Voivod
The Wake

I had said it, I had declared it a few days ago: the review of The Wake belongs to me. For five years I have been waiting for this moment and finally, I have in my hands the deluxe version of the fourteenth album by the Canadians Voivod.

I know their entire fabulous discography by heart; from their distant and "Thrashing" beginnings in the eighties to their previous album from 2013, Target Earth.

Always underground, always free and proud to write what they want; without constraints, without obstacles from the record companies that have had the honor of producing them.

They are on tour in Italy these days and on Thursday they played in Milan; despite my crazy love for them, I was unable to join my brotherly friend Alessio. Too many of my problems, too many of my recurring anxieties about being in the midst of unknown people; yet they played in a small venue with only a few hundred people. My fears won once again.

The concert was memorable, as was logically expected from professionals who for more than thirty-five years have been taking their venerable musical creed around. In the end, they overwhelmed everyone with a fierce and powerful version of their famous "Voivod". It is recommended to watch on YouTube this nuclear bomb which is an anthem of immense power.

Alessio also showed me the photos he managed to take with the singer Snake and especially with the drummer Away, aka Michel Langevin, the cornerstone of the band (together with the late and never forgotten first guitarist Piggy). He found me the CD of the new work which contains a bonus disc: the EP Post Society, released in 2016, and a series of tracks recorded in a very recent live during the 2018 tour. Manna from heaven, pure gold for me.

The usual meticulously crafted and unmistakable artwork created, as always, by Away; the usual themes contained in the eight songs, I am obviously referring to The Wake, which deal with world wars, total chaos. In other words, a concept album about the end, about the destruction of the human race.

I open the digipack case, place the CD in the player, and press play. "Obsolete Beings" has only started for a few moments and I'm already in "lala land": that so recognizable, unique, and unrepeatable sound is shaking the walls of my house and what's left of my shattered eardrums. A full, intense sound, perfectly produced and recorded. Voice, guitar, drums, and bass create those typical musical progressions that are the trademark of the celebrated Voivod company. Away is the usual metronome alternating classic times with broken, uneven passages; with ludicrous ease. And he has an embarrassingly simple drum kit: he plays with minimal equipment but manages to create a mighty wall; Chewy's skewed guitar is tuned to the same tones as the legendary Piggy. Endless riffs, continuous, with solos that seem placed there by chance but it's not because everything is precise, everything is orderly. A Heavy-Thrash-Progressive cascade that echoes their glorious past, their very first deadly works. But now they have even more strength, are more united; they play better and a completely spot-on production only magnifies the feeling of facing yet another masterpiece branded Voivod. Each song is linked to the next, without any interruption, up to the twelve minutes of the concluding "Sonic Mycelium" which even boasts the brilliant presence of violins and violas.

My album of 2018; and I've listened to it only once... ALWAYS MOVING...

Ad Maiora.