Some bands are born with their very own sound and personality. Voivod have hung onto theirs since Quebec spawned them in 1982, and their quest to confound musical norms has lasted 40 years despite the terrible loss of their supremely inventive guitarist Denis D’Amour in 2005.
Benefiting from a crystal clear mix and a chunky guitar sound, the band’s anniversary record manages to be both their most accessible work in a while and offer enough metallic riffage to appease fans of their early years, during which Voivod were often saddled with the thrash tag.
This certainly doesn’t mean hit singles, but amid the discordant, psychedelic sci-fi oddness there are fewer wacky time signatures and more quirkily catchy gems like the title-track, Mind Clock and Sleeves Off.
One of Voivod’s finest works, Synchro Anarchy stands as proof that a band can please the crowd and themselves at the same time.
