VOIVOD To Begin Recording New Album This Month

Canadian innovative metallers VOIVOD will enter RadicArt studios at the end of the month with producer Francis Perron to begin recording their new album, expected for release in 2022 via Century Media Records.

VOIVOD drummer Michel "Away" Langevin stated: "Presently, we are fine-tuning the music for the next album, which we will start recording next week. I must say it's a real thrill to write new material with Chewy, Rocky and Snake."

Two months ago, VOIVOD guitarist Daniel "Chewy" 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, 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 via Century Media Records. The disc was recorded in Québec City during the worldwide touring cycle for "The Wake".

Last summer, 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.