Progressive Wizardry in Compact Form - A Review of Voivod's Synchro Anarchy

Voivod seemed to be dead and gone after Denis ''Piggy'' d'Amour's tragic demise and the release of his last recordings on Katorz and Infini. However, the band managed to cooperate with the one single person who could adequately replace the legendary guitarist as Daniel ''Chewy'' Mongrain has been immensely influenced by his idol and manages to continue his style while adding his own creative bits and twists. Voivod has managed to improve with every release of the new era and has now reached a level where the current releases have even outclassed the classic material from the eighties and nineties. The Wake was a conceptual and instrumental masterpiece that went down as one of the very best studio albums of the last decade. The amazing thing is that Synchro Anarchy is almost on the same level and a true pleasure to experience for any progressive metal fan. What makes this situation even better is that Synchro Anarchy stays faithful to Voivod's trademark sounds but takes a quite different direction than its immediate predecessor.

The trademarks that make this band so unique are still present from start to finish. The songwriting is adventurous, creative and diversified as it needs a few spins to grow because the sum is greater than its parts on this perfect album. The pace, rhythm and signature changes might sound unexpected at first contact but the band manages to create a cohesion, flow and guiding line throughout the record that only the greatest progressive rock bands manage to evoke. The band's ambitious, intellectual and technical style is defined by distorted guitar sounds, dominant and powerful bass guitar sounds, energetic and playful drum and percussive sections and otherworldly vocals that find a unique balance between grit and melody.

Synchro Anarchy however has its very own soul because the songwriting goes away from the predecessor's more atmospheric, complex and epic tracks that could at times reach lengths of twelve and a half minutes. Instead, the nine new songs on this output are more direct, energetic and focused. The tracks work wonderfully on their own but also have an excellent flow that makes the final result an early candidate for greatest album of the year. 

This record has several candidates that should find their spots on the setlist of future concerts. Title track ''Synchro Anarchy'' for instance manages to be catchy, coherent and precise despite the adventurous, dynamic and open-minded songwriting. This is an instant hit that represents the spirit of the band in general and of this album in particular very well. ''The World Today'' has similar strengths and proves that the band still knows how to get to the point in four extremely efficient minutes that go by in an instant and make you want to press the repeat button right away to enjoy this catchy progressive metal pearl over and over again.

The band's fluid shifts from sinister heavy and thrash metal sections to smooth progressive and psychedelic rock passages stand out particularly well. This works exceptionally well in the epic, imaginative and playful ''Mind Clock'' and the dreamy, enchanting and mysterious ''Quest for Nothing''.

This record's special edition includes a concert recorded in the band's hometown Jonquière three and a half years ago. Even though these musicians now live in and around Montreal, they have been declared ambassadors of their hometown and are always welcomed by enthusiastic, faithful and proud fans. The eleven tracks vary from unforgettable classics such as ''The Unknown Knows'' over forgotten pearls that are rarely being played live such as ''Order of the Blackguards'' to recent successes such as ''Post Society''. Sadly, the two tracks played during the encore are missing here but this limited edition is nevertheless a mandatory purchase for any fan of the band.

At the end of the day, Synchro Anarchy keeps Voivod's impressive momentum going as the quartet might be in the most creative phase of its career. This candidate for album of the year keeps the band's unique trademarks but explores more concise songwriting that unfolds immediately. Anybody who likes bands that think outside the box should give this band in general and this album in particular a chance.

Final Rating: 97%