So, there are two ways I can approach this review: I can do some haphazard research and come up with a semi-informed opinion of Voivod to judge their new album Infini, or disclose right out of the gate that Voivod is one of those blindspots all enthusiasts of metal have and judge Infini on its merits as a stand alone album. Clearly, I’ve chosen the latter, even if I didn’t intend to, and must admit that while I have not intentionally avoided Voivod, I’m not familiar with their work with the intimate detail that their many of their very dedicated followers are. A number of my favorite bands will mention them in their first breath when talking influences, and their current bassist played on my favorite Metallica album (and, of course, the three boring-to-horrible ones after that). But regardless, I’ve never made time for them, which, depending on who you ask, is a sin punishable by casting me out from the metal Garden of Eden and into the cold, harsh wasteland occupied by Fall Out Boy, or a wise decision on my part. Add to that the fact that Infini consists of the last recorded guitar tracks by Denis “Piggy” D’Amour – a founding member who succumbed to colon cancer in 2005 – and will most likely be their last studio album, and the latter choice is even more of an ordeal.

But nonetheless, should a band’s album be judged on its merits as a stand alone work, or solely as a piece in the overall puzzle of their discography? When considering the former, Infini works just fine, full of jagged riffs with a punk rock sneer all processed through a subtle prog-metal filter. The album’s surface alludes to an overall tone of same-y-ness, but slight tweaks to their formula ultimately lend to a consistently good piece of work. Maybe that’s the way they’ve been all along, but with fresh ears, I can tell you that, as an album, Infini works pretty well.

A veil of obnoxiousness covers the album, but Voivod almost always stays on the right side of it. The snottiness of opener “God Phones” and “Earthache” border on grating (and the latter, with its chorus of “Blah blah blah. Is that all you say?” manages to place a toe over that border) but usually stay tolerable, testing patience instead of pushing it. And the music itself is crisp and nimble, even though the band was well into its second decade of existence when Piggy recorded Infini‘s riffs. The guitars crunch and plod forward, but also rollick and groove, like on “Treasure Chase” and “Global Warning.” In a genre as rigid as prog rock, it’s interesting to see a guitarist like D’Amour prove that he has a pelvis. Ultimately, Piggy’s riffs are the best part of the album, but this isn’t to say the band don’t sculpt great songs around them: vocalist Snake adds wonderfully cranky vocals, while the rhythm section (featuring former Echobrain bassist/general nobody Jason Newsted) is subtle yet surprisingly inventive. Though one member’s parts were recorded four to five years ago, Voivod sounds remarkably in sync with their dearly departed bandmate.

Like most good progsters (even if they dabble in thrash), the album doesn’t wear out its welcome by the time mighty closer “Volcano” comes around. In fact, the most remarkable thing about it is how unlabored it sounds, like a few guys getting together and making music instead of painstakingly crafting songs like the word “prog” would sometimes imply. Infini is a damn solid album, and would certainly be considered another part of their late-career Renaissance, but of course, it’s supposedly the end of it. One would hope that Voivod are classy enough to go their separate ways to respect their fallen brother, but in a post-Ian Astbury Doors world, who knows? I can’t honestly tell you if Infini is a fitting end to the long and respectable career of Voivod, or if it’s the best place to start. But I will say that it’s a fine record on its own merits, and makes one want to explore the decade or two of material that came before it.

(3 out of 5 horns)

-SO