Greetings fellow metalheads! As
promised, I’m making a special post today to celebrate the release of Jonquière,
Québec prog metal legends VOIVOD’s phenomenal new live release yesterday on
June 5th of VOIVOD Symphonique.
What’s even more special for me is that I was at this show here at the Grand
Théâtre in Québec almost exactly a year ago to the day (June 4th,
2025) and it was nothing short of magical. We find the band playing with the
Québec Symphony Orchestra under the direction of conductor Dina Gilbert. They’d
performed two symphonic shows prior to the one in Québec a few months earlier
in Montreal with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra (also conducted by Dina
Gilbert) at Place des Arts. I was over the moon when it was announced that VOIVOD
would do one symphonic show in Québec and that they’d record it for a future LP
release. Fast forward a year later and that LP is finally here on CD, vinyl,
and digital formats.
The concert features an eclectic set
of twelve songs for a runtime of 73 minutes. The songs have been hand-picked for
the occasion and one couldn’t ask for a better setlist to be accompanied by a large-scale
orchestra of violins, cellos, contrabass, flutes, clarinets, bassoons, oboes,
trumpets, trombones, tuba, percussion, and organ, among others. The songs flow
into one another and it feels like you’re listening to a cinematic sci-fi play
for the mind. From lesser-played songs like “Experiment” and “Forgotten in
Space” to classics like “The Unknown Knows” and “Nuclear War” to cap things off
with an astounding rendition of Pink Floyd’s “Astronomy Domine”, VOIVOD Symphonique is a must-have record
for fans of the band, prog metal, and metal in general. It captures the band
still going strong after over four decades and at the height of their powers.
It’s a memorable show and I, for one, am extremely thankful that they decided
to immortalize this unique performance. It’s a perfect album to listen to on
warm summer nights while staring at the stars.
Century Media Records’ Bandcamp page for VOIVOD
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