VOIVOD Receives Honorary Doctorate From Université Du Québec À Chicoutimi

On April 26, 2025, Canadian sci-fi metal innovators VOIVOD were honored with an honorary doctorate (honoris causa) from UQAC (Université du Québec à Chicoutimi).

Founded in 1969, the UQAC is a non-profit public higher-education institution located in the urban setting of the small city of Chicoutimi, Quebec. This institution also has branch campuses in Jonquière, La Baie and Alma.

In his speech, VOIVOD's founding drummer Michel "Away" Langevin stated: "I would like to sincerely thank the entire UQAC team for this generous and honorable gesture. This moment will be forever etched in our memory, as a symbolic culmination of our journey. I would also like to take this opportunity to offer my sincere congratulations to all the students. Bravo for your perseverance, determination, and this remarkable achievement — you can be proud."

VOIVOD shared several photos from the ceremony on social media and included the following message: "It is with great pride and emotion that we received the highest distinction from the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi (UQAC) at the Collation des Grades on April 26, 2025: an honorary doctorate honoris causa!

"We are deeply touched by this exceptional recognition, as it celebrates not only our artistic journey of over 40 years, but also our commitment to our Saguenay community.

"A huge thank you to the UQAC team and The Pickup Box for their wonderful tribute video presented at the ceremony.

"A big congratulations to the graduates for your determination and success!

"This moment will remain etched in our memories.

"Thank you so much to all those who have been supporting us all the time. The ongoing adventure continues!"

VOIVOD is a Canadian heavy metal band from Jonquière, Québec. Their musical style has changed several times since the band's origin in the early 1980s. Starting out as a speed metal band, VOIVOD have added a mix of progressive metal and thrash metal to create their own unique metal style, and are credited as one of the "big four" Canadian thrash metal bands, along with SACRIFICE, RAZOR and ANNIHILATOR. They are considered by many as one of the most influential metal bands from the '80s, influencing and gaining praise from multiple bands and across numerous genres.

VOIVOD found mainstream success in the late 1980s with their fifth studio album, "Nothingface" (1989),which is the band's only album to enter The Billboard 200 chart, peaking at number 114.

VOIVOD's long-awaited official documentary, "We Are Connected", received its world premiere in July 2024 at the Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal, Quebec. Canada.

VOIVOD has been touring in support of its latest album, "Morgöth Tales", which was released in July 2023 via Century Media, The Orchard and Sony Music.

The band's 2022 release, "Synchro Anarchy", garnered significant acclaim, winning the 2023 Juno Award for "Best Hard Rock/Metal Album" in Canada.

Once more recorded and mixed by Francis Perron at RadicArt Studio, mastered by Maor Appelbaum and produced by VOIVOD, "Morgöth Tales" includes fresh studio re-recordings by the band's current lineup of nine especially selected, not-so-obvious picks from the band's hyper-classy and extremely diverse back catalogue (between 1984 and 2003) as well as a brand-new song and the album's title track, "Morgöth Tales".

Photo courtesy of UQAC