Astronomy Domine

Today Voivod’s Nothingface turns 20. I wonder if it was a kind of Black Album for Voivod’s fans. Its prog rock was such a change from the twisted thrash of previous albums. Also, it was the band’s first major label record. Did people cry “sellout”? Having discovered Voivod with 1991’s Angel Rat and not hearing Nothingface until several years later, I basically missed the boat on the latter. Thankfully, that boat never stops coming around. The album is rightly considered a classic.

http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/Gu_Bb5R1MG0&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0

Nothingface‘s “hit” was the cover of Pink Floyd’s “Astronomy Domine.” The original has some wonderful videos. Above is its 1968 promotional video. By then, Syd Barrett was out of the band, so David Gilmour lip-synched his vocals. The video has some great ’60s hair (male and female). I also recommend these live videos (here, here, here) of the song from back then. (Barrett is in the first.) They show how important lighting was to the band’s presentation.

http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/PosE_pG4Swk&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0

Although I was a fan of the original Headbangers Ball, I somehow missed the video for Voivod’s “Astronomy Domine.” (Otherwise, I would have gotten hip to Nothingface sooner. I discovered countless bands through Headbangers Ball.) Seeing it now is a delight. I love the orbiting camera and the blue aura typical of ’80s metal videos. The tremolo effect in the intro is a lot like that in Ride’s “Leave Them All Behind.” Voivod made the song their own; this is one of those rare instances where both a song and its cover are classics. I wonder if Barrett ever knew how far his song reached.

– Cosmo Lee