Since the mid-’80s, northern Quebec’s Voivod have forged a unique and globally influential sonic identity. Their shifting personnel has never tempered their iconoclastic yet ever-evolving sound, which juxtaposes death and thrash metal with dissonant prog and hard rock, fueled by jazzy riffs, odd and quickly shifting time signatures, home-made sound effects, and manic, thundering drums. Their lyric themes are inspired by dystopian and sci-fi imagery, political critique, and keen societal observation. Voivod made their international debut on Metal Blade with 1984’s War & Pain, offering a glimpse of the hoary, shapeshifting array of sounds that fully emerged on 1986’s Rrröööaaarrr and 1987’s Killing Technology. 1989’s Nothingface became their biggest commercial success and made the American charts, while 1991’s Angel Rat established their global reputation. 2001’s self-titled offering included former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted . Voivod won a Juno (Canada’s Grammy equivalent) for 2019’s The Wake. The quartet returned with Synchro Anarchy in 2022 to celebrate their 40th anniversary.