Canada's Voivod are another one of those '80s metal bands who are on a ridiculously strong roll late in their career, and making some of the most inspired music since their heyday. Synchro Anarchy is the bands 15th studio album, and comes on the heels of the excellent 2018 release The Wake. Once again operating within that familiar sci-fi/progressive metal/thrash zone that Voivod has settled in since 1988's Dimension Hatross, Synchro Anarchy is a lively, tech-metal affair full of exciting twists and turns as only this band can deliver. Manning the microphone as always is Snake, and he's joined by drummer Away, bassist Rocky, and perhaps the most important guy here, guitarist Chewy, who took over from the late, beloved Piggy years ago, and the band never lost a step. His herky jerky style, complete with jagged, dissonant riffs and zig-zagging solos, are as much an homage to Piggy as they are a revelation of just how unique his own style is.
Whether it's the brooding "Mind Clock", the tech metal of "Planet Eaters", the textured prog-metal of "Paranormalium", the elastic grooves of "Sleeves Off", or the wacko "Rush meets Dillinger Escape Plan' insanity of "The World Today", this is Voivod willing to take chances every step of the way, and each one works. What's interesting here is that the production, especially of the guitars, is cleaner than we heard on The Wake, but the complexity of the songs, coupled with the aggressive nature of the performances, overall doesn't lack for heaviness one bit. "Quest for Nothing" and "Holographic Thinking" are snarling tech-metal gems, the lack of beefiness or extra distortion not tempering the intensity one bit. From song to song, it's a non-stop cavalcade of intricate riffs from Chewy, with Away's nimble drums always gyrating like an octopus underneath. He's always been one of the most underrated drummers in metal, and he's on fire throughout Synchro Anarchy. And Snake...he's, well, Snake...his nasally, punky, unique delivery is spot on from minute one, and a joy to listen to.
Even minus their founder and beloved MVP Piggy, Voivod have carried on and delivering some of the finest music of their career. Synchro Anarchy is a gem of an album, and sure to be among many Best of 2022 lists when it's all said in done at the end of the year.
Track Listing
1. "Paranormalium" 5:34
2. "Synchro Anarchy" 4:25
3. "Planet Eaters" 5:32
4. "Mind Clock" 6:44
5. "Sleeves Off" 4:08
6. "Holographic Thinking" 6:11
7. "The World Today" 4:10
8. "Quest for Nothing" 5:37
9. "Memory Failure" 5:33
Total length: 47:54
Printer Friendly Page
Send to a Friend
