Voivod Target Earth Review

Voivod Target Earth 2013

(r) 01/22/2013

One of the curious factors in my listening preferences is in the last four years I've gone back to the well and picked up many early bands whom started styles, and were movements in their respective locales.

My first taste of anything Canadian was D.B.C. (Dead Brain Cells) who employed a mixture of punk and thrash elements, whereas Annihilator were an aesthetic of total thrash, and then much much later I dove into Voivod whom are a different beast altogether.

Voivod have done a remarkable job of keeping the flame alive of being just off center of what is out there. My preferential go to albums are Nothingface, and The Outer Limits. They are as close to a science fiction composition, as they are in the ability to create interesting narratives to that foundation. Target Earth is a welcomed return, while bridging familiarity, and infusing fresh perspective. I feel it either works, or does not depending on my mood. What must really grab me is an instantaneous core which elicits atmospheric pastures, and pulsating beats.

What I do like are the first few tracks, they sound re-energized, competent, and capable. The thing that starts to fall for me is towards the middle section of the album because it falls. Its downward slope I think is a result in of the long play format with digital records, and I think this could have served a bit better as an EP. I think this can be digested into parts rather than as a complete full length.

Breaking it up a bit so the audience can integrate the complexities. I think this is also a result of the continued onslaught, and it is to a point of overload. Groups can elect to control how much they want to put out into there, as to keep their brand as recognizable, this I foresee being something bands will and should do in the future.

Target Earth I think needed to be digested in parts rather than as a complete whole package. I enjoy the record because its strong, and constructed with good clarity. On the flip side the fact the songs do sometimes blend into one another and it really compounds rather than accentuates the full experience. Nothing here can I fault with the musicianship, as it's fantastic. Thanks for reading.

B.