I’ve been buzzing for the new Voivod record since the gig in Glasgow and my chat with frontman Snake a few months ago. Marking the band’s 40th anniversary, Morgöth Tales, is a celebratory trip through time and space revisiting a selection of fan favourites and deep cuts from their ship’s archive. The songs slayed on the stage, and I’ve no doubt the re-recordings will be the same.
The opening file logged on Morgöth is one of the first encounters with Voivod in “Condemned to the Gallows”. The original comes from the demo days so the immediate comparison is in the production quality. The modern day Voivod sound serves the classic well, especially the clarity in the vocals. The clarity overall could be said for most of these tunes, especially in the following report “Thrashing Rage”. The Rrröööaaarrr album has a particularly post-apocalyptic sound with the toxic haze distortion and ambient effects that sometimes muddies the original sound. However the early Voivod audio logs had a unique atmosphere that seems a little lost with the more in-your-face mix.
On the other hand the upfront clarity allows for greater appreciation of what’s going on in the music. For the next few archive entries the trend continues, with the atmosphere taking a back seat and the modern punch taking precedence. The added weight from the updated production makes the riffs sound beefier, for the better. Tracks like “Killing Technology” and “Macrosolutions to Megaproblems” are cast-iron classics, though the original sound is rather flimsy in comparison to today’s standard.
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Production and sound aside, so far Voivod are killing the performance on Morgöth Tales. As bands get older and re-record classic songs, sometimes they lose some of the intensity of their youth. Not Voivod. Listening to Morgöth Tales is a constant reminder of Snake saying how he still feels like the same kid as he was four decades ago – he still sounds like that kid, faithfully screaming, shouting and singing as if each recording was the first time they were logged. Away, Chewy and Rocky are on top form too as expected. The deepest of cuts come near the close with Phobos and Voivod self-titled LP representatives “Rise” and “Rebel Robot”. Featuring guest performances from ex-members E-Force and Jasonic, it’s a joy to hear them make a return on this celebratory release, especially as the late 90’s and early 2000’s albums don’t get as much love as the classic or modern eras of the band. E-Force’s vocals on “Rise” are particularly venomous, with throat-shredding roars better than the first time committing to disc.
Morgöth Tales ends with the title track, an awesome new song certain to become a classic in its own right. The riffing encompasses the best of Voivod’s style over the years. Weaving between the aggressive and the ethereal, and with ever- changing rhythms and a shredding solo, each moment in the story is a killer hook. The band have always been experts at taking complex musical ideas and making them catchy and continue to do so.
Overall, Morgöth Tales is a great celebration of Voivod’s 40 years journey across the musical galaxy . It’s cool to hear these classic tunes with an updated sound, as well as giving new life to some lesser known cuts which hopefully draws new appreciation for Voivod’s under-appreciated LPs. My criticism of the record is minor, more personal taste than harsh critique. Although it would have been cool to have had a tune from debut LP War and Pain present. All in all, Morgöth Tales is a solid release from a band that loves what they do and is sure to be enjoyed by fans both new and old.
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Morgöth Tales is available now via Century Media Records.
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