04/18/2009 16:28

Voivod

Voivod: 'Infini'

Canadian metal legends Voivod will release their final album, 'Infini', in North America on June 23rd via Relapse Records and Germany on June 12 through Nuclear Blast (the rest of Europe is expected to receive the CD on June 15).

'Infini's 13 tracks are the last to be written with late guitarist Denis "Piggy" D'Amour. 'Infini' also features Jason Newsted on bass, who also mixed the effort. The CD version of Infini will be packaged in a deluxe digipak with artwork designed by Voivoddrummer Away. Details on the double LP pressing forthcoming.

'Infini' was built from the final songs created by the band with Piggy. There were many discussions an ideas as to how to complete these recordings of songs that had never been actually performed with the whole band in one room. All of his original demo guitar tracks appear as they were recorded, no re-amping, no overdubs, just Piggy as he played the tracks he envisioned in his small bachelor apartment, the amp in the bathroom, capturing his performance with the laptop given to him by Jason Newsted.

Michel went into a studio in Montreal with engineer Glen Robinson and tracked his drum parts, and Jason waited anxiously to get the tracks and add his bass which he recorded with Enrique Gonzalez Müller at Fantasy Studios in San Francisco, then Snake tracked his vocals with Glen in Montreal afterwards. Jason and Enrique mixed the record in San Francisco over the holidays and Infini was born. Truly a collaborative record that came together from a respect and belief that these final Voivod songs deserved to be heard.

In light of this sentiment the band agreed to play some summer festivals in '08 with original bass player Blacky and fellow Montrealer Dan Mongrain of the band Martyr, playing all classic era Voivod material. Dan turns out to be a technical wizard, and his own band Martyr is a well respected extreme prog metal band from Montreal. It was a risky move without Piggy but the fans and the band were happy with the outcome so much so that this lineup will play more live shows this summer.

Snake summed it up this way, "If we don't play live again then the songs die with Piggy and he wouldn't want that, his genius deserves to be heard by new and life long fans."

Voivod will perform at a number of upcoming summer festivals with the line-up of Denis "Snake" Bélanger (vocals), Dan Mongrain (guitars), Jean-Yves "Blacky" Thériault (bass), and Michel "Away" Langevin (drums), performing material from the first ten years of Voivod's catalogue.

Jason is still a member of Voivod and one day there may be live shows performing the songs from the last three records that Jason was very much a part of. Currently the band is working on a short clip on the making of 'Infini'.

Regarding the album title, Voivod drummer Michel "Away" Langevin said, "There were many titles thrown around, but I thought of 'Infini' and everybody liked it. Also, it looks great in sci-fi fonts."

Track listing:
01. God Phones
02. From the Cave
03. Earthache
04. Global Warning
05. A Room With a V.U.
06. Destroy after Reading
07. Treasure Chase
08. Krap Radio
09. In Orbit
10. Deathproof
11. Pyramidome
12. Morpheus
13. Volcano
Total running time: 57:57

(source: Relapse Records)