This year, progressive heavy metal band Voivod celebrate their 30th anniversary. Over the last three decades the “specialized” Canadian outfit has been through just about everything a band going this long can: many line-up changes, serious car crashes, and the death of the band’s musical figurehead.

In a fitting tribute to the band’s extraordinary career, this week they will release their thirteenth studio album, the superb Target Earth. Drummer and ever-present Voivod member Michel “˜Away’ Langevin stopped to talk with Geeks of Doom about the band’s fascinating career, the new album, touring, and dealing with Denis “˜Piggy’ D’Amour’s death, as well as working on a documentary on the band with filmmaker Sam Dunn (Iron Maiden: Flight 666, Rush: Beyond The Lighted Stage).

Geeks of Doom: Target Earth: Are you happy with how the album sounds?

Michel “˜Away’ Langevin: Oh yeah, definitely, we worked very hard on it for the past two years or more. I’m also very happy with what Sanford Parker did in terms of mixing the album, it really brought the psychedelic metal side of us to the forefront. I’m very happy. Actually, finally, for the first time in many years circumstances were right and we were able to make it epic like we really wanted to do it.

Geeks of Doom: Yeah, it does have that epic feel, which is certainly different to the first Voivod album.