Voivod at Tsutaya O-West, January 18th 2019

The stage backdrop is a staple at metal shows, but there’s something unique about the one that reads Voivod. Yes, it’s just the name of the band, as in the logo displayed on the cover of three of their early classic albums. Take it for granted it’s just another cool logo. In close inspection it reveals intricate details. The symmetry interrupted by the metallic object on top of the “I”. The way the letters are connected. The texture and shape that makes us thing: “is this some kind of spaceship, a weapon or one of those surgical devices seen in -their fellow Canadian- Cronenberg’s movies?” It’s probably none of the above, but one thing’s for sure, Away (Michel Langevin, drummer and founding member, responsible for the band’s imagery and concept) brilliantly translated the complexities of the band in their logo. Towering over his drum set, it was a hint of what we were about to witness. 

The band walked in onstage nonchalantly and from the get-go established a connection with the audience unlike any other I’ve seen. People were chanting the band’s name after every single song! I think that non-pretentious and laid-back attitude is something that people relates to, especially in Japan where a positive attitude and cuteness prevails (that Doraemon guitar strap might have been pushing it a little bit, it was cool, though). Don’t get me wrong, this demeanor is not a pose, it feels genuine. Everyone across the globe appreciates it and had admired it for thirty five years.

And then there’s the tunes. Amazing stuff. The show started with Post Society, which got the mosh pits going early and everyone repeating the line: “In order to survive!” Next was Ravenous Medicine and seeing the vocalist Snake’s (Denis Bélanger’s) facial expressions during that song reminded me of seeing him on a straitjacket in its music video. The opening song from their latest album, Obsolete Beings, came next. It was a treat to see Chewy (Daniel Mongrain) laying down that guitar solo which is by far my favorite from 2018. I like how they’re able to balance the bombastic staccato thrash aspects by contrasting them with ever-flowing legato sections, sometimes simultaneously, as with that solo in which drums are thrashing non-stop while the guitar floats above.

More than a criticism, an observation is the fact that sometimes it felt like the songs sticked to close to their recorded versions. In The Prow, which was introduced as Voivod’s old school rock and roll dance song, some extra stuff was added at the end that sounded really cool. In general this approach is effective, though. In a live setting, it helps reveal how elaborate and complex this music is. Take, for example, Order of the Blackguards. It’s breathtaking how a song with that many tempo changes and truly challenging elements (that syncopation on top of the blast beats during the guitar solo) could rock that hard. This time I noticed some guitar flourishes when he sings “And the books are burning hard!” that I never noticed before. It made me think that Piggy (Denis D’Amour), main writer on the first seven classic albums who sadly passed away in 2005, was kind of like a Thelonious Monk of thrash. Amazing instincts and a complete understanding of the rock form. He’s sadly missed. 

Chewy has proved to be a worthy successor. That 12 minute suite that ends up the latest record quoting motives from each of the previous songs is quite a composition feat. To me his sound comes more from a Classical perspective. In Always Moving, that guitar below the “To the ones…” part sounds like a string section and it’s awesome. Hearing those arrangements performed live was a treat and a confirmation that Piggy’s legacy is in good hands. 

The final third of the show took things up a notch or two. Starting with Fall, proving that this band can tackle an epic sound as well, and finishing with their eponymous song. Introduced with the line “Voivod is a family..”, this song, from their first record closed the full circle with a nod to Motorhead, Venom and crust punk. As you can imagine, the place went wild and was left wanting for a lot more.

The band came back and played not one but two encores. They look visibly moved by the audience response and delivered in spades. In the first encore they played The Unknown Knows and Overreaction. They then came back with a moving rendition of Pink Floyd’s Astronomy Domine, which was dedicated to the memory of Piggy. It was the perfect song to bring things to a close not with a bang but a whimper, I say this in the most positive way. This psychedelic come down suited perfectly with the high energy displayed in the previous hour and forty five minutes.
   
That line “Voivod is a family” resonated, because I think it’s true. With their ups and downs in their thirty five years of existence, they come across as a group of individuals with a genuine bond. But they’re not just a family, they’re a talented a family. A combination of exceptional musicians that, throughout their history, have challenged conventional ideas in their lyrics, in their visual imagery and their music. This Tokyo show? It was an outstanding one.

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