Voivod

Canadian speed and thrash metal trailblazers formed in Saguenay, Quebec, in 1982. Co-founded by drummer Michael "Away" Langevin, Denis "Snake" Bélanger, guitarist Dennis "Piggy" D'Amour, and bass player Jean-Yves "Blacky" Thériault, the group drew inspiration from the new wave of British heavy metal, hardcore punk, and 1970s prog rock, as well as political and sci-fi literature. Soon after their debut on 1984's War and Pain, Voivod left an indelible mark on the local metal scene with albums such as Rrröööaaarrr (1986), Killing Technology (1987), Dimension Hatross (1988), and Nothingface (1989), their first LP to achieve critical acclaim outside of Canada. Major lineup changes followed in the early '90s, with Thériault leaving before the release of 1991's Angel Rat and Bélanger exiting the group right after recording 1993's Outer Limits. Voivod would release two albums—the industrial-tinged Negatron (1995) and Phobos (1997)—before splitting up in 2001. Three of the original founding members returned in 2003 with an eponymous full-length that featured former Metallica member Jason Newsted on bass duties. Two years later, guitarist Dennis D'Amour succumbed to colon cancer. Largely built around guitar riffs and arrangements D'Amour had previously recorded on his laptop, the albums Katorz (2006) and Infini (2009) found the band reconnecting with former bassist Jean-Yves Thériault. However, he quit the band again in 2014 and was replaced by Dominic "Rocky" Laroche, who made his first appearance in 2018's The Wake. Synchro Anarchy, their fifteenth album, saw the light in 2022.