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)
volcano
Voivod Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Looking down to the city
Yes sometimes my anger grows
Makes me want to explode... Volcano!
From the bottom of my core
Pressure build-up, more and more
Can you feel under your feet
And before you realize
There'll be fire in the sky... Volcano!
Time to ring the fire bell
I will turn this place to hell... Volcano!
I am not predictable
But I'm so much capable
Of serious mass destruction
and stupendous extinction... Volcano!
And before you realize
I'll be taking all your lives... Volcano!
All in all will be lost
Ashes to ashes, dust to dust... Volcano!
Yes I am burning inside
Waiting, holding it inside
When is always the question
As for my next eruption
But someday will be the day
I will make you go away
Some of you will have to die
Stay away from paradise... Volcano!
And before you realize
There'll be fire in the sky... Volcano!
Time to ring the fire bell
I will turn this place to hell... Volcano!
Ashes to ashes, dust to dust
All in all will be lost... Volcano!
Voivod's song "Volcano" is a raw and powerful account of a volcanic explosion from the point of view of the volcano itself. The lyrics are dark and visceral, capturing the inner rage of the dormant monster beneath the Earth's surface. The song starts with the volcano describing itself as it stands "wait and breathe", looking down on the city below. The sense of anger and frustration is palpable as the volcano describes the pressure building up inside it, causing it to want to "explode". The chorus is an emphatic and intimidating warning of the destruction that's about to be unleashed: "Volcano!"
The song is full of vivid and evocative imagery, as the volcano describes the heat and vibrations that can be felt "under your feet". It also acknowledges the destructive power of a volcanic eruption with lines like "I will turn this place to hell" and "Some of you will have to die". The lyrics are delivered with a feverish intensity that adds to the overall sense of danger and chaos. The song ends with a somber reflection on the aftermath of the eruption, with the declaration that "All in all will be lost/Ashes to ashes, dust to dust".
Line by Line Meaning
Here I stand, wait and breath
The volcano is personified and waiting for the right moment to erupt.
Looking down to the city
The volcano is situated higher than the city and waits for the moment to unleash its fury.
Yes sometimes my anger grows
The volcano's anger builds up with time, and it's volatile at times.
Makes me want to explode... Volcano!
The volcano, at times, feels like exploding with an immense force.
From the bottom of my core
The volcano's innermost core is where the pressure builds up.
Pressure build-up, more and more
The pressure continuously increases in the volcano, which could lead to an eruption any time.
Can you feel under your feet
The tremors are so powerful that they can be felt under your feet.
All the vibes and all the heat... Volcano!
The vibrations and heat build up before an eruption, and it is referred to as the volcano's signature.
And before you realize
An eruption can happen suddenly and catch you off guard.
There'll be fire in the sky... Volcano!
The eruption is explosive and causes elements like fire and ash to jet out high into the sky.
Time to ring the fire bell
The volcano has numerous signs that indicate that it's about to blow and the people should be informed.
I will turn this place to hell... Volcano!
A volcano can turn a peaceful place into a living hell with its explosive eruptions.
I am not predictable
A volcano can have unpredictable patterns, and it's legendary for behaving in ways that are impossible to forecast.
But I'm so much capable
A volcano has immense energy and capacity that can cause significant destruction.
Of serious mass destruction
A volcanic eruption has the potential to wipe out entire cities, villages and everything in its path.
and stupendous extinction... Volcano!
The effects of an eruption can last for generations and can contribute to the extinction of species.
All in all will be lost
The destruction of the volcano will entail the loss of possessions, buildings, natural surroundings, and lives.
Ashes to ashes, dust to dust... Volcano!
The aftermath of a volcanic eruption usually leaves nothing but a barren wasteland of ash and dust, reminiscent of a burial.
Yes, I am burning inside
The volcano is a cauldron of molten rock, gases and ash that are heated by underground plutonic activity.
Waiting, holding it inside
The volcano is holding back its release, waiting for a time of its choosing.
When is always the question
It's impossible to determine when a volcano will finally erupt, the people living near them only can hope to be prepared.
As for my next eruption
The volcano is aware and anticipates that another eruption is inevitable.
But someday will be the day
It's only a matter of time until when the volcano explodes with a cataclysmic eruption.
I will make you go away
The eruption will result in people getting evacuated as the people should be aware of the potential danger.
Some of you will have to die
A volcanic eruption can cause fatalities and leave the people at risk.
Stay away from paradise... Volcano!
People living near the volcano are at great risk, and it's wise that they evacuate before the eruption happens.
Contributed by Ruby Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.