aglasshouse The Odd Voivods are back with a gargantuan EP, titled Post Society.

Unlike most other bands, Voivod hasn't really lost much momentum as the years have gone by. Owe this to the uniqueness of the band's sound or influence or what you will, but no matter the reason Voivod hasn't (at least to my perceptions) had a dip in stamina.

A lot has changed over the 32 years following the band's debut; Voivod's blurring of the lines between progressive and thrash metal has made fruition of countless genius ideas that seldom other bands have even considered. So with all this taken into consideration- how is their new EP?

For one, Jean-Yves Thériault has been replaced after three decades, instead taking his place is Dominique Laroche. Rocky's metal repertoire is scarce, however he has played for blues musician Steve Hill. Other than that the lineup remains unchanged. Music-wise, Voivod goes back to their roots. The progressive inclinations of prior albums like Nothingface or The Outer Limits are a bit less prominent as they once were. Instead, what Post Society really is is a thrash metal release. This isn't really surprising when looking at Target Earth, an album that was very much just thrash-oriented. The only truly progressive song on this album in my opinion is that of 'Fall', an epic that goes through a variety of different stages in real Voivod fashion. Combine this with the classic monotone vocals of Snake, then you've got a song for the ages. The other songs are good too, but like I said they're all more run-of-the-mill thrash songs (which might I add is not in fact a con) which might be enjoyed more by others. Other than that the Hawkwind single 'Silver Machine' gets a cover on here, also true to Voivod's name. Something I've always praised the band for is their covers, and they haven't disappointed me yet. It is a bit lesser than the original; lacking the space-rock element makes the cover have a more stripped down feel than the original. Nevertheless the band cleans it up and makes for one hell of a song. Fantastic.

Like the eternal beast, Voivod walks on. Is there a stop for them in the future? Who knows. At this rate these guys show no obvious signs of stopping. Post Society is pretty good. Yeah.

UMUR "Post Society" is an EP release by Canadian, Jonquière, Quebec based thrash/progressive metal act Voivod. The EP was released through Century Media Records in February 2016. Since the release of "Target Earth (2013)", the band have released a couple of minor releases, but the most significant event in that period is that original bassist Blacky (Real name Jean-Yves Thériault) jumped ship again in 2014 (he had a couple of longer periods in the band between 1981, 1982-1991 and 2008-2014). He has been replaced by Rocky (Real name Dominique Laroche).

"Post Society" features five tracks and a full playing time of 30:25 minutes. Four original compositions and a cover of "Silver Machine" by Hawkwind, which closes the EP. Only three of the original compositions are exclusive to "Post Society" though, as "We Are Connected" was released on a split single with "Language of the Dead" by At the Gates in March 2015. The split single was only released in a very limited number of copies, so it´s arguably a good idea to include "We Are Connected" on "Post Society".

Other than "Silver Machine", which more or less follows the original with a twist of Voivod, the material on the EP sounds unmistakably like Voivod. Adventurous song structures, dissonannt guitar riffs, innovative and powerful drumming, a rumbling distorted bass, and Snake´s distinct sounding raw vocals in front. Like the case was on "Target Earth (2013)", the tracks on "Post Society" also features elements from different eras of the band´s career. So the final result is a unique combination of thrash and progressive metal. It´s a little more controlled than the anarchistic and raw speed/thrash metal of the band´s early days, and not as rock oriented and melodic as the mid-period progressive metal releases.

All material on the EP is of a good quality, but to my ears the highlights are the title track and "We Are Connected", while "Forever Mountain" and "Fall" are slightly less memorable. The cover of "Silver Machine" is enjoyable too, but nothing out of the ordinary. The sound production is clear and powerful, and as always the musicianship is top notch, so upon conclusion "Post Society" is a quality release by Voivod. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.