by their new, prog-ier direction, as they'd caught the attention of the music critics at the Village Voice enough to warrant a feature in their end-of-year Pazz & Jop poll, for which I was providing the photos. I arrived in Montreal early on a Saturday morning to find that the city had just been blanketed by a snowstorm. I hauled all my camera gear upstairs from the Gare Centrale to the dining room of the Queen Elizabeth hotel for breakfast, to wait for Voivod's manager. He showed up just as I was finishing, and helped me carry my gear to his car, and we set out for the band's rehearsal space in a big complex out in a Montreal industrial suburb. Everyone seemed baffled but flattered that a New York magazine would send a photographer all the way from Toronto for a photo shoot, but I scoped out the room - your standard stark cube in an old warehouse building, with windows high on one wall and egg cartons covering the other walls to provide cheap acoustic insulation.

I worked hard to deliver a lot of options from my photo shoot with Voivod in their Montreal rehearsal space. Thankfully I had the luxury of time and subject who were, most of the time, engaged with the task at hand. I also lit the hell out of it, using all three of the heads in my strobe kit to provide everything from flattering soft light, moody "horror movie" light from below, and hard light shooting almost directly into my Nikon F3 to make the lens flare. I had the band pose in the usual, full-length band shots, looming above me as I kneeled on the floor, and huddled together screaming their lungs out. But my most successful set-up was composed with my new Rolleiflex - the band lit from above against a backdrop of egg crates, looking up into the light as if they're about to be raptured, or abducted by friendly aliens. That was the one I was certain that Edna at the Village Voice would like the most, and I was right. (I'd prove it to you if I could find the tearsheets which, I fear, may be long lost.) I definitely lost money on the gig after paying for cabs to and from the train station, my ticket, and breakfast at the Queen Elizabeth. But I seemed to pass the test and continued to get work from Edna for several years, first at the Voice and then at the New York Times when she moved there. Voivod are still together, and released Morgöth Tales, their 16th record, last year. Sadly guitarist Denis "Piggy" D'Amour died of colon cancer in 2005.

[big-low-t]

Voivod - Experiment

[marx-soul]

new year brought a beautiful gift this year (a cover by Voivod of Pourquoi le monde est sans amour, originally by Mireille Mathieu)

[ancient-qveen]

Bård Eithun in the late '90s

bonus Bård webzine interview (May 2002) below

I believe Bård was on a prison leave in those pictures but I can't remember exactly. And I found the interview here (originally in portuguese) he did while in prison less than a year from his release date.

Talking about Bård Eithun, the famous ex-drummer of Emperor, Faust, is talking directly about Norwegian black metal. Here he tells us a brief history about everything that happened in those frozen lands.

First of all, I would like to say that I am sure you do not know how important and influential you were and still are for what we today worldwide call Black Metal. Well, tell us how you started listening to and playing Black Metal…

My involvement with Black Metal is the result of a long process. I have always looked for extremism in music and in the late 80s it was in bands like Voivod, Celtic Frost, Sanctuary, Warfare, Napalm Death, Venom, Bathory, Hobbs Angel of Death etc. Some of them were considered Black Metal, others were not, but the essence is that extremism has always been part of my musical interest, no matter what.

Black Metal has grown a lot over the years, everything has changed drastically. Nowadays the style has many types of media available and many new fans. What is your opinion about the current Black Metal. Is there a comparison between the old and the new Black Metal?

Black Metal, especially Norwegian Black Metal is worn out and extremely clichéd, a terminology I never use. I saw the trend coming, and hopefully I can see it going too. But that doesn't worry me, I don't care. I'm not part of this new movement anyway.

Emperor has just finished its activities. What is your opinion about this Emperor at the end of its career? They have changed their style drastically and almost everyone thinks that their best phase was when you were part of the line-up. What do you think of Trym Torson (now ex-Emperor, ex-Enslaved and currently Zyklon) as a drummer?

This latest album was very well done by them. It encompasses a bit of every era of Emperor. I appreciate that people like the Emperor phase that I was part of, but the band has always been in progression, and it would be senseless for them not to progress. Trym is a great drummer and I remember being happy to hear that he was going to get my job.

A lot of people have said a thousand things about your personality type, so I would like you to talk about yourself. Are you the same person who was arrested in 93, or have you changed your personality?

The events happened 9-10 years ago and obviously I have changed during all those years in prison. I'm still fascinated by the dark and the obscure, but more as a balance to a nonconformist and continuous life than anything else.

Where is your current residence? You still live in Oslo prison in your Krestfengsel residence. Do you have any routine in your life?

Hehe, that Oslo prison is my address from 1993. I've been to a lot of prisons since then. Now I'm living in a kind of apartment with facilities in Oslo, which is supposedly the last step for someone who is about to be released. Yes, my routines are always present although now I am more free and open to choose what to do during the day than in previous years.

How is the progress of your process? Do you already know when you will be released from prison?

I will be released on December 28, 2002, in about 7 months.

Well I know this is a bit of a boring question to answer and not very creative at all, but actually Norway is really far from here and everyone would definitely like to know the truth about the costumes that happened to you (pretty much all of South America , I learned about these events through magazines and newspapers). Is it true that some guys cheated on you by talking a lot of shit back then? Could you explain it to us better? I heard it took the authorities more than a year to catch him. This is hilarious…

Well, the story is long and complicated. I was caught more than a year late, but because of many events. I've been asked about this story many times. You better check some website with the full story, please.

About the Norwegians after many stories we have heard. Who were the main leaders of the famous "Inner Circle", because many people claim that many fights and disputes happened internally. What were your main goals?

The Inner Circle was a vague term we came up with to label the people who frequented Euronymous's Helvete store. They were the people who were capable of committing criminal activities. It wasn't really organized at all.

You could, if you want of course, say what your opinions are about these people: Euronymous (RIP), Dead (RIP), Varg Vikernes, Satyr, Fenriz, Jorn, Ihsahn, Samoth, Tchort, Snorre, Mortiis and Hellhammer.

These are the people I know/knew. Samoth, Ihsahn and Mortiis are my former bandmates. Euronymous and Dead are my dead friends. Hellhammer is an old friend. Jorn? Which? I know several, like Jorn-Inge from Hades Almighty and Jorn from Ulver, but I think you're referring to Jorn from Mayhem?! Also an old friend. Fenriz and Satyr, other people I met years ago. Snorre and Varg committed shit, something they can never change.

Let's stop talking about the past. What are your plans for the future? I heard that you will be participating in the latest album by the Italian band Aborym, is that true?

I wrote 3 lyrics for Aborym, which will be on their third album. I joined a cult classic metal band, but that will be official only in the summer. I should start playing with Samoth again soon, in some project band. Besides that, I write lyrics for Zyklon. I just wrote some lyrics for their second album. I have also written lyrics for Sigh, Wurdulack and the aforementioned Aborym. I have also appeared as a guest on albums by Cadaver Inc, Ulver and Sirius.

You heard that some bands are planning to make a tribute album called "Tribute to Faust". What do you think about that?

No, absolutely nothing.

Have you recorded anything in prison, because Varg Vikernes has recored three albums while in prison.

No, I didn't record anything. Not because I didn't have the musical ability to form a one-man band.

Out of curiosity, do you know any Brazilian bands?

Many, like the classics Sarcófago, Holocausto, Vulcano, Sepultura and probably more.

Finally, tell us your playlist.

Difficult, because I prefer to talk about my favorite songs than my favorite albums, but good albums are:

"Darkness" - Poison Idea

"The Sham Mirrors" - Arcturus

"Man & Machine" - UDO

"Destroy the Opposition" - Dying Fetus

"Amongst the Catacombs of Nephren-Ra" - Nile

"Fire Walk With Us!" - Aborym

"Oceanmachine" - Devin Townsend and probably a few more.

Stay tuned for Bard Eithun's official website.

[savage-kult-of-gorthaur]

REPURPOSING EARLY '80s MOTÖRMUSIC DESIGNS FOR CANADIAN METAL ENDS.

PIC INFO: Resolution at 856x1291 -- Spotlight on a repurposed MOTÖRHEAD T-shirt design from the band's 1982 "Iron Fist" UK Tour, repurposed with the Snaggletooth-battle ax warrior rocking a VOIVOID band logo and/or T-shirt.

Source: https://tshirtslayer.com/tshirt-or-longsleeve/motorhead-voivod.

[slavghoul]

"VOÏVOD: We Are Connected"

Tobias will be featured in an upcoming Voivod documentary scheduled for release this year, where he was interviewed alongside fellow musician and close friend Mikael Åkerfeldt (Opeth). Their interview was filmed in Stockholm recently.

TF is an avid Voivod fan and has cited them as a major inspiration on numerous occasions, particularly in relation to his pre-Ghost band, Subvision. As his MySpace bio stated: "With the intention of making something different than the death metal that I had become synonymous with, I wanted to create music with a slightly more melodic/pop edge. The wish was to make something along the lines of Voivod’s Angel Rat." A song off that album ("The Prow") was also included in a playlist he crafted for Apple Music in 2021 featuring some of his most formative influences.

The documentary is currently in post-production and you can help funding its completion by making a pledge on Kickstarter:

The goal is to fund the completion of a theatrical cut in time to screen at festivals and events this summer, and a physical release later on.

The project is a labor of love of numerous Voivod enthusiasts, Tobias included, so consider pledging even a small amount in your support and spread the news around, if you can.

For more information: IMDB, Facebook

Thank you to Felipe Belalcazar for the info.

[jgthirlwell]

I just received my copy of the Cardiacs book, "A Big Book and a Band and the Whole World Window". The book is 300 pages of photos of the band and their history as well as pieces of writing by myself and many others, including Shane Embury (Napalm Death), Chewy (Voivod), Alexander Tucker, Weasel Walter, Kavus Torabi and many more. It was lovingly assembled by Aaron Tanner, who also authored two Residents books, and it is being published by Melodic Virtue. The book will be released on Jan 3 2025. A must for all Pondies!

[mutipede]

I think Voivod's got my favorite band logo

Them and Vektor (similar sound too!) - I don't necessarily wanna make prog thrash BUT if/when I do begin creating music in earnest I am totally going for the "pointy machinery / stuff Jhonen would put in the JTHM panel borders n'shit" logo aesthetics

[heavymetal-maniac]

[aaronmeterchanges]

Beyond stoked to announce that my metal band AutoReplicant's new album "Drone Down" will release on April 4th! We've been working on this material for almost 5 years and I'm so excited to share it with the world! Mathy, grindy thrash metal for fans of Voivod, DRI, Jarzombek, etc. The awesome cover art comes to us from Skaðvaldur! Check out the first single "Voids" and pre-order on CD or digital download.

[metalsongoftheday]

Monday, August 5: Voivod, "Psychic Vacuum"

R.I.P. Denis "Piggy" D'Amour (1959-2005)

Although Dimension Hatröss found Voivod leveling up in almost every respect, the level of discipline they showed on their fourth record also felt like a bit of a retreat from the craziness of their earlier material.  For that matter, “Psychic Vacuum” actually bordered on rock and roll, particularly in Away’s more straightforward drumming and Blacky’s less cantankerous blower bass, while Snake’s sneering was mostly decipherable.  It was mostly Piggy’s proggy thrash riffing that connected the track to Voivod’s origins, ensuring that even if the collective was playing a bit slower and with more structure, there was still something completely distinct going on that prevented anyone from mistaking this for something conventional.  And indeed, slowing down a touch actually accentuated the traits that made the band awesome, showing that these guys knew how to apply different textures to their sound and approach while sounding like nobody else.