Voivod frontman Denis 'Snake' Bélanger has revealed that the Jonquière prog metallers have recorded a number of songs from their back catalogue to mark their 40th anniversary.
The album, titled Morgöth Tales, is tentatively set for a summer release.
In an interview with Agoraphobic News, the vocalist explained that the album will feature up to 12 songs selected from their 15 studio releases.
"There are songs mostly from Rrröööaaarrr, Killing Technology, Dimension Hatröss and Nothingface," says Bélanger. "We revisited one song from each and it’s in a chronological order. It was fun to do. It was really like a time capsule. Going back and I’m trying to sing these songs like I used to, especially one in particular which was first song we ever recorded, that was for Metal Massacre #5 on Metal Blade (Condemned to the Gallows), back in the day."
Bélanger added that Condemned to the Gallows was initially tricky to record because there was no lyric sheet to hand and and internet search proved fruitless. His mother, who proudly archives her son's work, had the lyrics buried in a file.
"It was really hard to figure out the lyrics – I couldn't remember what I was singing," he explains. "So we're looking everywhere on the internet, if someone has it or whatever. I said to myself, 'Maybe mom has it in the attic somewhere.' And then I called my sister, 'Can you check at mom's place? Maybe she put it somewhere.' Everything is in order with mom. And she was, like, 'Yeah, yeah, I have it. File number six.' And then she pulls out the only copy of the lyrics in the world of that song.' The song was already recorded and we were, like, 'Oh my god, what are we gonna do?'"
Check out the original recording below.
The band will head to Europe as part of their 40th anniversary celebrations. Catch the Québécois quartet at the following venues:
Apr 16: Eindhoven Prognosis Festival, Holland
Apr 18: Bristol The Fleece
Apr 19: Glasgow Slay
Apr 20: Manchester Rebellion
Apr 21: Southampton The 1865
Apr 22: London Prognosis Festival
