Voivod - Symphonique [2LP]

Voivod's sci-fi thrash finally gets the full orchestral treatment on Symphonique, a 2026 live double album pressed on 180 gram vinyl in a gatefold jacket.

Recorded in 2025 at the Grand Théâtre de Québec, the album captures the Jonquière legends on stage with the Orchestre symphonique de Québec, conducted by Dina Gilbert. Arranger Hugo Bégin translated the band's twisting, dissonant riffs into parts for a full orchestra, building on an earlier collaboration with the Montréal symphony and turning a longtime dream into reality.

The set ranges across the band's history, from "Experiment" and "Forgotten in Space" to "Into My Hypercube," before closing with their long-cherished cover of Pink Floyd's "Astronomy Domine." Strings and brass add weight and drama to Daniel Mongrain's angular guitar lines, while Away's drumming keeps everything grounded and urgent.

The band has likened the result to the score of a dystopian science fiction film, and that feels about right. The dissonance that always made Voivod sound so alien here becomes something grand, eerie and strangely beautiful, with the orchestra amplifying every odd chord rather than smoothing it over.

Running well over an hour across four sides, Symphonique is a bold document for longtime fans and a striking way in for curious newcomers who have always wondered what the fuss was about.