UMUR "Voivod" is the eponymously titled tenth full-length studio album by Canadian metal act Voivod. The album was released through Chophouse Records in March 2003. It´s the successor to "Phobos" from August 1997 and quite few things have happened since the predecessor. Lead vocalist/bassist Eric Forrest was involved in a serious car accident in Germany in 1998 and left Voivod in 2000 after slowly recovering from his injuries. Voivod shortly disbanded in 2001 but in 2002 Michel "Away" Langevin (drums) and Denis "Piggy" D-Amour (guitars) reunited with original vocalist Denis "Snake" Bélanger (who had left in 1994) and brought in former Metallica/Flotsam & Jetsam bassist Jason "Jasonic" Newsted to complete the new lineup. The inclusion of the latter arguably boosted the interest and awareness of Voivod in a time where their profile needed just that. Chophouse Records is Newsted´s own label, so he could also make sure that the album was distributed.

Stylistically the return of Bélanger means a lot, as Voivod instantly sound like Voivod again with him at the microphone. It´s not that the Forrest-led Voivod albums didn´t sound like Voivod, but Bélanger is such a unique vocalist (love him or hate him type vocalist), that his voice and singing style just make Voivod stand out from almost anything else out there. I´d place the material on "Voivod" close to the hard rocking and slighly phychedelic rock/metal of "Angel Rat" (1991), because of the relatively immediate nature of the material and the vers/chorus structured songwriting approach. "Voivod" is generally a bit more energetic and less phychedelic though.

Upon release this album was met with mixed reactions. With the inclusion of Newsted and the return of Bélanger a lot of people thought that Voivod would go back to their roots and release a fast-paced, technical, and thrashy release, and others thought they would continue the progressive/phychedelic direction of "The Outer Limits" (1993), but releasing a vers/chorus structured and hard rocking album like this one probably wasn´t what most people expected...and thus Voivod did it again, and released an "expect the unexpected" type album. Voivod still deliver a bit of dissonance and some sci-fi themed lyrics, but this is the slightly more domesticated and less daring version of them.

The album features an organic, heavy, and well sounding production job. It´s a relatively stripped sound with concentrating on the power of the rhythm section, the guitar riffs, the rumbling bass, and Bélanger´s vocals, which sound like they´ve been recorded without effects (or at least with very few effects). Featuring no less than thirteen tracks and a total time of 65:38 minutes (although some of them are a hidden silence track), the album feels a little long. There´s simply not enough variation between the tracks and as all tracks are very basic vers/chorus compositions there aren´t many surprises or interesting details to hang on to. I´m not gonna use the word boring, but honestly my attention wanders from time to time when I listen to this album.

So coming from a statement like that and afterwards calling "Voivod" a decent quality release from Voivod may sound a little strange to some, but it is the type of release where I can hear the qualities and I´m able to appreciate parts of the album, but the overall package just doesn´t do enough for me to give a high rating. A 3 star (60%) rating is warranted.

Conor Fynes 'Voivod' - Voivod (6/10)

Six years had past after Voivod came out with 'Phobos'. Along with 'Negatron', mid-to-late nineties were a somewhat depraved time for Voivod, and lacking the distinctive voice of their frontman Denis Belanger, it almost felt like a different band altogether. Although the bass was now being handled by someone new, this was essentially a return to the way that Voivod once was, for the most part. Although the songwriting here lacks the same adventurous spirit and classic quality about it as did Voivod's early material, there is still a good batch of tracks here that should pleasantly satisfy the band's fanbase, provided they don't expect something as exciting as their earlier material.

Voivod's self-titled somewhat reminds me of Metallica's 'Black Album' in the sense that their core sound is still there, but alot of what made them originally so damned intense has been sheathed away. Mostly, the unexpected time signature changes and dissonant riffs have been done away with, and while Voivod's unique sound is still here, it feels like Voivod-lite. There is still spaciness, but it is generally a tame feeling, and most noticeable here are the surprisingly conventional riffs. Piggy is one of the greatest guitarists in metal for me, but hearing him here, his genius is much less evident, maybe sparing a few quirky riffs and a distinctive guitar tone that is used throughout. The songwriting here is pretty good, and it is very clear that it is Voivod the listener is dealing with, even barring the unique way that the band performs. Although this is still on an entirely different plane than 'Negatron' or 'Phobos', I very much believe that 'Voivod' could have been much better than it is. Even with the conventional riffs, things are highly enjoyable, but the monotony wears thin within a few tracks. This is because Voivod have made the sometimes fatal pairing of keeping their sound and direction generally the same throughout the entire thing, and being over an hour long in length, even a diehard Voivod fan will be likely to think that the thing could do with a little trimming.

Had I listened to this at the time it came out in 2003, I would have been pleasantly surprised to hear the Voivod I love making a return to form. In the overall scheme of their career though, it feels like the self-titled album can only pale when compared to the truly innovative stuff that the band did in the 80's and early 90's. 'Voivod' is still a good album, but doesn't hold the same place in my heart as do the classics.

kluseba After a break of six years, the reunited band comes back with this album and has once again completely changed its style. On this album, the band approaches a stoner or rock and roll sound with some alternative elements.

The album begins very straight and powerful with the brilliant "Gasmask Revival" and "Face Up", but the next songs all sound too similar, too faceless. There is much more groove in thise songs, but a lack of straightness and heaviness. Nothing special stays on your mind, there are no innovating space sounds, hilarious solos or conceptual and atmospheric intros or interludes that this band has often done. Only one song slightly surprises you in the middle of nowhere, which is "I Don't Want To Wake Up" which remains me of an old Metallica ballad. Sure thing, because Jason Newsted has joined Voivod for this album. A part of this exception, one song after the other goes by and the album really becomes boring before the catchy single and album closer "We Carry On" reconnects with the straight opener of the album and pulls the listener out of a big black hole of boredom.

Four good efforts out of thirteen songs plus hidden track aren't simply enough for such a brilliant band. They are still innovating and have once more reinvented themselves on this album, but the weird and eerie sounds of the past, the surprising and courageous elements from their last efforts have gone away on this album. The new style sounds too faceless. I must call this album their weakest one in their whole album discography.