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Voivod
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Katorz
The End Records
Release: 7/25/2006
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Rated:
Review by:
J Sherrod
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Let me start off this review with some fun-facts for y'all:
After nearly 23 years in the music industry,
Katorz is legendary metal band Voivod's
fourteenth album, the second album with bassist Jasonic
(aka former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted), the first album
for the band on The End Records and, sadly, their first
record to be released after the August 2005 death of
co-founding guitarist Denis "Piggy" D'Amour.
Katorz' second track, "Dognation," is a
masterpiece - and defines the sound that puts the band in a
class by themselves. Anyone who knows me is aware of my
undying love for Metallica, I'm so happy Jason found a band
he can put his personal stamp on and will allow him to show
all that he has to offer. "Dognation" is probably my favorite
cut on the disc as it starts off with the most incredible bass
sound accompanying drummer Michael "Away" Langevin's
pounding floor toms and clean rolls. Piggy owns this song
with meticulous solos and strong riffs.
"After All" contains a spine-crushing bass groove over
thumping kick and snare drum beats and mega-distorted
guitars. This song is so nasty it's genius, proving you can do
anything you want and make it rule if you've got enough
skill. Singer Denis "Snake" Belanger uses his one-of-a-kind
voice asking "Who cares after all?" "Odds And Frauds"
follows suit with a muddy sludge sound that compliments the
ugliness of what the song is about. Snake spits socially
conscious lyrics like "As we watch the kids die on TV, but no
one will complain."
"Red My Mind" starts with a scrumptious bass and drum
groove like you've never heard before while "No Angel"
starts off with a dark, scary din. Piggy shines on this song,
which more resembles the band's classic material.
If the old sayin' is to go out with a bang, then this record
does just that. "The X-stream" is a fast and furious song
about racing. Find a stretch of highway, watch out for the
cops and put the pedal to the metal with this one. "Polaroids"
ends the album in classic speed metal style.
Don't take the disc out just yet though because there's a
sweet little guitar ditty hidden at the end. Futuristic and
mellow sounding, Piggy signs off and says
good-bye.
If somebody who has never heard Voivod asked me to
compare them to another band, I would compare them to
Voivod. There's nobody like them and there never has been.
Though their last album (2003's self-titled) was average,
Katorz reflects on more groundbreaking
albums like 1987's Killing Technology and
1988's Dimension Hatross.
Voivod has always been one step ahead of other bands and
fit snug in their own genre of metal. Everything about the
band is unique...and I do mean everything. There's word
that Piggy left some songs lying around that the band may
or may not release in the future. If Katorz is
the last thing the band ever releases then it's a great way to
put the cap on a long and plentiful career. |
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