VOIVOD To Perform Entire 'Dimension Hatrss' Album At ROADBURN Festival

YOB, RED FANG, BLACK COBRA, PELICAN, BLACK BREATH, CELESTE, CHURCH OF MISERY, TOMBS, ANCESTORS, HORISONT, DRAGGED INTO SUNLIGHT, CHRISTIAN MISTRESS, AUN, LA OTRACINA and BOB WAYNE AND THE OUTLAW CARNIES have been confirmed for next year's edition of the Roadburn festival, set to take place from Thursday, April 12 to Sunday, April 15 (the traditional Afterburner) at the 013 venue in Tilburg, Holland.

As curator for the 17th edition of the Roadburn festival, Canadian metal innovators VOIVOD will transport you into "Dimension Hatrss" as part of their special headline show during the Au-del du Rel event on Friday, April 13, 2012 at the 013 venue in Tilburg, Holland. As if the promise of the band's classic fourth album in its entirety performed live for the first time ever wasn't enough, the set will conclude with a not-to-be-missed surprise.

Progressive thrash? Thrashing prog? Call it what you like, "Dimension Hatrss" is a rarity: a concept album that stands the test of time. In fact, the original storyline has been eclipsed by reality, rendering it not so much a fantastic sci-fi trip as an uncomfortably prescient account of the world today. Divided into eight chapters, the album covers everything from the quest to create a utopian society in the face of technocratic and theocratic governments to terrorism and mind control. Plus, it rocks! It rocks in that uniquely hypnotic flight of the space bumblebee way that hums VOIVOD at every dissonant turn.

In the book "Worlds Away", drummer and artist Michel "Away" Langevin fondly recalls: "Around the era of 'Dimension Hatrss', the music was so complicated we almost didn't have any interaction with the crowd anymore because we were concentrating so hard on our instruments."

But what exactly is a Hatrss? In a 1988 interview with Sounds, Away explained, "'Hatross' is a word I created from the English word 'hate' and the French word 'atroce,' from which 'atrocity' is derived." He added, "The music had to be a bit weird for this album, although we kept the heaviness of it."

In related news: Psychedelic doom metal giants YOB will return to Roadburn festival 2012 for two one-off performances, each time performing an album in its entirety. YOB has been personally invited by VOIVOD for Roadburn 2012. For their first show, they will be playing their seminal album, "The Unreal Never Lived", on Friday, April 13 at Au-del du Rel, and then in order to reach the greatest of heights (and doom depths),they will follow up by performing "Catharsis" in full at the additional Afterburner event on Sunday, April 15.

Tickets for Roadburn 2012 will go on sale Saturday, November 26 at 10:00 Central European Time. There will be a two-ticket limit (per order) for three-day and four-day passes and Afterburner tickets.

For more information, visit www.roadburn.com.