VOIVOD are, in the simplest terms available, absolute legends in their field. Originally formed in Jonquiere, Quebec, Canada in 1982 by Denis "Snake" Belanger, the late Denis "Piggy" D'Amour, Jean-Yves Theriault, and Michel "Away" Langevin, they have, through various lineup changes (including several years with former METALLICA bassist Jason Newsted), released 14 studio albums, a couple EPs, two live albums, and a few DVDs. They are widely considered, alongside SACRIFICE, ANNIHILATOR, and RAZOR, one of the "Big Four" Canadian Thrash Metal bands. Their sound has evolved from straight up Thrash Metal to a more melodic Progressive Metal feel throughout the years. They received the Visionary Award at the 2017 Progressive Music Awards, and their 2018 release "The Wake" received the Juno Award for Heavy Metal Album of the Year. "Lost Machine-Live" marks their third official live release; and is further evidence of the brilliance and staying power they possess. The album is a full show recording, taken from the July 13, 2019 Quebec City Summer Fest; and Belanger and Langevin are joined here by Daniel "Chewy" Mongrain (MARTYR), who has served as the guitarist for the band since 2008, and bassist Dominic "Rocky" Laroche, who has been with the band since 2014. The album's release date was November 27, 2020.

The show opens with "Post Society", from the 2016 EP release of the same name, and "Psychic Vacuum", from 1988's "Dimension Hatross". "Post Society" has a raw, almost Hardcore Punk energy to it that might have felt at home on an early eighties' SST Records release. It is obvious, from the point the music begins, that the crowd is having a blast; and the band feeds off that excitement, throwing themselves headlong into the show. The beautiful thing here is that the responses stay the same from era to era, with the reaction to the much older "Psychic Vacuum" being just as strong as the opener.

The entirety of this release is the same, and it is one gigantic highlight. The album comes to a close with their fantastic cover of PINK FLOYD's "Astronomy Domine", which was originally released on the 1989 record "Nothingface", and the band's signature "Voivod". By the time they reach this culmination, the crowd is in high gear. The musicianship throughout is superb, with Mongrain's virtuosity shining through the old school Hardcore feel of the material, and Belanger and Langevin carrying the sound like a torch. While VOIVOD is certainly not everyone's cup of tea, they sound here just as fresh and relevant as they ever have. This is a superb release.