VOIVOD's SNAKE On Surviving Through Music Industry Changes: 'You Have To Make The Best Out Of The Situation'

In a recent interview with DJ Mermaid, VOIVOD singer Denis "Snake" Bélanger spoke about the decline of the music industry as consumers value access over ownership and experiences over assets. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, the industry has changed a lot, that's for sure. I won't be the only one to say that streaming is something that we still have to [contend] with, the streaming situation as for artists. But you cannot stop the wind with your hand like that; if it goes, it goes, and you have to follow the path and get the best out of it. There's different strategies that bands have used. If it fits you… It all depends on being aware… The record company does good stuff for you. You try to work with the record company to give the best product for your type of fan. That's the thing that the label has to understand. It's, like, okay, they have to understand VOIVOD and they have to understand what it is for a fan. And the vinyl thing — that's another aspect. Vinyl came back after so many years. So it moves. It's sometimes a fashion thing. But sometimes all good things come back. You say, 'Hey, man, I love the streaming. It's really efficient. But a record is a record.' And it's another way to listen to music and it's completely different and it's a different experience. So it evolves, and you have to follow what comes and goes and basically make the best out of the situation."

VOIVOD released a new EP, "Ultraman", on November 4 via Century Media Records. The effort features a highly original tribute to the "Ultraman" TV series theme as well as previously unreleased bonus live cuts, available both as a 12-inch vinyl EP or as a digital EP.

The "Ultraman" EP was made available to coincide with VOIVOD's return to European stages as special guests for Swedish progressive metal/rock group OPETH on their "Evolution XXX" tour.

VOIVOD's 15th studio album, "Synchro Anarchy" was released in February via Century Media Records. The follow-up to 2018's "The Wake" was produced by Francis Perron at RadicArt Studio and features cover artwork created by Langevin.

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 was 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 were exclusive live versions of "The End Of Dormancy (Metal Section)" and the group's classic "The Unknown Knows", recorded at Montreal Jazz Fest 2019.