VOIVOD Completes Recording New Album

Canadian innovative metallers VOIVOD have completed recording their new album at RadicArt studio in Notre-Dame-du-Mont-Carmel, Quebec with producer Francis Perron. The LP, expected for release in 2022 via Century Media Records, is now being mastered at Maor Appelbaum Mastering in Los Angeles.

On Thursday (October 21),VOIVOD guitarist Daniel "Chewy" Mongrain shared a few photos from the studio on his Facebook page and he included the following message: "New VOIVOD album is done and at the Mastering with Maor Appelbaum Mastering!

"Crazy intense past 4 months of writing demoing recording mixing!

"Thanx to the Francis Perron, RadicArt Recording Studio for his total dedication, hard work and passion! Thanx to Lapointe amplification for the amazing guitar tone I got from your amp! And Bond Instruments for making my beautiful guitars and DiMarzio pickups to make my finger sing! Sophia Tremolos for enable me to express myself in total control with their amazing trems! and Graph Tech Guitar Labs for the total reliable gear, helping my guitars staying in tune and making my life easier!"

Five months ago, Mongrain told The Metal Voice that he and his bandmates were "still in the writing process" for follow-up to 2018's "The Wake". He said: "We're still sharing files and trying to catch up and put more time into it. I think the situation will get better and maybe we'll have a chance to meet more often and jam together; that's where the magic happens, usually. But we've learned to work in this context as well. And that's cool, because I received a bunch of tracks from Away [drummer Michel Langevin], who is programming drums in Logic [audio software] with his computer, and it sounded exactly like Away's playing. I was super impressed, because sometimes when you use a computer, it kind of sounds square. But everything was perfect. So it's really fun to do. It's a different way. So it's gonna bring it different ideas, I think, if we welcome it in a creative way."

Regarding the musical direction of the new VOIVOD material, Mongrain said: "[It's] hard to tell at the moment, but personally, I feel like [injecting] a little bit more thrashy [elements and] some dirtiness, so to speak, to the sound. Compexity has always been part of my influence in songwriting — I don't know what's the problem with me, but it's always there, so I'm not worrying about that side. But maybe [make it] a bit less polished and more rock and roll, I guess."

VOIVOD released a new live album, "Lost Machine - Live", in November 2020 via Century Media Records. The disc was recorded in Québec City during the worldwide touring cycle for "The Wake".

In the summer of 2020, VOIVOD released a new three-track 12-inch vinyl and digital EP titled "The End Of Dormancy" via Century Media Records. The EP is centered around a special "Metal Section" version of the title track (off VOIVOD's latest album, "The Wake") with added trumpets, saxophone and trombones. The complementary songs on this release are exclusive live versions of "The End Of Dormancy (Metal Section)" and the group's classic "The Unknown Knows", recorded at Montreal Jazz Fest 2019.

"The End Of Dormancy" EP came with artwork by Langevin and is available on 180-fram 12-inch vinyl.

"The Wake" was released in September 2018 via Century Media Records. The disc was recorded and mixed by Francis Perron. The album's artwork was once again created by Away.