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September 7, 2008 |
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01. The Getaway
02. Dognation
03. Mr. Clean
04. After All
05. Odds & Frauds
06. Red My Mind
07. Silly Clones
08. No Angel
09. The X-Stream
10. Polaroids
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In a way it is humbling for a new-jack such as myself to be tackling VOIVOD's newest release, their 14th, "Katorz". There have been millions of words written about this band. With releases such as "Rrroooaaarrr", "War And Pain", and "Killing Technology", VOIVOD put their own sci-fi twist on the Thrash Metal genre, not just in the content/imagery of their work, but in the way the music was written and played, creating a Speed Metal incarnate of a Philip K. Dick novel.
Their last studio album, 2003's "Voivod", found the band in the attention of the mainstream, no doubt to the addition of jilted METALLICA bassist Jason Newstead. As the band seemed to be riding a new wave of popularity, the tragic death of longtime guitarist Denis "Piggy" D'Amour last year seemed to seal the fate of the group. Using demos written by D'Amour just before his passing, the rest of the band - Newstead, vocalist Denis "Snake" Belanger, and drummer Michel "Away" Langevin - constructed "Katorz".
I will say this: D'Amour is the highlight of the disc. While never approaching the speed of the classic VOIVOD albums, he does churn out some of his thickest riffs in a longtime. Still, "Katorz" feels uninspired and rigid. It's weird that a band that was once so ahead of the times now seems behind them. Belanger's vocals sound strained and disinterested. Newstead and Langevin are a solid rhythm section, but they don't do anything interesting. The songs go from forgettable (the first seven tracks) to just plain annoying (the last three tracks). "No Angel" manages to out do "Carry On" from the s/t in terms of repetitive annoyance. And just when you think it doesn't get any more derivative than that, the next song, "The X-Steam", (real clever play on words, huh?) finds the band peddling an inane driving song on par with the METALLICA classic "Fuel".
"Polaroids" is slightly better, which means it only manages to go back to blandness of the first seven tracks. In the end, "Katorz" suffers from the same problem that 2003's s/t album had. There are a few bright spots, but overall the album feels like a low-octane hard rock album that tries to compensate for its lack of energy by having "metallic" guitar tuning. Problem is that heavy is not just a tuning, it’s a feel. It's the way a song is played, the energy behind it that makes the music truly heavy. The VOIVOD of the eighties understood that. After their last two releases, I'm not sure if the VOIVOD of the 21st century does understand.
I know for a lot of Metal journalists out there, it's hard to give this album a bad write-up. Not only because of the tragedy it was born of, but because bands like VOIVOD have earned a place in the hearts of many avid Metal fans. Hell, even I can't allow myself to give this album any lower than the grade I handed out. It may be because I think there are some cool parts here and there, or because of the memory of a gifted musician, or because of a nostalgic legacy even the most jaded individual can't help but embrace. Either way, I found this album to be an exercise in mediocrity. This may sound harsh, but if you want to keep the memories alive, stick with the first three records.
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