Voivod is one of the most distinctive bands in our music scene. For decades, they have blazed a trail that many will be jealous of. Without drama or grand statements, the band has been writing its own history in gold letters since 1981.
“Symphonique” was recorded live in 2025 in Quebec. It includes 12 compositions and has a substantial running time of 73 minutes. The key difference from any other live album is that here the band was accompanied by an orchestra.
Looking closely at the setlist, it’s obvious that “Nothingface” and “Dimension Hatross” take the lion’s share with 7 tracks in total. If we now factor in that the band has an extensive discography, 15 albums no less, one can get an idea of what to expect before hearing a single note.
This certainly holds true, as “Symphonique” feels more like a live performance of a sci-fi soundtrack than anything else. The orchestra and the band are perfectly interwoven sonically, and the overall result is nothing short of impressive. Even when the band dives into the past with “Nuclear War” from their debut or moves closer to the present with “The End Of Dormancy,” the album’s flow is amazing.
Let me remind you that I’m not the biggest fan of live recordings. Here, however, I tip my hat to Voivod, who truly made me envy the band’s friends in Canada who got to experience this performance!
Michael Ntalakos
Label: Century Media
