Nothingface Voivod Artist

Arguably the best of the {|Denis Belanger|}-era {|Voivod|} albums, {|Nothingface|} is highly recommended to just about any aficionado of twisted, original {|heavy metal|} or {|prog rock|}. Although the album's roots are in {|progressive rock|}, the g... Read more

Arguably the best of the {|Denis Belanger|}-era {|Voivod|} albums, {|Nothingface|} is highly recommended to just about any aficionado of twisted, original {|heavy metal|} or {|prog rock|}. Although the album's roots are in {|progressive rock|}, the group knows when to lay off the virtuosic overkill and play it straight. A superb, tripped-out cover of {|Pink Floyd|}'s early {|psychedelic|} masterpiece {|Astronomy Domine|} is the album's highlight, and its video aired numerous times on the early-'90s {|MTV|} show {|Headbanger's Ball|}, introducing many to the band for the first time. Vocal melodicism is stressed heavily on {|Nothingface|}, with {|Belanger|}'s vocals pushing such tracks as {|Missing Sequences|} and the title track, as do guitarist {|Denis d'Amour|}'s jazzoid-{|metal|} guitar riffs. The group's lyrics may be hard to decipher for some (relying heavily on themes of science fiction that often paint unsettling pictures), but ultimately help complement what the group is doing musically. {|Nothingface|} also turned out to be their most commercially successful album, making an appearance on the {|Billboard|} charts. {|Jason Newsted|} of {|Metallica|} has praised {|Voivod|} as one of his favorite {|metal|} bands on numerous occasions, and after hearing {|Nothingface|}, it's easy to understand why. ~ Greg Prato Less