Voivod will head to Europe this summer with a different voice at the microphone after frontman Denis “Snake” Bélanger stepped away from the run to deal with a family matter. Filling in for him will be former Voivod vocalist and bassist Eric Forrest, who fronted the band during the mid-to-late ’90s and now leads E-Force.
The band shared the news through social media, confirming that the upcoming European dates will move forward with Forrest on vocals.
“Eric Forrest (aka E-Force) to the rescue as Denis Bélanger (aka Snake) needs to attend to a family matter this summer.
“E-Force from 1994 to 2000 was the lead singer and bass player for the formidable power trio years of Voivod. Upon return from a successful UK/Ireland tour with festivals in Iceland, Netherlands and Spain, Snake received news that weighed heavily on him and needed to make a very tough decision.
“The band unanimously agreed that family matters most and were set to cancel the upcoming run of summer European shows from July 10 to August 16, when Snake suggested perhaps the band could carry on if E-Force was available and interested. After all, Eric is part of the Voivod family and is actively performing, but dealing with his own health issues. Once reached, Eric was beyond flattered, and said he’d be able to clear his schedule and his health was in check.
“A set list has been worked out. Rocky, Chewy, and Away look forward to performing with E-Force and will be thinking of Snake. The show will go on and the Cosmic Voivod Multiverse keeps expanding.
“We are Connected!”
Forrest also shared his thoughts on returning to the band for the tour: “Greetings to all! I am honored and blessed to be asked to fill in for Snake this summer, to keep the Voivod fans, band, legacy in motion!! I’m very thrilled to be part of this tour. I never ever imagined this, but I’m happy and motivated to step in and take care of business…Can’t wait to see you all! Merci, santé!”
Forrest served as Voivod‘s singer and bassist between 1994 and 2000, appearing during one of the band’s heavier and more aggressive eras. While he continues to deal with his own health concerns, he has confirmed he is fit to perform and was able to adjust his schedule for the European dates.
Rather than canceling the run, Voivod decided to keep the tour on track with Forrest handling vocal duties while Snake focuses on his family. The remaining members—Rocky, Chewy, and Away—will continue the shows alongside their former bandmate until Snake is ready to return.
