Voivod - Target Earth

[batmura]

I stupidly put off buying this disc when it came out. I love Voivod, but I don't think they've ever matched the amazing early albums like Dimension Hatross and especially Nothinngface, which is probably an all-time favourite of mine, regardless of genre. I enjoy pretty much everything they've releases, but I don't remember being so impressed with any of their albums recently. Complex arrangements, odd chords, Rush-meets-King Crimson type of movements, strange riffs and chord shapes abound. The vocals sound terrific, though they've never been the band's strong points. Overall, I'm really enjoying this band.

Strangely, when people ask me what thrash bands I like most, they expect me to list the big four and, while I love those bands too, I always mention Flotsam & Jetsam because their mid-tempo yet super heavy songs set them apart from their peers. I feel the same way about Voivod, except that I feel it would be unfair to label them as merely thrash. To me, they are one of the most progressive bands in the truest sense of the word, and Target Earth is one of their best discs in years.

Any thoughts on this album? Any Voivod fans here?

 

[TENTH DREAMER DECEIVER]

Great band. Hard to ignore in the 80s growing up in Eastern Canada. I remember a buddy asking me if I knew what the new one was called. A moment later he gleefully said it was Rrröööaaarrr. Memories

I've only seen them once in Calgary at the Monsters of Rock festival (Ozzy, Priest, Testament etc). But like Grave Digger, Raven etc a 30+ year listening experience

A perfect band for ProgPower.

 

[nomisofsiman]

Loved the new album

 

[labrekk]

I stupidly put off buying this disc when it came out. I love Voivod, but I don't think they've ever matched the amazing early albums like Dimension Hatross and especially Nothinngface, which is probably an all-time favourite of mine, regardless of genre. I enjoy pretty much everything they've releases, but I don't remember being so impressed with any of their albums recently. Complex arrangements, odd chords, Rush-meets-King Crimson type of movements, strange riffs and chord shapes abound. The vocals sound terrific, though they've never been the band's strong points. Overall, I'm really enjoying this band.

Strangely, when people ask me what thrash bands I like most, they expect me to list the big four and, while I love those bands too, I always mention Flotsam & Jetsam because their mid-tempo yet super heavy songs set them apart from their peers. I feel the same way about Voivod, except that I feel it would be unfair to label them as merely thrash. To me, they are one of the most progressive bands in the truest sense of the word, and Target Earth is one of their best discs in years.

Any thoughts on this album? Any Voivod fans here?

I was a huge Voivod fan in the 80s and beginning of the 90s.
My faves are Dimension Hatross, Nothing Face, Angel Rat and The Outer Limits.
Killing Technology is cool as well.
Can't really play the first 2 anymore, even though I loved them back in the day.

They lost me in the "Forrest years".
I enjoyed a few songs of the first one with Newsted on bass.
The follow-ups were just quite weak IMO.

I really tried the enjoy Target Earth, the music is a damn good return to form, but the vocals kill it for me. I'm far to find them "terrific". Terrible would be more what I think. Snake was never a great singer but he used to be fine and really improved between 1987 and 1993. I enjoyed his vocals back then. On the new album, it's just non-melodic and not for my taste.

I saw them live numerous times and Snake still can sing the old stuff quite fine live, so it appears he just decided to change his way of singing on the latest albums, which doesn't suit me at all.

 

[Dustin]

I was just talking about Voidvod recently... even ranked their albums on facebook afew days ago. I think I've mentioned it before, but Voivod could fart on a snare drum for an hour and I would probably dig it.

Anyway, my personal feelings on it concerning the sound/vibe and songwritting - I would place Target Earth up there with Nothingface, Dimension Hatross and Outer Limits. Mongrain not only does justice to the sound/vibe, he is damn near Piggy-incarnate concerning the song writting/riff structures. It's strange to say it, but even without Piggy, Target Earth is much more of a "return to form" album than anything they had done after The Forrest-era.

so... I would recommend picking it up