MetalSucks

Thus spake MS Maniac Michael Arose.

Ask, and ye shall receive.

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Metal Legacies is an ongoing memorial to extreme music pioneers who kicked the proverbial bucket way too soon.

This is only my third Metal Legacies entry, yet it is by far the hardest to write. As a college radio metal/hardcore DJ at The University of Texas from 1988-1990 I was a huge Voivod fanatic.

It was War and Pain that did me in first.

Then Rrröööaaarrr.

Then Killing Technology blew my mind.

By the time I started playing cassettes and LPs (remember those?) late Friday nights for the imaginatively titled The Metal Show, Voivod released what I believe was their greatest album, Dimension Hatröss. And while I admired every aspect of the Quebec, Canada-based futuristic space thrashers — from Snake’s wailing vocals to Blacky’s angular bass playing to Away’s soulfully robotic drumming and one-of-a-kind artwork — the key selling point was always Piggy’s guitar playing.

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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.

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Congrats to Mr. Lun, the winner of new Darkane, Devin Townsend and Edguy CDs from last week’s funny photo caption contest. Mr. Lun’s winning caption to the photo at right:

“Jimmy gets a taste (and whiff) of the good life at the 2009 Wigger Slam Initiate orientation.”

This week the good folks at Relapse Records have donated copies of Voivod’s Infinfi and Coalesce’s Ox, both brand spankin’ new, to send to one lucky winner. Just come up with a caption to the below photo and they’re yours.

• Suffocation’s new album, Blood Oath, is streaming here. Our own David Bee Roth called it “the best death metal record released this year,” so ya best check it out. Nuclear Blast will release the album July 7. And don’t forget that Suffocation are one of the headliners on this year’s edition of Summer Slaughter, which we are co-sponsoring. Get tour dates here.
• Infini, the final album from Voivod, is streaming here. It is also, of course, the last recording made by the late Denis “Piggy” D’Amour. Relapse actually released the record yesterday, but if you feel the need to sample before you buy, here’s your shot.

-AR

Voivod and He Is Legend both released new songs this week on their MySpace pages. There is no common theme here other than that I dig the new stuff from both bands and that they’re both worthy of ya’ll’s attention. And since it’s Friday, the MetalSucks Monkeys are cranky and aren’t coming up with any clever headlines or puns.

The new Voivod sounds pretty much like Voivod; it’s the last album that will feature contributions from the late guitarist Piggy, and the band claims it’ll be their last effort ever. The new He Is Legend is easily their best and most focused work yet… I’ve listened to this song at least 5 times already this week.

Voivod releases Infini on June 23rd via Relapse Records (pre-order here) and He Is Legend drops It Hates You July 21st on Tragic Hero (pre-order here).

-VN