Posts Tagged ‘Michel Langevin’
Voivod Brings Dimension Hatröss to Roadburn Festival 2012
Posted on Monday, October 31st, 2011
As curator for the 17th edition of the Roadburn Festival, Voivod will transport you into Dimension Hatröss as part of their special headline show during the Au-delà du Réel event on Friday, April 13, 2012. As if the promise of the band’s classic fourth album in its entirety performed live for the first time ever wasn’t enough, the set will conclude with a not-to-be-missed surprise.
Progressive thrash? Thrashing prog? Call it what you like, Dimension Hatröss is a rarity: a concept album that stands the test of time. In fact, the original storyline has been eclipsed by reality, rendering it not so much a fantastic sci-fi trip as an uncomfortably prescient account of the world today. Divided into eight chapters, the album covers everything from the quest to create a utopian society in the face of technocratic and theocratic governments to terrorism and mind control. Plus, it rocks! It rocks in that uniquely hypnotic flight of the space bumblebee way that hums Voivod! at every dissonant turn.
In the book Worlds Away, drummer and artist Michel “Away” Langevin fondly recalls: “…around the era of Dimension Hatross, the music was so complicated we almost didn’t have any interaction with the crowd anymore because we were concentrating so hard on our instruments.”
Today, blower bass maestro Jean-Yves “Blacky” Theriault interacts with the crowd to the point of jumping into the fray mid-song without missing a beat, while consummate frontman Denis “Snake” Belanger adds theatrics. And anyone who witnessed one or more of their blistering shows during the 2011 European tour can testify that guitarist Dan “Chewy” Mongrain positively thrives on the complexity originally crafted by the late great Denis “Piggy” D’Amour.
But what exactly is a Hatröss? In a 1988 interview with Sounds, Away explained: “‘Hatross’ is a word I created from the English word ‘hate’ and the French word ‘atroce,’ from which ‘atrocity’ is derived.” He added, “The music had to be a bit weird for this album, although we kept the heaviness of it.”
Experience Voivod’s Dimension Hatröss in all of its weird and heavy glory for yourself on Friday, April 13, 2012.
Tags: Au-delà du Réel, Dimension Hatröss, Michel Langevin, Roadburn, Roadburn 2012, Roadburn Festival, Roadburn Festival 2012, voivod
Posted in 2011, Festival News | 1 Comment »
Official Artwork Roadburn Festival 2012 by Voivod’s Michel “Away” Langevin
Posted on Tuesday, October 18th, 2011
We’re extremely proud to unveil the official artwork for the 2012 festival by Voivod’s Michel “Away” Langevin. Inspired by sci-fi art of the 50’s, 60’s op art and early 80′s computer-game robotic creatures from another galaxy, Away depicts Roadburn as a head spinning, extraterrestrial invasion from a world far beyond ...read more
Voivod To Curate Roadburn Festival 2012
Posted on Tuesday, August 23rd, 2011
Roadburn is elated to announce the curator for the 17th edition of the festival: Voivod. After the band’s widely acclaimed and artistically inspiring performances at the 2011 festival, Voivod has agreed to curate our festival on Friday, April 13, 2012. As curator, Voivod will personally select the bands that will ...read more
Album of the day: Voivod – Warriors of Ice
Posted on Thursday, July 7th, 2011
Lovingly pinched from Metal Review: With a setlist made up of primarily pre-90s Voivod, it’s hard not to get sentimental. So it’s off to the elementary school daze for a momentary lapse… Summer vacation 1988, Chicago, 90º Fahrenheit in the shade. We walked the streets armed with spray paint, beer, ...read more
Voivod Live in Helmond, Holland: Catching Trains and Missing Sequences by Leslie Hadlock
Posted on Monday, August 16th, 2010
Friday, 13 August 2010: Snake’s theory was that the date had something to do with Blacky’s bass breaking down during ‘Experiment,’ quickly followed by Dan’s guitar malfunctioning during the same song. Band and crowd took the temporary breakdown in stride. It didn’t matter and besides, it was nothing compared to ...read more
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