Killing Technology

I must admit Killing Technology was my first exposure to Voivod. I remember sitting in Eric’s room in high school, back when I was all about hip-hop and other aimless music. Eric was like, “Dude you gotta hear this metal”. I didn’t quite get it at first, but now as a 26 year-old music geek I’m really starting to understand what he was saying. I mean, this band pretty much invented progressive space metal. That might not mean much to you (whoever you are), but it is a monumental feat for metal fans.

I’m still not sure about War and Pain and Rrrroooaaarrr, but after multiple (25 plus) listens, I’m finally understanding the power of this album. The first two albums are just too rough for me to even think about at this point. Well, Rrroooaaarrr is an album that could maybe do it for me some day, but not right now. Killing Technology is where I really start paying attention.

‘Forgotten in Space’ is by far my favorite track. It's a good starting point for the apprehensive fan and shows that Voivod truly were ahead of their time. The unfortunate thing is I’m still trying to get to the point Eric is with this band. By 2010 I should be there. Just remember, really appreciating Voivod takes patience, and that can be difficult thing with metal.

2020 Addendum:

In my original review I lacked the age and life experience to truly understand the forward metal thinking these dudes had in 1987. I guess my friend Eric did. I wrote in my original review that it would take me until 2010 to truly get, but I guess it took Newsted joining the band, Eric petitioning the state of Indiana to get VOIVOD on his license plate, and one of the best live performances of my life last spring with Eric and his wife Kristi. I get it now.

I mean the lines in the opening/title track, ‘Killing Technology’ hit you in the gut in 2020! Do yourself a favor and open your Spotify App and give this first song on the record a listen. I dare say one of the best metal moments (top ten) is around the 3:30 mark when Snake belts, “Growing technology, Fooling technology, killing tech-nology-yeah!” That high pitched part at the end makes my skin crawl, knowing what I know now about the world and how we are controlled by our little devices. It’s an album full of metal riffs and lyrical gems. You really have to read the lyrics while you listen to this album to truly appreciate its tenacity.

Fuck. These dudes should be in the Rock and Roll hall of fame. Way ahead of their time musically, lyrically, and pure ferocious punk/metal intensity wise. I’m boosting my score up from 8.5 to 9.0 in 2020.

In my mind, Killing Technology is a testament to the importance of good songwriting. Though musically not too much of a leap from their previous records, the quality of the songs here are light years beyond them both musically and lyrically, and it makes all the difference in the world.

KT is the first record that fully explores Voivod’s fascination with the realms of science fiction, an aspect of their songs that would be a staple of the band for the next several albums. Musically, the band is surprisingly adept at creating an atmosphere that nicely accompanies the lyrical content – I could see space robots playing music like this! The title track, 'Forgotten in Space' and 'Ravenous Medicine' are all classic tracks that should be required listening for anyone who calls him or herself a headbanger (is that still an apt term, or am I showing my age here?).

Even with the huge step forward taken by the band here, let’s not forget that the first two records weren’t much to write home about in the first place. To my current ears, the songs are still a bit too fast at times and Snake is still growing into his own as a singer. But in retrospect it’s easy to forget that this album was recorded 15 years ago and is remarkable in the sense that there really hasn’t been anything quite like it since. It’s not the first Voivod record I’ll pull on these days, but it will always hold a special place in my heart as the album that kicked the ass of a middle-schooler in the rural Midwest and shaped my musical tastes for years to come.

2020 Addendum:

I cannot believe that it's been 33 years since this cassette graced my tape deck and blew my mind. Killing Technology still isn't my first (or second or third) choice when I'm in a mood for Voivod, but it was an extremely important album in the development of my musical tastes and, as such, will always hold an important place in my metal heart. I'll stand by this review.

To the casual listener, Killing Technology might not seem like a huge step forward from Rrroooaaarrr. It’s still loud, it’s still angry, and the production is still somewhat lacking by today's standards. But in so many ways, Killing Technology represents a significant paradigm shift in Voivod’s approach to metal. The seeds the band planted on War and Pain and Rrroooaaarrr finally came to fruition on an album that made a huge impact on the metal scene upon release, and still holds up today as a classic metal album.

Of all the Voivod albums, this one has the best intro. Just the sound of that spaceship drone, with the status beeping, and robot’s chanting, “WE ARE CO-NNECT-ED!”–that’s the stuff that Voivod Geeks' dreams are made of. It’s also a great way to prepare yourself for a thrash onslaught that rivals just about anything that came out in the 80’s. The title track is an epic effort, featuring blistering speeds, start-stop rhythms, robot voices galore, and a raw vocal performance by Snake. It’s a trip from start to finish and serves as a stunning microcosm for the album as a whole.

‘Overreaction’ is another blockbuster, kicking off with a brilliant bass lick from Blacky. On that note, this is the album where Blacky really comes alive as a bassist. As unique as Piggy’s lead work is, and as ridiculously intense as Away’s drumming is, it’s easy to forget just how remarkable a contribution Blacky’s bass playing made to the Voivod sound.

I was just about to type a sentence about how amazing the first half of this album is. But then I looked at the track list and realized, it’s not just the first half; it’s nearly every song on the entire album. I guess if I had to pick a favorite, it would be ‘Forgotten In Space’. It’s a downright frightening track with some of Away’s best drumming, and more great vocal work from Snake – “IN SPACE! ALL SYSTEMS GO! GO! GO!!!”. The only song that lets down in the slightest is the final track ‘Cockroaches’. It’s not a bad song, but the album could have finished off with ‘This Is Not An Exercise’ and been stronger for it.

I wouldn’t say that Killing Technology has universal appeal, by any means. But if you’re one of these cats who listens to mostly indie/punk rock, but also owns Slayer’s Reign In Blood for metal credibility... well, you’re doing yourself a huge disservice by not adding KT to your collection. It is every bit as impressive and important a metal album as anything Slayer or Metallica did back in the day. Highly recommended.

2020 Addendum:

I disagree with 2003 me. There's absolutely nothing wrong with ‘Cockroaches’. It's not my favorite Voivod song, but it's probably in my top 50, and definitely belongs on the album. And I don't think the production is really lacking. In fact, it's exactly what I want from a punk-influenced late 80's thrash album. It's raw, dirty, and a little bit of an assault on treble-sensitive eardrums, but it suits the music perfectly. As such, I think my original 9.5 score for this was a little low. That, plus the fact that these songs have only improved with age—and are just as relevant today as ever—makes me think it's time to award this album the perfect 10 it deserves.

Up until Eric introduced me to Voivod, I’d never heard anything by them at all. I was what you would call a Voivod Virgin. That is a crying shame because I’ve missed out on a really great band. But hopefully I’m not too late.

Chad was saying that he found it really hard to get into Voivod. I totally know what the guy means; it's taken me roughly 4 months with Dimension Hatross to fall in love with it. But this is not Dimension Hatross. This is Killing Technology, and this is great stuff too. I can't say whether or not Killing Technology would have been an easier listen if I had heard it before Dimension Hatross. I do think this album is slightly less complex than Hatross, butis almost just as good.

I was hooked on this album on my first listen; I love the songs structures and the way they evolve around a given theme. My favourite track on this album I reckon though is ‘Order of the Black Guards’. It truly is genius. Another great thing—and something true metal fans love—are the guitar solos, an area where this album does not disappoint. There are solos on here that are amazing, and they work within each song so well.

My big problem here though is Snake's vocals. They are really harsh and at times quite off-putting. I’m surprised the guy’s got any vocal chords left at all. But other than that this is a flawless 1980’s metal record, and one I reckon has stood the test of time. The production job's not too bad either.

2020 Addendum:

Since I wrote this review more than 10 years ago my appreciation for Voivod has grown. This was such an interesting album and one that—criminally—I haven’t listened to for a very long time, for no reason whatsoever. But Voivod did release The Wake in 2018 and that is another superb album (and IMO better than Killing Technology), and I have listened to it rather a lot since its release. If you want a very refreshing take on heavy metal in 2020 you should check it out. The new single ‘The End of Dormancy’ is now out via Metal Blade records.