Things started slowly sliding downhill for them after, their next album being poorly received, 1991's Angel Rat. 'Grunge' was taking hold, with bands such as their former opening act, Soundgarden, enjoying a rise to stardom. Blacky left the band just before Angel Rat's release. 1993 saw the release of The Outer Limits album. Following the subsequent tour, Snake quit Voivod. The former Liquid Indian man, Eric "E-Force" Forrest replaced Blacky and Snake in one fell swoop on bass and lead vocals, and would stay with the band for two albums, 1995's Negatron and 1997's Phobos. 2000 saw an EP (Kronik) and live album (Lives), and in 2001 a car accident invalidated E-Force with a broken back. The group was put on hiatus, until eventually the decision was made to reform the band with Snake. Voivod fan Jason Newsted, fresh from Metallica, filled the vacant bass slot. This version of the band would go on to release 2003's self-titled album, Voivod.
Guitarist Denis "Piggy" D'Amour sadly died on 25th August 2005 from colon cancer aged 45. After his diagnosis he spent the last 2 months of his life recording ideas & guitar parts for several albums worth of new songs. After his death the rest of the band completed work on Voivod's 14th album, Katorz, released in July 2006 and Infini in 2009.
By July 2010, Voivod had been writing and recording new music (including Dan Mongrain on guitar). On July 4, 2012, Voivod announced the title of their thirteenth studio album, Target Earth, which was released on January 22, 2013. Target Earth has a more progressive sound than some of their last few albums, and is a return to a more "classic" Voivod sound that can be heard on Dimension Hatross and Nothingface. All the music was written by Blacky and Chewy, while Snake focused on lyrics, and Away took care of the artwork.
On July 10, 2014, it was reported that Blacky had left Voivod again. It was announced that he was forced out of the band. For months he requested meetings regarding the band business and artistic affairs, but was denied such talks by one of the other members. In late January 2015 the band released the new single "We Are Connected" which is the lead track from the 7-inch split vinyl disc with the band At the Gates. It is the first music to feature new bassist Dominic "Rocky" Laroche. They also released a new, five-track EP, entitled Post Society, featuring two new tracks and a cover of Hawkwind's "Silver Machine", on February 26, 2016.
As early as February 2015, Voivod began work on their fourteenth studio album, which was to be released in 2016 but later pushed back to 2017. The band was expected to begin recording the album in August 2017. In June 2017, Langevin told Rock Sverige that the songwriting was almost completed with an estimated release for early 2018. He also said that the album would probably be a double-album on vinyl due to the songs being "really long and progressive", describing them as "seven or eight minutes long songs" and with it being a concept album as well. In November 2017, the Voivod members began recording another album, titled The Wake, which was released in September 2018. The master tapes for Voivod's MCA-era albums were long thought to have been destroyed in the 2008 Universal Studios fire; this was later disputed by Blacky, who revealed in late 2019 that the master tapes for Nothingface, Angel Rat and The Outer Limits were located in a facility in Pennsylvania, after persistently questioning Universal staff, and claimed that they are now in his possession.
Voivod's fifteenth studio album, Synchro Anarchy, will be released on February 11, 2022.
Current members
Michel Langevin (Away) – drums (1982–present)
Denis Bélanger (Snake) – vocals (1982–1994, 2002–present)
Mongrain (Chewy) – guitar (2008–present)
Dominic Laroche (Rocky) – bass (2014–present)
The Unknown Knows
Voivod Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Will it always rain?
Try to analyze
This led venture
Songless sky, digital bug-eye
Octagonal seams so much clearer
Indiscreet, status incomplete
To provide me with
Things come and go
This world is droll
All that I know
The Unknown knows
Talk to me you flying shadows
Wandering into the ozone stew
Keep your myths from the embryos
Who would misconstrue
Anything new
An outright official fiasco
Can you shiled me
From the drastic truth
Times come and go
How dull the flow
All that I hope
The Unknown knows
Have some sign come to me
That I am in their league
Back down to reality
Look about, response is wanting
Events are carefully on display
Common sense, a gift, is given
But mystic mistakes are never made
Suspecting premature daydreams
I surrender to ritual grey
I come and go
Endless approach
I must be close
The Unknown knows
Why all this commotion now?
Stop, wait
I wish I knew the one who knows
Yesterday will come
With tomorrow's sun
And merry-go-round
Stuck on muddy ground
Nineteen yelping fools
Half-wits spouting drool
Half of which have some
The others have none
I knew all along
"The Unknown Knows" by Voivod is a song that delves into the mysteries of the world and the unknown. The lyrics talk about a train journey where the singer reflects on the world and its unpredictable nature. The lyrics begin by asking if it always rains on this train, which could indicate a sense of melancholy or sadness. The singer then starts to analyze and thinks about the journey that they are on, which is termed as a "led venture."
The song talks about a songless sky with a digital bug-eye view, which could signify how technology has taken over our lives and how we see things in a different perspective through digital means. The singer also talks about octagonal seams being clearer, indicating that there are patterns and designs in the world that we do not yet understand. The lyrics also talk about how status is incomplete and that the singer wants something better in life.
Further, the song talks about wandering shadows and embryos, which could signify that there are different levels of consciousness in the world that people do not yet fully understand. The singer also talks about the absurdity of life and how events are carefully on display. The lyrics highlight that common sense is necessary, but sometimes mystic mistakes happen. Finally, the song concludes by stating that yesterday and tomorrow are intertwined, and the song fades with the singer saying, "I knew all along."
Line by Line Meaning
On this train
Starting on this metaphorical journey
Will it always rain?
Wondering if life will always be difficult
Try to analyze
Attempting to make sense of the situation
This led venture
This exploration of the unknown
Songless sky, digital bug-eye
A desolate, technology-filled landscape
Octagonal seams so much clearer
The structure of things is easier to see when broken down
Indiscreet, status incomplete
Not completely sure of what's happening
To provide me with, Something better
Hoping that there is something better out there
Things come and go
Everything is temporary
This world is droll
The world is boring and uninteresting
All that I know
The only thing I'm sure of
The Unknown knows
Is that the unknown is all-knowing
Talk to me you flying shadows
Asking for answers from the unknown
Wandering into the ozone stew
Exploring uncharted territory
Keep your myths from the embryos
Protecting the new and uninitiated from false information
Who would misconstrue
Those who are easily misled
Anything new
The possibilities of the unknown
An outright official fiasco
Major failures stemming from authority
Can you shiled me
Asking for protection
From the drastic truth
From the harsh, unrelenting truth
Times come and go
Admitting to the passage of time
How dull the flow
Life can become monotonous
All that I hope
Expressing a desire
The Unknown knows
The same all-knowing unknown
Have some sign come to me
Asking for a signal or indication
That I am in their league
To be considered on the same level
Back down to reality
Returning to what is known
Look about, response is wanting
Seeking a response and finding none
Events are carefully on display
The events of life are meticulously presented
Common sense, a gift, is given
Logic can be a blessing
But mystic mistakes are never made
Mistakes cannot be excused by claiming mystic knowledge
Suspecting premature daydreams
Expecting that hopes may not become a reality
I surrender to ritual grey
Giving in to habits or routine
I come and go
I am transient
Endless approach
Coming closer but never arriving
I must be close
Feeling that success is within reach
The Unknown knows
The unknown still has all the answers
Why all this commotion now?
Questioning the fuss being made
Stop, wait
Asking for a pause
I wish I knew the one who knows
Wishing to understand everything
Yesterday will come
The past will always be present
With tomorrow's sun
Looking toward the future
And merry-go-round
The cycle of life
Stuck on muddy ground
Unable to move forward
Nineteen yelping fools
Disparaging those who are foolish
Half-wits spouting drool
Mocking those who are unintelligent
Half of which have some
Some have at least a little potential
The others have none
Others have no potential at all
I knew all along
Having known the situation from the beginning
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DENIS BELANGER, DENIS D'AMOUR, JEAN-YVES THERIAULT, MICHEL LANGEVIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind