Voivod – Killing Technology LP

A pivotal work in Voivod’s evolution, Killing Technology saw the Canadian thrash innovators push decisively beyond the raw chaos of their earliest recordings. More controlled, progressive and experimental without sacrificing their aggression, the album established the distinctive sound that would define their subsequent work.

Formed in Jonquière, Quebec, in 1982 by vocalist Denis ‘Snake’ Bélanger, guitarist Denis ‘Piggy’ D’Amour, bassist Jean-Yves ‘Blacky’ Thériault and drummer Michel ‘Away’ Langevin, Voivod recorded a series of demos before catching the eye of Brian Slagel and signing a deal with Metal Blade Records. The result was the band’s furious debut album War and Pain, which was released in August 1984. At the time, all four members were sharing an apartment in Montreal, existing on $150 in welfare a week. With school already behind them, they were free to rehearse nearly every day, leading to the creation of their sophomore album Rrröööaaarrr.

While the album was being recorded, almost all their equipment was stolen from the rehearsal room. In order to raise funds, the band, along with their manager Maurice Richard, organised the legendary ‘World War III’ festival. This is where they met Karl-Ulrich Walterbach, who convinced Voivod to sign to his label, Noise Records.

Following 1986’s Rrröööaaarrr, Voivod’s second album for Noise was Killing Technology, widely considered to represent the band’s biggest creative and sonic leap. It was recorded in West Berlin under the watchful eye of Harris Johns and released in 1987. Less frantic compositions such as ‘Tornado’, ‘Ravenous Medicine’ and ‘Killing Technology’ quickly distinguished the Canadians from their thrash contemporaries.

‘For Rrröööaaarrr, we produced it ourselves with our sound engineer in a run-down school with no money,’ explains Michael Langevin in the book Damn the Machine: The Story of Noise Records by American author David E. Gehlke. ‘All of a sudden, we had professional surroundings, a real studio with a real producer and a label to back up the finance. It was step by step. We might have slowed down a little for Killing Technology. We were able to play the parts, and it has a lot of variety. It’s my favourite-sounding album, and the perfect mix of thrash, prog, and hardcore, to my ears. It’s definitely a pivotal album.’