KILLING TECHNOLOGY

In the eighties thrash metal scene, of which I was/am a fan, one of the best and most original bands was Voivod, a Canadian four piece that formed in the early eighties. Killing Technology, their third album was the start of something special and remains one of their finest albums where they became more than simply just another thrash metal band.

If there was such a genre as space thrash then Voivod would be it. On Killing Technology, with its sci-fi themes the band became more progressive without sacrificing power and aggression. The music is bold, inventive, fast and very noisy. Yes, to my ears Voivod came across as one of the heaviest of the thrash metal bands, not simply relying on speed, which could stretch the heaviness of many bands a bit thin. Oh yes, they were fast but what was far more important was the riffs. In Denis "Piggy" D'Amour (sadly now deceased) they had one of the most inventive guitarists in the genre churning out brutal yet imaginative riffs one after another. They go from dark and brooding to razor sharp and fast, almost discordant at times yet nearly always compelling. The band sounds like they might fall apart at times - there's a certain looseness, it's chaotic yet it all works beautifully. Side one of my original vinyl copy has the edge where the opening title track is a peak, yet only just, the album working brilliantly as a whole.

Killing Technology is one of their best, along with follow up Dimension Hatross. By Nothingface in 1989, which is still a decent album, they were starting to smooth over the rough edges, less chaotic, which was always part of their appeal. Killing Technology remains not only one of the bands finest, but also one of the best of the eighties thrash metal scene.