Voivod (CAN)

Very few bands survive for four decades. Even fewer are those that continue to reach new creative heights, long after legendary status has been achieved. Voïvod were never like other bands: even as the thrash metal scene exploded in the early ‘80s, the Jonquière, Québec crew stood apart, both as unique visionaries and as proud subverters of the metallic norm. From early progthrash classics like Killing Technology and Dimension Hatrössthrough to the psychedelic explorations of The Outer Limits, Voïvod have been standard bearers for individuality and creative freedom for nearly 40 years.Always defiantly out of step with prevailing trends but widely respected as true mavericks, Voïvod even weathered the untimely death of talismanic guitarist and songwriter Denis ‘Piggy’ D’Amour in 2005. Buoyed by the support of their huge global following, surviving original members Denis “Snake” Bélanger (vocals), Michel “Away” Langevin (drums) and Jean-Yves “Blacky” Thériault embarked on a new and chaenging chapter in the Voïvod story, releasing the much-hailed Target Earth in 2013, with guitarist Daniel “Chewy” Mongrain proving himself to be a smart and dextrous successor to D’Amour.By 2014, bassist Dominic “Rocky” Laroche had replaced Thériault, and a new incarnation of this indestructible band crossed their compositional beams to forge yet more mind-bending, psychedelic post-thrash wizardry. Released in 2018, The Wake was almost universally hailed as the finest Voïvod album since the band’s late ‘80s heyday. One of the band’s most successful albums yet, The Wake scored chart entries in Germany (#26), Switzerland (#51), Belgium (Wallonia) (#94) and the USA (New Artist: #8/Overall: #148): confirmation that the band’s return to peak form had struck a chord with fans old and new. Not surprisingly, Voïvod hit the road to reaffirm their status as one of metal’s most unique and powerful live acts.

“At first we went on tour for almost two years, pretty intensively, with great bands and line-ups,” recalls Chewy. “We went all over the globe, to Australia, Japan and Europe many times, and twice across North America. It was great! We had also a few surprising invitations, like playing the Montreal Jazz Fest. We also won a Juno award for ‘Metal/Hard Music Album’ of 2019. We came back home in late December 2019, and then everything stopped for obvious reasons.”Confined to their quarters for those long months of lockdown, Canada’s finest simply did what they do best: create. The result is Synchro Anarchy, Voïvod’s 15th studio album and, as fans have come to expect, yet another unparalleled eruption of wildly imaginative heaviness. Shaped by the weirdest of circumstances, the new songs were born from an intense period of collaboration. “It was a challenge, because we couldn’t jam together very much, but we all welcomed the circumstances as a new creative element,” says Chewy. “Lots of dos and files were shared and it was all worked to the point where it really sounded like the four of us playing in the same room. We could get together and try the ideas out just before the recording process to make all the small adjustments. In the end, it was almost like a race against the clock. It was pretty intense, but we welcomed the challenge!”Despite the pressures of working amid a global pandemic, Synchro Anarchy sounds like the work of truly liberated artists. Following the career peak of The Wake was always going to be tricky, but the Canadians have smashed the follow-up out of the park, delivering one of the most idiosyncratic and adventurous expressions of their unique, genre-bending sound yet. Fans old and new can expect something truly mind-blowing this time around.“I think it’s pure Voïvod!” says Chewy. “I think it's a dark record with glimpses of light. It’s intricate, and deep. There’s complexity. There are new explorations on many levels. Of course, there are many rnces to space, to the advance of technology versus our fragile planet, to mental illness, anxiety, rebellion, fatality, time and space mysteries. Synchronicity and chaos! Lots of food for thought, I suppose. And the tones are fantastic. Francis (Perron, producer) worked his magic at RadicArt Studio. He has been part of the Voïvod sound since our Post Society EP.” Still one of the most fervently creative bands on the planet, Voïvod have created another kaleidoscopic sonic monster. The perfect antidote to just about everything, Synchro Anarchy will light up 2022 with crazed, lysergic glee. Meanwhile, its creators are planning their next around-the-world campaign, armed with some of the finest music they have ever written. “We can’t wait to put out the album and go on tour, as soon as it’s possible and safe!” concludes Chewy. “Many things are on the way for Voïvod, we have a documentary and a book, and we may do some more online performances… we’ll see! But there are a lot of options. We ll miss the touring and meeting our friends and fans around the world. That’s what it’s all about: creating, travelling, connecting with people.”

In the past 20 years, Austrian Speed Metal Rock‘n’Roller Nïïtro (composing, lyrics, guitars & vocals) caused quite a stir within the Metal and Punk underground scene with numerous shows and releases of his band EWÏG FROST. Influences of scene icons such as MOTÖRHEAD, DISCHARGE, and VENOM are fused by the power-trio’s concentrated charge complemented by Råuhna (Bass, Backing Vocals) and Sÿntï (Drums, Backing Vocals). Fueled by a diabolical mixture of Heavy Metal, Punk and Rock’n’Roll, EWÏG FROST put the pedal to the metal with hellfire roaring out of their hoods. The perfect soundtrack for speeding through post-apocalyptic deserts while death is breathing down your neck! Bullet-proof since 2003!

Wir schreiben das Jahr 2010 A.D., die drei wackeren Salzburger-Recken Mü, Luki, Chris haben sich zusammengeschlossen, um die Band Wildfire 6.2.23 zu gründen. Bis Mitte 2011 spielte die Band ausschließlich Covers. Im nächsten Jahr wurde die komplette Energie der drei Musiker darauf verwendet neue eigene Songs zu schreiben und diese zu Proben. Musikalisch platziert sich die Band im Bereich Thrash-Core und erinnert mitunter an Maschine Head, Trivium, Lamb of God und As I Lay Dying. 2013 wurde der Entschluss gefasst sich der Weltöffentlichkeit im Rahmen des „Local Heros Bandcontest“ zu präsentieren. Dazu wurde Ende 2013 wurde die Band um Bassist Mike erweitert. Nach dem Ausscheiden aus dem Contest im Nordfinale absolvierte die Band mehrere Auftritte als Local Support unter anderem als Vorband für Tuxedoo, Böhses Ohmen, Eluveitie, Kontrust, Proll Guns, Infest und Black Inhale. 2015 entstanden die ersten Aufnahmen im Tonstudio "derRecorder" in Passau der Band für ein Sampler Projekt. Bis Ende 2015 wurden neben den Auftritten weiter neue Songs geschrieben und die Planungen für das erste Studioalbum waren in der finalen Phase. Die im Mai 2016 gestarteten Aufnahmen zum ersten Studio Album „The Unshaved Truth“ in den „MeinE Studios“ wurden Ende 2016 erfolgreich abgeschlossen. Nachdem das Album von Michael Empfelseder (MeinE Studios) gemischt und von V.O. Pulver (Little Creek Studio) gemastert wurde, fand die Veröffentlichung am 1. April 2017 im Rahmen des „Hellhammer Festivals 2017“ statt. 2020 wurde die Band um Sänger und Frontmann Z-Day erweitert. Bedingt durch die Corona Pandemie konnten von Ende 2020 bis Anfang 2022 leider wenige weitere Projekte und Auftritte umgesetzt werden. Ein Highlight dieser Zeit war die Ausrichtung des Vienna Core Fest im Viper Room (Wien). Ab 2022 wurde die Arbeiten am zweiten Studio Album intensiviert