From Blabbermouth

VOIVOD guitarist Denis "Piggy" D'Amour passed away Friday night (August 26) at approximately 11:45 p.m. due to complications from advanced colon cancer — so advanced that the disease had spread to his liver. D'Amour slipped into a coma Thursday night and died less than 24 hours later in the palliative care unit of a Montreal hospital, surrounded by family and friends. He was 45 years old.

Quebec City newspaper Le Soleil reported yesterday that D'Amour — who was diagnosed with colon cancer earlier in the summer — first entered the hospital for a routine operation, but several complications led his doctors to suspect more problems. Then the grim verdict was revealed: the cancer, already too advanced, was inoperable.

Only two months ago, D'Amour was in the studio working on the 14th album from the Canadian thrash-metal pioneers VOIVOD. More than two dozen tracks are believed to have been demoed for the CD, for which the group recently inked a deal with The End Records. However, the band were forced to put studio work on hold while bassist Jason Newsted (ex-METALLICA) was treated for tendonitis.

In a recent interview with Billboard.com, Newsted spoke about the material slated to appear on the group's next CD. "It's the most complete demos I've ever been involved in," he said. "[VOIVOD singer] Snake has already chosen his effects — exact timing of milliseconds for delay. We've had a long time to develop the demos, so there's about 23 or 25 songs that are absolutely listenable right now."

Newsted was a huge fan of VOIVOD before he was invited to join and he remains a great admirer to this day. "They created something a long, long time ago that may have been emulated many, many times since — but nobody can do it like the original," he offered.

Prior to his hospitalization, D'Amour laid down guitar tracks for a reunion CD from the legendary AUT'CHOSE, a '70s band from Montreal. That album is expected to surface next summer.

This is sad news.


Nothingface is such a weird but great album. I kept meaning to buy Voivod's last one that had Newsted on it but never did. Has anyone heard it?...any good?

Damn...RIP.

damn, that sucks. Dimension Hatross is such a classic metal album for me.

Hails Piggy.

Fuck. Godspeed, Piggy. Put this on his headstone.

I did, I didn't know
I think, I should go, go!
Bio-atrophy
Doxite double-wind
Forgetful retry
Aphasic clouded cult
Synaptic planet pulse
Lost engram

Ow.

What a way to go.

RIP.

fp

Whoa I didn't realize people outside of Mtl knew these guys so well.

Fuck man, that's seriously sad news. I know the girlfriend of one of the Voivod guys... I really hope it wasn't her man. Fuck. Seriously sad.

RIP

In the late 80's/early 90's their major label records garnered them a larger audience. You could see 'em on "Headbanger's Ball" etc. Plus, bands like Metallica talked 'em up in interviews. I've only got like, 3 of their records, but I dig 'em.

Just a shame...& a cancer that can be beat, if you find it early enough. I know guys hate it when their doctors test them for this, but we really should have it done annually.

ditto

I was never a fan of the band, bu their album NOTHINGFACE, did provide the inspiration for the name of one of my all-time favorite bands, and my former CMJ name....

why couldn't this happen to lars or james?

Okay, so I broke down and bought their latest album today for like, three dollars used and surprisingly, I found that it's not bad...not as experimental as their earlier albums and more influenced by Jason Newsted now but worth listening to.



For the curious, here's a song I really like: Gasmask Revival

Enjoy.

http://s50.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=3JR9TI2FM5MXC2X418Q8X8CO8D

Didn't he also guest on that Dave Grohl metal Probot record? I remember hearing some distinct Voivod influences...no, apparently it was Snake. Still, he was a fan.

Damn, and they were going to record with Albini, according to this page.

Check the date.

Heh-heh. Oh. Oops.

They were awesome live.

I saw them headline, if you can believe this, with Faith No More, and Sound Garden at the Vic in Chicago. Also saw them with Testament and Kreator.

I miss the old, Piggy, Snake, Away, Blacky.

What ever happened to him (Blacky) anyway? Did he cut his hair new wave and change his name to Carlos D of Interpol? Those guys could be brothers. Both with looks and Style.




Killing Technology rocked my Metal Ass ... Damn....((


RIP Piggy

I saw a mention of this tour in another obit. Definitely made me go .

wfmu just finished a nice tribute show - the DJ said it should be in the station's site archives about 7PM tonite.