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[KILLING TECHNOLOGY] In the '80s, French-Canadian sci-fi thrash quartet Voivod was a contemporary of Metallica and Slayer, infusing progressive themes borrowed from King Crimson and Van der Graaf Generator into its jazzy take on metal. The band flirted with the mainstream, headlining shows over Soundgarden and Faith No More, signing to a major label in 1989 and enjoying some MTV rotation just as grunge knocked the bottom out of the metal market. Voivod went back underground for the duration of the '90s, as core members jumped ship and a devastating van wreck spun the group to a career low. By the turn of the millennium, however, bassist Jason Newsted quit Metallica and joined Voivod, giving the band enough of a shot in the arm to procure a new record deal and a slot on Ozzfest. Though original guitarist and songwriter Denis D'Amour succumbed to colon cancer soon after, and Newsted has since left, Voivod has never been short on tenacity, and its latest album, Target Earth, has been hailed as a return to form. This show will be Voivod's first Portland-area gig since 1999. Its current live set is heavy on early material, and the band, which features original drummer Michel Langevin and vocalist Denis Bélanger, is more than capable of delivering the goods. All systems go!
WWeek 2015
