Denis D'amour has simply got to be the most criminally overlooked and underappreciated guitar genius of all time. Such a glorious style: jazz/metal with a pop sensibility when wanted. No one has even come close to replicating his sonic explorations to this day. This band is so good, but this guitarist, wow... I've played for 30 years, made a living with my guitar for 20, and this is one of the few guys that still remains just as fresh and valid to me to this very day. A true inspiration. Rip Piggy
I'd even compare him with Toni Iommi: both are more than just guitar players, they are truly musicians. Too sad, that the cancer bitch has stolen Denis from us much to early... had the luck to talk to him once they played in Berlin, he was a real gem...
Riffs that practically no-one else could come up with. Jimmy Page is the king of catchy riffs; Piggy was the king of the bizarre. The latest album has some great Piggy-esque riffs in it. The guitarist has really studied the back catalogue.
One of the best bands of all time, regardless of era. What's so amazing is how Voivod, unlike basically every other metal band, could go into a more pop oriented direction while still retaining 100% of what they were about. This is just as valid as "Build your weapons" or "Tornado". Different strokes of the same machine.
I have said it before, and will continue to do so; Voivod are one of the most incredibly creative and unique bands ever in the history of everything and anything. Sure wish all the original members were still with us.
Hawkwind did do the punk thing for a little while as well. That live one from '79 sounds a lot like The Stranglers. They are so diverse they probably DO have a metal album. I wonder who the bass player is here pretending to be Blacky.
*+skred8* Nobody knew what to think of _Angel Rat_ upon its release (coming after _Nothingface_). I think it was a financial flop for years. Anyhow, I bought the CD for $1.54 plus tax and now it's one of my favorite albums by one of my favorite bands. The title track totally rules!
I saw the Outer Limits tour and some really mediocre guy with a black Rickenbacker was onstage with them. I felt like I could have done a better job and I was not even that good back then.
deathmetaldouglas69 I think the bassist is Pierre St-Jean! +TedVoron is right, he was playing/recording on The Outer Limits. He is now playing in his own progressive band ( Heaven's cry) and he's also doing a Metallica cover band called AlcoholicA. Hope that helps.
(Echoing some other comments/sentiments here) To my mind, Denis D'amour is pretty much the most innovative riff-writer of all time, and deserves to be celebrated forever more. With all the years that have passed since his untimely passing, I don't think he's been surpassed in originality and his contribution to innovating with riffs. And not just the fact he used the tritone either, it's his general approach, his feel for it. With most guitarists, you really can hear influences very directly, but with the exception of Alex Lifeson and Robert Fripp (influences which you can hear, here and there) I would say Piggy / Denis is an original, an innovator, and deserves to continue to be celebrated. RIP to that guy - a true musician inspiration.
Piggy is the Andy Sumners of metal. Highest level of artistic sensitivity. Says so much through the guitar through almost minimal playing. A beautiful spirit.
Hi everyone here, I remastered the whole Angel Rat Demo, it's call ALVEOL and released it a few months ago on our own label Minemine Records, where of course you can buy it direct from us now, only available on vinyl, why because vinyl is very very cool, so if you want go get it and make certain that the band will finally make some money, cause yeah we never make much of this release, we are still in the whole , like half a million. But by buying it all the monies is going to the original band members.
Incredible how this album holds up. Just listened to a bunch of interviews with Voivod around the new album. This was obviously in response to the Grunge explosion, with wardrobe people in PANIC hahaha but it is just sooo timeless and does NOT feel like a band trying to ride a wave!
As a huge fan of Killing & Dimension, it took me several years to warm up to Nothingface & Angel but once I did I was all in. I think I was listening more to people bitching about them not being heavy anymore than forming my own opinion as I was still young and cared what others said. Glad I came around cuz Nothingface is nothing short of a masterpiece and Angel is great too.
After seeing Voivod with a band of nobodies called Soundgarden opening for them in 1990, I was a fan, and still am. When this album released in 1991, I had to go through three underground music stores to find it, but I found it. It was worth the trouble. The whole album is perfect. There isn't a single B-side crap track on it. The whole album isn't music at all, and is a twisted-beautiful abstract painting created with sound. I still love it.
This music is sooooooo original and good. I was very impressed with this band. I just love the way they covered Pink Floyd's Astronomy Domine. These guys have the goods! They ooze with talent!!!!!!!
It made total sense for them to make this album. And while it was a departure, after letting it cure, it became necessary. The band was always progressive before anything....always growing, mutating, searching... Fucking excellence is what this is. Voivod can never be duplicated....
moremetalthanyou71 No - the opposite is true.MCA wanted a continuation of the thrash sound of Nothingface, but Voivod wanted to go in this direction and stuck to their guns. I'm glad they did.
Andrew Bryan That's the exact opposite of what I read. And considering the musical climate at the time when record labels were staying away from metal, it makes the least amount of sense that a record label would want a band to stay metal when metal wasn't popular at the time. And Nothing Face isn't really a thrash album.
Nothingface is a perfect example of why we use the term 'crossover'. I played it for an american (Brooklyn) guy, stoned one night. He couldn't quite nail it. He pointed out very punk vocals and bass, thrash and speed elements in guitar and drum tone, but the cuts and turns were almost like they were sampling themselves or playing sped up mid-70's brit or euro prog rock. He was beside himself, namechecked bad brains 24-7 spies and fishbone, stopped, and then began to just listen. Overall, he agreed with me that whatever it was, it was top shelf psychedelic music, with the cut thrust teeth and burn of punk & metal.
the thing about voivod is that even their so called bad albums were still good. they just always went their own way their weirdest albums are their best ones.
VOIVOD LET ME TELL YOU THIS : NUAGE FRACTAL is the greatest Metal song on planet earth greatest song in history. And I'm sure you know that. You are Grandmasters of Music. Salutations from Peru I can't believe this music exists. Only in our dreams huh. It's amazingly fkng beautiful and nothing in the universe can't beat that. Probably that's why the aliens are visiting planet Earth more often. Because in their data base they found NUAGE FRACTAL. The most beautiful masterpiece ever created. Voivod rules!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
been going through Voivod’s catalog in order and after their proggy 80s run this was an awesome, still-unexpected turn. reminds me of all the poppy 80s psych i love like the Banshees, Bunnymen and XTC, with double-kick drumming. SO HERE FOR IT
to be fair, this is voivods black album, empire, parallels, etc..that said its still good, and maybe they were just in a more mellow mood at the time rather than wanting to be commercial its a very enjoyable album and even outer limits has grown on me in more recent years
Angel Rat and Outer Limits are my two favorite Voivod albums, they embrace their progressive rock influence to it's fullest and they're filled with incredible songs.
Love this album so much. Reminds me of driving to my internship at a fish farm in Blountstown, Florida, taking a long, conifer-filled highway. Just such good memories so many years ago, and still so good.
I bought angel rat at a store called candors which is out of business,,but I bought it on cassette (remember those),, What a green album,, Loved it from the first listen,, Every song is great
the Voivod original line up is like musical alchemy, all the way from korgull too this! immense skill and craftsmanship-and never a duff riff or musical part..long live Voivod!!!!
Seeing Denis in this video inspired me to buy a Les Paul Custom back in the day. I met him once and told him about this; he told me he didn't like it (he played Ibanez seven strings), so that kind of deflated my reason for owning the thing.
I just think this is a really rather beautiful song, which still kicks a fair old bit, whatever anybody sez. OK - it's somewhat more 'sedate' than 'Ripping Headaches', 'Thrashing Rage' etc (to say the least !), but I think this just demonstrates what an AWESOME band Voivod really are. Every band has their peaks-&-troughs and often that can be 'in-the-eye-of-the-beholder'. I just like to go with what FEELS right. I love their harder stuff : I love this too. Where's the problem ?
How come no one in the comments gets that this was Voivod's Avante Garde, New age/Jazz Metal period? Angel Rat was a fucking masterpiece and to call it a "pop metal" effort simply because it had a lighter, more consonant feel would mean having to say the same thing about Celtic Frost's Into the pandemonium or Acid Bath's "Softer" cryptic ballads (e.g. Scream of the butterfly, Bones of baby dolls, Grave flower etc) or anything in the entire FNM discography. Failing to see these artists and what they produce for what they are comes from the common misconception that Metal evolved from psychedelia and blues when in actuality it came from the unrepentantly experimental Jazz-Rock fusion that gave birth to psychedelia and had no compunction to avoid marrying it with Delta Blues. The timeline for all of these genres and hybrids prove this. Ergo, to even suggest that Voivod was ever pop for playing music that was far more akin to what actually made metal is nothing short of sheer fucking blasphemy!
@tomcornhole : If you call this pop crap, YOU never understood what Voïvod was all about, and shame on you. "Angel Rat" is a great album, and Voïvod is a creative band that's free to take whatever direction they want. Just as you are free to be close minded, but please don't tell real Voïvod fans what they should listen to.
Denis D'amour has simply got to be the most criminally overlooked and underappreciated guitar genius of all time. Such a glorious style: jazz/metal with a pop sensibility when wanted. No one has even come close to replicating his sonic explorations to this day. This band is so good, but this guitarist, wow... I've played for 30 years, made a living with my guitar for 20, and this is one of the few guys that still remains just as fresh and valid to me to this very day. A true inspiration. Rip Piggy
this shit is truly incredible.... makes me feel all kinds of odd and fantastic things....
I'd even compare him with Toni Iommi: both are more than just guitar players, they are truly musicians. Too sad, that the cancer bitch has stolen Denis from us much to early... had the luck to talk to him once they played in Berlin, he was a real gem...
Riffs that practically no-one else could come up with. Jimmy Page is the king of catchy riffs; Piggy was the king of the bizarre. The latest album has some great Piggy-esque riffs in it. The guitarist has really studied the back catalogue.
🙏
Agreed! This whole record is criminally underated & under HEARD!
This is from the most Under-rated Prog-Metal albums of all time. Angel Rat is an absolute masterclass in songwriting.
I fell in love with this album.
More prog rock than prog metal.
Excellent band vu a plusieurs reprise a Montréal avec la formation original
One of the best bands of all time, regardless of era. What's so amazing is how Voivod, unlike basically every other metal band, could go into a more pop oriented direction while still retaining 100% of what they were about. This is just as valid as "Build your weapons" or "Tornado". Different strokes of the same machine.
Yeah this sounds like it came off RRRRRRROOOOOOAR huh? Get outta here😂
@@tanneredge9774 Agreed, this is missing everything that was great about Voivod.
@@tanneredge9774 that's not what he said..
This rules, and the face coming out of the bass drum is hilarious. Win/win
The greatest thing ever, Angel Rat, and this song, and the rest of them. An Angel Rat believer since 1991. FTW.
Me too! From Italy!
best song ever written, I have listened to this song every day since 1991 and it never gets old. thank you Viovod.
+Craig R Smith I also heard this track in 1991 & I'm glad to rediscovered it this year.
Such trippy lyrics...just the best...and the music...nuff said.
Totally vibing on what you're saying. It's my go-to pick me up song. Gets me high in a way, just makes everything alright. Much love to you!
Every day? I highly doubt that
I have said it before, and will continue to do so; Voivod are one of the most incredibly creative and unique bands ever in the history of everything and anything. Sure wish all the original members were still with us.
Agree totaly man. This is a awesome band that should have been MEGA big. A band that has a style of their own.
Зджз
@@magnuswettermark8293 жб
@@magnuswettermark8293 a GENRE of their own!
That part after the guitar solo is one of the highlights of an already awesome album.
Devin Gauthier indeed. That progression Cmaj7sus2 - Gmaj7sus2 is intoxicating
GOAT of the Quebec Music scene.
What a masterpiece Angel Rat is. It's like If Hawkwind made a heavy metal record.
Hawkwind did do the punk thing for a little while as well. That live one from '79 sounds a lot like The Stranglers. They are so diverse they probably DO have a metal album. I wonder who the bass player is here pretending to be Blacky.
*+skred8* Nobody knew what to think of _Angel Rat_ upon its release (coming after _Nothingface_). I think it was a financial flop for years. Anyhow, I bought the CD for $1.54 plus tax and now it's one of my favorite albums by one of my favorite bands. The title track totally rules!
deathmetaldouglas69 I think that bassist plays on _Outer Limits_, too.
I saw the Outer Limits tour and some really mediocre guy with a black Rickenbacker was onstage with them. I felt like I could have done a better job and I was not even that good back then.
deathmetaldouglas69 I think the bassist is Pierre St-Jean! +TedVoron is right, he was playing/recording on The Outer Limits. He is now playing in his own progressive band ( Heaven's cry) and he's also doing a Metallica cover band called AlcoholicA. Hope that helps.
I love how every Voivod clip is some modern art gallery shenanigans, it's epic.
I can see why they opened for Rush on Rush’s Presto tour in 1990. What s fantastic song ♥️
Voivod rules!!!! There are no words to describe the music of this band!!!!!!
(Echoing some other comments/sentiments here) To my mind, Denis D'amour is pretty much the most innovative riff-writer of all time, and deserves to be celebrated forever more. With all the years that have passed since his untimely passing, I don't think he's been surpassed in originality and his contribution to innovating with riffs. And not just the fact he used the tritone either, it's his general approach, his feel for it. With most guitarists, you really can hear influences very directly, but with the exception of Alex Lifeson and Robert Fripp (influences which you can hear, here and there) I would say Piggy / Denis is an original, an innovator, and deserves to continue to be celebrated. RIP to that guy - a true musician inspiration.
God damn, wish I'd discovered Voivod sooner. So talented. I love their sound. It's something I've needed. Rock on.
Better late than never……welcome aboard.
@@alcopower5710 Thank you man :)
Piggy is the Andy Sumners of metal. Highest level of artistic sensitivity. Says so much through the guitar through almost minimal playing. A beautiful spirit.
i love their "minstrel" era! they can do no wrong, even the stuff with eric forrest is good.
Hi everyone here, I remastered the whole Angel Rat Demo, it's call ALVEOL and released it a few months ago on our own label Minemine Records, where of course you can buy it direct from us now, only available on vinyl, why because vinyl is very very cool, so if you want go get it and make certain that the band will finally make some money, cause yeah we never make much of this release, we are still in the whole , like half a million. But by buying it all the monies is going to the original band members.
The end riff is brilliant
Couldn't agree more.
I just heard this song and it's one of my favorites of all time, it reaches Rush levels
This song gives me chills because it’s so good.
The classic lineup of Voivod were just so awesome.
I have listened to this song everyday since about 1994 when I bought the CD. I love this song so much. Brings back good and bad memories
Incredible how this album holds up. Just listened to a bunch of interviews with Voivod around the new album. This was obviously in response to the Grunge explosion, with wardrobe people in PANIC hahaha but it is just sooo timeless and does NOT feel like a band trying to ride a wave!
As a huge fan of Killing & Dimension, it took me several years to warm up to Nothingface & Angel but once I did I was all in. I think I was listening more to people bitching about them not being heavy anymore than forming my own opinion as I was still young and cared what others said. Glad I came around cuz Nothingface is nothing short of a masterpiece and Angel is great too.
Nothingface, probably my favorite.
No idea why this song doesn't have a half billion views...
After seeing Voivod with a band of nobodies called Soundgarden opening for them in 1990, I was a fan, and still am. When this album released in 1991, I had to go through three underground music stores to find it, but I found it. It was worth the trouble. The whole album is perfect. There isn't a single B-side crap track on it. The whole album isn't music at all, and is a twisted-beautiful abstract painting created with sound. I still love it.
This music is sooooooo original and good. I was very impressed with this band. I just love the way they covered Pink Floyd's Astronomy Domine. These guys have the goods! They ooze with talent!!!!!!!
Voivod, always bucking trends and inventing futures.
Loved them since 89. A friend introduced me to Nothingface.
Such a fantastic song from one of my favorite albums!
It made total sense for them to make this album. And while it was a departure, after letting it cure, it became necessary. The band was always progressive before anything....always growing, mutating, searching... Fucking excellence is what this is. Voivod can never be duplicated....
They were also under pressure from MCA records at the time to make a more "rock" album, because no one wanted metal.
moremetalthanyou71 No - the opposite is true.MCA wanted a continuation of the thrash sound of Nothingface, but Voivod wanted to go in this direction and stuck to their guns. I'm glad they did.
Andrew Bryan That's the exact opposite of what I read. And considering the musical climate at the time when record labels were staying away from metal, it makes the least amount of sense that a record label would want a band to stay metal when metal wasn't popular at the time. And Nothing Face isn't really a thrash album.
Nothingface is a piece of art.
Nothingface is a perfect example of why we use the term 'crossover'. I played it for an american (Brooklyn) guy, stoned one night. He couldn't quite nail it. He pointed out very punk vocals and bass, thrash and speed elements in guitar and drum tone, but the cuts and turns were almost like they were sampling themselves or playing sped up mid-70's brit or euro prog rock. He was beside himself, namechecked bad brains 24-7 spies and fishbone, stopped, and then began to just listen. Overall, he agreed with me that whatever it was, it was top shelf psychedelic music, with the cut thrust teeth and burn of punk & metal.
Unique approach to rock and metal.
Became a fan.
Superb track from superb album, love this till I first heard it in 91. There was great time for prog "techno" thrash. Voivod, Mekong Delta, Coroner...
One of my favs albums of this perfect band. Cheers from Coimata, Bolivia!
ça devrait faire parti des meilleur chansons du Québec
I have always adored this band. They always cut against the grain. A truly credulous band that defies genre.
Can get enough of this song! damn!! I’m like that guy in Seinfeld with Desperado.
Brilliant tune 😎👍🏻🤘🏻
Excellent band with original and unique music!!!
This is like a play on the times, music at that time and clothing styles. I love it
a great band, unafraid to ignore trends. plus, the morbid beauty that is Away's album art.
When this album came out I was really confused and still am to this day
Been listening to Voivod for 17 years, which is nothing compared to most people. Ironically enough this song was my introduction into Voivod!
the thing about voivod is that even their so called bad albums were still good. they just always went their own way their weirdest albums are their best ones.
So true. This is basically "pop" metal, but it's still pretty awesome..........because it's VOIVOD!!
The one I like less, I think it's Infini. Still a 7 on 10.
One of the best metal bands of all time
Voivod is the greatest rock band ever.
Greatest band ever
@@shoggoth707 lemme introduce you to Motörhead
@@Krzztl motorhead is butt kicker but musically voivod is better
@@IG00-3 no they aren't
@@Miist3rDuce1 🤣 really?
2:56 God, that is magical.
C'est une chanson fantastique ! Beau stretch instrumental au milieu ...WOW !
Beautiful song
Your post is so true. The core and heart of Voivod never left...
These guys can do anything! RIP Piggy!!!!!
This album was 1991 for me. I was absolutely obsessed with Angel Rat. This really takes me back. In reverie unwind.
VOIVOD LET ME TELL YOU THIS :
NUAGE FRACTAL
is the greatest Metal song on planet earth greatest song in history.
And I'm sure you know that.
You are Grandmasters of Music.
Salutations from Peru
I can't believe this music exists. Only in our dreams huh.
It's amazingly fkng beautiful and nothing in the universe can't beat that.
Probably that's why the aliens are visiting planet Earth more often. Because in their data base they found
NUAGE FRACTAL.
The most beautiful masterpiece ever created.
Voivod rules!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Such an initeresting album.. definetly my favorite from them.
This gives me Shudder To Think vibes
Awesome stuff!!! :)
been going through Voivod’s catalog in order and after their proggy 80s run this was an awesome, still-unexpected turn. reminds me of all the poppy 80s psych i love like the Banshees, Bunnymen and XTC, with double-kick drumming. SO HERE FOR IT
Voivod, Damn the machine with openers Clutch. Harpo's detroit in 1993. Comp tix. I loved that show and was blown away by these dudes. RIP Piggy.
Ciao bravissimo e sottovalutatissimo Denis Piggy D'Amour 🎸 🌹🌟🎸
to be fair, this is voivods black album, empire, parallels, etc..that said its still good, and maybe they were just in a more mellow mood at the time rather than wanting to be commercial its a very enjoyable album and even outer limits has grown on me in more recent years
a lot of it was due to MCA records putting pressure on the band to go more rock.
I love Outer Limits! Get into it.😊
Oh yeah...Outer Limits is the shit!
Angel Rat and Outer Limits are my two favorite Voivod albums, they embrace their progressive rock influence to it's fullest and they're filled with incredible songs.
Outer Limits is a masterpiece.
Love this album so much. Reminds me of driving to my internship at a fish farm in Blountstown, Florida, taking a long, conifer-filled highway. Just such good memories so many years ago, and still so good.
Best album Angel Rat of voivod
Song is so good,,,
Jay it's like RE- GENERATION !!
Incredible band!
Coolest band ever! R.I.P. piggy.
I bought angel rat at a store called candors which is out of business,,but I bought it on cassette (remember those),,
What a green album,,
Loved it from the first listen,,
Every song is great
I love this record!!!!
most beautiful guitar riff ever
Awesome guitar works of Piggy on every tune. Super player!
The whole band is much to underrated... under all those much to overrated.
still love this album !
Dennis D'Amour and Duane Denison are 2 of the most unique guitar players of their generation.
peace, love & voivod
the Voivod original line up is like musical alchemy, all the way from korgull too this! immense skill and craftsmanship-and never a duff riff or musical part..long live Voivod!!!!
Seeing Denis in this video inspired me to buy a Les Paul Custom back in the day. I met him once and told him about this; he told me he didn't like it (he played Ibanez seven strings), so that kind of deflated my reason for owning the thing.
fantastica
Genius!
ANOTHER GREAT! SONG/VIDEO, FROM VOIVOD!, the dj
Ultimate metal pioneers
Best band out of this world
Awesome song...kick ass CD!!
Agree totaly. But i am old so i have it on vinyl LOL😁👍🤘
Hell yeah! what a song. Angel Rat is great but what about Outer Limits with the best hard rock song ever written - Jack luminous
classic
I just think this is a really rather beautiful song, which still kicks a fair old bit, whatever anybody sez. OK - it's somewhat more 'sedate' than 'Ripping Headaches', 'Thrashing Rage' etc (to say the least !), but I think this just demonstrates what an AWESOME band Voivod really are. Every band has their peaks-&-troughs and often that can be 'in-the-eye-of-the-beholder'. I just like to go with what FEELS right. I love their harder stuff : I love this too. Where's the problem ?
Voivod does their own thing. I love Killing Technology and Dimension Hatross but I also love Angel Rat and The Wake. They never repeat themselves.
All they need are some eye patches and flint lock pistols and they can be pirates -
The start of this song sounds so eerily like the AC ⚡️DC song “Rock ‘N’ Roll Dalmatian” 🤘
ONE VEVO VOIVOD video = better than other 5,000.000 millions of vevo videos
Good Tune
the most experiment avant garde band ever, on the existence
New fan for the V!
fedt musik
I wonder whatever happened to those blousy shirts?
How come no one in the comments gets that this was Voivod's Avante Garde, New age/Jazz Metal period? Angel Rat was a fucking masterpiece and to call it a "pop metal" effort simply because it had a lighter, more consonant feel would mean having to say the same thing about Celtic Frost's Into the pandemonium or Acid Bath's "Softer" cryptic ballads (e.g. Scream of the butterfly, Bones of baby dolls, Grave flower etc) or anything in the entire FNM discography. Failing to see these artists and what they produce for what they are comes from the common misconception that Metal evolved from psychedelia and blues when in actuality it came from the unrepentantly experimental Jazz-Rock fusion that gave birth to psychedelia and had no compunction to avoid marrying it with Delta Blues. The timeline for all of these genres and hybrids prove this. Ergo, to even suggest that Voivod was ever pop for playing music that was far more akin to what actually made metal is nothing short of sheer fucking blasphemy!
yes,
I like it very much
This is really growing on me.
@tomcornhole : If you call this pop crap, YOU never understood what Voïvod was all about, and shame on you. "Angel Rat" is a great album, and Voïvod is a creative band that's free to take whatever direction they want. Just as you are free to be close minded, but please don't tell real Voïvod fans what they should listen to.
❤️
Happy late Canada Day!
Last I checked, Voivod weren't selling out stadiums and arenas... Or singing about fucking tables...
Visionary, wish all metal was as expressive as voivod portray it in "Angel Rat".
RIP PIGGY