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General => General Music Discussion => Topic started by: Ultimetalhead on May 24, 2014, 01:21:03 PM

Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. 'Cause there is always time...
Post by: Ultimetalhead on May 24, 2014, 01:21:03 PM
Devin Townsend is a musician, pure and simple. Be it with his soaring vocals, ethereal atmospheres, or crushing guitar, Devin's music positively bleeds emotion. Looking at Devin's impressive discography, it might be easy to assume that he's merely another one of those progressive metal titans who is way too in love with himself and always striving to reinvent the genre. However, Devin has said numerous times that he makes music for himself only, and honestly doesn't care what people think of it. Obviously, every musician under the sun has said that, but I get the feeling that Devin Townsend is one of the few that truly mean it. Over the course of his career, we have a pop-punk album, numerous industrial/death metal experiments, delightfully heavy pop rock, soft ambient, and even blues-based atmospheric country. While each of his albums are instantly recognizable as his work, each of his many projects takes on its own identity. For the purposes of this thread, we will be covering his solo work, so pretty much anything with the name Devin Townsend in it will be covered.

Teh list (Click the album link to magically warp to the first post of the discussion)
Ocean Machine: Biomech (1997) (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=41621.msg1811300#msg1811300)
Infinity (1998) (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=41621.msg1812799#msg1812799)
Physicist (2000) (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=41621.msg1814343#msg1814343)
Terria (2001) (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=41621.msg1816218#msg1816218)
Accelerated Evolution (2003) (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=41621.msg1818672#msg1818672)
Synchestra (2006) (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=41621.msg1821016#msg1821016)
Ziltoid the Omniscient (2007) (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=41621.msg1823116#msg1823116)
Ki (2009) (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=41621.msg1826274#msg1826274)
Addicted (2009) (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=41621.msg1829933#msg1829933)
Deconstruction (2011) (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=41621.msg1832419#msg1832419)
Ghost (2011) (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=41621.msg1835301#msg1835301)
Epicloud (2012) (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=41621.msg1837929#msg1837929)
Casualties of Cool (2014) (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=41621.msg1841896#msg1841896)
Z2 (2014) (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=41621.msg2172818#msg2172818)

So, without further ado, let's take a dive into the wonderfully lush world of Ocean Machine: Biomech.

(https://dark-world.ru/files/covers/71/7188.jpg)

Considered to be the "serious" component of Devin Townsend's music (the non-serious being Strapping Young Lad, which Townsend considered a parody), Ocean Machine: Biomech was constructed to be a vehicle for Devin's solo compositions. Though it was initially released under the Ocean Machine moniker, it was quickly reissued with Devin Townsend's name sloppily stamped above the original logo. Strapping Young Lad had already given many listeners an introduction to Townsend's penchant for walls of sound with literally no breathing space. In SYL's complex, visceral grind, the wall of sound complimented the chaotic nature of the music flawlessly. With the more subdued Ocean Machine album, we see the wall of sound manifested in a multitude of atmospheric layers. Simply put, there is always something else going on in the music other than what's at the forefront. Every verse, bridge, chorus on the album (barring the minimalist Death of Music) is stooped in layers of ambient pads and lush soundscapes. Much like the ocean itself, this album is DENSE. The resulting density makes repeated listens incredibly worthwhile, but first listens may be marred by mental overload from the listener. The songs are catchy, the riffs are heavy, and the atmospheric sections are quite relaxing, but it can be WAY too much to take on a first listen. As such, I don't usually recommend OM to many first-timers. This is an album that takes its time growing on the listener, gradually revealing all of its intricacies to only the most patient audience.

Now, with the pretentious intro out of the way, let's move on to my personal experiences with this album. This one took a REALLY long time to gel with me. I got into Devin with Addicted, Ziltoid, and SYL's The New Black, so the earlier material with all of the atmospheric bits and lighter tone was hard to swallow at first. Plus, whenever I tried to give it a listen, there was this harrowing atmosphere around it that just left me uncomfortable. Even the happier songs like Life and Hide Nowhere had me feeling odd. Something was just...off. Later, this atmosphere is what would make me consider OM a top 50 album. The fact that music could make me feel such an emotion was enough reason for me to keep at it. I had to find out why this album was disturbing me so much. It finally hit me on a drive home in the middle of the night. I paid full attention to the intricacies of the music. Every little detail jumped out to me with such clarity that I couldn't help but laugh. The bombast of Hide Nowhere worked perfectly alongside the dark, brooding Voices in the Fan. And the 3 song suite of Funeral, Bastard and The Death of Music is easily the most emotion-driven 30 minutes of music I have ever experienced. Every little section, from the choral outro to the previously mentioned Voices in the Fan, the blood-curdling scream that separates Bastard into its two sections, and the other blood-curdling scream at the end of Things Beyond Things: Everything on this album was here for a reason. Nothing is out of place.

It's hard to look at this album and not see that it was clearly made by a bipolar personality. The album changes mood so frequently that it occasionally endangers the cohesion of the whole. Fortunately, the production style makes it so that even the relentlessly happy songs feel dark and oppressive. This album has been the soundtrack to many sessions of self-reflection. It's so easy to get lost in the layers and (pardon all the ocean parallels) drown in its beauty. Really, the entire album feels like drowning. It's overwhelming, and the mind wants to get out, but eventually the body just gives in and accepts its fate. Alright, I said I was done with pretentious analogies, but this album deserves them more than any other. This is a truly wonderful piece of art.

In 5 or 6 days we'll move on to the even more bipolar Infinity album.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: Buddyhunter1 on May 24, 2014, 01:38:06 PM
This would be my 2nd favorite pre-DTP, non-SYL album of his (which is still saying a lot), and my favorite solo album of his up until Accelerated Evolution. It's executed extremely well for an album so early in his career, though the mixing/production can be a bit weird at times.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: Sacul on May 24, 2014, 02:35:19 PM
This album is freaking amazing. The amount of energy of songs like Seventh Wave or Regulator are ridiculous - that's why it's my fav album to listen to while I work out. The mix can be quite weird to understand at first but I can't imagine this album with another kind of production. Btw, I haven't thought of the beauty of this record, I'll check that on the next listen.
Following :hat.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: adace on May 24, 2014, 02:37:27 PM
Awesome album. Seventh Wave, Life, and Regulator are some of my favorite Devy tunes.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: Lowdz on May 24, 2014, 02:51:45 PM
I've never been a huge  Devy fan - Steve Vai's awful Sex & Religion put me off. I've heard bits of things since then - Epicloud was really good and some of the DTP albums have been really good if I'm in a certain mood for them.

My interest was piqued when you said "melodic" in the op. Gave this a listen on Spotify and wow - great album.

So yeah, following.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: seasonsinthesky on May 24, 2014, 04:08:49 PM
absolute favourite, has been since 2002 when i got into Dev.

"Funeral" > "Bastard" > "The Death of Music" is a triple knockout i don't think Dev has quite topped since (for me), and possibly my favourite half hour of music i know.

and while OM is definitely sequenced amazingly, i often wonder how much more i'd like it if "Ocean Machines" (and perhaps other relevant demos, like "L.A.") were recorded and included. but since that song was written after...
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: Metro on May 24, 2014, 05:01:37 PM
First off, I am SOO happy that you are doing this.

Ocean Machine is one of my favorite albums of all time. But it's also kind of a difficult album for me. I started listening to Devy with Addicted back in '09 and worked my way backward. So this ending being one of the last stops on my tour through his wondrous discography. Around the time I got around to it, I was going through a pretty low point in my life. This album was a big factor in me coping with what was going on. The last 4 songs of the album never fail to give me chills every time I listen to them.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: Ultimetalhead on May 24, 2014, 05:03:10 PM
I've never been a huge  Devy fan - Steve Vai's awful Sex & Religion put me off. I've heard bits of things since then - Epicloud was really good and some of the DTP albums have been really good if I'm in a certain mood for them.

My interest was piqued when you said "melodic" in the op. Gave this a listen on Spotify and wow - great album.

So yeah, following.
Jesus. Sex and Religion shouldn't be the basis by which someone judges anyone. I don't mind Devy's vox on that album much, but good lord that's like the WORST possible example of Devin's capabilities.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: Scorpion on May 24, 2014, 07:13:22 PM
No Punky Bruster, Devlab or The Hummer? This thread is worse than Satan and Hitler combined already. :neverusethis:

In all seriousness... I'm extremely psyched that you're doing this. It sometimes seems to me that your knowledge on Devin Townsend is a little beyond what is healthy, but that is exactly what we need for a thread like this. :P This thread will probably also prompt my first ever listen of Physicist... eventually.

Ocean Machine is ridiculously amazing. The atmosphere is crushing and soothing at the same time and it's a mood that Devin has never quite captured again. The closing stretch of Funeral - Bastard - The Death of Music is, as many have already mentioned, a serious contender for one of the best 30-minute stretches in music. Others of my favourites are Seventh Wave, Life, Voices in the Fan and Regulator.

Fun fact: this was, if I recall correctly, the first Devin Townsend album that I got into, so it'll always have a place in heart, and my Devin Top 5. It's not quite #1, but I'd never question anybody calling it their favourite Townsend album. The fact that Devin made such amazing music so early in his career is amazing, and is, in my opinion, only surpassed in amazingness by the fact that over such a large amount of albums, the quality has barely waned at all.

So yeah, looking forward to this thread.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: Ultimetalhead on May 24, 2014, 07:24:15 PM
Oh trust me, I've been dying for a chance to put my ridiculous amount of Devy knowledge to use. As much as I'd love to do Punky Bruster, I just don't think it fits as a part of Devin's overall work. It's a hilarious parody of punk bands, yes, but it's just not quite up to snuff. I'm leaving Devlab and The Hummer out because they're mostly noise and ambiance, and I haven't listened to either of them hardly ever.

Fun fact: Ocean Machine: Biomech is made up of material written across many years. Some of it dates back to pre-Sex & Religion, though I don't precisely know what is from when. Thinking of it as a "greatest hits" of the more mellow stuff from Townsend's earlier years certainly explains the ridiculous level of quality throughout.

Boy I can't fucking wait for Infinity. I've got SO much stuff to talk about.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: Scorpion on May 24, 2014, 07:55:03 PM
Yeah, just joking. Though I like The Hummer, I understand why people don't, and Devlab is really quite... bad. Just messing around.

Also, how great is that scream at the end of Things Beyond Things? :hefdaddy
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: Ultimetalhead on May 24, 2014, 08:11:28 PM
Yeah, just joking. Though I like The Hummer, I understand why people don't, and Devlab is really quite... bad. Just messing around.

Also, how great is that scream at the end of Things Beyond Things? :hefdaddy
Ooh boy. More fun facts: The scream for Things Beyond Things was recorded on tour with Steve Vai. Devin was always trying to expand his vocal techniques and range, so he would often sit in the tour bus with his portable recording device and just scream as hard as he possibly could into it. The resulting low-fi crackling from the scream seems to confirm the theory that it was recorded during the tour and lopped on the end either as a joke or for some artistic reason that will never be understood.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: TioJorge on May 24, 2014, 09:45:10 PM
Awesome, definitely following and will contribute to this.

I consider, as I'm sure many others do, you to be the end-all of information when it comes to Townsend. While you didn't specifically introduce me to him, I had only heard SYL's Aftermath, loved it, but didn't listen to anything else by the man for years, and had honestly forgotten all about him. Then when I became active here, I started to quickly realize that Ulti might in fact be Townsend himself, and it still wouldn't surprise me, because who else knows what Devin's poop consists of? After realizing this, I followed a lot of your discussions on Townsend and soon found myself loving his music and the moods it put me in.

All kidding aside, like Scorp said, it's awesome to have intimate knowledge in discussions about an artist. Anyway, thanks for doing this and for getting me into one of my favorite artists out of all the times!

It took me a while to get into OM as well, for many of the same reasons. It honestly does feel like 'work' to listen to the first...well, for me, first hundred or so times. That's not a joke. It's probably a couple hundred. It took me...years to get into, and one day it just clicked (mainly Things Beyond Things...I also pissed myself on that scream...granted, I was also on psilocybin..which also greatly influenced the 'click', though it stuck, luckily). Since that time I've listened to the albums thousands of more times and each time after I sink deeper (it will never end) into the music. It's a truly amazing work of art, and while I consider almost anything Townsend does to be a work of art, this one was the first that, once it hit, I knew I had to find out everything else the man had created.

Awesooooome! 6 days is too long.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: KevShmev on May 24, 2014, 11:05:47 PM
Ocean Machine has always been an interesting album for me personally cause I definitely recognize its awesomeness from start to finish, and some of my favorite Devin songs are from this record, but for whatever reason, it has never dominated my CD player for weeks, or even days, at a time like most of Devin's other albums have.  Granted, I got into him shortly before AE came out, and I think loving Terria and Infinity both way more made OM kind of the odd man out as far as listening time went, and then as each new album has came out, each one got its due in my CD player, and Ocean Machine has never really gotten that long run where it's all I listened to for days. 

Life is overrated.  Don't get me wrong, I like it a lot, but I think nearly every full-length song on this record is better.

The scream at the end of Things Beyond Things is definitely epic, but I have to admit to editing it out of the mp3 I have of it.  I seldom want to get bludgeoned by that scream. :lol

The Death of Music is incredible to listen to when driving at night. 

I'll say more about this album in the days to come as I think of it.

 :metal :metal
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: TioJorge on May 24, 2014, 11:12:52 PM
Kev...you're the awesomest of blossoms, but your mind is such poopy after saying the words 'overrated' and 'life' in the same sentence (when regarding the song, cause life is fucking definitely overrated lllllllllllllllllllolz). Buuuut  :rollin at editing TBT, I did the exact same. I absolutely love going to sleep to that song...but my god, I didn't every single time I went to bed listening to it before doing that...and subsequently forgot about it the next night I listened to it. I know the artistic value in having it...and understand it's importance, but that's about all I need to know. That thing is fucking annoying for as much as I love the blood drenched screams from the blood god. *ahhhh sleepy time...record is ove-- :omg: :omg: :omg: :omg: :omg: :omg: :omg: :omg:*ADRENALINE YOU'RE GOING TO DIE WAKE UP FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF* :lol
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: Lowdz on May 25, 2014, 04:38:48 AM
I've never been a huge  Devy fan - Steve Vai's awful Sex & Religion put me off. I've heard bits of things since then - Epicloud was really good and some of the DTP albums have been really good if I'm in a certain mood for them.

My interest was piqued when you said "melodic" in the op. Gave this a listen on Spotify and wow - great album.

So yeah, following.
Jesus. Sex and Religion shouldn't be the basis by which someone judges anyone. I don't mind Devy's vox on that album much, but good lord that's like the WORST possible example of Devin's capabilities.

Yeah, its not the whole basis of my initial judgement, but the stuff I did sample when everyone was raving about him was screamy noisy stuff which just isn't my thing.
He is a very diverse artist. obviously, so hating one aspect of his music doesn't stop me from being a fan of other parts. I just sampled the wrong stuff early in my exploration.
OM sounds like a great album so I just bought it.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: Zantera on May 25, 2014, 04:40:26 AM
Ocean Machine is a really good album. I got the blue vinyl in my collection, and I would say that together with Terria, it's his finest album.  :tup
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: KevShmev on May 25, 2014, 08:14:56 AM
Kev...you're the awesomest of blossoms, but your mind is such poopy after saying the words 'overrated' and 'life' in the same sentence (when regarding the song, cause life is fucking definitely overrated lllllllllllllllllllolz). Buuuut  :rollin at editing TBT, I did the exact same. I absolutely love going to sleep to that song...but my god, I didn't every single time I went to bed listening to it before doing that...and subsequently forgot about it the next night I listened to it. I know the artistic value in having it...and understand it's importance, but that's about all I need to know. That thing is fucking annoying for as much as I love the blood drenched screams from the blood god. *ahhhh sleepy time...record is ove-- :omg: :omg: :omg: :omg: :omg: :omg: :omg: :omg:*ADRENALINE YOU'RE GOING TO DIE WAKE UP FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF* :lol

The Devin Townsend song Life is overrated.  There, I said it again. :biggrin:

And that's funny you mention that about sleeping cause I do have a Devin playlist for falling asleep to, and I couldn't have Things Beyond Things on there if that scream was there.  That actually was my main motivation for editing it out. :lol :lol
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: Buddyhunter1 on May 25, 2014, 10:54:07 AM
Life is good, but not one of my favorite songs on the album.

And yeah, I edited out the end of Thing Beyond Things too. As well as the "Strapping Young Lad sucks my hairy anus" thing at the end of Spirituality. :P
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: Ben_Jamin on May 25, 2014, 11:44:57 AM
I love this album. Funeral is just amazing, his vocals and the atmosphere.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: Ultimetalhead on May 25, 2014, 01:10:00 PM
I've already got about 2 and a half pages done for the Infinity write-up. If you guys think 6 days is too long I'll put it up on Wednesday or Thursday.

One thing I specifically want to talk about with OM. How awesome is the choral interlude between Voices in the Fan and Greetings? It's one of the most haunting moments in music I've ever heard. It makes me think about a church, massively late at night. Maybe a service that only 2 or 3 people appeared to. Borderline solitude. It's incredible how the amazing moments in Devin's music sometimes occur in between the songs. No other artist I know can really do that.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: Ben_Jamin on May 25, 2014, 01:35:57 PM
I'm gonna jam OM after Casualties of Cool....good yardwork music.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: Scorpion on May 25, 2014, 01:44:45 PM
The choral ending of Voices in the Fan is amazing, and one of the best things on Ocean Machine. And given how good that album is, that's saying a lot.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: seasonsinthesky on May 25, 2014, 01:55:24 PM
One thing I specifically want to talk about with OM. How awesome is the choral interlude between Voices in the Fan and Greetings? It's one of the most haunting moments in music I've ever heard. It makes me think about a church, massively late at night. Maybe a service that only 2 or 3 people appeared to. Borderline solitude. It's incredible how the amazing moments in Devin's music sometimes occur in between the songs. No other artist I know can really do that.

i think it concludes an absolute highlight reel from the middle of the record — it starts well, sure, but when "Hide Nowhere" ends and these tracks flow out of it, i think the true genius of the work begins proper. the collage under/around "Sister" is sublime, a point of submersion (perhaps the first actual one) that slowly emerges into the air with "3 A.M.," probably my favourite little segue/intro piece Dev has ever made and a study in how to create moving music with the most minimal approach possible. it becomes "Voices in the Fan," maybe one of the most unique songs in Dev's entire catalogue, if only for the arrangement itself... and then we're treated to a conclusion to the sort of mini-suite with the sample you mentioned, maybe the most sublime possible result from that sequence of songs (and the way they are sequenced).

the structure of the record overall is very interesting. it opens with self-contained, 'choppy waves'
Seventh Wave
Life
Night
Hide Nowhere >

then becomes more structurally homogenous and flowing, like long waves overlapping
> Sister
> 3 A.M.
> Voices in the Fan

but with the dynamics of the ocean reflected by the quiet transition into two more 'long waves'
Greetings
> Regulator

before culminating in the total immersion somewhere in the last third of "Funeral"
Funeral
> Bastard
> The Death of Music

i love "Things Beyond Things" but i wish it wasn't on every version. it's obviously a demo and an afterthought on the album — a highlight of Ass-Sordid Demos if it were there like it should be, but a somewhat random and unfitting part of OM, sorta like listening to Infinity and getting to the end of "Noisy Pink Bubbles" and then you get these random bonus tracks that don't fit at all. (more to be said once we get to that album, i guess.)
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: Ultimetalhead on May 25, 2014, 05:31:55 PM
Oh man. Can't say I agree at all with Things Beyond Things. I think it's a fantastic conclusion to the album. I once heard another fan refer to Sister as "the ocean by day" and 3AM as "the ocean by night", and while I love that analogy, I feel like Things Beyond Things is the true "ocean by night." The atmosphere to that song is so incredibly beautiful and dark, but not quite as oppressive as the rest of the album. After the stone-cold darkness of Bastard and The Death of Music, I think Things Beyond Things provides a much-needed release. The Death of Music would have been a fine album closer, but I think Things brings it full circle.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: wolfking on May 25, 2014, 05:36:54 PM
You know, I have quite a few Devin albums and while I find them good, I have never been addicted like you guys are.  I think something just never clicked.  I think this thread is a good opportunity to pull the albums I own back out and give them a couple of listens while the discussions are going.

I don't even know which ones I have without going home and looking.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: PROGdrummer on May 25, 2014, 05:38:40 PM
So, is this the new Devin Townsend thread? Is the other one dead?

Edit: nevermind
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: Ultimetalhead on May 25, 2014, 05:40:13 PM
If Ocean Machine doesn't make you feel at least something, you have very little hope as a functioning human being. Though, I don't think there's a single album we'll be covering that sounds like any of the others. It will certainly be a unique and varied journey if you wish to take the plunge.  :tup

So, is this the new Devin Townsend thread? Is the other one dead?
Nope. Other thread is alive and well. This is a thread in which we talk about one of his albums every week or so, going chronologically. We're talking about OM right now, and we'll move onto Infinity later this week. Sorry if the "v. title" confused you. I was worried about that.  :lol
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: wolfking on May 25, 2014, 05:48:14 PM
If Ocean Machine doesn't make you feel at least something, you have very little hope as a functioning human being. Though, I don't think there's a single album we'll be covering that sounds like any of the others. It will certainly be a unique and varied journey if you wish to take the plunge.  :tup

Yeah, I don't think I have Ocean Machine, but I think the ones I don't own, I'll give a listen to online.

I think I have;


Accelerated Evolution (2003)
Synchestra (2006)
Ki (2009)
Addicted (2009)
Deconstruction (2011)
Ghost (2011)
Epicloud (2012)

I may have another older album, I'm not sure.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: Ultimetalhead on May 25, 2014, 05:53:55 PM
That's a good bit of his discog. You're missing 3 absolutely crucial pieces in OM, Infinity, and Terria though. It'd be wise to get on that.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: wolfking on May 25, 2014, 05:55:53 PM
I'll be sure to listen to those online as the thread progresses.  I'll try and start with Ocean Machine tonight.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: billybobjoe1881 on May 25, 2014, 11:57:38 PM
I've been trying to get into Strapping Young Lad and Devon Townsend for the last 4 or 5 years because I know a few people that say they are amazing.  This thread might finally help me break into it.  I'll dig deeper tomorrow.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: Scorpion on May 26, 2014, 12:20:20 AM
Pro-tip for getting into his stuff: his name is spelled "Devin". :P
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: aprilethereal on May 26, 2014, 02:15:55 AM
OM is my second favourite Devin album after Addicted. Great stuff :tup
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: Nihil-Morari on May 26, 2014, 02:42:50 AM
I'm somewhat weird in terms of Devin lovin'. I've only got the Contain Us boxset. I loved the idea of having 4 totally different albums coming from the same guy but being totally different. I like the albums too, but I think I like the idea and the boxset more than the music.
Apart from those 4 I've never really gotten into Devin. I like Ziltoid, and I listened to The Hummer for a while, but that's mainly it.

But the positive thing is that I'm listening to OM now (Hide Nowhere to be exact) and I like it. I don't know if I can become a big fan or something, but we'll see. I'm looking forward to the last half hour of the album, judging by your discussion that should be something.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: PixelDream on May 26, 2014, 03:47:00 AM
I was listening so much to Devin Townsend (even went to a DTP gig with Anneke on backings, which was really good), but I'm kind of tired of it for a while. He always oozes with so much rawk energy, operatic emotion, silly humor etc.. that sometimes it's just a bit too much to take in. I mostly love his older records, most of DTP (except Epicloud) and Casualties sounds good from what I've heard so far. Me being tired of his music is ofcourse due to myself. Devin has absolutely no fault in this, he's exceptional and amazing as an artist and person as well. He was the coolest dude ever when I met him.

My favorite records with some of my favorite songs:

1. Ocean Machine (includes one of my top 10 songs ever, The Death of Music).
2. Ki (Coast, Heaven Send)
3. Accelerated Evolution (Deadhead, Suicice)
4. Terria (Earth Day and Deep Peace)
5. Addicted (Hyperdrive!, Numbered!, Awake!)
6. Ghost (Fly)
7. Synchestra (Pixellate)

Those are the ones I usually reach for. Deconstruction was a huge WTF in a good way when it came out, although nowadays I don't find it attractive at all. Same goes for Ziltoid. I was totally hooked on that one as well, but not anymore. I've always seen Epicloud as a worse version of Addicted.. can't do nothing about it.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: Onno on May 26, 2014, 04:58:26 AM
OM:B is absolutely amazing. I only got into Devin around December 2012, when I saw him perform a short set at some festival. That was great, but it didn't quite click yet; as a result, I didn't really listen to his music until I went on fieldwork for my study from early May ( :biggrin: ) until late June. On fieldwork I listened to Epicloud, Addicted, Ghost and Ki quite a lot. I also gave some SYL albums a quick listen, but they didn't click yet; same goes for Deconstruction. When I got back home I started listening to his music more and more and listened to the DTP album commentaries on Youtube, which led to me finally understanding Deconstruction; nowadays it's probably my favourite DTP album tied with Ki. I also started listening to the rest of his discography, and OM:B was one of the last ones that clicked. I liked the first few tracks, Funeral and Bastard.
But like every Devin album, OM:B grew on me, and holy shit, I love this album right now. Seasonsinthesky has got a good point about the structure of the record, but I disagree with him about Things Beyond Things; I'm with Ultimetalhead there, that song is the perfect closer!

This thread is great. Looking forward to the discussions about the rest of Devin's discography! I hope that once we arrive at CoC, I've received the CD. I still haven't listened to the album yet  :lol
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: wolfking on May 26, 2014, 05:29:16 AM
If Ocean Machine doesn't make you feel at least something, you have very little hope as a functioning human being. Though, I don't think there's a single album we'll be covering that sounds like any of the others. It will certainly be a unique and varied journey if you wish to take the plunge.  :tup

Yeah, I don't think I have Ocean Machine, but I think the ones I don't own, I'll give a listen to online.

I think I have;


Accelerated Evolution (2003)
Synchestra (2006)
Ki (2009)
Addicted (2009)
Deconstruction (2011)
Ghost (2011)
Epicloud (2012)

I may have another older album, I'm not sure.

Just checked, I also have Physicist.

I've just brought up Ocean Machine in youtube and having a listen.  First song is cool, really cool.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: wolfking on May 26, 2014, 06:19:09 AM
Wow, just listened to Bastard for the first time, just.....wow, what a song.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: jingle.boy on May 26, 2014, 09:08:55 AM
For a long time I've been searching/waiting for a reason to discover Hevy Devy, and now I have that compelling reason.  I've listened to bits of his music here and there, and was always leery about being put off by the screams.  But man, he's just got such a full and wholesome sound about his voice.  And the richness of his guitar tones is incredible.

Only a couple of tracks in on this album, and loving it so far.  Life was great Kev, so there.  So far, the aggressiveness of his screams is just right.

Looking forward to this thread.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: Ultimetalhead on May 26, 2014, 09:17:25 AM
So massively stoked at how many people are just now discovering Ocean Machine because of this thread. Enjoy it. It's easily one of my favorite albums ever.  :metal
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: KevShmev on May 26, 2014, 09:19:12 AM
Yep, it's always great to see the man get new fans. :metal

Also, that choir thing at the end of Voices in the Fan is definitely super cool. 

Lastly, I never said I didn't like Life; I like it a lot.  I just think he has dozens and dozens of songs that are way better.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: Nihil-Morari on May 26, 2014, 09:21:47 AM
So about this album. The mix puts me off a bit, I really thought I would get used to it, but really I didn't. Maybe after a couple of listens. I just feel like the vocals are being buried in all those layers, and in his later albums the parts that need extra attention somehow stay on top. Maybe it was a learning curve for him too, maybe it was meant to be this way, I don't know.
A couple of songs were nothing special for me (Life was a tad cheesy for example), and the final three tracks were maybe a bit underwhelming after all the praise in this thread.
What did help though was Seasonsinthesky's view on the tracks representing the difference in waves. You really get that sense that Dev's playing with tempo and emotion to accommodate that. The ocean sounds help a lot, though.

So overall an album I would listen to again, maybe I need this on CD as well, to crank in the car a couple of times. Maybe it'll grow, I guess it will.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: jingle.boy on May 26, 2014, 10:19:01 AM
I lol'd hard at the final scream.  Can totally see editing that out of one's mp3. 

That thing is fucking annoying for as much as I love the blood drenched screams from the blood god. *ahhhh sleepy time...record is ove-- :omg: :omg: :omg: :omg: :omg: :omg: :omg: :omg:*ADRENALINE YOU'RE GOING TO DIE WAKE UP FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF* :lol

 :rollin :rollin

Nice album.  Off to the Pink Floyd thread now.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: Ultimetalhead on May 26, 2014, 10:23:17 AM
So about this album. The mix puts me off a bit, I really thought I would get used to it, but really I didn't. Maybe after a couple of listens. I just feel like the vocals are being buried in all those layers, and in his later albums the parts that need extra attention somehow stay on top. Maybe it was a learning curve for him too, maybe it was meant to be this way, I don't know.
A couple of songs were nothing special for me (Life was a tad cheesy for example), and the final three tracks were maybe a bit underwhelming after all the praise in this thread.
What did help though was Seasonsinthesky's view on the tracks representing the difference in waves. You really get that sense that Dev's playing with tempo and emotion to accommodate that. The ocean sounds help a lot, though.

So overall an album I would listen to again, maybe I need this on CD as well, to crank in the car a couple of times. Maybe it'll grow, I guess it will.
My exact thoughts when I first heard the album. Give it a few more and it will sink in. I didn't get the Funeral/Bastard/Death hype at first either. My best advice is to go driving at night with it. That was when it really hit me.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: WebRaider on May 26, 2014, 11:00:15 AM
Addicted is the album that got me into Dev... Ocean Machine locked me in. I discovered him through Addicted and loved that album so much but wondered if any of his other solo material could/would compare, so as I went back to the very beginning I was amazed at what I found and just what I had missed. Brilliant material and as an album as a whole is near the very top for me in my Devin rankings.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: Crow on May 26, 2014, 03:49:02 PM
Ocean Machine has always been an album I quite enjoy when I put it on but it never lingers in my thoughts as much as his other stuff. The Death of Music is about the only one I ever listen to on its own since it's kind of amazing. The final four songs are all pretty great though, definitely. Never cared for the scream, just been too lazy to ever edit it out or something. Not a bad album but it probably sits in the middle to lower half of my rankings overall. Mostly since Devin has way too many great albums.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: wolfking on May 26, 2014, 04:13:56 PM
I lol'd hard at the final scream.  Can totally see editing that out of one's mp3. 

That thing is fucking annoying for as much as I love the blood drenched screams from the blood god. *ahhhh sleepy time...record is ove-- :omg: :omg: :omg: :omg: :omg: :omg: :omg: :omg:*ADRENALINE YOU'RE GOING TO DIE WAKE UP FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF* :lol

 :rollin :rollin

Nice album.  Off to the Pink Floyd thread now.

That frightened the shit out of me.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: bl5150 on May 26, 2014, 05:11:04 PM
Wow, just listened to Bastard for the first time, just.....wow, what a song.

I've sampled Devin a number of times over the years, always  struggling to find what I'm missing ( like Haken, Wilson etc.....) but in this track , despite it's "modern" sound that doesn't tend to appeal to me 99% of the time , I think I've found something to latch on to.  I'd still have to be "in the mood" but there's enough there for me to work with.   Like Lowdz I've been aware of him for longer than most as Vai's Sex and Religion was an automatic buy at the time  :-\ ......... my first (and last) disc with him on it .   I'll buy a digital copy of Ocean Machine and see how I go.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: PROGdrummer on May 26, 2014, 05:37:47 PM
Wow, just listened to Bastard for the first time, just.....wow, what a song.

I've sampled Devin a number of times over the years, always  struggling to find what I'm missing ( like Haken, Wilson etc.....) but in this track , despite it's "modern" sound that doesn't tend to appeal to me 99% of the time , I think I've found something to latch on to.  I'd still have to be "in the mood" but there's enough there for me to work with.   Like Lowdz I've been aware of him for longer than most as Vai's Sex and Religion was an automatic buy at the time  :-\ ......... my first (and last) disc with him on it .   I'll buy a digital copy of Ocean Machine and see how I go.

If you don't like Ocean Machine, dont give up hope. Devin's best work comes far further down the road.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: Ultimetalhead on May 26, 2014, 05:45:02 PM
Yeah, Ocean Machine is fucking awesome, but not one of Devin's albums sounds anything like it. Everyone is bound to find something they like in Devin's body of work.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: Scorpion on May 26, 2014, 05:46:02 PM
Unless, of course, they dislike good music in general. :P

HEY WHERES OUR UPDATE
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: Ultimetalhead on May 26, 2014, 05:57:10 PM
It's not Wednesday yet and there's a good amount of discussion happening. If it starts to die down before Wednesday, I'll post it earlier. I really hope the discussion continues at this pace throughout the thread though. This is awesome so far.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: Scorpion on May 26, 2014, 06:01:06 PM
Just joking. Yeah, it's awesome that so many people are coming on board with Devin - I would have never thought that Lowdz and jingle.boy would like Devin's stuff, to just name two.

On a wider note, I really think that these discography threads are a fucking amazing idea. The concept lends itself to music discovery in such a cool forum that I honestly think they should be continued as long as someone is willing to do them. For instance, the BÖC discography thread made me get my very first BÖC album, something I doubt I would have done otherwise, and it's completely awesome.

It has also eased my worry for me doing the Trivium thread in the future. I really want to do it, but I was worried that it might not find enough participants, but this thread shows how willing most people are to get to know something new if it's presented in a good way, so that's one worry abated.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: Ultimetalhead on May 26, 2014, 06:03:42 PM
I fucking hate Trivium. Sorry.  :lol But yeah, yay for discography threads.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: Shadow Ninja 2.0 on May 26, 2014, 06:05:07 PM
I fucking hate Trivium. Sorry.  :lol But yeah, yay for discography threads.

There is still time to repent.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: PROGdrummer on May 26, 2014, 06:46:26 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nN3cIpVYZII

High-quality video of Devy playing an acoustic version of Funeral, since we're on the topic of OM.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: Big Hath on May 26, 2014, 07:22:01 PM
I have three Devin albums - OM, Terria, and Addicted.  Just popped OM on today and gave it another good listen.  Awesome album!

I'll be interested to read everyone's takes on the (many) albums I don't have to see if they might appeal to me.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: jingle.boy on May 26, 2014, 10:02:27 PM
Just joking. Yeah, it's awesome that so many people are coming on board with Devin - I would have never thought that Lowdz and jingle.boy would like Devin's stuff, to just name two.

Not sure if I should be offended or not  :lol.  There was always something about Devy that I knew was appealing to me, but there's also that flipside that his variety can sway too far outside my likeability zone.  When I saw him on ProgNation at Sea, it was awesome.  Like I said earlier, he's got an amazing voice, and his guitar tones are what JP must've been thinking about when he wanted chocolate cake.  While I enjoyed OM:B, I'm totally expecting some upcoming stuff to not be nearly as enjoyable.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: Bolsters on May 26, 2014, 11:05:55 PM
So I just listened to this album for the first time on Spotify, and I didn't hate it. I could see it being a grower. So, let's see whether or not this thread can make a Devin fan out of me. :-X

Following.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: KevShmev on May 27, 2014, 08:44:44 AM
Just joking. Yeah, it's awesome that so many people are coming on board with Devin - I would have never thought that Lowdz and jingle.boy would like Devin's stuff, to just name two.

Not sure if I should be offended or not  :lol.  There was always something about Devy that I knew was appealing to me, but there's also that flipside that his variety can sway too far outside my likeability zone.  When I saw him on ProgNation at Sea, it was awesome.  Like I said earlier, he's got an amazing voice, and his guitar tones are what JP must've been thinking about when he wanted chocolate cake.  While I enjoyed OM:B, I'm totally expecting some upcoming stuff to not be nearly as enjoyable.

Yeah, we call that Physicist*. :lol :lol

*Which is universally regarded as by far his least best/worst album.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: Buddyhunter1 on May 27, 2014, 11:11:40 AM
Yeah, Physicist isn't that good.

The next album might be a bit of an acquired taste too, just as a heads-up.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: Onno on May 27, 2014, 11:14:32 AM
Physicist isn't that good, but I do like it better every time I listen to it. I don't think it's bad, but I don't like all of the songs and the production is awful.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: seasonsinthesky on May 27, 2014, 11:41:59 AM
Physicist isn't that good, but I do like it better every time I listen to it. I don't think it's bad, but I don't like all of the songs and the production is awful.

i suspect we'll get a few of these over a day and then draw the Physicist discussion to a close for the mighty Terria to follow  :rollin
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: Lowdz on May 27, 2014, 12:30:12 PM
 :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol
Just heard the scream for the first time. I usually skip to the next track before the last one ends on Spotify so I don't get the adverts. I was a bit slow this time and wtf. Sounds like the worst feedback ever.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: Ultimetalhead on May 27, 2014, 12:33:38 PM
That scream is awe-inspiring.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. It's like a death becomes musical
Post by: Nihil-Morari on May 27, 2014, 01:41:17 PM

My exact thoughts when I first heard the album. Give it a few more and it will sink in. I didn't get the Funeral/Bastard/Death hype at first either. My best advice is to go driving at night with it. That was when it really hit me.

I will, I'll put it on my 'to buy' list, thanks.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just Stop the Noise For Once...PLEASE
Post by: Ultimetalhead on May 28, 2014, 12:13:17 PM
Infinity is our first taste of a “unified” Devin Townsend album. Many times, Devin will get particularly inspired by a certain style and run with it, producing an album’s worth of content (usually more) in the process. This practice is evidenced in nearly everything the man does, especially in recent years. The ambient songs became Ghost, the poppy songs became Epicloud and Addicted. The country songs became Casualties of Cool. You get the idea. Infinity is comprised of many songs in varying styles. It’s spastic as all hell, but remains an extremely entertaining and satisfying listen.

Starting off with Truth, we have one of the most epic opening tracks ever crafted. Largely instrumental, Truth tells you everything you need to know about this album. It’s going to be heavy, it’s going to be dense, and there’s going to be a little bit of silliness here and there. And you’re going to like it. A lot. As the album goes along, we have a few wonderfully catchy tunes in Christeen and Wild Colonial Boy. We have a few slow-burning epics in War and Soul Driven, two utterly batshit insane songs in Ants and Bad Devil, and one of the most epic finishing punches with Dynamics and Unity. Noisy Pink Bubbles tacks on the end as a bonus track. Judging by the minute of silence separating it from Unity, I don’t believe it was intended as a part of the album, but it’s a great song in its own right, and doesn’t feel even remotely out of place. Like Things Beyond Things, it does a good job of unifying all the madness from the album and ending it on a high note.

Listening to this album for the first time, it may seem like Devin is fighting with a serious identity crisis. Like Ocean Machine, it changes moods on a dime, but it’s even more jarring. Ants is pretty much 2 minutes of circusy shredding and lunatic singing. Bad Devil predated the Swing-metal of Diablo Swing Orchestra by about 10 years, and sounds delightfully goofy. Really, the only times this album seems to take itself seriously are during the closing tracks. By that point, it becomes extremely spiritual, and I tend to find myself having incredibly powerful experiences with Dynamics alone nearly every time I hear it. It might lead some to think “Gosh, those closing tracks are so insanely good, but the impact might have been more effective without the silliness of Ants, Bad Devil, and Wild Colonial Boy breaking it up.”

If you’re ready to climb down the rabbit hole, unplug from the matrix, or whatever “otherworldly” metaphor you want to come up with, let’s go on a trip back to early 1998.

Devin has been recently discharged from a mental hospital, freshly diagnosed with bipolar disorder. It was clear now where the two “extremes” of his music had come from. The loud, vicious anger of SYL and the quiet desperation of Ocean Machine was directly mirroring his condition. After being discharged, everything just “clicked” for Devin and he went to work again. Like normal, Devin wrote about a billion songs. Some of them he deemed fit for the album gestating in his mind, some he tossed aside for demo compilations or to be reworked for future projects. Then, something very unfortunate happened.

The record label needed an album in their hands. As much as I wish Devin would have said “fuck you it’s not done yet,” he decided instead to give them the most complete product he had at the time. That album is what we listen to as Infinity. If the album had been finished according to plan, things would have been very different. Very different indeed. Have a look at this.

Infinity (Original Sequence)
1. Truth
2. Processional (Welcome Home/Metamorphosis/Infinite Waltz)
3. Christeen
4. War
5. Starchild Rise
6. Soul Driven
7. Om
8. Dynamics
9. Unity

What did we notice? Correct. All of the “silly” songs are gone. Now, I love the silly songs as much as the next guy, but I can tell you from firsthand experience that this is an EXTREMELY different beast to the version of Infinity that we all have on our hard drives. Even from day one listening to this album and loving every second of it, Bad Devil, Ants, and Wild Colonial Boy just felt...strange, like they didn’t quite fit. Wild Colonial Boy especially stumbles before the all-out epic of Dynamics without any sort of build up. It’s still a great record, don’t get me wrong, but there’s no doubt this looks like a potentially better version of an already amazing disc.

Here’s some good news: A dedicated and talented member of another forum took the demos released later of the songs that weren’t included initially and mixed them together more or less perfectly. Everything was mixed to the same levels of quality. So, while the original tracks still sound a little better than the demos, everything blends together fine. Because I feel it is very important to this thread that everyone hear this alternate version of Infinity, I’ll ask that anyone who is interested PM me and I’ll uh...point you in the right direction.

If you want to avoid spoilers of how different and friggin’ awesome this version is, don’t read the following paragraphs until you’ve heard it.

Seriously. Last chance. I highly highly recommend formulating your own opinion before reading mine.

Okay. Holy FUCK. I mean, honestly, Infinity in its current form was already way high on my list of favorite albums, but this original version is absolutely unbelievable. I fell in love with the mood swings and apparent lack of direction in the retail release. I found it to be a great example of Devin’s bipolar tendencies. But the original sequence is such an incredible picture of someone struggling with mental issues. The serious atmosphere throughout the album brings such an emotional maturity to the proceedings, and it flows so much better. Furthermore, the already-awesome closing duo of Dynamics and Unity are given an equally epic pre-treatment in the stellar Om.

One thing I’ll admit about the original sequence: Processional is way too damn long and doesn’t do enough in the time it takes up on the album. I’ve heard many people say that this was intentional, and represents a wandering mind. Personally, I think it’s just another of Devin incessantly repeating a section because he liked it a lot. He’s been on record saying during his heavy drug using times that he would often write songs by playing the same riff over and over again for 4-5 minutes until he got tired of it. Of course, the Devin fanboy in me would like to think Processional simply wasn’t finished yet, and that he would have gone in adding more layers and vocals to the mix. I really wish he would have finished it, because I think it could have easily been the most incredible thing Devin ever produced. Still, in its mostly instrumental stage, it gives Christeen a ton of impact, being the first time we hear any sort of extended vocal passages with lyrics. Also, there’s a certain part at the end that should feel awfully familiar to anyone who’s listened to Deconstruction.

I’m extremely curious to read what everyone else thinks about the original sequence, and if it’s a more complete and realized album than the retail release. It was tough for me to swallow at first (months of listening to the retail version will do that to you), but I’ve certainly come around to the sweeping beauty of the original sequence. It’s absolutely fantastic stuff, and I think we’d be looking at a very different reception to Infinity had it been released as was initially intended.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just Stop the Noise For Once...PLEASE
Post by: KevShmev on May 28, 2014, 12:20:46 PM
Great write-up! Although I am not sure I'd call War a slow-burner, since that heavy riff pretty much destroys you from the get-go, and I wouldn't exactly call the pace of it slow.  But that's splitting hairs. ;)

I love the madness of this album.  I've always described as sounding like a broadway musical on crack.  The many layers give it a different feel that any other record he has done, and those, what you call, silly songs give it that bit of Broadway feel that I was talking about.  It's a great mix of styles. 

Also, I've never thought of Noisy Pink Bubbles as a bonus track, probably because the mix CD a friend gave me that initially got me into Devin Townsend had four songs from this record: Truth, Christeen, War and Noisy Pink Bubbles.

Truth might be the most epic song under four minutes ever.  Hallelujah!!!!!!! :metal :metal :metal

And it has to be said:

BODY WASH.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just Stop the Noise For Once...PLEASE
Post by: Buddyhunter1 on May 28, 2014, 12:26:25 PM
I'm not a huge fan of this album. Like you said in your write-up, it's weird as fuck and all over the place, and normally that would be a good thing for me, but I don't think the songwriting for a good amount of the tracks is strong enough. There's a few songs I don't care for much at all (Soul Driven, Christeen, Ants), the spastic flow is a bit off-putting, and like many of Devin's early releases, the mixing/production can make the record a bit hard to listen to (pretty much no bass to speak of).

That said, this album does have some awesome songs here and there.
 :metal :metal :metal BAD DEVIL  :metal :metal :metal
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just Stop the Noise For Once...PLEASE
Post by: PixelDream on May 28, 2014, 01:40:22 PM
I don't think Ocean Machine has a bad production. It's a bit muddy but it has got a nice vibe to it.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just Stop the Noise For Once...PLEASE
Post by: seasonsinthesky on May 28, 2014, 03:13:41 PM
i like the original Infinity tracklist a lot as well, for the same reasons — i very much enjoy Dev's solo works being the more serious side and so i get a lot more from a listen to OM or Terria because of it.

i gotta say Infinity stays pretty wacky even without the BD/Ants/WCB weirdo-suite. War alone gets rather silly in places, and there's that weird noise interlude at the end of Soul Driven (and the one that goes all through Starchild Rise) in addition to the wacky parts of Truth, Christeen and Om. silliness was going to be part of the record regardless; i think the distinction comes down to "silly to be silly" (the verses of Bad Devil) vs. "silly because he actually went insane and had a Christ complex" (the end of War).

i do wish he'd made the EP BD/Ants/WCB/NPB but now that the original tapes are washed away methinks we're stuck with it as is forever, which is still pretty goddamn epic.

if anyone is having a lot of trouble getting into Noisy Pink Bubbles, skip to 1:11, as the rest of the song is amazing (almost pre-Casualties vibe, really) and easily justifies the 'silly Dev' intro.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just Stop the Noise For Once...PLEASE
Post by: Ultimetalhead on May 28, 2014, 03:38:49 PM
Good analogy with the "silly just to be silly" idea. I agree completely. Truth and War have some silly parts, but it doesn't really leave me facepalming (not that the silly songs do, they're awesome, but you know).
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just Stop the Noise For Once...PLEASE
Post by: Podaar on May 28, 2014, 04:15:03 PM
Devin Townsend virgin here! High *waives* ...Which is kinda strange since my last name is Townsend (I can type that really fast).

I'm listening to Infinity right now and it just finished up. Three things popped up in my mind while listening:
1) War sounds like really heavy Adam Ant. I mean that in the nicest way possible.
2) The following quote from you is apt.
Personally, I think it’s just another of Devin incessantly repeating a section because he liked it a lot. He’s been on record saying during his heavy drug using times that he would often write songs by playing the same riff over and over again for 4-5 minutes until he got tired of it.
The repetition in these songs is difficult for me. I keep thinking of the musical wing of the Department of Redundancy Department.
3) The layers of guitar seems excessive and smooths out the heaviness too much. Of course, that's probably what he was going for so I'll need to listen more to see if it starts to appeal to me.

Next time, maybe, with a glass of gin in my hand. I'll get back with you.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just Stop the Noise For Once...PLEASE
Post by: Ultimetalhead on May 28, 2014, 05:03:16 PM
Pretty common first reaction, I'd say. War does drag a bit, as well as Soul Driven. Really, both of those songs took a long time to sink in for me. When we get to Terria, we'll have some more examples of slightly draggy parts. Since I pretty much eat, sleep, and breathe his music, I've grown to appreciate the way he composes, even with the "redundant" stuff, and I never find myself bored of anything.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just Stop the Noise For Once...PLEASE
Post by: wolfking on May 28, 2014, 05:06:47 PM
I only had one listen to OM, but I feel like I want to go back to it, which is a good thing.  I'll try and listen to Infinity tonight.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just Stop the Noise For Once...PLEASE
Post by: The King in Crimson on May 28, 2014, 09:23:42 PM
I don't think Ocean Machine has a bad production. It's a bit muddy but it has got a nice vibe to it.
I think the production works rather well on Ocean Machine, gives it kind of an atmosphere. Infinity, on the other hand, just sounds like shit. People say Physicist sounds bad but Infinity doesn't sound that much better really. I've honestly never really been that big of a fan of his production style in general, but sometimes he seems to just hit that sweet spot of layers, layers, and LAYERS, but Infinity is not it.

That said, Infinity and Physicist were the very last two Devin albums I bought so I had both extreme hype (in the case of Infinity) and extreme anti-hype (for Physicist) working against me. After hearing all of the praise for Infinity I was really let-down by it and it wasn't because of the bipolar nature of the album or even the production, well, mostly. It's just a bit scattershot in quality. Ocean Machine is, to me, a supremely cohesive album that flows smoothly from start to finish. Every song is great and contributes to the whole. Infinity has multiple peaks and valleys. Some songs are great and some are just forgettable and the production made it very difficult to find the good at times. The whole middle section of the album, from "War" to "Ants" is just kinda bleh and while I like "Wild Colonial Boy" it's not really a standout song or anything. The bookends are pretty good though with "Christeen," "Bad Devil" and "Life Is All Dynamics" being my favorites. "Truth" would be an awesome opener if the production didn't totally destroy it.

So, Infinity falls near the bottom of my ranking of Devin albums. It's not terrible, but it's really hard to appreciate. A better mix and production would go a ways to making it more tolerable, but the songwriting still isn't quite there. It's interesting that Infinity was rushed out by the record company as a bit more polish would really help this album shine.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just Stop the Noise For Once...PLEASE
Post by: Ultimetalhead on May 28, 2014, 09:32:47 PM
I absolutely love the production on Infinity. Then again, I'm a total nut for his production style, but I think it fits the nature of the album perfectly.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just Stop the Noise For Once...PLEASE
Post by: KevShmev on May 28, 2014, 10:19:31 PM
Agreed.  I wouldn't want that production on every Devin album, but for Infinity, it just works.  I usually put this in the 3-5 range of best Devin albums.  :metal
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just Stop the Noise For Once...PLEASE
Post by: seasonsinthesky on May 29, 2014, 12:17:09 AM
i can't say i see the problem with the production either — it's leagues and leagues better than Physicist (so is OM and that's not the world's best guitar sound), and i find it's like a partner to City's extreme layering but cutting guitar walls. i'd call City one of the first pinnacles Dev got with a mix, so Infinity sounds pretty great to me.

it lacks in the bass department i guess...?
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just Stop the Noise For Once...PLEASE
Post by: hefdaddy42 on May 29, 2014, 04:43:16 AM
I'm a little behind, just now listening to Ocean Machine for the first time.  I'm about 4 songs in.

Holy crap.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just Stop the Noise For Once...PLEASE
Post by: wolfking on May 29, 2014, 05:31:33 AM
Didn't get a chance to listen to Infinity, it will have to wait another day.  Quite keen to hear it though, OM is still lingering in the back of my mind, it needs another listen.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just Stop the Noise For Once...PLEASE
Post by: Onno on May 29, 2014, 05:38:17 AM
Wow, it's so cool that a lot of people are being introduced to Devin's music through this thread :D
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just Stop the Noise For Once...PLEASE
Post by: Phoenix87x on May 29, 2014, 07:06:21 AM
I'm a little behind, just now listening to Ocean Machine for the first time.  I'm about 4 songs in.

Holy crap.

That's like my favorite album of his.

Bastard, 3AM and Things beyond things. Incredible and I actually prefer this style over what he's been doing recently. And that's not saying his contemporary stuff is bad. I just prefer the older stuff.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just Stop the Noise For Once...PLEASE
Post by: Ultimetalhead on May 29, 2014, 08:13:42 AM
Didn't get a chance to listen to Infinity, it will have to wait another day.  Quite keen to hear it though, OM is still lingering in the back of my mind, it needs another listen.
Yeah, Ocean Machine is an album that will likely stay with you for a long time. It's addictive.

I'm a little behind, just now listening to Ocean Machine for the first time.  I'm about 4 songs in.

Holy crap.
Yay!  :D
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just Stop the Noise For Once...PLEASE
Post by: Podaar on May 29, 2014, 08:18:06 AM
I'm a little behind, just now listening to Ocean Machine for the first time.  I'm about 4 songs in.

Holy crap.

Yeah, I thought I'd better go back and listen to Ocean Machine to get a better feel for where Infinity is coming from. I'm with Hef on this one. I'll probably buy OM, but I'm not looking forward to revisiting Infinity--after two listens I was underwhelmed. We'll see.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just Stop the Noise For Once...PLEASE
Post by: Sacul on May 29, 2014, 04:52:42 PM
Just heard Infinity, not sure what to think. The mix is really weird, too many layers IMO. I'll give it another shots during the week, maybe it's a grower.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just Stop the Noise For Once...PLEASE
Post by: Ultimetalhead on May 29, 2014, 05:41:43 PM
>Devin Townsend
>Too many layers
>Not even to Deconstruction yet
>lol
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just Stop the Noise For Once...PLEASE
Post by: Buddyhunter1 on May 29, 2014, 06:58:45 PM
How good/bad Devin Townsend's albums sound isn't directly proportional to the amount of layers they have.

Deconstruction has a crapton of layers with a good mix, Infinity has a crapton of layers with a not-so-good mix.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just Stop the Noise For Once...PLEASE
Post by: seasonsinthesky on May 29, 2014, 08:52:32 PM
Deconstruction and Infinity are probably layered the same amount, but Decon buries tons of shit under the choir and other vocals, and Infinity buries it under guitars and big pads. two sides of the same coin, really... i can hear everything in both mixes but it's from so many listens on so many systems over so many years. you're never going to hear everything anyway.

the mastering is totally different though — there's a hell of a lot of sheen on Infinity that Decon doesn't have, so listening to a song from each back-to-back won't sound much alike. which is better is entirely subjective.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just Stop the Noise For Once...PLEASE
Post by: The King in Crimson on May 29, 2014, 08:58:55 PM
i can't say i see the problem with the production either — it's leagues and leagues better than Physicist (so is OM and that's not the world's best guitar sound), and i find it's like a partner to City's extreme layering but cutting guitar walls. i'd call City one of the first pinnacles Dev got with a mix, so Infinity sounds pretty great to me.

it lacks in the bass department i guess...?
Whenever the album gets to the really heavy parts, it just sounds like a muddled mess and I swear that it audibly clips at times. City sounds much better by comparison and that is a stupidly heavy album.

How good/bad Devin Townsend's albums sound isn't directly proportional to the amount of layers they have.
Exactly.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just Stop the Noise For Once...PLEASE
Post by: hefdaddy42 on May 30, 2014, 04:35:46 AM
OK, I finished Ocean Machine. 

That was fantastic.  That will definitely get many replays.  :tup
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just Stop the Noise For Once...PLEASE
Post by: farsight on May 30, 2014, 08:19:02 AM
WTF, I always thought Infinity came before Ocean Machine because Infinity to me sounds more raw than OM. 

I wish Devin will sort of re-do Dynamics, I love the song, but it starts off real great and then it just ends.

What's the deal with pink noise being a recurrent theme in Infinity or is it just me? Devin has Tinnitus or something?
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just Stop the Noise For Once...PLEASE
Post by: Onno on May 30, 2014, 09:00:06 AM
Dynamics is an amazing song, I love the ending! And I think Devin does have tinnitus (he mentioned it in some Youtube video a couple of weeks ago) but I don't know if he already had it during Infinity.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just Stop the Noise For Once...PLEASE
Post by: jingle.boy on May 30, 2014, 11:17:31 AM
Just listened to Infinity, and instantly recognized a couple of tracks that I caught him do (with Anneke) on ProgNation - Truth and Bad Devil - and he was bat-shit crazy on stage with Bad Devil, which was probably part of the reason I found it so interesting and enjoyable.  Both appealed to me back in Feb, and again this morning.  Really liked this album... probably moreso than OM.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just Stop the Noise For Once...PLEASE
Post by: Crow on May 30, 2014, 11:39:35 AM
Do listen to this more than OM, for sure. Not as good production-wise though.
And I don't know, I like the album as-is even if it isn't perfect. Truth is fantastic, Bad Devil is so much fun, War doesn't overstay its welcome at all (IMO), Ants and Colonial Boy I both enjoy a lot. And of course Dynamics and Unity are just wonderful.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just Stop the Noise For Once...PLEASE
Post by: Ultimetalhead on May 30, 2014, 12:50:37 PM
Hell yeah. I love Infinity in both its forms. Glad you liked OM that much, hef. You will probably like his other "nature-y" albums like Terria and Synchestra, but I don't necessarily think either comes close to touching OM's brilliance.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just Stop the Noise For Once...PLEASE
Post by: Scorpion on May 30, 2014, 07:55:40 PM
Alright, a little behind on this. First off, I fucking LOVE Infinity, and sorry Justin, but I definitely prefer the version that was released. Bad Devil, Ants, Wild Colonial Boy and Noisy Pink Bubbles are all in my Top 5 of this album, so I don't think the album really wins by cutting them. Yes, it becomes a little... how to say this... uniform in sound (not to mean that it becomes monotonous, just that most of the songs now have, as you already stated, the serious vibe), but I find that the spastic nature of this album serves it really well, and it does a great job of reflecting Devin's bi-polarity - something that gets a little lost on the more serious version, I find. That said, it's a shame that Starchild Rise and Om aren't on the album, as they are completely stellar tracks. I don't care much for Processional, due to its very meandering nature.

I have to quickly talk about a few songs here. Number one: Bad Devil. As some of you might know, I really really love DSO, and the fact that Devin did their style ten years earlier is mind-boggling. Now, there are a few DSO songs that execute the swing-metal formula a little better than Bad Devil (though they have the unfair advantage of having the possibility of wacky vocal trade-offs), like the opening trio on Sing-Along Songs for the Damned and Delirious, but Bad Devil is still a) awesome b) fun and c) one of the first Devin Townsend songs that I liked, so it will always receive buckets of love from me.

Number two: Ants. I recognise that this might not be the favourite of a lot of people, but this song was THE song that accompanied me during my work-out program in 12th grade. Basically, I had this thing with my roommate that we would put on Ants (the intensity of it is perfect for something like this, as is the short length) and then just force ourselves to do proper push-ups as fast as we could for the whole duration of the song. Now, he always won, since he's always been a really athletic guy and I was pretty unfit for most of my school days, but that's not the point. The point is that I will always associate Ants with the period during which I got really serious about the shape I was in and the time I started getting fit. Plus, the fact that during all of this time, I never got tired of the song means that it's an awesome song in its own right.

Number three: War. This one was, at least for me, a slow burner. For a long long long time I found it meandering, boring and the only flaw on this album. Now I don't know what it was that brought it on, actually, but one day I just sat down with the whole album and really LISTENED and War hit me like nothing ever before. I've heard it described as "Broadway on crack" and that works pretty well - it's grand, it's brooding, it's insane and (now) I love it to bits. Beside the fact that it's now one of my favourites on the album, War will always - well, maybe not always, but I suspect for quite a while still - be the song I associate with the fact of just how much a dedicated listen can help you appreciate something, be it a song, an album or an artist.

Also, Justin, you're dead wrong, because Terria makes Ocean Machine its bitch. And since hef is a man of impeccable taste... :D
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just Stop the Noise For Once...PLEASE
Post by: Sacul on May 30, 2014, 08:04:26 PM
I'm listening it again and Bad Devil is insanely fun. I'm liking this shit, let's see how Infinity turns out to me during the week :hat
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just Stop the Noise For Once...PLEASE
Post by: TioJorge on May 30, 2014, 10:55:05 PM
Infinity just blew my mind. I have to say though, I think I'd enjoy the original sequence much more because I really am not so keen on songs like Ants, Wild Colonial Boy, and to some extent, Bad Devil, even though it's still awesome, it gets to be a bit much sometimes. I haven't gotten used to Dev's love of repetition so much on this album. With that...I shall turn to the Ulti for help.

That said, I absolutely love Sit In The Mountain, I'm not sure why that's not in the original sequence cause it's beautiful as all tits. One of my favorites from Dev.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just Stop the Noise For Once...PLEASE
Post by: Ultimetalhead on May 30, 2014, 11:52:32 PM
Scorp, I totally get what you're saying on the retail version. I absolutely love that version. Really, whenever I listen to Infinity, it's a total coin flip which version I want to listen to. Sometimes I'll be in a mood for the awesomeness of Bad Devil, and other times I'll be wanting a more focused experience. Both versions of the album are fucking awesome. People who like the crazy shit can love on the retail version forever, and the few people who dislike the trademark Devin silliness have the original sequence to fix it up. Best of both worlds, and such.

Physicist will be going up either tomorrow or Sunday. Haven't decided yet. If there aren't any more discussion posts tomorrow night I'll probably put it up then.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just Stop the Noise For Once...PLEASE
Post by: Nihil-Morari on May 31, 2014, 02:19:01 AM
I'll check out both versions tomorrow!
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just Stop the Noise For Once...PLEASE
Post by: Onno on May 31, 2014, 03:40:11 AM
I think I prefer the released version of Infinity as well. Need to give the original one some more listens though.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just Stop the Noise For Once...PLEASE
Post by: KevShmev on May 31, 2014, 08:56:54 AM
The original mix/running order version is definitely interesting, and I enjoyed it a ton, but I can't say it's better or even as good as the one Devin inevitably released; the lack of Bad Devil alone takes away from it.  The Processional medley has some killer stuff in it, especially the final section which was used on a later album (obviously, but I won't spoil it for those who still plan on listening), but it is sort of a mess; very all over the place. 
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just Stop the Noise For Once...PLEASE
Post by: Ultimetalhead on May 31, 2014, 08:58:29 AM
I think Om more than takes care of the lack of Bad Devil, but then again I think Om is one of the best songs ever written.  :P
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just Stop the Noise For Once...PLEASE
Post by: KevShmev on May 31, 2014, 09:07:46 AM
Well, I have that already on the Contain Us box set, as well as from the Infinity EP, so that was not new to me.  :biggrin:
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just Stop the Noise For Once...PLEASE
Post by: Ultimetalhead on May 31, 2014, 09:15:47 AM
Fair enough, but the version on Contain Us is only the intro section looped like 4 times. The actual song from the EP is so much better.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just Stop the Noise For Once...PLEASE
Post by: seasonsinthesky on May 31, 2014, 10:15:19 AM
yeah, i can't say i understand Dev's fascination with the short version of Om... they've played it since the Terria tour and never gotten to the verses. you'd figure if he wanted to play that riff so bad, he'd just play Regulator more!
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just Stop the Noise For Once...PLEASE
Post by: Buddyhunter1 on May 31, 2014, 10:26:00 AM
Yeah, the classic version of Om is awesome. The one on Contain Us, not so much.

That said, does it make up for the lack of Bad Devil? Nah.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just Stop the Noise For Once...PLEASE
Post by: KevShmev on May 31, 2014, 10:29:37 AM
I like both versions of OM, but I can't say I've ever considered it totally awesome or a favorite.  I like it, but I don't love it.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just Stop the Noise For Once...PLEASE
Post by: Nihil-Morari on June 01, 2014, 05:40:40 AM
Just listened to Infinity.

Not really my cup of tea. I like the way the album ends, I'm listening to Unity right now, but apart from that there aren't a lot of tracks that are making me smile. In a weird way I liked Ants and Bad Devil, but songs like War, Colonial Boy, Soul Driven, etc. are too much alike. Maybe it's because I just heard them for the first time.
I saw a youtube clip once where Devin explained that to him shredding is actually a melodically static way of soloing, you're doing sort of the same thing, but very fast and over and over again, so that there's nothing happening at all on a macro-level. Maybe his production style is the same in terms of songwriting. There's a lot happening, and it's because of that that songs tend to sound alike.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just Stop the Noise For Once...PLEASE
Post by: Onno on June 01, 2014, 05:45:09 AM
All I can say is that all of Devin's albums are growers IMO. Of course it's possible it isn't your cup or tea, but I can't believe you after just one listen, especially since there are still some tracks you liked  :biggrin:
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just Stop the Noise For Once...PLEASE
Post by: Nihil-Morari on June 01, 2014, 06:01:48 AM
All I can say is that all of Devin's albums are growers IMO. Of course it's possible it isn't your cup or tea, but I can't believe you after just one listen, especially since there are still some tracks you liked  :biggrin:

I'm looking forward to the moment this album clicks. However, I give Ocean Machine a bigger chance, I like the sort of concept behind it, the way that album flows. But we'll see.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just Stop the Noise For Once...PLEASE
Post by: farsight on June 01, 2014, 07:20:38 AM
I was enjoying the snare sound during new Om's intro so much that I got really pissed off when the snare got changed for the rest of the song. Old OM is sooooooooooooo good.

This is probably an unpopular opinion. but so far none of Devin's remakes have bettered the original tracks. Can't express it, but I think the older tracks are more expressive and have better feeling overall. The new ones feel sterile.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just Stop the Noise For Once...PLEASE
Post by: Ben_Jamin on June 01, 2014, 08:38:54 AM
Kingdom would like a word. Adding in Annekes vocals makes the song more bombastic.

Hell, the songs she took lead singing on Retinal Circus  are all top notch if not better.

Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just Stop the Noise For Once...PLEASE
Post by: Ultimetalhead on June 01, 2014, 09:10:18 AM
Just listened to Infinity.

Not really my cup of tea. I like the way the album ends, I'm listening to Unity right now, but apart from that there aren't a lot of tracks that are making me smile. In a weird way I liked Ants and Bad Devil, but songs like War, Colonial Boy, Soul Driven, etc. are too much alike. Maybe it's because I just heard them for the first time.
That's a rather interesting thought. I'm sure it's mostly because I've been listening to this album for years now, but I feel like every song has a very strong identity all to itself. War, Soul Driven, and Colonial Boy sound WORLDS apart to me.

Physicist write-up coming later today. It's more of a straight-up metal affair, so try not to be disappointed if you were liking the variety of the previous two albums. Physicist is the only real "blip" in Devin's discography, if you ask me.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Follow the way
Post by: Ultimetalhead on June 01, 2014, 09:16:32 AM
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c7/Physicistcover.jpg)

Infinity marked a major period of self-discovery for Devin (the first of 2 we’ll be covering). He realized his inspiration for making music, and as a fan it’s hard to imagine anything after this discovery other than a long, successful career. Of course, with Devin, nothing’s ever that simple. During the course of Infinity’s creation, Devin disbanded Strapping Young Lad after only 2 albums, believing that the second one, City, was as far as he could realistically take the project. From my perspective, I agree that City is pretty much the pinnacle of extreme music, and it was likely wise to end on that insanely high note. Freshly prescribed with medications for his bipolar disorder, Devin just wasn’t feeling the aggression anymore. Though, he presumably still wanted to make some heavier music, as he decided to collaborate with a rather well-known figure in the metal world, Jason Newsted.

Townsend’s collaborations with Newsted stretch back to 1994, when the two recorded a demo called IR8 with some rather thrashy material (and Newsted performing some of the most hilariously bad “thrash” vocals I’ve ever heard in my life). The story goes that the two reunited to start a project called Fizzicist, which Devin described as being even heavier than Strapping Young Lad (an odd descriptor, since he had also disbanded SYL for not having the aggression). Jason’s other band, the international punchline Metallica, got word of this and were “fucking pissed” that Newsted was taking his talents away from “the biggest heavy band in the history of ever” even though they let him have writing credits on 3 entire songs in his whole career with them. Makes perfect sense. Anyway, Townsend decided to say “fuck it” and write the album himself. His wayward SYL bandmates were then hired to play on it, and what we got was basically Diet SYL. It kind of tastes the same, but something’s just wrong.

As far as why it tastes so weird, it’s easy to blame a multitude of issues. First off, the mix is absolutely horrific. The drums sound extremely hollow, and all of the instruments and vocals have this weird echo to them. All in all, it’s just noisy, and not in the good way. Another issue, Devin’s vocals lack a lot of the variety that make Infinity and even City such a joyous listen. For the majority of the album, we get Devin trying to impersonate a thrash metal vocal style. It sort of works in the context of the album being mostly one-dimensional and straight-forward, but it’s disappointing knowing how incredible Devin’s voice is and how castrated it sounds here. On a similar token, there’s very little in the way of variety to be had here. By the time we get to the 11 minute Planet Rain, possibly one of the most unique songs in Devin’s discography (and that’s REALLY saying something), we’ve been senselessly beaten in the face with slightly mediocre keyboard-laden thrash metal so thoroughly that it’s hard to get excited about the change in direction. Now, I love thrash metal as much as the next guy, and I don’t hate this album nearly as much as this write-up makes it sound like I do, but barring the poppy Addicted preview in Material and the epic, sprawling Kingdom, hardly any of these songs have a memorable hook or even a head-banging riff. It all just sort of plods along.

And really, it’s not all that bad. The aforementioned Kingdom is an excellent song despite it’s horrific mix and scratchy vocal track (in the verses at least). It would become a live favorite, where the vocals were much improved, and even greater when it was redone for Epicloud with Anneke vocals. Material and Jupiter both have occasional flashes of the brilliant songwriting that we all know Devin is capable of. It’s tough to mention them in the same sentence of other catchy Townsend classics like Life and Christeen because they lack a certain polish, but they’re fine songs in their own right, and a bright spot in a sea of grey.

Planet Rain certainly deserves its own paragraph. Up until 2011, it was the second longest song in Townsend’s discography by a considerable margin, and remains a contender at number 4 to this day (behind The Mighty Masturbator, The Death of Music, and [oddly] Feather). Here, we get a slow-burning epic akin to Soul Driven, with the vocal variety we’ve come to expect. This song is the ultimate key to Physicist, to me. It’s easily the shining moment on the album, and unfortunately it’s buried under so much one-dimensional stuff that it’s hard to get to. Anyone listening to Physicist right now and not feeling it, do yourself a favor and skip over everything to get to Planet Rain. This song is hugely underrated in Townsend’s catalog, and I think the reason is because nobody’s listened to it. Imagine, listening to Physicist and hearing song after song of pounding thrash metal, but it’s just not as good as it should be. Then you see an 11 minute song closing it out and you’re like “fuck no.” It’s a damn shame, because with all the variety in the vocals and changes in mood, this is pretty much the only song on here that sounds like Devin’s solo material. It’s heavy, but it’s also atmospheric and moody. The lush, almost orchestral usage of weaving guitar lines and keyboard soundscapes make Planet Rain worth slogging through the noisy Physicist.

So, all in all, I’d say this album is a decent listen, if not a bit uninspired at times. Planet Rain is a monster of a song, and Kingdom, Material, and Jupiter are lovely. Devin considers it his worst album, and I would definitely agree. Devin made it clear even when Physicist was first released that he was unhappy with the result, promising that his next album would be better.

Boy was it.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Follow the way
Post by: KevShmev on June 01, 2014, 09:23:37 AM
My fear is that anyone who has been underwhelmed by Infinity is gonna hear Physicist and then lose interest in checking out any more Devin.  I'd be fine with anybody skipping Physicist, since almost nothing off it is essential and, like you said, it is by far his worst album.  In fact, I haven't listened to it in forever, and I only have three songs from it uploaded to iTunes, so it would take digging out the CD from wherever it is to hear it all again, and that ain't happening. 

In other words, bring on Terria. :metal :biggrin:
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Follow the way
Post by: Ultimetalhead on June 01, 2014, 09:40:32 AM
My fear is that anyone who has been underwhelmed by Infinity is gonna hear Physicist and then lose interest in checking out any more Devin.  I'd be fine with anybody skipping Physicist, since almost nothing off it is essential and, like you said, it is by far his worst album.  In fact, I haven't listened to it in forever, and I only have three songs from it uploaded to iTunes, so it would take digging out the CD from wherever it is to hear it all again, and that ain't happening. 

In other words, bring on Terria. :metal :biggrin:
Do yourself a favor and at least listen to Planet Rain. That song is super cool. I share your fear, though I think people should still try it out just to hear the first 4 tracks and maybe Planet Rain. You might find out you like it, if not, there's very VERY good stuff right around the corner.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Follow the way
Post by: Scorpion on June 01, 2014, 10:06:44 AM
Listened to this album the first time yesterday, and unlike every other Devin album, this is an absolute chore to get through. Kingdom is kinda good, though vastly inferior to the Epicloud version and the last three songs are actually quite cool, with Planet Rain being the obvious highlight, but man, after being beaten over the head with the rest of the album, it just doesn't really pack the punch it does on its own, as I discovered this morning.

People trying to get into Devin, do yourselves a favour and either skip this one entirely or just listen to the final three tracks (Irish Maiden - Jupiter - Planet Rain).
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Follow the way
Post by: Ultimetalhead on June 01, 2014, 10:08:33 AM
I mostly agree. I like the opening 4 tracks well enough, but I'm definitely more of a straight-forward thrash guy. But yeah, Planet Rain is fucking awesome.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Follow the way
Post by: KevShmev on June 01, 2014, 10:19:15 AM
Planet Rain is really good, but I never listen to it, probably because he has so much good stuff that when I pick something to listen to, why would I pick something from Physicist? :lol
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Follow the way
Post by: The King in Crimson on June 01, 2014, 10:32:10 AM
I'll have to give this one another listen sometime later today because, aside from "Kingdom," I don't remember a damn thing about it other than it sounds like ass and it's monotonous. I do vaguely recall "Irish Maiden" being pretty good and "Kingdom" is, of course, quite awesome. The Epicloud version really isn't that big of a step above it, honestly.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Follow the way
Post by: ZKX-2099 on June 01, 2014, 11:19:13 AM
Ive always really enjoyed Material. All the songs are good. Just has one of the harshest mixes of all ever.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Follow the way
Post by: Buddyhunter1 on June 01, 2014, 11:58:46 AM
First of all, thank you for bringing so much attention to Planet Rain. It's a freaking awesome song, easily one of his best album closers ever. That instrumental section after the second chorus is brilliant, and it almost feels like the mixing on the song isn't quite as bad as it is on the rest of the album, for whatever reason.

It's not the only highlight on the album, either. Jupiter is pretty great, like you said, the original version of Kingdom still kicks ass in my opinion, and the first few tracks aren't bad, either.

And that's where my compliments end. The mixing's bad, there's not much variety, and the whole string of songs from Death to Irish Maiden is pretty much worthless, in my opinion.

Whenever I feel like listening to this one, I just listen to my 5-song playlist of Namaste, Victim, Kingdom, Jupiter, and Planet Rain. I think I've only managed to sit through the entire album once or twice.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Follow the way
Post by: farsight on June 01, 2014, 02:31:39 PM
As someone who first got exposed to Devin's work with SYL and listened to his solo albums later, I liked Physicist.

My ears may have become painful because of that mix, but I had a huge hard-on after finishing it and listening to Planet Rain. Really one of his best works. To me, Planet Rain, Deep Peace and Tiny Tears is the Devin Townsend sound.

Gene Hoglan owns Kingdom, seriously. New Kingdom is better with its awesome vocals up until "Ego, it's only a soul", and then it loses much of the power the original had. It may have been intentional on Devin's part, but I think Hoglan's drumming really made that part of the song. I don't really like  how the new one sounds either, old is horribly thin, but new one went overboard with the mud. Best love song ever.

Only songs I really don't like are Death and Irish Maiden. Devoid is okay, only because it's short and that end.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Follow the way
Post by: Lowdz on June 01, 2014, 03:12:31 PM
Having found plenty to enjoy in  the first two albums of the discog this one was pretty awful. You weren't exaggerating about the mix. Jeez that didn't help but there's not much to grab hold of for me here. Not even PLanet Rain could save it. Onto the next one.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Follow the way
Post by: Sacul on June 01, 2014, 05:52:33 PM
People trying to get into Devin, do yourselves a favour and either skip this one entirely or just listen to the final three tracks (Irish Maiden - Jupiter - Planet Rain).
I'm listening to these plus Kingdom, and I'm surprised by how good they are. Not at OM level, but they're at least as good as Infinity IMO.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Follow the way
Post by: seasonsinthesky on June 01, 2014, 08:34:35 PM
i love Namaste and Planet Rain, but it's very hard to sit through the rest. i'd sooner listen to Ass-Sordid Demos I, Idom, and the official bootleg.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Follow the way
Post by: Crow on June 01, 2014, 09:22:01 PM
I listened to this only once and never listened to it again, as far as I can tell I'm not missing much.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Follow the way
Post by: TioJorge on June 01, 2014, 09:44:45 PM
I gotta say I'm in that court, with the glaring exception of Planet Rain, which is one of the most beautiful things I've heard from the man. But yeah, as much as I have a hard on for Devy right now, I still couldn't get into it; I got to Devoid before I skipped to Rain.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Follow the way
Post by: ZKX-2099 on June 02, 2014, 07:08:29 AM
This thread better include Punky Brüster.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Follow the way
Post by: hefdaddy42 on June 02, 2014, 07:17:29 AM
Finished Infinity this morning.  I definitely preferred Ocean Machine, but I liked this one a lot. 

Can't believe it has taken me this long to listen to Devin Townsend.  Kind of like someone else mentioned earlier in the thread, my first exposure to him was on Vai's Sex And Religion, and that just left a bad taste in my mouth, so I just chalked him up to being "not my cup of tea" and avoided him.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Follow the way
Post by: Ultimetalhead on June 02, 2014, 07:45:26 AM
This thread better include Punky Brüster.
:(

Can't believe it has taken me this long to listen to Devin Townsend.  Kind of like someone else mentioned earlier in the thread, my first exposure to him was on Vai's Sex And Religion, and that just left a bad taste in my mouth, so I just chalked him up to being "not my cup of tea" and avoided him.
:( Glad you're repenting though!  :D
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Follow the way
Post by: hefdaddy42 on June 02, 2014, 07:47:41 AM
 :metal
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Follow the way
Post by: Nihil-Morari on June 02, 2014, 08:32:00 AM
I'm at 'Death' right now. I just wanna keep it at that, but I'll soldier on!



The mix is terrible btw. I thought I was listening to a mono version of a stereo record, even checked my sound system.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Follow the way
Post by: PROGdrummer on June 02, 2014, 10:45:58 AM
Been a Devy fan for several years now and still never actually got around to listening to anything from Infinity through  Synchestra, aside from a few songs here and there.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Follow the way
Post by: Ultimetalhead on June 02, 2014, 12:42:07 PM
Sweet Jesus. You're in for a treat in about 3 days.  :hat
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Follow the way
Post by: Podaar on June 02, 2014, 02:35:39 PM
After reading the write-up and reading this thread, to say that my expectations were low would be an understatement. Physicist wasn't nearly as bad as I anticipated but I did need to look past the mix some. I lul'd about 10 seconds into Irish Maiden. Unholy Hell, that's exactly what it sounds like: an Irish folk song done in Iron Maiden style!  :lol I take it that Townsend is a bit of a smart-ass?

Ultimetal, after three albums into the disog, am I safe in assuming that Devin's compositional style is soundscapes that happen to use heavy distorted guitars? If so, I think I'm going to have an easier time getting into the music with that in mind. Throwing out one's expectations about metal music seems to be an advantage while listening to these records.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Follow the way
Post by: Ultimetalhead on June 02, 2014, 03:24:16 PM
For sure, Devin is not a metal musician in the traditional sense. He's a composer whose main instrument happens to be distorted guitar. You may very well get more mileage out of the first few albums (especially the next one) treating it as a classical piece rather than a metal album. There's a few albums that are more song-like (Accelerated Evolution and Addicted come to mind right off the bat), but yeah a lot of Devin's stuff is crafted with millions of layers.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Follow the way
Post by: seasonsinthesky on June 02, 2014, 04:25:18 PM
welp, it took 11 years, but now i like Physicist. back to the drawing board...  :rollin

(i think it's because Epicloud prepared me for it. no shit, Dev is a time traveller.)
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Follow the way (Infinity)
Post by: WebRaider on June 03, 2014, 12:05:43 AM
Since I missed it before I want to mention I really like Infinity it took a while to come around to the weirdness of it on the whole but once I came to understand Devin more it just really made a lot of sense.

"Noisy Pink Bubbles" is a favorite of mine just for its uniqueness even amongst Devin's catalog. Get past the slightly strange beginning (I enjoy the different vocals he uses just to get a taste of what he can do in a different style) and you come to some simple but absolutely magical Townsend moments IMO.


"You never can tell by the face
When they're starting to go...
You never can tell by his face
he was starting to go..."

*Swoon*

Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Follow the way (Physicist)
Post by: WebRaider on June 03, 2014, 12:55:03 AM
On to Physicist.... Clearly the mix is horrid and over the long haul kind of ruins the experience of the album (along with some monotonous moments in the album). I think one of the good things is that the majority of the songs aren't too long.  There was just something about it that kept calling me back to it even with everyone saying how bad it was. I was a huge fan of "Kingdom" right away even in its original form and would often listen to it over and over... just the power of that song. Whoa!

I like "Namaste", "Kingdom", "Irish Maiden", and  "Planet Rain"  the most but also enjoy "Victim", "Material", and "Jupiter" behind them. So there's seven songs that are fair to very good for me here and this is probably near the bottom of the standard albums of Devin's discography for me.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Follow the way
Post by: Onno on June 03, 2014, 02:02:24 AM
I don't think I really dislike any song on Physicist, but the mix and production are very bad, and there are a few songs on it that just aren't interesting to me.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Follow the way
Post by: wolfking on June 03, 2014, 06:20:52 AM
A bit late, but I just had a listen to Infinity.  To be honest, it didn't really do anything for me.  I never cared for Devin's more comical style of music.  OM is lightyears better.

Will pull out my Physicist cd tomorrow.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Follow the way
Post by: Ultimetalhead on June 03, 2014, 06:24:00 PM
Alrighty. Since the Physicist discussion is pretty much over and done with, we'll be moving on with Terria tomorrow.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Follow the way
Post by: wolfking on June 03, 2014, 06:50:43 PM
Alrighty. Since the Physicist discussion is pretty much over and done with, we'll be moving on with Terria tomorrow.

Shit, I can't keep up, will listen to Physicist tonight and post my thoughts.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Follow the way
Post by: PROGdrummer on June 03, 2014, 07:26:04 PM
Physicist?

More like Physi-SHIT
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Follow the way
Post by: hefdaddy42 on June 04, 2014, 04:42:49 AM
I'll try to hit Physicist today.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Follow the way
Post by: ZKX-2099 on June 04, 2014, 01:57:53 PM
And then Cooked on Phonics right?



Right?
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Follow the way
Post by: Ultimetalhead on June 04, 2014, 01:59:38 PM
Sadly, Cooked on Phonics isn't part of the canon, and it's a little bit too not-Devy to include in this thread. I fucking love that album though.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Follow the way
Post by: Crow on June 04, 2014, 03:07:26 PM
I have relistened to Physicist again since my last post, and now have zero incentive to ever acknowledge its existence again. It's just thoroughly unpleasant to listen to.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Follow the way
Post by: wolfking on June 04, 2014, 05:22:04 PM
Didn't listen to Physicist last night, definitely will tonight though.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Follow the way
Post by: wolfking on June 05, 2014, 06:33:56 AM
Didn't listen to Physicist last night, definitely will tonight though.

Just had a listen.  So, this is basically a SYL album so to speak.  Not a fan of the mix, but I like the style.  Much much better than Infinity, but I think I'd take OM over it.  Gotta pick that one up.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Follow the way
Post by: ZKX-2099 on June 05, 2014, 07:05:18 AM
Sadly, Cooked on Phonics isn't part of the canon, and it's a little bit too not-Devy to include in this thread. I fucking love that album though.

You're fired, metal guy.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Follow the way
Post by: Ultimetalhead on June 05, 2014, 07:34:30 AM
Sadly, Cooked on Phonics isn't part of the canon, and it's a little bit too not-Devy to include in this thread. I fucking love that album though.

You're fired, metal guy.
Well, played.  :lol

Update coming shortly.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: Ultimetalhead on June 05, 2014, 07:42:22 AM
(https://spinaltapdance.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/terria.jpg)

After understandably lukewarm reception to 2000’s Physicist, and feeling like he “alienated a bunch of fans,” Devin got straight to work on a follow-up that would undo any damage created by his last experiment. Conceived mostly while on a road trip across Canada, Terria has a much more personal touch to it, much like what we experienced on OM and Infinity. Devin not being afraid of writing about his feelings or topics that are important to him is probably the most quintessential property of his music. The title, “Terria” immediately generates an image of perhaps a lush countryside or towering mountains, you know, earthy shit. Much like Ocean Machine’s production gives it the sound of the ocean, Terria’s production very much gives it the sound of the earth. It’s jagged and loud, but at the same time it has a gentle, calming atmosphere. It’s peculiar, and like OM, can be slightly off-putting at first. This album took me a long time to get into because, again, there’s just so much to take in.

Right off the bat, the strange intro of Olives sets up a more conceptual feeling than any of Devin’s previous offerings (including the original mix of Infinity). Starting with odd voices and strange sounds, it eventually builds into the crushing Mountain. With its angular guitar riffing and layered vocals, Mountain had me hooked pretty much instantly, and by the time the clean interlude comes in, it’s clear that we’re dealing with something much more mature and profound than Infinity.

Earth Day. Good fucking god. If you’ve ever had a conversation with a Devin fan, this song has come up multiple times, I’m sure. Regardless of people who e-mail Devin personally outright DEMANDING that the song be played at live shows, this song fucking owns. In a way, it’s kind of like a condensed version of the entire album. Every style that Terria touches on is represented in Earth Day at least a little bit. The iconic screams of “RECYCLLLLLLLLLE” are humorous without being cheesy, and the song is structured perfectly. I could probably write an entire college class on why Earth Day is a perfect progressive metal song, but I’ll try to give the rest of the album the credit that it very much deserves.

Another fan favorite, Deep Peace immediately follows. The mid-section of this song, with its sweeping guitar solo and gradual build of keyboards and more aggressive drums, is a fantastic section of music, segueing back into the beginning motif seamlessly. Canada goes through an interesting progression as a song, with the first and only truly abrupt transition  on the entire disc occurring about 2 minutes in. It doesn’t detract from the album at all, but on an album so lauded for its flow, it seemed odd to throw such a wild curveball before getting right back into the meat of the song. Thankfully, it quickly jumps into the most “fist-raising, lighter-waving” section on the album. Down and Under is a lovely, folksy tune that breaks up the chaos flawlessly.

The trifecta of The Fluke, Nobody’s Here, and Tiny Tears is where I tended to fall off in my first attempted listens of this album. The layers can get extremely exhausting, and all three of these songs have a tendency to meander a bit. The Fluke is more of an upbeat song with a lot of rhythmic intricacies, and Nobody’s Here takes the power ballad route. Tiny Tears is a lovely song in its own right, but it’s a MASSIVE grower and at 9 minutes it can be quite hard to sit through. Fortunately, Stagnant rights the course with a triumphant ending that ties the album together very well.

Even though it can be hard to sit through because of the ridiculous amount of layers and how much ground it covers, Terria works best as the cohesive whole it is. While it’s a daunting listen, the ending leaves me with so much comfort. A lot of the lyrical themes on the album deal with depressing subjects (not belonging, hurting the ones you love, dying pets, etc.), but it ends with the ode to life from Stagnant and it feels like everything’s okay. It can be a very powerful experience if you let it. Terria is one of those albums that I can listen to in the worst mood of my life and come away smiling like a lunatic.

The ship has righted its course. Welcome back to some of the best music you will hear in your life.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: mikeyd23 on June 05, 2014, 09:33:52 AM
Nice write up man. Thanks for doing this thread, I've never really gotten into Devin before so I'm trying to keep up with listening to everything as you are going through it! I finished OM and Infinity, enjoyed both albums a lot.  Probably liked OM more than Infinity. 

I planned to listen to Physicist today despite the things said about the album here, I want to get the whole picture, good and bad! And it sound like I'll have a good treat after I finish listening to Physicist, I'll have Terria to look forward to!  :tup
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: Crow on June 05, 2014, 09:52:31 AM
Either Terria or [REDACTED] is the Devin album I've listened to the most, and certainly for good reason. I really just love everything about this album. I don't even know if I'd be able to say anything interesting about it. Uh. Deep Peace is my favorite on the album, Stagnant a close second... every song is great though really.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: Ben_Jamin on June 05, 2014, 10:06:08 AM
Terria, the one essential Devin album I don't have. I have to remedy that soon.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: Onno on June 05, 2014, 10:20:27 AM
Great writeup man. Terria is one of my favourite Devin albums. It's really insanely good. The prime example of Devin's 'soundscapes that happen to use heavy distorted guitars' style mentioned before. One last thing: out of all Devin albums, this one is the one that needs to grow the most IMO.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: TioJorge on June 05, 2014, 10:49:27 AM
Awesome write-up, nothing much more to add to that except that, weirdly enough, I was hooked on this album from the get-go and it captivated me from beginning to end. After my 'metal is everything' days passed and my musical taste expanded dramatically, I found I enjoyed the ambient, atmospheric side of music a lot more. This is an absolute perfect balance of both worlds.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: Buddyhunter1 on June 05, 2014, 10:59:32 AM
I honestly find this one to be a bit overrated. It's a great album, don't get me wrong, but it's not one of my favorites by him.

My favorite songs would definitely be Deep Peace and Canada. Earth Day is a great song, but I can't say I understand all the "best Devin song EVAR" praise it gets all the time. Stagnant is another great one and a perfect way to end the album.

Overall, I think the album has a good flow, a unique atmosphere, and a good production except for the weird-sounding drums. So yeah, it's a great record. I just think he has a handfull of even better ones.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: Zantera on June 05, 2014, 11:04:29 AM
Terria is together with Ocean Machine his best solo album IMO.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: seasonsinthesky on June 05, 2014, 11:56:17 AM
Olives and Down & Under are two of my highlights, and two of the most underrated tracks in Dev's discography. they open each side of the record with vigor and depth; prog enough to be weird, but obvious and catchy enough to warrant listening, and they don't overstay their welcome. though Olives can be a bit testy if you're not listening to the intro in headphones, it's the perfect opener and i can't imagine Terria beginning any other way...

... besides switching Mountain and Earth Day. i know there's a reason they flow that way, something un-obvious about storytelling in Dev's mind, but the whole thing flows better imo if you swap them. the end of Mountain creates a much better segue into the bird sounds of Deep Peace. i dunno. it must be the statement ("it's just another mountain").

Canada literally sounds like this country. it's every bit as enormous and pays homage to the crappy 'traditional music' of the West (but we all know Dev does country better than country artists, right?). i wonder about the sudden break myself, but it's really cool that it refers back to Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing by using a slowed-down recording of kiddy Devy talking.

the end of the album is definitely heavy, emotionally speaking. i like that The Fluke has an intermission at the end but it does get tedious; otherwise, i think the 'meandering' aspect of Nobody's Here and Tiny Tears are well suited to the sense of space the whole record evokes. Earth Day has tons of meandering too, it's just that most of the meandering is uptempo and has words. Deep Peace is probably the most meandering track on it and it's considered a classic. i really love the bridge into the coda of Tiny Tears, where it comes down to Gene the Machine holding the beat while Dev wanders through the open plains in his solo. and the end is just beyond epic.

sometimes i wish Universal were included on the main disc, but it doesn't fit so well, so i understand why it was on the bonus disc. great song, though! (it's not the bonus track on the first disc, that's called Humble; somebody a long time ago mistagged it in the CD info databases so iTunes and the like don't name it properly most of the time.)
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: Buddyhunter1 on June 05, 2014, 12:00:11 PM
i wonder about the sudden break myself, but it's really cool that it refers back to Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing by using a slowed-down recording of kiddy Devy talking.

I've always wondered what that was. :lol
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: ZKX-2099 on June 05, 2014, 12:10:59 PM
Earth Day does not feel like a 9+ minute song. It's so tight and dense It only seems like 5 minutes.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: KevShmev on June 05, 2014, 12:24:55 PM
Terria was in my all-time top 10 when I did my top 50 albums thread a while back.  That says it all.  A magnificent record on every level. 

And for new listeners, it can be a grower.  I was iffy on some of it the first few times through, but just gut it out and it won't take long for its greatness to swallow you whole! :metal
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: ZKX-2099 on June 05, 2014, 12:29:58 PM
Same here, Bro.

"Wait what? I'm out."

5 months later...

"I WANNA FEEL LIKE THIS FOR A YEAR!"
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: Podaar on June 05, 2014, 12:55:20 PM
I don't know if my expectations are more aligned with Devin now or if this album is so much better? Maybe some of both. Terria sounds great to me after one listen. I'm going to go ahead and listen again but if it just gets better as Kev mentions it will go onto my order list along with Ocean Machine.

 :tup
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: Lowdz on June 05, 2014, 01:46:03 PM
Listeniing to Terria now. By god its a corker so far. Earth Day was great and the solo in Deep peace  is beautiful, but so is the song.

 :metal :hefdaddy
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: Ultimetalhead on June 05, 2014, 01:54:40 PM
i wonder about the sudden break myself, but it's really cool that it refers back to Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing by using a slowed-down recording of kiddy Devy talking.
Whoa. Chalk it up folks, that is the first fun fact that I was unaware of in this thread. Nice! I can totally hear it now, but that never even entered into my mind that it could be Kid Dev.

Loving the Terria love in this thread right now. So many docile minds experiencing its glory for the first time.  :heart
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: ariich on June 05, 2014, 02:24:00 PM
Terria remains my favourite Devy album, can't imagine he'll ever top it. SO GREAT!

Physicist, on the other hand, I can't stand.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: Scorpion on June 05, 2014, 02:24:48 PM
Terria is my favourite Devin Townsend album and my second favourite album of all time.  There is not a weak track to be found on this album, and listening through the album is one of the best musical experiences I know. Deep Peace, Stagnant, Nobody's Here and Tiny Tears are all Top 10 Devin songs for me, with Deep Peace being an all-time Top 10 song. DAT SOLO [:hefdaddy]infinity.

More thoughts will follow when I'll be listening to it tonight.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: adace on June 05, 2014, 02:31:02 PM
Terria is amazing. Gotta re-listen to it soon.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: Lowdz on June 05, 2014, 02:46:48 PM
Finished listening and I really enjoyed this album. If its a grower then its likely to become something of a favourite because I found it a fairly instant hit.
This thread has already cost me for OM and now I'll have to get this.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: wolfking on June 05, 2014, 05:22:57 PM
Sorry to backtrack, but I don't fully see all the hate for Physicist.  Is it safe to say that Devin fans aren't really SYL fans at all?

Will check this one out soon.  I've always heard good things about this one.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: Buddyhunter1 on June 05, 2014, 05:33:44 PM
Sorry to backtrack, but I don't fully see all the hate for Physicist.  Is it safe to say that Devin fans aren't really SYL fans at all?

As a fan of both projects, in my opinion Physicist is still worse than all of the SYL albums except for Heavy As A Really Heavy Thing. The style's not bad, the execution's just subpar.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: wolfking on June 05, 2014, 05:56:26 PM
Sorry to backtrack, but I don't fully see all the hate for Physicist.  Is it safe to say that Devin fans aren't really SYL fans at all?

As a fan of both projects, in my opinion Physicist is still worse than all of the SYL albums except for Heavy As A Really Heavy Thing. The style's not bad, the execution's just subpar.

I get that.  One thing I noticed is that it sounded rushed compared to SYL's albums.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: TioJorge on June 05, 2014, 06:06:23 PM
I specifically got into Dev's music with SYL. Very much like that type of music, I also like the atmospheric, ambient stuff; but Physicist just doesn't do it for me. As Ulti said, it sounds like an uninspired SYL album. It's just kinda...there. I don't hate it at all, but when you're sitting beside the greats, it definitely doesn't get much love.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: Ultimetalhead on June 05, 2014, 08:25:58 PM
Sorry to backtrack, but I don't fully see all the hate for Physicist.  Is it safe to say that Devin fans aren't really SYL fans at all?

As a fan of both projects, in my opinion Physicist is still worse than all of the SYL albums except for Heavy As A Really Heavy Thing. The style's not bad, the execution's just subpar.
Yeah, you hit it right on the head. City, Alien and even The New Black have this intense fury to them that Physicist doesn't have at all. Kind of feels like Devy's just going through the motions. With how much of a runaway success SYL was and how comparatively little attention his solo material was getting, it seems like a pretty good idea to make the solo stuff more like SYL from a business standpoint, but as we can plainly see, Devin never made that mistake again, so it may be safe to say that Physicist is what drove Devin to only make music on his own terms.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: Cruithne on June 06, 2014, 03:13:09 AM
As a fan of both projects, in my opinion Physicist is still worse than all of the SYL albums except for Heavy As A Really Heavy Thing. The style's not bad, the execution's just subpar.

I'd put Physicist ahead of The New Black, on a par with the S/T and slightly ahead of Heavy... I've always felt that Physicist's biggest problem is that it can't decide whether or not it's a SYL album or a "normal" solo album and ends up sitting somewhere in between shrugging its shoulders non-committally and not really serving the best interests of any of the material.

Victim, Death, Devoid and The Complex should've been done properly as SYL songs. Namaste too, perhaps.

I don't think Irish Maiden and Jupiter would've been out of place on AE and both would've benefited from a cleaner production.
Planet Rain is probably too up tempo and might've been better as an Infinity song.

Which leaves Kingdom and Material. Even though I was kinda annoyed at the notion of Kingdom getting re-recorded because I liked the song an awful lot as it was, I've got to admit that the version on Epicloud is preferable and I think Material would benefit from a similar approach.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: hefdaddy42 on June 06, 2014, 05:02:48 AM
Finished Physicist.  I liked it, but it was definitely the least of the DT albums thus far.

3 songs into Terria.  Liking thus far, and Earth Day was hilarious.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: wolfking on June 06, 2014, 06:53:15 AM
Listening to Terria now, sounding good.

Also, just with SYL, I loved TNB.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: Ultimetalhead on June 06, 2014, 09:47:43 AM
I love The New Black too. Really, I love all the SYL albums and wish we could discuss them alongside the solo material (mainly because of the ties between them), alas that's way too much fucking time.

To finally tie the knot on Physicist, I think it would be awesome if it had better production, but as it stands it's permanently "branded" in my mind as a weak SYL album with an awesome closing track.  :P
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: Buddyhunter1 on June 06, 2014, 11:21:57 AM
Since we're talking about SYL...

Alien > S/T (come at me bros) > City > The New Black > HAARHT

Alright, now back to Terria.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: ariich on June 06, 2014, 02:49:36 PM
The New Black is easily my favourite. I could never get into SYL's stuff really, but TNB has a sense of fun to it and some great tunes.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: ZKX-2099 on June 06, 2014, 03:27:15 PM
Try City.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: ariich on June 06, 2014, 03:39:49 PM
I did, and Alien. They were ok, just nothing stood out as very interesting to me.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: KevShmev on June 06, 2014, 04:52:15 PM
I heard one SYL album way back when, but didn't think much of it.  I am not a fan of that kind of crazy speed metal anyway (and when Devin tends to go that route as a solo artist, those often tend to be my least favorite tracks).
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: nicmos on June 06, 2014, 05:07:56 PM
I think Earth Day is one of the all time best things he's done.  Certainly that main opening riff/groove is amazing, but the other tracks on Terria are just not as interesting as much of his other stuff.  I feel like they're a less interesting version of what's on OM:B.  Having said that... I haven't listened to it quite as much as his other releases, so I'm gonna keep listening to it and see if it clicks more like a lot of people are saying.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: hefdaddy42 on June 07, 2014, 05:41:25 AM
Just finished Terria.  I thoroughly enjoyed it, probably my second favorite thus far (next to Ocean Machine).
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: PROGdrummer on June 07, 2014, 03:19:50 PM
Just listened to the first 3 songs of Terria (life happened and i'll finish it later).

....im not sure I get the hype for Earth Day. Maybe itll grow on me.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: Sacul on June 07, 2014, 03:41:41 PM
....im not sure I get the hype for Earth Day. Maybe it'll grow on me.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: PROGdrummer on June 07, 2014, 06:44:04 PM
Continuing my listen through, I was largely unphased until I came to the awesome riffing of The Fluke. I fucking love that shit.
The other songs didnt bore me or turn me off, i was just mainly overwhelmed and confused and nothing was really sticking the first time. But i was kind of like that with Deconstruction the first time too. In fact, it took me an entire year to finally appreciate Planet of the Apes. So im sure Terria will click with me sooner or later.

EDIT: Stagnant is another instant favorite.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: Scorpion on June 07, 2014, 07:00:29 PM
Yeah, listened to this again, and I still love every second of it. Devin's best for me, and one of the few completely flawless albums that I know.

The Fluke - Nobody's Here - Tiny Tears - Stagnant might be another one in consideration for the best 30-minute stretch in music, ever. Fucking love those. Tiny Tears needed a long time to grow on me, but I love it to death now.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: Ultimetalhead on June 07, 2014, 09:26:47 PM
....im not sure I get the hype for Earth Day. Maybe it'll grow on me.
It will.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: Nihil-Morari on June 08, 2014, 03:47:01 AM
Just finished Terria.  I thoroughly enjoyed it, probably my second favorite thus far (next to Ocean Machine).

Yes, that. Think I'll buy both, on cd, not on the fancy vinyl rereleases. I love me some Devy while driving, I think.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: The King in Crimson on June 08, 2014, 10:03:27 PM
Physicist
This was actually not as bad as I remembered it being. It still has a terrible mix and it's pretty monotonous but it does have a couple of good songs mixed in with the drek. "Namaste" is a decent opener, it has some actual energy unlike most of the rest of the album. "Materia" is pretty cool. "Kingdom" is awesome. "Jupiter" is pretty nice too. Also, I remember why "Irish Maiden" stood out so much to me before, because it's just fucking awful. Seriously one of the worst songs Devin's made. The run from "Death" to "Irish Maiden" is really, really boring and "Planet Rain" still doesn't stick out to me at all. It's 11 minutes of music that's slightly better than most of the rest of the album but not much other than that.

Terria
Wow, what a shift in quality here. We go from Devin's worst to his absolute best album. Seriously, there is very little I find wrong with this album. It sounds pretty great and pretty much every song is impeccable. Okay, I don't really like "Olives" that much, it's kind of a useless opener but it's over quickly. "The Fluke" is also kinda weak, but only weak in comparison to everything else which means it might not make my Best of Devin Townsend mix. When I first listened to this album only "Deep Peace" and "Earth Day" really stood out to me, but that's only because the second half of the album after "Canada" is so dense. When it finally clicked, wow, just some absolutely superb songs. "Nobody's Here," "Tiny Tears," and "Stagnant?" Hell yeah, what a great run of songs. "Deep Peace" and "Nobody's Here" also feature some of my favorite Devin solos. He may not solo all that much, but when he does, he tears it up and Terria is full of great solos by him. This is a great album and for those of you that aren't totally convinced of that fact, just give it time. It took a few listens to click with me and it's absolutely worth the effort.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: Cruithne on June 09, 2014, 02:52:03 AM
It took me a long time to fully appreciate Terria. In some ways, the immediacy of songs such as Earth Day, The Fluke and Stagnant made it hard for me to appreciate the rest of the songs. Now, I regard it as one of my all times favourite albums. The only thing stopping it competing for a top three slot is the opening Olives/Mountain salvo, which are just ok. After that it's gold to the end, assuming you end on Stagnant.

The downside to the album: the drums. Gene Hoglan's an absolute beast of an extreme metal drummer, arguably the best in the business, but he wasn't a great choice for Terria. Not that his drumming ruins the album, but it does come across as a bit leaden at times. After hearing Ki one wonders what Duris Maxwell would've been able to do with Terria.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: wolfking on June 09, 2014, 05:32:34 AM
Just finished Terria.  I thoroughly enjoyed it, probably my second favorite thus far (next to Ocean Machine).

Came to post this.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: jingle.boy on June 09, 2014, 06:12:45 AM
I know I'm bumping back an album, but being on vacation for 9 days put me behind.  Just listening to Physicist.   Like (I think) Podaar said, with all the slogging about it, my expectations were around my ankles as I was listening to this one.  I didn't find it too bad actually.  Material and Kingdom were pretty enjoyable.  I'm not a thrashy-metal kinda guy to begin with, so I skipped Death-Devoid-The Complex about 60 seconds in on each.  Was a little disappointed in Planet Rain.  Sure it's a beautiful song, but it's not really what I want or look for in Devin's music.  If I want something kinda slow and ballad-y, there are hundreds of artists I enjoy more than Devin's style.

I'm kinda worried about Terria, because even the subtle hints suggest this is going to be top notch, so I'm trying to keep my expectations in check.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: nicmos on June 09, 2014, 08:07:11 AM
you should hold your expectations in check.  I don't think it's higher than my 5th favorite album of his.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: jingle.boy on June 09, 2014, 08:58:23 AM
you should hold your expectations in check.  I don't think it's higher than my 5th favorite album of his.

Duly noted
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: seasonsinthesky on June 09, 2014, 11:07:34 AM
anybody else trying "Universal" with their Terria listens? nobody ever talks about that song!
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: Ultimetalhead on June 09, 2014, 01:43:41 PM
you should hold your expectations in check.  I don't think it's higher than my 5th favorite album of his.
Same here, really. That's more of a testament to the ludicrous amount of quality albums in Devin's discography rather than an indication of Terria being subpar.

anybody else trying "Universal" with their Terria listens? nobody ever talks about that song!
I love Universal. Excellent song, but it doesn't really fit anywhere in Terria. So, I like it as what it is, a bonus track.

Edit: On a logistics note, do people need more time for Terria, or would it be okay if we moved on tomorrow or Wednesday?
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: TioJorge on June 09, 2014, 02:05:32 PM
Movin on, I say!
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: Sacul on June 09, 2014, 04:01:13 PM
I wouldn't mind if everybody wants to move on, but I'm still digesting Terria and a bit of Infinity.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: WebRaider on June 10, 2014, 09:20:35 PM
Terria is a real good album IMO. I get why some hold it in such high regard but it's just a little samey for me at times; that is in as far as feeling, it kind of takes me somewhere and while its a very nice place it doesn't really move me anywhere else above, below or even to the side I guess. Again, basically that means I really like the album and most of the songs are really good IMO. For me though they don't hold up to my favorites by Devin for some reason (as confusing as all that might sound).
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Will you save me?
Post by: Ultimetalhead on June 11, 2014, 06:21:56 AM
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/fi/d/d7/Accelerated_Evolution.jpg)

Terria, the beautiful behemoth that it is, was a runaway success for Devin. Less than two years later, there was another major shift in his career. In a shocking development, Strapping Young Lad was reunited for a third album, and a band for Devin’s solo material was crafted. The aptly named "The Devin Townsend Band," served as the vehicle for Devin’s more forward-thinking, progressive metal output, while SYL was the receptacle for the really vicious stuff. Accelerated Evolution came out in 2003, and is by far the most rock-oriented release of Devin's so far. There’s hooks absolutely fucking EVERYWHERE, and very little harsh vocals. It’s quite catchy, and more immediately accessible than any of his previous work. I’ve said before that Devin on OM, Terria, and Infinity could be seen as more of a classical composer using distorted guitar as the main focus, but on this album we get a glimpse of Devin Townsend as a real songwriter.

In the bonus track (I Really Love Korea), Devin states that AE was made to be the counterpoint to the self-titled SYL album. While there aren’t a ton of parallels between the two albums (the next pair would have a shit ton), it makes sense. Most of the songs on AE are rather positive-sounding, in direct contrast to the anger on SYL. Even the darker songs are more slow dirges instead of the speed-driven metal songs. The opener, Depth Charge, sets the mood very nicely with a powerful, driving guitar riff and pounding drums. Already, we get a different atmosphere from the clean vocals getting the most “screen time.” When the few growls show up on this album, they’re downright shocking, adding a ton of emphasis to the mostly innocuous vocal lines. The best examples of the vocal prowess can be found at the climaxes of Storm and Deadhead. Deadhead in particular is one of the most incredible songs I’ve ever heard in my life. The emotion pouring out of that song is just amazing.

The lyrical subject matter has a lot to do with relationships. The aforementioned Storm and Deadhead, along with Traveler, Sunday Afternoon, and Slow Me Down all deal directly with romantic involvement. The others deal with either alienation (Random Analysis, Depth Charge), or career trouble (Suicide, Away [kind of]). Instantly, I feel like we get a bit more of a relate-able context from the lyrics. Plenty of people deal with alienation, but love songs and relationship troubles are even more global. I doubt the more mainstream approach was intentional, but I really love the lyrics on this album. Since this is a more vocal centric album, it helps the lyrics stick out more.

Devin really lets it out with the guitar playing on this album too. Terria had some awesome solo moments in Deep Peace, Nobody’s Here, and Tiny Tears, but I feel like the solos in Suicide and Away destroy all three of them. Away, in particular, is pretty much non-stop guitar melodies. It’s absolutely beautiful, and Devin has said a few times that Away is his favorite track from AE. I certainly get why. On an album so vocally focused, the borderline instrumental song ends up carrying the most emotional weight. It might seem meandering and boring to some, but I never get tired of it.

Another goal with the DTB was to give more screentime to the rest of the people cooperating with Devin on his solo albums. Other musicians on the earlier albums were never thought of as more than session musicians, because they hardly ever toured. Typically, tours would consist of a set of Strapping Young Lad material, and a bit of Devin’s solo material, also played by the SYL guys. Having a separate band made touring much more sensible, since the band had presumably worked on the songs with Devin himself, and weren’t learning them later like SYL probably was. Granted, this album (and the next one) is 100% The Devin Townsend Show featuring some dudes you probably don’t really care about, so it’s certainly a question whether or not the move to start a full-time “band” was a success or not. I will say, the drum sound on this album is awesome. While the usual complaints of no cymbals and “god why is this triggered to hell” will still ring true from the detractors, the snare on this album has a LOT of punch, and I think it fits the overall tone of the album quite well. The drum intro to Traveler is probably the most impressive drum moment on any of Devin’s solo albums, and that’s saying something considering Gene Hoglan played on a lot of them.

This album kind of stands out as a bit of a black sheep among Devin’s discography. Most of Devin’s solo material (so far at least) was extremely dense, and would only reveal itself to the most dedicated listeners. Accelerated Evolution almost seems like an attempt to bring a more accessible flavor to the mix. All of the songs are pretty immediate with their hooks and more simplified song structure, but they still get better with age merely because they’re fantastic songs. So, I wouldn’t advise one to go into this album expecting a long, existential, spiritual trip into one’s own psyche. Honestly, I think AE lost a lot of its impact on me, because I kind of went backwards through Devin’s discography. By the time I heard AE, I had already heard Addicted, and this album didn’t seem nearly as good to me. Of course, it grew on me, and in context now it’s easily one of my favorites. Out of all of Devin’s albums so far, this is the most simplified, “collection of songs” adventure, rather than a concept album.

Fret not, concept fans. You’ll have your day again very shortly. For now, enjoy the catchy sounds of Accelerated Evolution.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Will you save me?
Post by: Onno on June 11, 2014, 06:34:01 AM
Great writeup! Accelerated Evolution was one of the few Devin albums that I immediately liked. Of course, it grew on me like the other albums, but I already loved the first lessons. I didn't really like Away at first, but now I like it better, and it's STILL growing on me. Sunday Afternoon was a bit better, but that's also still growing on me. Traveller is a great song, but the real standout songs for me are Storm, Deadhead, Suicide and Slow Me Down. Those are absolutely incredible. Also, I love the drumming sound on this record, and I love RVP's drumming. Glad Devin decided to stick with him!
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Will you save me?
Post by: hefdaddy42 on June 11, 2014, 08:59:43 AM
I will start listening today.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Will you save me?
Post by: seasonsinthesky on June 11, 2014, 11:08:02 AM
for some reason, i never quite realized that Terria and AE were back-to-back in chronology. i know the release years by heart but they're just so... different.

"Depth Charge" is very close to my favourite opener on any Dev release. that intro is absolutely killer, energy gets released in every direction at once. other highlights that most fans seem to agree about (and are already mentioned): "Storm," "Deadhead," "Suicide," and "Away."

however, i'm very 'halfsies' about this album – for the obvious brilliance of the aforementioned songs, i really don't like the remainder ("Random Analysis," "Traveller," "Sunday Afternoon," "Slow Me Down"). this stems from two problems i have: the type of catchy that strikes me as bland or trying too hard, and a problem of 'bloat' this album has, even in the great songs.

let me expand on that last one though: for all the accessibility this songwriting approach has, some of the songs really stick around way too long. all the songs in the 'not good' pile i mentioned have this problem imo, but so does "Depth Charge," so i'm actually on the fence for that song after the second pre-chorus. basically, once DC hits the proper chorus, the song is too long from then out; i love the one dynamic break afterward, but otherwise, it's an enormous exercise in warrantless repetition. the chorus just isn't that good, and the song doesn't need to be nearly 7 minutes.

the 'bloat' thing happens in "Deadhead" too but that song completely works. the bridge section needs to be that long, if you understand what i mean. DC does not, and neither does RA. it's all subjective of course but i find it so odd that the songs 'tell' me they go on too long but Dev didn't feel it at the time – he's usually so excellent at using just the right amount of repetition, imo. however, i think the SYL self-titled has this same problem, so it must be indicative of where Dev was at the time and what he was listening to. the two albums are just chock full of needless repeats.

found it weird you didn't bring up Project EKO! possibly the best bonus disc ever! (okay, maybe Casualties has it beat...) those three songs are just the most impeccably-written electronic music. i wish he'd done more of those. "Locate" especially is a classic in the catalog, imo! don't skip the bonus disc when you listen to it! (y'know, maybe it was the repetition of the EKO songs that influenced the repetitive rawk on the album proper.)
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Will you save me?
Post by: Buddyhunter1 on June 11, 2014, 11:25:44 AM
This is the best Devin Townsend solo record prior to the DTP. Come at me bros.

The sound on this album is fantastic. As you mentioned, the songwriting is pretty accessible (relatively speaking, at least), but it's backed up with such a huge wall of sound that it really becomes something unique, energetic, and powerful. I feel like this is the first album by Devin that really nailed the production; it sounds freaking HUGE. I guess that it might sound a bit abrasive to some, but I love it.

The other reason this record so well is that the songs are fantastic. Depth Charge is an amazing powerhouse of an opener. Storm is beautiful and features what I believe to be Devin's best vocals EVER at the end. With Deadhead, unlike Earth Day, I can completely see why it gets praised so much; it's emotional and powerful as fuck. Suicide has got some metal-as-fuck riffs and one of Devin's greatest guitar solos ever, Away captures that soaring, free atmosphere perfectly, and Sunday Afternoon and Slow Me Down are a fantastic way to end the album.
Oh, and Random Analysis and Traveler are pretty good too. So there's hardly any weak tracks to speak of.

While Addicted and maaaybe Epicloud are better albums in Devin's "accessible and catchy but heavy wall of sound" style, this one still holds up amazingly well, in my opinion.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Will you save me?
Post by: Ultimetalhead on June 11, 2014, 12:02:37 PM
I don't really care for Random Analysis all that much, to be honest. Sometimes I forget it's on this album.  :lol It's not like I hate it or anything, it's just the other songs are way better.

Sorry for not mentioning EKO. Again, I forgot it was associated with AE. But yeah, like you said, amazing electronic music.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Will you save me?
Post by: KevShmev on June 11, 2014, 12:08:05 PM
Hmmm, well, Random Analysis is one of the few songs from this record that I regularly listen to when I listen to Devin (along with Suicide and Deadhead, and sometimes Sunday Afternoon).  I like the rest of the songs, although Traveller is kind of weak, but none of them really wow me. 

Overall, I like this album, but it is probably my 3rd least favorite of his (counting the proper albums of his that will be discussed in this thread).  I had just gotten into him when this came out, and the sound of it really threw me off, as that wall of noise I had gotten used to of his was non-existent, and I don't like how big and overpowering the drums sound on this, generally speaking.  To put it another way, the sound of this album is a bit too slick and streamlined; it's like it was made to sound like a mainstream album would, and that resulted in Devin's personality not coming across in every facet of the music.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Will you save me?
Post by: Crow on June 11, 2014, 02:15:58 PM
I honestly never got too into this album, I like Deadhead a lot and then I wouldn't be able to tell you at all what any of the other songs sound like. Maybe I should listen again, though. I just don't recall there being much to this album that made me want to revisit it.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Will you save me?
Post by: wolfking on June 11, 2014, 06:23:13 PM
oh, I own this one.  ;D

Don't remember anything about it except the very nice Slow Me Down.  Will have a listen tonight.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Will you save me?
Post by: hefdaddy42 on June 12, 2014, 04:52:21 AM
Finishing up right now.

Good album, but honestly, after the great write-up, I was expecting to like it more.  :biggrin:
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Will you save me?
Post by: ariich on June 12, 2014, 04:57:37 AM
Yeah, AE is nice, but I just don't find it very exciting. I think it's all a bit too vanilla. A couple of very nice songs though, for sure.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Will you save me?
Post by: wolfking on June 12, 2014, 06:11:05 AM
Decent album, nice atmosphere.  The last three songs are excellent.

I think it's all a bit too vanilla.

I think this is a really great way of describing it.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Will you save me?
Post by: ZKX-2099 on June 12, 2014, 08:04:00 AM
You could replace the hoover dam with Depth Charge and nobody would notice.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Will you save me?
Post by: nicmos on June 12, 2014, 08:50:29 AM
what does that mean?  it sounds like white noise to you?  hardly.  I agree with others that it's one of his best openers, if not the best.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Will you save me?
Post by: Onno on June 12, 2014, 09:05:32 AM
I also really like Depth Charge as an opener, it's a great song with lots of energy. I also love how Slow Me Down loops back into the Depth Charge intro.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Just another mountain
Post by: jingle.boy on June 12, 2014, 09:13:00 AM
Just finished Terria.  I thoroughly enjoyed it, probably my second favorite thus far (next to Ocean Machine).

Almost caught up.  Terria was great.  Earth Day and Tiny Tears were my standouts.  This one definitely falls into 'purchase-worthy' category..  Will spin Accelerated Evolution tomorrow. 

Thankfully the PF and BOC threads slowed down, because I got distracted with the Led Zeppelin remaster releases from last week.   :metal  Now feeling inspired to start my LZ discussion writeups.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Will you save me?
Post by: KevShmev on June 12, 2014, 09:14:50 AM
Even though I like Slow Down, it sometimes gnaws at me how rough the transition is from the "My want is found and feeding" line to the "Hanging around with a girl" one.  It's like, yeah, we all know that Devin does plenty of overlapping vocals with different takes and whatnot, but just the way that sounds make it sound so unnatural. 
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Will you save me?
Post by: Ben_Jamin on June 12, 2014, 09:16:11 AM
Something about the production and mix, makes it kinda hard to listen to entirely,  I think its the guitar and drums.

I enjoy the songs a lot though
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Will you save me?
Post by: Nihil-Morari on June 12, 2014, 11:36:11 AM
I was ready to type 'didn't like it that much, more of the same, wasn't in the mood for such a metal album anyway blabla', but I must say this album surprised me. The first half really grabbed my attention and didn't let go. Gotta have this one too. (these discography threads can be a financial pain in the butt)
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Will you save me?
Post by: Scorpion on June 12, 2014, 04:42:33 PM
I love this album, even though I don't love all the songs. Random Analysis especially is somewhat of a clunker. That said, the highs of this album and amazingly high, and Deadhead - Suicide might just be the best one-two-punch in Devin's career.

Unlike many others, though, I prefer Suicide over Deadhead, which needed some time to grow on me - at first I found it pretty boring. Now, I love it, but I still prefer Suicide by quite a bit.

Also, Slow Me Down is the perfect way to end an album. I love it when Devin does some more poppy stuff, generally speaking, though there are of course expections to that rule. Slow Me Down, however, is not one of them.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Will you save me?
Post by: jingle.boy on June 13, 2014, 06:52:25 AM
Listening right now.  Suicide is playing.

So far I'm liking it.  I was trying to figure out how to describe a lot of what I hear with these albums, and 'wall of noise' is absolutely perfect.  Everything is just so big and bombastic that they blend together, and it's hard to find anything that significantly grabs my attention.  That's not to say that it isn't good, or that I'm not liking it... I absolutely am, and based on the listen so far, this will likely go into the 'purchase-worthy' category.

(these discography threads can be a financial pain in the butt)

Tell me about it!  DTF in general can be a financial pain in the butt (see my one of my sig quotes).
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Will you save me?
Post by: ariich on June 13, 2014, 09:29:23 AM
I've decided to jump in with this thread and revisit albums. Listening to AE for the first time in ages, and Depth Charge really is such a good opener.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Will you save me?
Post by: Ultimetalhead on June 15, 2014, 09:18:57 PM
Alright. We'll move on to Synchestra tomorrow since discussion has already died down (unless it blows up overnight or something, which I don't anticipate).
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. You are the rainbow
Post by: Ultimetalhead on June 16, 2014, 01:30:23 PM
(https://spinaltapdance.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/synchestra.jpg)

Now that we’ve had a nice helping of easily-digestible metal tunes with a near-pop mentality, it’s time to delve into the spiritual successor to Terria. One listen of the album, hearing all of the nature sounds and dense, layered nature is all it takes to make the connection. While it’s not nearly as visceral as Terria (much less screaming this time around), it’s no less epic and sprawling. The album all flows as a single piece, with individual songs still carrying their own weight. Not an easy task. Rather than explaining the story and focus of Synchestra myself, I’ll let our special guest, Devin Townsend himself, take the wheel for a minute.

“Promos of the record are gonna start showing up, and therfore leaks will probably start as well. Please don't download it, but if you do hear it...you might as well know the story.

1 let it roll- it's in two parts, but it starts the record in a subtle way. In fact, the first 2 tracks (lir and the beggining of hypergeek) are essentially long intros. Most of the records I do smack you in the face on the first song...the climax of Synchestra is the 11th song, 'A Simple Lullaby'. Synchestra makes you wait for it. The story is about finding certain answers to life questions as a result of going too far, 'be careful what you wish for' and the way that reacts to a sensitive mind. Humility. Let it roll basically says just that, it's a resignation, almost like; 'I blew it...but theres nothing I can do about it now, so let it roll.'

Hypergeek- The intro is the wake up call, roosters and frogs and birds, with the words 'wake up' and 'joy' ending with a conductor that starts the whole thing officially with double kick about a minute in. Hypergeek is actually instrumental, but starts things off with a bit of a bang (it doesn't really let go though...again, it makes you wait.) This is the first scene.

Triumph - a subtle realization. 'one word - collective' there is a sense of relief in letting it roll, an aprehensive joy, things from the past culminating in a genuine present. Vai plays on this song for a reason, peace is made with the past. Brave enough to make a step.

The Baby Song - references to Infinity, as well as a sober alternative to 'Possesions' off of Alien. I'm 33 and this concept is a biggie in my life. This is the only song on the record that is a little 'precious' - it evokes a touch of wierdness, especially when the melody returns at the end in a minor key. It's a heavy Metal Lullaby that is intended to start the questioning again after a re-awakening. A sober part of reality that needs to be addressed at this age.

Vampolka - a polka prelude to Vampira to essentially lighten the mood after the baby song and set the stage for the transition song on the record, Vampira.

Vampira - The single, the attention getter for those who don't have the patience for the whole thing, but as such serves a definite purpose. It's essentially about overdramatizing the negative aspects of life, a real fop-ish 'woe is me' attitude, personifying the dark aspects of the reality of a current situation as an entity named 'Vampira'. A Judas Priest-esque rocker that is supposed to be a comedic version of the syl energy.
'Night...follows me when you're gone, and now...how am I to carry on?'
A parody of that side.

Mental Tan - the second awkening, a mellow soundscape that occurs after the smoke has cleared from Vampira, the only lyrics 'Oh my God I'm one...' this is the transition point on the record from re-awakening into reality and actually finding your place in it. The main melody is a major version of the theme that appears at the end of the song 'Judgement'

Gaia - Concern for the earth, personified with the name Gaia, the feminine energy of a sentient being that we abuse daily. 'Send the message to Gaia, the air is getting thin' Analysis of of selfish existence, and the beggining of a downward spiral of guilt. Being awake in a beautiful, vibrant reality and feeling that on some level you've neglected it all for the sake of things that are ultimately destructive and self absorbed...

Pixillate - A cry to God, Infinity, The Devil, whatever your poison is, to say 'I'M A FUCKING IDIOT, I CAN'T BELIEVE WHAT I'VE DONE, I CAN'T BELIEVE WHAT I'VE STOOD FOR, I DON'T DESERVE ANY OF THIS, I DON'T DESERVE ANY OF IT' A moment of clarity into a fallable human existence, compared to the majesty of nature, all we do is gauche and simple, the song is a lumbering beast that is supposed to beat that message in. the record at this point starts to get more emotionally involved, This song asks the question.

Judgement - The answer comes, 'YES, you ARE a fucking idiot... but thats OK, you're human, and thats where the beauty of humans lie, in their duality...know that you are fallable, and continue with that knowledge and make it work...NOW FUCKING BOW.' the song ends with the minor melody from Mental Tan, and the pulse of Pixillate, Almost like a momentary set up for the climax of the record.

A Simple Lullaby - The celebration...500,000 people, prayers and rejoicing during a PAINFULLY long intro (again, it makes you wait) This song is the celebration, the liberation, and the summary of the questioning. Cannons, Fireworks...you name it.

Sunset - This is where the credits roll, and people collect their bags on the way out of the theatre. A coffee after the dinner. It is a great way to release the energy of the prior songs...it keeps going and subtley builds the tension for the summary song, for the people that choose to stay seated.

Notes From Africa - Summarizes the whole damn thing. References and opposes 'Love?' from Alien, and really hammers the point of the record home, a real solid groove and a VERY STRANGE MELODY that has been in my head since Infinity. Salman Rushdie. It fades out into echoes that put you in a 5 minute jungle scape after the song is over. (we went to an indoor rainforest and taped the sounds of the waterfalls and birds) By this point of the record, I just wanted people to be in a tropical paradise for a few minutes. It's warm and beautiful. Technically, the record is over...

EXCEPT;

Sunshine And Happiness - If you stick around in the jungle for awhile, this song comes in. Whats it supposed to represent? Nothing. If anything, it's just supposed to be the happiest song EVER. To leave you with a smile. Dave played all the guitar, Mike and Beavis do guest vocals, it is supposed to wrap up the record on a note that doesn't take itself to seriously...
'If you say it's up to me to make the call, well I would say SUNSHINE AND HAPPINESS FOR ALL!!!'

If you're reading this on blabbermouth, it wasn't intended for blabbermouth, so giving me shit is like shooting the side of a barn on this one. I just want the fans of the dtb stuff to know this so the record as a whole doesn't come across as an oblique journey up my own ass. I won't talk much about this record I don't think. I'll explain this shit a few times I'm sure, but really...this record closes an era.

There, someone write the screenplay.”

I can’t sum it up better than he did, so why bother trying? This album absolutely flows like a movie. It builds and builds to Pixillate as the major conflict, before stepping back a little bit and finally unleashing the conclusion with A Simple Lullaby. Sunset leaves you feeling peaceful and satisfied, before Notes decides to kick you in the face one more time. It’s all good though, because Sunshine and Happiness is so ludicrously happy that it’s impossible not to crack a smile.

My thoughts on the album are pretty concise: It’s long, a little bloated, and epic. I love listening to it, but sometimes I can’t handle it all at once. I tend to like splitting the album in between Pixillate and Judgement, honestly. Pixillate is a great closer, and Judgement is a pretty solid opener in its own right. I can mostly do without Babysong, though the ending where everything goes crazy is pretty cool. Vampira’s a really cool song, and shines brightly as the only song-like piece on an album full of lengthy compositions.

I hear a lot of flak directed at A Simple Lullaby. It might seem weird after calling this album bloated, but I wouldn’t take a single second out of Lullaby. Yeah, it goes on forever. It’s supposed to. The release when the band launches into that final resolving chord is one of the most primally satisfying moments in any song ever. It’s pure music theory. The brain likes when the dissonance (the V chord before the silence and the drums) is resolved by the consonance (the loud, orgasmic final chord before Sunset). You can hear it coming, you wait and you wait, and then it hits like a meteor. Brilliant writing.

Strangely, despite my praise, I’d probably put this album in the lower tier of Devin’s albums. It’s awesome, but it’s not quite as hard-hitting or emotional as Terria. I love the concept, and it’s basically a precursor to the DTP, but it’s just not as easy to follow, because you have such weird shit like Babysong and Vampolka that kind of disrupt the flow of the story. It starts off so promising with Triumph, that I think it might have been better if it flowed right into Mental Tan and got rid of the middle triumvirate of Babysong/Vampolka/Vampira. It’s not that I hate those songs (I absolutely love Vampira), but they just seem out of place. It would have knocked the album down to a more manageable length too, but hey, it’s not up to me.

Next time, we’ll be meeting a new friend who will be with us in some capacity for the rest of the journey.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. You are the rainbow
Post by: Onno on June 16, 2014, 01:40:58 PM
I really like Synchestra, but after reading that I discovered haven't listened to it enough. There's a lot more to this album than I thought there was, apparently. I didn't know it had such a big concept. Gonna relisten ASAP!
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. You are the rainbow
Post by: Buddyhunter1 on June 16, 2014, 02:05:34 PM
Don't really like this one, to be honest.
It's got some great songs (Triumph, Vampira, Gaia, Pixillate) and the concept is pretty ambitious, but I just don't think it really holds up in the songwriting department. There's too many tracks I don't really care for, it's pretty bloated as a whole, and the album just loses me completely after Pixillate. Maybe I just need to listen to A Simple Lullaby a bunch more times until it finally clicks, but as of now I just find it to be a chore to listen to.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. You are the rainbow
Post by: Lowdz on June 16, 2014, 02:14:42 PM
I have played this album before and really liked it. I'm looking forward to revisting it.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. You are the rainbow
Post by: KevShmev on June 16, 2014, 02:21:07 PM
Synchestra is a great album, even if I can't call it one of my favorites of his (although I did prior to the DTP).  It's a great middle tier album for me - not as totally awesome as Terria, Infinity or Addicted, but definitely better than Physicist, AE or Ziltoid.  Its highs are really high.

Tracks 1-9 are absolute money, which is not to say that I don't like the rest - I do, in fact - but the rest of the album simply doesn't kick as much ass as those first nine tracks do.  Even Notes from Africa is a slight letdown, in that after that monster riff and beastly verses, I was hoping for a more ass-kicking chorus and ending, but I really didn't get one. 

Pixillate remains one of my favorite Devin songs to date, from any CD; that instrumental build-up in the middle is just awesomeness personified. 
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. You are the rainbow
Post by: seasonsinthesky on June 16, 2014, 07:34:15 PM
took me years before i honestly enjoyed the whole record. lots of highlights were obvious from the get-go (the ones getting mentioned here), but "Let It Roll" and the entirety of the album took a long digestion period before i could settle with it. suitably, i had the same problem with Alien, its sister release: obvious highlights, but some real growers, and some real annoyers – how fitting that "Possessions" and "Babysong" are counterparts when i dislike both!

both DTB albums have really unique drum sounds. i'm not sure if that was RVP's influence or if Dev decided to try new and different mixing approaches, but AE has that dark snare in the big room, and this one has this like... giant canvas snare, and the kit on the whole is really over-the-top in the mix. i do think it helps enunciate the association with their SYL sibling albums, though.

at this point, my favourite track on Synchestra is "Notes From Africa." i can hear the Infinity sound all over it, as Dev mentioned in his explanation, and i think that's what grew on me over the years since the record came out. for all the new and unique tracks – "Triumph," "Gaia," "Pixillate," "Judgement" – that stand out so strong to me, it's NFA that seals the deal. you get the playful, ridiculous Dev, but also the dark, cloudy Dev, and that's the balance that made past epics so good (chiefly, "Bastard" and "Earth Day").

i made a double-disc mix of Synchestra and Alien and i like listening to it better than the records on their own. i think it's worth noting that the duality Dev worked on throughout the SYL years is probably best represented with these two, because OM and City are too different to work together. Alien and Human (as it was going to be called originally) come together to make total sense.

(howsabout that Safe Zone DVD? isn't it awful?)
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. You are the rainbow
Post by: ZKX-2099 on June 17, 2014, 07:30:38 AM
Synchestra is one of my essential fun albums. Always gets me in a good mood.

And like so many of his other albums took me months to learn to appreciate.

And RVP's drum-work is amazing as always the groves he lays down on Gaia and NFA are some of my all time favorites.

After Decon, Ziltoid and Terria, this is my favorite of his.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. You are the rainbow
Post by: Nihil-Morari on June 17, 2014, 08:09:59 AM
Just bought Terria! Will listen to Synchestria later this week.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. You are the rainbow
Post by: ariich on June 17, 2014, 08:16:57 AM
Man, haven't listened to Synchestra in ages either. Listening through now while at work, will post thoughts as they come to me. From what I remember, there are some really great songs, but the album just drags on a bit.

I love Let It Roll. Such a great opener!

EDIT: I'd forgotten how great this album SOUNDS. Everything is so clear and crisp, love it!

EDIT 2: I still absolutely love Vampolka/Vampira. Completely over the top but so much fun!

EDIT 3: Yeah I'm finding the same thing as before. The run of songs from Mental Tan through to A Simple Lullaby is fine, the songs are good, but nothing hugely stands out and this stretch of the album starts to drag a bit.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. You are the rainbow
Post by: nicmos on June 17, 2014, 11:01:39 AM
Gaia might have the greatest driving groove of any Devin Townsend song.  I love it.  Pixillate is so strong, and Vampira is a great straightforward song.  I agree though that this album is more concept-y than some of the others, and so I will skip some of the tracks (like Babysong) if I just want my fix rather than a listening experience.  Also on the plus side is the general positive vibe of the album.  The album ends in a great place.  I remember taking a hike through the jungle one of the first times I listened to this on my ipod, and in come the jungle sounds, and I wasn't sure if I was hearing the record or the outside world!  I had to take my headphones out to check!  Anyway, I like the album a lot, but probably wouldn't put it higher than about 5th on my DT hierarchy (obligatory plug for currently-going top 50 list).
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. You are the rainbow
Post by: Scorpion on June 17, 2014, 02:30:39 PM
The way I remember this album is that it starts of strong and loses steam after Pixillate, but I haven't listened to it in a while. Will report with more accurate thoughts after I have listened to it again.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. You are the rainbow
Post by: jingle.boy on June 17, 2014, 02:33:07 PM
I did find there was a certain lull with Judgment and Lullaby, but otherwise I really, REALLY enjoyed this one.  Great intro, nice melodies throughout, and the theme works just fine.  I really like Babysong and Vampolka/pira segment.  Notes from Africa is about 2 minutes too long, but that's fine... it's all part of the theme.  Lots of concept albums have segments that could go away.  Sunshine and Happiness is right up my alley - it's Devy doing hair metal!  Love it.

Overall, :tup :tup
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. You are the rainbow
Post by: wolfking on June 17, 2014, 04:16:08 PM
I own this one too and will pull the cd out later.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. You are the rainbow
Post by: Sacul on June 17, 2014, 06:35:11 PM
Damn, I'm still digesting Terria, and just started AE a few days ago - you guys are fast :lol
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. You are the rainbow
Post by: ariich on June 18, 2014, 05:06:55 AM
Returning to Infinity, damn this album is so good. I just LOVE the quirky stuff on this album - I think in terms of Devy's quirky side, this was his peak. Bad Devil is amazing, and I love the totally bizarre two-punch of Ants/Colonial Boy.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. You are the rainbow
Post by: ariich on June 18, 2014, 07:51:26 AM
Returning to Physicist, and it really isn't nearly as bad as I remember. In fact, some parts of it are really good, and a lot of it is ok. I honestly don't know why I disliked it quite so much.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. You are the rainbow
Post by: Onno on June 18, 2014, 08:12:25 AM
Returning to Physicist, and it really isn't nearly as bad as I remember. In fact, some parts of it are really good, and a lot of it is ok. I honestly don't know why I disliked it quite so much.
That is exactly what I felt after I revisited Physicist. It's a good album overall.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. You are the rainbow
Post by: Cruithne on June 18, 2014, 08:54:48 AM
I'll certainly take Physicist over AE and Synchestra. I feel that his solo material in this period ended up being diluted by the amount of mental effort that went into pursuing SYL as a full time project (primarily at the behest of the other three guys, I understand).

There's good material on both AE and Synchestra, but it's notable that the songs I love on AE are the ones others dislike and vice versa, so one can't help but wonder if it suffers from a lack of an overarching vision (which Dev's albums do tend to have).

As for Synchestra, it has that overarching vision but the execution (or maybe the whole idea of heavy metal lullabies) is a little bland for my money. Except for Sunshine & Happiness, which is chuffing marvellous! :)
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. You are the rainbow
Post by: ariich on June 18, 2014, 08:58:55 AM
I'll certainly take Physicist over AE and Synchestra.
I definitely wouldn't go that far, it's still definitely my least favourite of his normal albums (i.e. excluding Devlab and The Hummer). But the margin is much smaller, and I might actually start listening to it again now. I hadn't touched it since a couple of listens when I first got it and the occasional song coming up on random shuffle.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. You are the rainbow
Post by: Buddyhunter1 on June 18, 2014, 11:28:35 AM
I'll certainly take Physicist over AE

Does.

Not.

Compute.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. You are the rainbow
Post by: hefdaddy42 on June 18, 2014, 12:57:17 PM
I'll certainly take Physicist over AE

Does.

Not.

Compute.
Same here.

Finished Synchestra today.  Wow, I really enjoyed this one. Might be my favorite thus far.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. You are the rainbow
Post by: DarkLord_Lalinc on June 18, 2014, 12:59:23 PM
Returning to Physicist, and it really isn't nearly as bad as I remember. In fact, some parts of it are really good, and a lot of it is ok. I honestly don't know why I disliked it quite so much.
That is exactly what I felt after I revisited Physicist. It's a good album overall.
I think Physicist is a great example of an album that would be so much better with better production.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. You are the rainbow
Post by: Ultimetalhead on June 18, 2014, 04:43:37 PM
Finished Synchestra today.  Wow, I really enjoyed this one. Might be my favorite thus far.
Good to hear! It's definitely the most accessible of his longer, conceptual works, and there's plenty of catchy moments to be had throughout.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. You are the rainbow
Post by: Scorpion on June 18, 2014, 08:39:49 PM
Well, this was better than I remember it being. Still not too big on Judgement / A Simple Lullaby, but they work in the context of the album, so I don't mind them much. Babysong and Notes from Africa were the big surprises for me, I didn't remember them being that good, especially Notes from Africa. It's not my favourite song on the album (that honour goes to Pixillate), but it's #2 pretty comfortably - which is weird as I remembered nothing from it prior to this listen.

Also, Sunshine and Happiness is great. I love it death.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. You are the rainbow
Post by: Ultimetalhead on June 18, 2014, 08:48:01 PM
Fun fact: Bits and pieces from Notes From Africa have been around since Terria.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. You are the rainbow
Post by: Scorpion on June 18, 2014, 08:52:08 PM
Dude, you need to step up your fun facts... I knew that one already. :tdwn :P
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. You are the rainbow
Post by: The King in Crimson on June 18, 2014, 10:44:58 PM
I'll certainly take Physicist over AE

Does.

Not.

Compute.
Yeah that's some kind of powerful drug talking right there.

Accelerated Evolution is a very consistent album, but it kind of lacks in the heights. The album kind of runs together a bit. "Deadhead" and "Suicide" are my clear, favorite standouts but even then, they're nowhere near my favorite Devin songs. The rest are all good, enjoyable songs and I wouldn't get rid of any of them even "Traveller" or "Away" which are the clunkers, but are still enjoyable. Not the most exciting album, but one I enjoy when I listen to it. I just don't feel like listening to it all that often.

Synchestra is like the polar opposite. It's quality is all over the place (I really don't care for "Babysong" or the run from "Judgement" to "Sunset"), but man does it have some absolutely awesome songs. "Triumph," "Vampira," "Gaia," "Notes From Africa," and "Sunshine and Happiness" are all stellar songs and "Gaia" is one of my favorite Devin songs. Despite it's more inconsistent quality, I'd put this above AE. It feels more like a journey to me whilst AE is just a collection of (rather good) songs. Maybe I'd even up near the top of his best albums. Maybe.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. You are the rainbow
Post by: KevShmev on June 18, 2014, 11:12:58 PM
As much as I enjoy Sunshine and Happiness, the "Oh yeah! Oh yeah! Oh yeah! Oh yeah! Oh yeeeeah!" part of the 2nd verse always makes me cringe a little.  Yeah, that kind of wacky silliness is often injected into his music, but that is one case where it came across as a bit too corny, IMO. 
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. You are the rainbow
Post by: Cruithne on June 19, 2014, 02:05:51 AM
Yeah that's some kind of powerful drug talking right there.

I call it the wisdom of age  :hat

(Probably whisky. Drunk a lot of whisky over the years...)

Quote
Accelerated Evolution is a very consistent album, but it kind of lacks in the heights. The album kind of runs together a bit. "Deadhead" and "Suicide" are my clear, favorite standouts but even then, they're nowhere near my favorite Devin songs. The rest are all good, enjoyable songs and I wouldn't get rid of any of them even "Traveller" or "Away" which are the clunkers, but are still enjoyable.

See, I don't ever listen to Deadhead or Suicide because I find them rather dull and the same goes for Storm, Away and Sunday Afternoon. Traveller, Random Analysis and Slow Me Down are pretty much the only songs that I ever do bother to listen to that're on AE, with the occasional Depth Charge thrown in. It may comes as little surprise, then, that Addicted! is one of my favourites of his, but more of that later I'm sure :)

As for Synchestra, Sunshine & Happiness aside, I'll occasionally listen to Triumph for the section around the 2:50 mark and that's really it. Once the Vai solo kicks in I switch off.

Funnily enough, despite it easily being my least favourite DT album, I actually have two copies of Synchestra :) I can't remember exactly why, but it had something to do with working on-site in the US for a couple of months around the time it was released and buying it off the shelves over there so I could hear it immediately, despite having a pre-order from Amazon to come back home to!
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. You are the rainbow
Post by: ZKX-2099 on June 19, 2014, 02:46:47 AM
As much as I enjoy Sunshine and Happiness, the "Oh yeah! Oh yeah! Oh yeah! Oh yeah! Oh yeeeeah!" part of the 2nd verse always makes me cringe a little.  Yeah, that kind of wacky silliness is often injected into his music, but that is one case where it came across as a bit too corny, IMO.

Pretty sure that's the point...
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. You are the rainbow
Post by: Ultimetalhead on June 19, 2014, 08:23:17 AM
As for Synchestra, Sunshine & Happiness aside, I'll occasionally listen to Triumph for the section around the 2:50 mark and that's really it. Once the Vai solo kicks in I switch off.
How are you...How? Triumph is one of the most gorgeous songs ever.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. You are the rainbow
Post by: KevShmev on June 19, 2014, 09:00:00 AM
As much as I enjoy Sunshine and Happiness, the "Oh yeah! Oh yeah! Oh yeah! Oh yeah! Oh yeeeeah!" part of the 2nd verse always makes me cringe a little.  Yeah, that kind of wacky silliness is often injected into his music, but that is one case where it came across as a bit too corny, IMO.

Pretty sure that's the point...

Well, duh, but it comes off as more cringeworthy to me than anything else.  However, when you throw humor into music as much as Devin does, some of it is gonna miss the mark.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. You are the rainbow
Post by: Sacul on June 19, 2014, 04:04:18 PM
Listened to Synchestra. Boring. I thought I was through the third song, a really long one it seemed, and actually it was the fifth :lol. I am a bit disappointed with Devin's discography, as no album has been better to Ocean Machine for me. He has some really badass songs, specially the openers - but I didn't even feel Terria was that good. Thus I'm not sure if I should keep following this thread, guys.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. You are the rainbow
Post by: TioJorge on June 19, 2014, 04:10:04 PM
Some people are just broken. (https://www.chicitysports.com/forum/images/smilies/11qmi6t.gif)  :P

I can totally see that though, OM is a really special album. I've just made connections with others though that make them just as special. But if you're not feeling it, what can ya do? To each their own.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. You are the rainbow
Post by: jingle.boy on June 19, 2014, 04:15:32 PM
Listened to Synchestra. Boring. I thought I was through the third song, a really long one it seemed, and actually it was the fifth :lol. I am a bit disappointed with Devin's discography, as no album has been better to Ocean Machine for me. He has some really badass songs, specially the openers - but I didn't even feel Terria was that good. Thus I'm not sure if I should keep following this thread, guys.

Don't let the door hit your ass on the way out.   :P   :lol  I'm actually the opposite of you... O:M - while excellent - is probably one of the one's that impressed me the least.

Tastes:  wouldn't it be easier if we all just had the same?   ;D
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. You are the rainbow
Post by: ariich on June 19, 2014, 04:39:16 PM
I don't find Ocean Machine to be that great really, certainly not one his strongest. It has a few absolute gems, but chunks of it I don't find especially interesting.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. You are the rainbow
Post by: Phoenix87x on June 19, 2014, 04:46:30 PM
I love Ocean Machine.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. You are the rainbow
Post by: PROGdrummer on June 19, 2014, 07:18:20 PM
Listened to Synchestra. Boring. I thought I was through the third song, a really long one it seemed, and actually it was the fifth :lol. I am a bit disappointed with Devin's discography, as no album has been better to Ocean Machine for me. He has some really badass songs, specially the openers - but I didn't even feel Terria was that good. Thus I'm not sure if I should keep following this thread, guys.

Good things come to those who wait.

Starting with Ki, every album from then on is god-tier. Every single one of them. His best work comes from his sober-era.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. You are the rainbow
Post by: Scorpion on June 19, 2014, 07:56:25 PM
While I wouldn't quite say that, as I think his two best albums are Ocean Machine and Terria, but his work after going sober is definitely ridiculously consistent. Not a bad album in the Project albums, and most people know by now that I love Casualties of Cool.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. You are the rainbow
Post by: Buddyhunter1 on June 19, 2014, 08:03:56 PM
Yeah, the DTP onward is the best.

Ki / Addicted / Deconstruction is his best run of albums, no contest.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. You are the rainbow
Post by: Scorpion on June 19, 2014, 08:06:55 PM
If I liked Deconstruction nearly as much as most people seem to do, then I'd probably agree with that. Shame that it's smack-bang in the middle of his newer stuff.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. You are the rainbow
Post by: PROGdrummer on June 19, 2014, 08:44:35 PM
Yeah, the DTP onward is the best.

Ki / Addicted / Deconstruction is his best run of albums, no contest.

Don't forget Ghost! I think its my absolute favorite album of his
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. You are the rainbow
Post by: jingle.boy on June 19, 2014, 09:29:35 PM
If his stuff just keeps getting better, my wallet's gonna take a beating.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography (Accelerated Evolution)
Post by: WebRaider on June 19, 2014, 11:56:13 PM
Damn getting so busy with life lately... just wanted to drop in my thoughts on AE before I dig into Synchestra.

AE really helped get me into Dev's work overall. I had started to LOVE Addicted!, was slowly being amazed by OM when some here recommended Accelerated Evolution. It's catchiness and less growls (which were an issue for me at the time) really just pulled it all together for me. I had tried Terria before it and it just was too different than the previously mentioned work to sell me but this was a really good blend.

I'll say over time it has kind of lost a little steam for me though. As noted I think some of the songs are a little too long and slightly bland compared to what we can judge against the rest of his catalog.

Having said that much, "Deadhead" is and will likely remain one of my favorite songs. It has many of the qualities I love catchy wailing guitar, riffs, building epicness, creepy undercurrent before exploding and his vocals.... ahhhhhh..  :hefdaddy

It's a good album and I recommend it to those just getting into Devy for sure.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. (Synchestra)
Post by: WebRaider on June 20, 2014, 01:47:46 AM
I'll start off talking about Synchestra by proclaiming that I'm probably the biggest fan of the album here. :coolio

For a long time this album really didn't get the credit I felt it deserved and it seems several of you are coming around to it on a level I maybe didn't expect when this started. I understand that the album as a whole can be for some quite an undertaking but the quality and depth of the music is there guys. I think the sound on this album is fantastic. The melodies throughout Synchestra and Devin's singing for me is some of his most impressive work (he does however have a lot of that). I was never even aware until this thread, that there was a true concept involved and that only further adds to it for me.

I have to admit I am a patient album listener in general and I usually have to listen to a whole album when I sit down to listen to music and maybe somehow that has something to do with my particular interest in this one? Regardless seeing some come around to it or some new fans definitely makes me happy. It's not my favorite but it's among them with no doubts.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. You are the rainbow
Post by: Cruithne on June 20, 2014, 01:49:09 AM
Starting with Ki, every album from then on is god-tier. Every single one of them. His best work comes from his sober-era.

I'm not sure I'd quite go that far (I'm not a fan of Ghost and Epicloud is a little patchy), but I definitely agree that his sober-era material is his best work.

Once he ditched the substances (not that I think he was a heavy abuser, but even a small amount doesn't appear to agree with him*), fully embraced his inner nerd, stopped trying to second guess what people wanted him to produce and allowed his muse to take full control he became a substantially more interesting, and much more consistent artist.

* The difference in his demeanour in interviews between pre and post-2006(ish) is really quite interesting.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. You are the rainbow
Post by: WebRaider on June 20, 2014, 02:03:42 AM
I did find there was a certain lull with Judgment and Lullaby, but otherwise I really, REALLY enjoyed this one.  Great intro, nice melodies throughout, and the theme works just fine.  I really like Babysong and Vampolka/pira segment.  Notes from Africa is about 2 minutes too long, but that's fine... it's all part of the theme.  Lots of concept albums have segments that could go away.  Sunshine and Happiness is right up my alley - it's Devy doing hair metal!  Love it.

Overall, :tup :tup



:tup :metal :tup
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. You are the rainbow
Post by: Sacul on June 20, 2014, 08:58:12 AM
Yeah, the DTP onward is the best.
If you say so, I'll stay here till the end. I'll still listen to the other albums - they may grow on me, who knows :biggrin:
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. You are the rainbow
Post by: nicmos on June 20, 2014, 01:11:31 PM
let me remind you that Epicloud is #42 on my top 50, Addicted is #8, and no other Dev albums are on my list even though I like them a lot.  Those two are both DTP.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. You are the rainbow
Post by: wolfking on June 22, 2014, 05:04:05 AM
Lost track of this a bit.  I have Synchestra and will try and have a listen tomorrow.

On another note, I was out purchasing the new Mastodon when I saw a copy of Ocean Machine sitting in the DT section.  It was pricy, but you have to pay for quality, so I picked it up so I have a physical copy of the cd.  Thread mission accomplished.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And the greys flood our memories
Post by: Ultimetalhead on June 22, 2014, 09:33:37 AM
(https://i1.ytimg.com/vi/JljY7nGMaIU/maxresdefault.jpg)

Ziltoid is a very important album in the chronology of Devin Townsend. One could argue that it is perhaps THE most important. There’s so much to talk about here that I barely know where to begin. So, let’s start with the background. Devin’s wife, Tracy, had just given birth to their son, leading Devin to desire some time away from touring to spend with his family. During this time, Devin decided to make a true “solo” album, more or less to prove that he could do it. On Ziltoid, Devin did damn near everything, singing nearly all vocals, playing guitar and bass, and programming drums and synths. As a fellow musician, it absolutely blows my mind how well Ziltoid works as a complete product of one brilliant, deranged mind.

Musically, we’re looking at some pretty standard Devin writing. Ziltoid is probably the second closest to SYL behind Physicist. Indeed, Ziltoidia Attaxx! and parts of Color Your World are some of the heaviest songs not credited with the SYL moniker. To mix with the heavier bits, we’ve got plenty of ambient moments. The best songs on Ziltoid work by combining the two musical ideologies in an ebb and flow that leads to some downright monumental climaxes. By Your Command, Solar Winds, and the aforementioned Color Your World peak and valley constantly, each ending with a downright crushing blow. Another musical trick that has been consistently used since its inception here is the off-beat “smashing” rhythms often associated with SYL. Planet Smasher is full of them, and they become much more rampant in the DTP.

Lyrically, Devin has gotten a bit silly in the past with songs like Ants and Vampolka, but this albums is on a whole new level of goofy. It’s not as shocking considering Devin’s first real solo album was a pop-punk satire, but I’d imagine it to be a little jarring to someone unfamiliar with Devin’s body of work. Again, it’s not like Devin’s sense of humor has been lacking in his previous efforts, it’s just much more deliberate and profound here. With the exception of Hyperdrive and The Greys, each song has at least one moment worthy of at least a chuckle. Since the story is a little confusing, and people may be easily confused, I give you: Ziltoid, the Sparknotes version.

ZTO: Ziltoid is an alien. He comes to Earth searching for the “ultimate cup of coffee.”

By Your Command: The humans deliver the coffee. Ziltoid finds it “fetid.” He prepares to attack Earth.

Ziltoidia Attaxx: Self-explanatory. Earth gets messed up pretty good.

Solar Winds: Captain Spectacular is some sort of interdimensional superhero figure. He sets out to expose Ziltoid as a nerd with the remaining few humans that haven’t been killed.

Hyperdrive: Captain Spectacular and the humans deftly avoid Ziltoid’s attack and jump into Hyperdrive to evade him. Some unknown entity sings a song about volatile relationships.

N9: Ziltoid and Captain Spectacular’s crew reach some sort of all-knowing hivemind that tells Ziltoid that he sucks and should stop being a moron.

Planet Smasher: Ziltoid is all bummed about being a moron, so he decides to destroy a planet by summoning yet another interdimensional being designed for that specific purpose. The Planet Smasher calls Ziltoid a foul pest.

Omnidimensional Creator: Ziltoid, dejected after being told off by 2 high-ranking universal beings, goes to the head of all the universe to find out his purpose in life.

Color Your World: Ziltoid begs and pleads to understand his existence. The OC abides him and tells him the truth. Ziltoid, along with everything else in the universe, is merely a puppet.

The Greys: Ziltoid gets all bummed out again and sings a song about how life kind of blows.

Tall Latte: The story turns out to be a dream of a coffee-shop worker.

Right, so obviously this is a goofy, disjointed story that seems like it has very little to do with anything. However, knowing what happened directly following the release of Ziltoid makes things very clear. There’s an almost Freudian level of hidden meanings in Ziltoid. Shortly after Ziltoid, Devin quit the music industry for a brief period, finding himself unsure of his identity in music, and feeling the need to stop using drugs and find out how to create without the help of mind-altering substances. This is an obvious parallel to Ziltoid’s plight. Ziltoid spends the whole album merely trying to do what he thinks is his “job” in the universe. And he was constantly told to stop being an idiot and leave everyone alone. There were a great number of beings that respected Ziltoid and feared him, but the majority of anyone in the Ziltoidian universe that held any form of power were dismissive towards him.  It’s a bit of a stretch, but it could be hypothesized that this also relates to Devin’s relationship with the music industry and his fans. The fans obviously adore him, but the higher ups in the music business are likely not so kind.

With all of that baseless (more or less) speculation on the parallels between the Ziltoid story and Devin’s life out of the way, let’s get back to talking about the music. I like a lot of Ziltoid, but I feel like a lot of it is pretty meandering and heavy just for the sake of being heavy. Ziltoidia and N9 are both pretty innocuous 6/8 thrashers, while By Your Command and Color Your World might as well be the same song. Thankfully, it’s a damn good song, so it’s not unforgivable to have it twice. Hyperdrive and The Greys really shine as the only traditional songs on the album. They both have wonderful lyrics and lovely melodies. I hear a lot of complaints leveled at the drums, because literally everyone hates programmed drums for their lack of “human” feeling. Frankly, I think they work pretty well for an album that already sounds pretty robotic. Devin plays within the confines of the limitations, and they certainly don’t stick out.

The mid-section of Color Your World deserves extra attention. My god, what a beautiful section of music. The dancing arpeggios almost remind me of Deep Peace, and then the vocal melodies on top of the constant build is nothing short of amazing. It works fabulously within the context of Color Your World as well. The transition into it feels a little jarring, but the transition into the crushing outro seems perfectly natural. This section started a trend among “epic” moments in Devin’s music being accompanied by beautiful, soaring arpeggios.

Really though, for all the good music on Ziltoid, some of it seems a little uninspired. N9 does very little to hold my attention, and the whole ending of By Your Command (though the build-up is insanely cool) goes on way too long. Also, I feel like the story kind of trips over itself a lot, leaving me very confused as to what was actually going on before finally looking it up. Still, Ziltoid is an extremely impressive statement, being a true solo album.

I might leave a bit more time between this one and the DTP saga to allow people to catch up, and to mirror the time between the albums a little more accurately. Hold onto your ass folks, it’s all uphill from here.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And the greys flood our memories
Post by: KevShmev on June 22, 2014, 10:21:03 AM
I like Ziltoid way more now than I did the first few years after it was out, but I still consider it no better than his 8th or 9th best album (and maybe even a tad lower on some days).  It's really good, but something about it just isn't there that would make it as totally awesome as it could have been. 

The programmed drums work at times (Ziltoidia Attaxx!!!), but other times, they don't, IMO. And I have no problem with programmed (or fake) drums in general; I listen to plenty of music with programmed/fake drums.  I just think real drums would have benefited the album at certain times, but I certainly understand why he did it the way he did.

Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And the greys flood our memories
Post by: Ultimetalhead on June 22, 2014, 10:30:24 AM
I'm with you there. It's definitely one of my lesser favorites, but that's more because the other albums are just so damn good.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And the greys flood our memories
Post by: ZKX-2099 on June 22, 2014, 11:13:21 AM
Nobody would notice the drums if they weren't told.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And the greys flood our memories
Post by: Buddyhunter1 on June 22, 2014, 11:16:18 AM
I like this one a bit better than Synchestra, but it's still low-tier Devin for me. In fact, I'd say that Synchestra/The New Black/Ziltoid is my least favorite three album run in his discography, if we're counting SYL. Thankfully, like you said, it's all uphill from here.

Anyways, back to the album. I think it starts and ends pretty damn well. By Your Command and Color Your World are easily the best songs on the album, though I don't think they're THAT similar. The Greys is a nice song, and ZTO and Ziltoidia Attaxx!!! are both goofy, fun tracks. (dat guitar solo in the latter)

The whole middle stretch of the album I barely ever listen to. Solar Winds is nice but a bit drawn-out and has too much spoken-word for my liking, Hyperdrive absolutely pales in comparison to the remake on Addicted, N9 is completely dull, and Planet Smasher is pretty catchy, but it's definitely not one of my favorites.

Overall, I really like the sound of the record, it's just that the songs themselves could be a bit better. I'm excited for Z2 though, as I'm positive it'll be better executed than this one.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And the greys flood our memories
Post by: KevShmev on June 22, 2014, 11:20:03 AM
Even though I love Planet Smasher (it's one of my favorites from this), I agree about the middle of the album.  I never thought a lot about Hyperdrive until it was redone on Addicted, and while the intro of N9 is bad ass with his wordless vocals providing the melody over the mayhem, the song never really goes anywhere.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And the greys flood our memories
Post by: Nihil-Morari on June 23, 2014, 05:21:14 AM
Funny enough, I quite like this album. I believe this was my first introduction to Devin, and I fell in love with this absurd rock-opera. I guess it's mainly the humor I like, because normally I don't fall for such a heavy album, but I like that this album isn't taking itself too seriously. In my memory the serious moments are the most beautiful ones, and the heaviest moments are the most funny. I'll listen to this album later today.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And the greys flood our memories
Post by: ZKX-2099 on June 23, 2014, 06:32:13 AM
Even though I love Planet Smasher (it's one of my favorites from this), I agree about the middle of the album.  I never thought a lot about Hyperdrive until it was redone on Addicted, and while the intro of N9 is bad ass with his wordless vocals providing the melody over the mayhem, the song never really goes anywhere.

I still don't know where songs are supposed to go...
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And the greys flood our memories
Post by: Cruithne on June 23, 2014, 06:55:51 AM
Ziltoid is a strange album... and I absolutely love it!

It sounds, to me, like he started out with the intention of writing a comic book album around the idea of the puppet and then got side-tracked into writing an album that was a metaphor of his musical career and consequent life within the music industry up to that point.

The meat of Solar Winds, N9, Hyperdrive and The Greys really seem to have nothing to do with the story that frames them (ignoring the Captain Spectacular intrusion in the middle of Solar Winds) and there's certainly a very wistful feel about all four that you wouldn't expect to find on an album supposedly just about a 4th dimensional alien searching for a cup of coffee. In fact, I think it's the wistful feel running through so much of the album (after Ziltoidia Attaxx!) married to the fairly aggressive, near-SYL backing tracks that I find so appealing.

Like Rush's Grace Under Pressure and Queensryche's Rage For Order it's an album that's not a million miles away from the rest of the genre, yet has a unique quality to it that means it stands alone and apart from the rest.

And some people just call it a comedy album. Pah!
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And the greys flood our memories
Post by: jingle.boy on June 23, 2014, 08:32:50 AM
Listening now.  Will report back this afternoon
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And the greys flood our memories
Post by: The King in Crimson on June 23, 2014, 10:49:30 AM
Even though I love Planet Smasher (it's one of my favorites from this), I agree about the middle of the album.  I never thought a lot about Hyperdrive until it was redone on Addicted, and while the intro of N9 is bad ass with his wordless vocals providing the melody over the mayhem, the song never really goes anywhere.

I still don't know where songs are supposed to go...
Somewhere interesting preferrably.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And the greys flood our memories
Post by: hefdaddy42 on June 23, 2014, 10:54:22 AM
I am 3 songs in.  Wow, that's some seriously funky messed-up stuff.

Love it!
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And the greys flood our memories
Post by: jingle.boy on June 23, 2014, 12:44:33 PM
Nobody would notice the drums if they weren't told.

Really??  On some tracks, sure, you don't notice.  On many occasions though, the bass kicks were like machine guns.  Didn't even sound like drumming.

Ziltoid is a strange album...

Pretty much all you needed to say.  Some interesting parts, but for the most part, I just wasn't captivated.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And the greys flood our memories
Post by: Ultimetalhead on June 23, 2014, 01:02:09 PM
No worries for people who don't care for Ziltoid. It's the last "weak" moment of the entire thread. Everything from here on is pure gold.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And the greys flood our memories
Post by: seasonsinthesky on June 23, 2014, 01:26:25 PM
love Ziltoid. the drums don't sound out of place in terms of velocity except for the real blasts ("Ziltoidia Attaxx!!"). otherwise, what actually bothers me about them is that they don't sound like Dev's production — the snare is weak and thin and buried, the kick has no meat, the toms may as well be cardboard. his drum sound is huge, and it's missing. if he re-released it with enormous drums (or Dirk/RVP drumming), i'd easily count it among his greatest achievements.

as is, though, i love every song except superboring "N9."

in particular, besides the arpeggio thing Ultimetalhead mentioned, this record begins the egregious use of crossfading chaotic musical sections that goes on to make such great moments in songs like "Ki."
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And the greys flood our memories
Post by: Podaar on June 23, 2014, 01:30:37 PM
Holy crap, Ultimetalhead, I'm so f'ing far behind. Life has conspired to screw up my enjoyment of your thread. I may end up having to listen to everything once the thread is finished and comment then. There are quite a few of these I'm pretty stoked to hear too.  :sad:
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And the greys flood our memories
Post by: Ultimetalhead on June 23, 2014, 01:31:35 PM
(https://www.canningbasics.com/images/ketchup.jpg)
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And the greys flood our memories
Post by: Podaar on June 23, 2014, 01:33:26 PM
Ha ha, Sir, yes Sir!

Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And the greys flood our memories
Post by: ariich on June 23, 2014, 01:33:58 PM
Not one of my favourites at all. It's very entertaining and has some great moments, but a lot of it is just kind of there. Lots of chugga-chugga.

Listened again today for the first time in ages, opinion hasn't really changed. Probably my second bottom "normal" Devy album, ahead of Physicist.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And the greys flood our memories
Post by: Onno on June 24, 2014, 04:01:04 AM
Ah, Ziltoid. I love the album. Another one that had to grow on me a lot. My favourite tracks are definitely Color Your World and The Greys. I love the humor of the album, while the music still mostly remains kind of serious. It does contain a lot of chugga-chugga if you want to call it that, but again I see it more as a soundscape.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And the greys flood our memories
Post by: ZKX-2099 on June 25, 2014, 07:37:29 AM
Not a criticism, but I think excluding SYL from this is a disservice to those wanting to experience the whole Devin spectrum.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And the greys flood our memories
Post by: hefdaddy42 on June 25, 2014, 07:39:14 AM
Finished Ziltoid this morning.

lol

It was fun, but I'm not sure how much replay value it would have for me.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And the greys flood our memories
Post by: Crow on June 25, 2014, 09:12:23 AM
I like Ziltoid a lot, probably one of my favorite Devin albums. Just 'cause it's so consistent while also being great. Solar Winds especially is just, amazing, the last few minutes are one of the best moments in his discography. The silliness is here silliness I like as opposed to some of his overly silly stuff too.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And the greys flood our memories
Post by: Ultimetalhead on June 25, 2014, 10:25:01 AM
Not a criticism, but I think excluding SYL from this is a disservice to those wanting to experience the whole Devin spectrum.
I agree completely. But the consensus was adding 5 albums to this thread (one of which maybe 3 people would even like) would be too much.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And the greys flood our memories
Post by: Lowdz on June 25, 2014, 11:02:17 AM
Finished Ziltoid this morning.

lol

It was fun, but I'm not sure how much replay value it would have for me.
Yeah, its not for me. I think when I first dipped my toe into Devin's world it was this album I sampled and it put me off.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And the greys flood our memories
Post by: Buddyhunter1 on June 25, 2014, 11:04:27 AM
Not a criticism, but I think excluding SYL from this is a disservice to those wanting to experience the whole Devin spectrum.
I agree completely. But the consensus was adding 5 albums to this thread (one of which maybe 3 people would even like) would be too much.

Maybe at the very end you could briefly go over (not full write-ups or anything) the albums that were skipped over?
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And the greys flood our memories
Post by: hefdaddy42 on June 25, 2014, 11:26:53 AM
Not a criticism, but I think excluding SYL from this is a disservice to those wanting to experience the whole Devin spectrum.
I agree completely. But the consensus was adding 5 albums to this thread (one of which maybe 3 people would even like) would be too much.

Maybe at the very end you could briefly go over (not full write-ups or anything) the albums that were skipped over?
That would be cool.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And the greys flood our memories
Post by: Ultimetalhead on June 25, 2014, 01:21:34 PM
Yeah, I'll probably just do that. City and Alien will probably get rather long write-ups because I love the shit out of them.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And the greys flood our memories
Post by: Cruithne on June 26, 2014, 02:45:43 AM
Yeah, its not for me. I think when I first dipped my toe into Devin's world it was this album I sampled and it put me off.

As much as I love ZTO, I wouldn't recommend it as a gateway to Devin's music.

Aside from that I could easily see the humour in some of the songs putting off the newcomer and it having a slightly odd marriage of pounding metal with introspective wistfulness, I feel it's best understood in the context of when it was released; best understood with the awareness that he'd not long since wound down SYL, dropped the goofy metal image, quit indulging in substances, effectively quit the industry and generally taken stock of his life and how he'd been representing himself to the world.

As interesting as his output had been up to then, the artist who came out of the other side of all that ended up being more interesting, engaging and consistently brilliant. Ziltoid was the album that summed up/reflected on, then closed the door on the first phase of his career.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And the greys flood our memories
Post by: Scorpion on June 27, 2014, 02:54:59 PM
Dammit I'm behind on this! Will relisten tonight, but just some thoughts now:

In general I agree with Justin. Parts of this album are great, but aside from... three and a half songs, every song either goes on to long or is a little boring. The highlights for me are Solar Winds and Colour Your World, which are both completely awesome. The middle section in Colour Your World is one my favourite Devin moments. Solar Winds is pure bliss, it's not exaggeratedly heavy, but it has a unique mood to it that really appeals to me.

The other one and a half songs on this album that I find myself coming back to are The Greys (AWESOME, love those guitar melodies) and Hyperdrive is kinda cool, I guess - though I prefer the Addicted version by quite a bit.

On the whole, this is not a bad album, and I definitely enjoy the humour that it brings to the table... it's just that, aside from Physicist, I'd rank this as the low point in terms of songwriting over Devin's career.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And the greys flood our memories
Post by: Ultimetalhead on June 28, 2014, 07:35:42 PM
I'm purposely taking a while on the Ki write-up, because these next four albums mean a fuck ton to me and I'm determined to do it justice, but it's almost done. So, let's finish up the Ziltoid discussion and get ready to move on to Ki tomorrow.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And the greys flood our memories
Post by: Scorpion on June 28, 2014, 07:37:59 PM
Well, I relistened to Ziltoid yesterday, and it's mostly like I remembered, though thinking about all that meta stuff that you posted made me enjoy the album a fair bit more. The one song that I liked a whole lot more than I remembered it being was By Your Command. Yeah, the outro is on the longish side but the rest of song is pretty awesome. I'd still say that it's the weakest of the long songs (BYC, SW, CYW). Oh yeah, and N9 is and remains a snoozefest.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And the greys flood our memories
Post by: Ultimetalhead on June 28, 2014, 07:48:54 PM
I totally agree about N9. Only thing it has going for it is it's the first turning point of Ziltoid realizing how insignificant he truly is, but you don't need a 6 minute compound-metric jam to deliver that bit of plot.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And the greys flood our memories
Post by: Scorpion on June 28, 2014, 07:50:50 PM
I see that, once again, we see eye to eye in matters of Devin Townsend.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Eyes forward
Post by: Ultimetalhead on June 30, 2014, 10:05:46 AM
(https://www.hellbound.ca/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/d-townsend-ki.jpg)


2007 led to a second spiritual awakening for Devin Townsend (the first being the diagnosis of bipolar disorder leading to the creation of the Infinity album). Devin cut off the skullet that gave him part of his notoriety as being the most true lunatic in the metal scene, quit all the drugs, and had a sobering up that so many rockstars go through. He permanently disbanded SYL and The Devin Townsend Band to focus on himself. During this time, he produced a lot of albums for other bands, but found it unrewarding. While taking time off, he learned how to create music without the aid of the drugs. He eventually settled on the idea of The Devin Townsend Project, finding that a lot of the music he wrote fell into 4 unique niches. Initially, the Project was to be a double album, but the music kept piling up, and the idea of the 4-album Devgasm was finalized. The DTP (as it will be referred to from here on out) was to be released all in one year, but a return to touring quickly squashed those hopes. The first two came in 2009, with the final two releasing in 2011 on the same day. The first album of my favorite run of four albums by any artist ever is the quiet, tense statement known as Ki.

When Ki starts out with its clean, swelling arpeggios, there’s an immediate change of texture from any of Devin’s previous works. It’s downright shocking. All of Devin’s music, be it angry, sad, or happy, have always been 100% balls-out confidence. Angry music was seething and visceral, sad music was dark, depressing, but desperate and powerful, and the happy music was an all-out celebration. Here though, we see a much more restrained picture. Every time Ki rears back its head threatening to explode, it stops itself, returning to the solo guitar atmosphere that it starts with. Coast comes so close to a release to all the tension, but instead of releasing it with a heavy breakdown, it all goes away with a sudden stop. Disruptr, Gato, and Heaven Send are the only instances on the album where the Dev of past years reveals itself to any extent. Each song features a head-banging riff and growled vocals.

Anyone will tell you the strength of Ki is its remarkable atmosphere. It’s mostly achieved through the more subdued numbers such as Terminal, Lady Helen, and Winter. Even the heavy moments from the last paragraph never truly feel like a normal Hevy-Devy passage. To this day, I know of no other album that sounds like Ki even remotely. A lot of the riffing, particularly Gato, sounds like if you added a solid helping of distortion, keyboard smashes, and blast beats, wouldn’t sound out of place on an SYL album. Hell, Gato even contains a reference to Skeksis from Alien (melody after the second chorus).

In yet another departure, the mix and general feel of this album is RADICALLY different to anything Devin’s produced before. There’s nary a wall of sound to be found (heh rhyme lol), the drums aren’t triggered to hell, and everything has a ton of breathing room. Even though I love Devin’s style of production, it’s refreshing to hear such a stripped down, breathable album. The lack of triggers, combined with the impressive talent of Duris Maxwell, makes this my favorite drumming on any Devin release. Duris has a lot of swagger behind the kit, but he never steals the show, even with his soloing in Trainfire. He’s a big part of the different feel of the album, I think.

Lyrically, Ki deals a lot with Devin’s decision to rejoin the music world. All throughout, the lyrics make mention of themes of not being ready (Heaven Send says “but are you ready” at least a dozen times). The next three albums’ overarching themes, addiction (Addicted), facing oneself (Deconstruction), and moving on (Ghost) are featured in a few songs as well. Devin stated that the big idea behind Ki was to set the stage for the project, and this clearly concerns the lyrics as well. Still, the lyrics don’t seem like the main focus to me. I feel like Ki spends a lot of time in a sort of self-reflective haze. The lazy, meandering guitar melodies that often split the songs are dripping with emotion and even uncertainty, further driving home the tension the album is built off of. Finally, the personal breakthrough is realized in the title track, before giving way to Quiet Riot. Devin stated that the meaning behind Quiet Riot was “although I’m damaged, I’m fine, and have chosen to make my life better.” Ominously ending with Demon League, the album reveals that despite the breakthroughs, there is still work to do.

If the last paragraph didn’t clue anyone in, I feel that Ki works best as a whole album (really, I feel like the DTP records work best when listened to all in a row, but that’s like 5 hours and I just don’t have time for that kind of shit anymore). Still, all of the individual songs are equally appealing, each passing with multiple memorable moments, be it the lush soundscapes of Ki, the angular, Buckethead-ish guitar solo in Heaven Send, or the folksy, sing-along Quiet Riot. It’s strange. The heavy songs were what captivated me the most coming in (heavy isn’t really the right word though). Disruptr and Heaven Send were immediate favorites, with the ambient tracks revealing their beauty to me later. Make no mistake, this album is actually pretty weird. It’s mostly soft and approachable in tone, but the song structures and the odd time signatures combined with the oddball vocal melodies could cause this to be a downright awkward listen for the uninitiated. The songs are quite varied, making for a rather rewarding listen. Much like Devin’s earlier material, this album will not be easily appreciated on the first or even tenth try. Even with a more stripped down approach, there’s still a ton of hidden layers, and songs that require time to sink in.

Ki holds a lot of sentimental value for me. Really, the whole DTP was the soundtrack to a fairly turbulent time in my life. And that doesn’t even necessarily mean bad. There was a lot of up and down. Lady Helen will always fill me with joy and relief, because it was the last song I listened to before visiting the college I later committed to. That was an excellent day all around, and Ki was in my car’s CD player for the journey. Incidentally, Triumph was the first song I listened to after finding out that I was accepted into the music program at said school, so massively fond memories there too.

Unfortunately, to talk about the fondest memories, we’re going to have to wait for the next album.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Eyes forward
Post by: Nel on June 30, 2014, 10:31:53 AM
One of the only albums I have by the guy, and the one I love most by him. Great stuff throughout.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Eyes forward
Post by: Onno on June 30, 2014, 10:58:40 AM
Ki is one of my favourite Devin albums, I absolutely love it. Great writeup once again. Didn't even know about the Skeksis reference!
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Eyes forward
Post by: Buddyhunter1 on June 30, 2014, 11:04:36 AM
Fantastic album.
You're definitely right in saying that there's not really anything else out there that sounds quite like it.

It's a true testament to the quality of the DTP that this one's only my third favorite of the four.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Eyes forward
Post by: hefdaddy42 on June 30, 2014, 11:30:24 AM
Looking forward to it.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Eyes forward
Post by: Sacul on June 30, 2014, 03:49:45 PM
Looking forward to it.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Eyes forward
Post by: Shadow Ninja 2.0 on June 30, 2014, 03:54:21 PM
This is my favorite Devin album, and Lady Helen is probably my favorite Devin song.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Eyes forward
Post by: Ultimetalhead on June 30, 2014, 03:59:28 PM
This is my favorite Devin album, and Lady Helen is probably my favorite Devin song.
You are a good person. Lady Helen is awesome.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Eyes forward
Post by: ariich on June 30, 2014, 04:41:13 PM
Disruptr, Gato, and Heaven Send are the only instances on the album where the Dev of past years reveals itself to any extent. Each song features a head-banging riff and growled vocals.

Anyone will tell you the strength of Ki is its remarkable atmosphere. It’s mostly achieved through the more subdued numbers such as Terminal, Lady Helen, and Winter. Even the heavy moments from the last paragraph never truly feel like a normal Hevy-Devy passage.
Well said! Even with those songs, they represent a sort of repressed, underlying anger, rather than the outward rage that Devy often presents.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Eyes forward
Post by: TioJorge on June 30, 2014, 05:44:19 PM
By far and away my favorite album of his. It always will be. Even with the immensely encompassing atmosphere of Ocean Machine, this one has that same kind of surrounding atmosphere with a completely different feel to me. Disrutpr was one of the first songs I heard from him and around the time I got into the album as a whole. I was really surprised to hear songs like Lady Helen and Winter (which is still one of my favorite atmospheric songs of all the times) on the same album as Disruptr and Heaven Send and it was really...ear-opening. There's not a single song I don't absolutely adore, and that is almost an impossibility for me...there's almost always at least one track for most of even my most favored artists that I at least don't like as much as the rest, but this album...it's perfect to me. Quite the rarity... :heart :heart :heart

Ed: I actually posted before reading your entire post, and you've stated what I felt more elogently. You're probably a the man himself but you're using a proxy and eventually you're going to reveal yourself by dressing up your proxy as Ziltoid, I'll bet. I like the mention of the nostalgia...I feel the same, and found the album around a big change in my life as well. But weirdly enough, I feel that I'd feel that nostalgia even if it wasn't...nostalgic-inducing...if...no, that doesn't make any sense, but maybe it does. The album IS really weird and I love the ups and downs and it's just so god damn freeing. I feel like it's the opposite side of a coin (even though the kind of morose, subduing tones are still there) to OM at times.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Eyes forward
Post by: Ultimetalhead on June 30, 2014, 08:34:33 PM
You're probably a the man himself but you're using a proxy and eventually you're going to reveal yourself by dressing up your proxy as Ziltoid, I'll bet.
INDULGE ME NOT IN YOUR CONSPIRACY DOODLES, BALLSNIFFERRRRRRRR.

I mean, uh, no idea what you're talking about brah.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Eyes forward
Post by: Crow on June 30, 2014, 09:34:29 PM
I've honestly never been able to get into Ki. I like the title track loads and don't like either Disruptr or Gato which puts me off from the rest of the album. Heaven Send has the same sound as those two as well and as a result it's 8+ minutes of bleh to me too. The album's never struck me as particularly unified either, and that's the only Devin album I can really think to say this about. Probably my least favorite of his aside from Physicist, honestly. I can listen again but I don't think it would change much.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Eyes forward
Post by: Scorpion on June 30, 2014, 10:09:34 PM
goddammit parama do you have horrible opinions about everything or what

In all seriousness, I love this album. On a given day, it might be anything from #2 to #4 (frequently battling with OM and CoC behind Terria), and I think you hit the nail on the head as to why: the atmosphere is completely unique and sounds like nothing else I know. I love the heaviness-but-not-really on tracks like Disruptr, but also the feeling of a calm before the storm in tracks like Coast.

Oh, and SN2.0 is correct, Lady Helen is the them.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Eyes forward
Post by: Cruithne on July 01, 2014, 05:33:10 AM
You're definitely right in saying that there's not really anything else out there that sounds quite like it.

See, as soon as Coast kicks in I'm immediately reminded of the song 20th Century by Brad, so I'm not sure I quite buy into its uniqueness, but it's certainly an uncommon sounding record and I'd be surprised if anyone else has ever managed to record a song like Disruptr with such a clean sound!

My one problem with Ki: Quiet Riot. I think it bugs me more than it might've done if I'd known at the time that the reason for the title of the song was in reference to a band that covered the Slade song it references, so it wasn't immediately obvious to me that he was acknowledging the influence and I've never been able to quite shake my initial gut reaction to it.

That niggle aside, I think it's a great album, it sounds fabulous and Devin made an inspired choice getting Duris Maxwell on board.

As a start to the DTP four album run he probably couldn't have made a stronger statement of intent.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Eyes forward
Post by: ZKX-2099 on July 01, 2014, 07:46:54 AM
Ki is one of my favourite Devin albums, I absolutely love it. Great writeup once again. Didn't even know about the Skeksis reference!

Ditto.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Eyes forward
Post by: jingle.boy on July 01, 2014, 11:40:15 AM
So far, I'm finding it kind of bland.  I'm on Trainfire right now, and somewhat enjoying this track.  I love your writeups Justin, but this point here is what's killing me:

... this album will not be easily appreciated on the first or even tenth try. Even with a more stripped down approach, there’s still a ton of hidden layers, and songs that require time to sink in.

If something doesn't at least impress me on first listen, I'm out.  There's WAY too much music that wow's me from the get go for me to invest much time on something that doesn't capture my attention pretty quick.  I just don't have the disposable time to give songs/albums multiple listens to sink in.  I did pickup 4 of his albums so far, but don't think this is going to get into the purchase-worthy category.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Eyes forward
Post by: Scorpion on July 01, 2014, 11:44:42 AM
Given what I know about your tastes, I'd not think that it clicks after ten listens either. But you'll love Addicted. :tup
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Eyes forward
Post by: Nel on July 01, 2014, 02:05:43 PM
Trainfire's one of my favorite songs. Just all the different styles it goes through, and that first chorus is such an unexpected shift in tone. Love it.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Eyes forward
Post by: Buddyhunter1 on July 01, 2014, 02:59:36 PM
I'm not really a fan of Trainfire. Not bad or anything, but probably my least favorite song on the album. Casualties of Cool did the whole country theme a lot better, imo.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Eyes forward
Post by: Nel on July 01, 2014, 05:38:18 PM
It was supposed to be country? I thought it was more of an Elvis 50s kind of thing. The stuff before the chorus and the ambient parts, anyway.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Eyes forward
Post by: Buddyhunter1 on July 01, 2014, 10:27:29 PM
I guess that would be a better way of describing it. :P
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Eyes forward
Post by: Mosh on July 02, 2014, 12:40:37 AM
Yea, it's supposed to be a rockabilly thing.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Eyes forward
Post by: Ben_Jamin on July 02, 2014, 02:01:00 AM
It was supposed to be country? I thought it was more of an Elvis 50s kind of thing. The stuff before the chorus and the ambient parts, anyway.

You can just tell, its that old school laid back rocking vibe of Elvis and the like. It reminds me of Elvis if he came out now, but more laid back on the rock and did the country swing.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Eyes forward
Post by: hefdaddy42 on July 02, 2014, 07:57:31 AM
I'm about halfway through the album.  Good stuff thus far.  :tup
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Eyes forward
Post by: seasonsinthesky on July 02, 2014, 12:47:04 PM
i love Ki but for the proper statements that really accomplish what they set out to do — "Coast" is about the only one that actually achieves the idea of 'about to explode but never gets there,' which isn't ever quite true for "Disruptr," "Gato" and "Heaven's End" (the real title!); these latter three are obviously Addicted/Decon-style metal songs that were crammed into the new guitar tone/style because they have weird buildup/falldown mechanics (and otherwise Ki would be awfully short!). meanwhile, you get songs like "A Monday," "Coast," "Terminal," "Winter," "Ain't Never Gonna Win," "Lady Helen," "Trainfire," "Ki," "Demon League" and "Synchronicity Freaks" that absolutely achieve their goals in spades. "Disruptr" especially comes across properly with the more metal tone they've been doing live for a number of years to fit into Addicted- and Epicloud-heavy sets. (obviously Dev thought otherwise, it's just that he and i sometimes disagree xD – like putting "Mountain" before "Earth Day...") you can also tell "Heaven's End" looks right at Deconstruction and yearns to be on it, so i wish that would've been the case.

with that said... Duris Maxwell. Ki wouldn't be Ki without him. however, double-edged sword — he is one of the reasons why "Disruptr" etc. don't come across 'right.' so Dev clearly chose the right drummer for the record and to achieve the 'losing sight short of Decon'-sound, but that doesn't mean it actually works every time (again, imo).

so Ki is the bottom rank of the DTP quadrology for me but only barely so. if Ghost wasn't 'better at itself' they'd be equal for me. some days i like Ki more than Addicted, though, depending on the mood. more on that when we get to Addicted tomorrow :P

protip: insert "Synchronicity Freaks" somewhere around the start (say, after "Coast") and drop "Quiet Riot" (sorry, i just hate the damn song) for an 'all aboard!' full-Ki running order! all killer no filler! if you like this style! (you can probably throw in "Watch You" too, since it definitely doesn't fit Ghost, and there was a Ki-style "Stand" arrangement at some point that likely evolved into WY!)
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Eyes forward
Post by: ZKX-2099 on July 02, 2014, 01:06:25 PM
What is there to hate about Quiet Riot.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Eyes forward
Post by: TioJorge on July 02, 2014, 01:11:27 PM
noobtip: insert "Synchronicity Freaks" somewhere around the start (say, after "Coast") and drop "Quiet Riot" (sorry, i just hate the damn song) for an 'all aboard!' full-Ki running order! all killer no filler! if you like this style! (you can probably throw in "Watch You" too, since it definitely doesn't fit Ghost, and there was a Ki-style "Stand" arrangement at some point that likely evolved into WY!)

FTFY  ;D
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Eyes forward
Post by: seasonsinthesky on July 02, 2014, 01:24:32 PM
noobtip: insert "Synchronicity Freaks" somewhere around the start (say, after "Coast") and drop "Quiet Riot" (sorry, i just hate the damn song) for an 'all aboard!' full-Ki running order! all killer no filler! if you like this style! (you can probably throw in "Watch You" too, since it definitely doesn't fit Ghost, and there was a Ki-style "Stand" arrangement at some point that likely evolved into WY!)

FTFY  ;D
pffffttttt

i am actually Devin in disguise, y u no listen to me?! Physicist for president!
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Eyes forward
Post by: Onno on July 02, 2014, 03:13:00 PM
Ki - Quiet Riot is one of Devin's best one-two punches IMO. Quiet Riot is a great song by itself, but it works absolutely perfectly as a climax after Ki.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Eyes forward
Post by: hefdaddy42 on July 03, 2014, 04:33:12 AM
Wow, just finished Ki.  Definitely different than anything that has come before it.  I liked it a lot, but will bear many repeat listening.  I think the title track was gorgeous, definitely the standout for me.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Eyes forward
Post by: KevShmev on July 03, 2014, 08:21:17 AM
I love Ki, but it's a bit of an odd duck for me in that very little of it is stuff I listen to on its own; I have to listen to this as a whole.  Nothing from this would be one of my favorite songs by Devin, but almost everything on it is very good within the context of the record.  Not my favorite DTP record, but not my least favorite either.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Eyes forward
Post by: Ultimetalhead on July 04, 2014, 07:15:48 PM
I haven't even started the Addicted write-up yet so you guys better keep discussing.  :P
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Eyes forward
Post by: ZKX-2099 on July 05, 2014, 07:05:14 AM
Looks like the time for discussing Ki is... Numbered!
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Eyes forward
Post by: PROGdrummer on July 05, 2014, 06:41:38 PM
Im just still waiting to hear Sacul's opinion :P
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Eyes forward
Post by: jingle.boy on July 06, 2014, 06:36:29 PM
I'm just waiting for the writeup and ensuing listen to see if Scrop is right, and I do like it.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Eyes forward
Post by: Sacul on July 06, 2014, 06:58:08 PM
Im just still waiting to hear Sacul's opinion :P
Well, I've only listened to the first half. It's calm most of the time, but not in a way Devin usually does. Also, I've been re-listening lots of albums for my top 50, so I haven't had time to digest Ki. Will give it another listen in a few days though.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Eyes forward
Post by: Ben_Jamin on July 06, 2014, 07:08:36 PM
I don't enjoy Gato or Disruptr as most here do, I can only listen to those songs within the context of the album. I enjoy Heaven send, Demon League, Quiet Riot and especially love Ki, and just adore winter a lot.

This album was the first of Devy doing something way different, besides the EPK project on the bonus disc of Accelerated Evolution.

A
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Eyes forward
Post by: WebRaider on July 08, 2014, 05:15:22 PM
Ki is a great album that IF you choose to go back to it at different times you'll really discover the magic that it contains. It won't hit you all at once. I do have to say I'm surprised that there isn't more being said about "Terminal"... Devin's voice is so great here.

 He always impresses me with his range from something restrained and beautiful like this to something where he he's growling and or screaming the roof off or even something operatic.. but "Terminal" just brings me to almost tears just by the simple beautiful vocals (maybe its just me being a nancy lol)...

Really guys/gals, Ki has some really superb work if you are in the mood for that kind of vibe. Another top album for me from Dev!
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Eyes forward
Post by: Onno on July 08, 2014, 05:23:53 PM
I agree with you, Terminal is absolutely amazing.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Eyes forward
Post by: Sacul on July 08, 2014, 08:33:20 PM
Gave it a full listen yesterday. I'm not sure what to think about it. It may grow on me, but all the songs felt quite similar. Too similar, in fact.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Eyes forward
Post by: adace on July 08, 2014, 08:59:36 PM
Ki is a good album but it always felt a bit too long and uneven quality-wise.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Eyes forward
Post by: Scorpion on July 08, 2014, 11:28:02 PM
Relistened, and it's still awesome. Yeah, it's slightly similar in mood across the board, but the mood is so tension-laden that it never gets boring, and there are quite a few subtle variations throughout to keep things interesting. Also, "Lady Helen" is still my favourite on this album, so a high five to the esteemed gentleman out there that shares my opinion on this matter (yes, I mean you, Mr. Beck).

o/
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Eyes forward
Post by: Shadow Ninja 2.0 on July 08, 2014, 11:45:39 PM
*\o
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Eyes forward
Post by: mikemangioy on July 09, 2014, 01:05:26 AM
Hey, I just decided to give a try to Devin Townsend, since I saw the Retinal Circus and I was like  :hefdaddy :hefdaddy :hefdaddy

I just listened to Ki and some random songs from other records.

Ki was awesome, boring at times, but still awesome.

I was gonna listen to Addicted now but I think I'll wait for its writeup and then once I finish the DTP albums I'll go backwards.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Eyes forward
Post by: jingle.boy on July 09, 2014, 05:44:04 AM
Let's go UMH.  It's been 10 days .... it shouldn't last this long.  Wait, wrong band.

Either way, let's move... the Earth isn't turning any slower.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. I'm alright to fly
Post by: Ultimetalhead on July 09, 2014, 08:44:17 AM
(https://www.metal-archives.com/images/2/4/9/7/249789.jpg)

Picking up after the (mostly) quiet and pensive Ki, Addicted immediately sets itself apart as its own unit of the DTP. From the opening “oh YEAAAHHHH” we get a sense of the type of album this is going to be. It’s pounding, catchy without being even remotely cheesy, and utterly fucking awesome from beginning to end. I ranked Addicted number 2 on my top 50 albums back in 2011, and 3 years later it’s still easily within my top 10 albums of all time, and quite easily my second favorite Devin Townsend offering. Every song has something amazing to remember, be it the soaring beauty of Anneke van Giersbergen’s backing vocals, the most epic choruses to ever grace music, or even the overarching flow of expertly crafted “pop” songs.

Addicted was my first true foray into the world of Devin Townsend. My friend and ex-forumer Alex sent me Bend it Like Bender! and the rest is pretty much history. I picked up Addicted shortly after, liking it, but not really seeing why everyone was gushing over it. Yeah, it was poppy metal. Cool. It wasn’t until a few months down the road that I truly appreciated what Addicted accomplishes. Obviously, in terms of the DTP, Addicted serves the role of optimism. The happy, yet still somehow purely metal, songs drive home the point that Devin is ready to “fix” himself and is feeling great about everything that’s to come. Indeed, the atmosphere of Addicted is extremely contagious. For pretty much all of my last year of high school, Addicted got regular play on Fridays as a sort of kick-off for the upcoming weekend. I mentioned my “ritual,” and the concept of Addicted Friday! was born. I don’t listen to Addicted nearly as much as I used to, but it was there to put me out of a bad mood whenever I needed it. In nearly 200 desired mood changes, Addicted won every single time.

Honestly, Addicted is a little tough to classify. If I was forced to pick a single mixed genre, I would probably call it pop-metal. I’ve seen other people call it Cannibal Corpse + Britney Spears, which I don’t really agree with at all, but it sets up how strange the genre clash is. Despite the unique blend of styles, the album never once gets lost in itself or loses direction. It flows perfectly from beginning to end without wavering even slightly. It’s majestic, heavy, honest, comforting, exhilarating, and wacky all at the same time. Really, there’s a heap of descriptors and hyperbolic praise I could throw at this album, but you’d probably do better to just listen to it. Just imagine an album full of songs like Life, Stagnant, Material, Slow Me Down, and even Vampira. It’s amazing.

To go with the optimistic shift in the musical style, we’ve also got a much more lighthearted lyrical tone. The lyrics are mostly based around taking the next step on Devin’s road to recovery. Mentions of being ready (after a whole album about not being sure if one’s ready) are sprinkled around here and there, but we won’t truly explore the concept Devin is “ready” for until the next album. Thinking about it now and how it relates to Deconstruction, Addicted reminds me of the feeling I get when it’s the last day of summer or the last day before going back to work or whatever. It’s optimistic beyond comprehension, almost like it’s trying to make the most of its last day before the hardships begin.

Really, the amount of musical dualities fighting with each other and somehow gelling is absolutely insane. We’ve got insanely heavy guitars mixing with synths and pop sensibilities, massively harsh vocals from Devin Townsend and the angelic Anneke vocals, and generally aggressive music finally taking off its angry mask and moshing about happy shit. This is an album that really needs to be experienced by anyone who’s ever enjoyed heavy music. It’s that good.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. I'm alright to fly
Post by: ariich on July 09, 2014, 09:08:28 AM
Addicted is definitely the party album of the DTP!

I love it, it's my second favourite behind Terria.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. I'm alright to fly
Post by: Nel on July 09, 2014, 10:34:02 AM
It's a fun album. I need to be in the right mood for it, I've found, because if I'm not then the whole thing feels samey.

BUT DAT HYPERDRIVE THO! Fav song on the album.

And I swear The Way Home! is a super happy callback to Coast. Ever since you guys mentioned that these first four DTP albums have a bunch of similar sections, I've been getting crazy trying to find them.  :lol
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. I'm alright to fly
Post by: Ultimetalhead on July 09, 2014, 10:35:24 AM
There's another callback of sorts to Coast in Numbered!. In Coast the line is "I'm alright to go" and then in Numbered! becomes "I'm alright to fly" which is also the thread title for now because the way Devin sings that line gives me chills.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. I'm alright to fly
Post by: Nel on July 09, 2014, 10:41:11 AM
Oh nice! I love that kind of continuity in an artist's work. It makes going back and relistening a fulfilling experience.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. I'm alright to fly
Post by: Ultimetalhead on July 09, 2014, 10:43:03 AM
Oh nice! I love that kind of continuity in an artist's work. It makes going back and relistening a fulfilling experience.
Devin's work is full of little things like that, not just the DTP. Love? has a reprise in Notes From Africa, there's a slight callback to Depth Charge in Decimator, and Color Your World has TWO within like a minute of music (Sooner or later the knights... from Wrong Side, and Who's the weakest now? from Voices in the Fan).
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. I'm alright to fly
Post by: Buddyhunter1 on July 09, 2014, 10:57:32 AM
Amazing album.
I'm just gonna quote my write-up for it in my top albums list from 2012, where it came in at #7...

Quote
What a coincidence that we’ve gone from one of the most depressing albums ever made to one of the most, happy, upbeat, and energetic albums ever made. Devin Townsend has made tons of amazing stuff over the years, and this is one of his greatest accomplishments. How would I describe this album? Well, it’s like a show where half the crowd is moshing and the other half is dancing. It’s a very heavy record, with huge, crushing guitars and Devin’s powerful screaming vocals, but it’s mixed with lots of electronic and pop influences. While that might sound terrible on paper, it works out amazingly well. Nobody could have made a record that sounds quite like this besides Devin. It strikes the perfect balance between heavy and accessible, and its constantly upbeat and energy-filled vibe is absolutely infectious. Putting this record on is like injecting yourself with a combination of ecstasy and caffeine. It’s perfect for Friday afternoons when you’re all done with work or school or whatever, and have nothing but the weekend ahead of you. It’s a pretty short album, but not a second is wasted, and each song is great. The opening track, Addicted!, sets the tone for what’s to come with a brutal but upbeat and catchy-as-hell riff. That song then transitions directly into the amazing Universe In A Ball!, which, like a lot of the record, would fit perfectly in both a heavy metal show and a sweet rave party. Most tracks on the album feature female vocals by Anneke Van Giersbergen, and she really adds a lot to the music. This is especially noticeable on the track Hyperdrive!, which she sings lead vocals on, and does a freaking amazing job, too. The album closes with Awake!!, which brings all the album’s elements together into a satisfying and uplifting conclusion. This record is truly a work of genius, both in concept and execution. It’s so well done and unique-sounding that it sounds like a completely new genre of music, almost. While it may be a little TOO happy for some people (I feel bad for those guys), it’s an amazing record that I’d recommend to nearly everyone, and if for some unfathomable reason you’re reading this and haven’t checked Devin Townsend’s work out yet, this would be a great place to start.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. I'm alright to fly
Post by: jingle.boy on July 09, 2014, 11:48:10 AM
"Happy" metal?  I'm so in.  Been waiting for this ....

(https://soapseo.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/facebook-insights.gif)

*clicks play*
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. I'm alright to fly
Post by: Scorpion on July 09, 2014, 11:51:18 AM
Awesome album! I needed a while to really get it, and it was a lower tier Devin album for me for a long time, but I have gained some appreciation for it in the last half year of so. Devin and Anneke compliment each other ridiculously well.

Will relisten today to be able to say a little more on this album.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. I'm alright to fly
Post by: seasonsinthesky on July 09, 2014, 12:04:35 PM
it's funny – such an accessibly album all around, yet it opens with three songs that (i find) aren't nearly as catchy and immediately-grabbing as what follows. maybe it was too obvious to open with "Supercrush" and the lyrical 'story' needed to start with the title track; Dev mentioned previously that the end of "Demon League" has the narrator exiting to go to the club and "Addicted" takes place there, so i could see why that opening makes sense... but from that perspective, "Bender" is the danciest song on the record, so shouldn't that have opened?

either way, some of my top 10-15 DT tracks are on this beast, so i rank it highly as well: the aforementioned "Supercrush," "Numbered," and "Awake" are just epic.

also, shoutout to some of the amazing transitions on this one; those opening three tether together the way City did, and that's a beautiful way to structure an album. i also like that there's a defined 'second half' starting at "Resolve," in a sort of vinyl-inspired sequencing. (too bad Plastichead brutally fucked up the vinyl pressing.)
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. I'm alright to fly
Post by: ZKX-2099 on July 09, 2014, 12:20:21 PM
Color Your World has TWO within like a minute of music (Sooner or later the knights... from Wrong Side, and Who's the weakest now? from Voices in the Fan).

Don't forget the Info Dump reference at the end.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. I'm alright to fly
Post by: KevShmev on July 09, 2014, 12:29:27 PM
Addicted is definitely the party album of the DTP!

I love it, it's my second favourite behind Terria.

This sums it up for me, too.  Definitely my 2nd favorite Devin record, and probably the one I listen to the most, cause it's such a fun, easy listen, while Terria is more of an event, if that makes sense.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. I'm alright to fly
Post by: ariich on July 09, 2014, 01:15:33 PM
Makes complete sense, that's how I feel as well. :tup
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. I'm alright to fly
Post by: jingle.boy on July 09, 2014, 01:27:06 PM
On first listen, I totally get Nel's comments on it being a little samey.  Multi-tasking with work, I wasn't able to give it full attention, so some of the listening experience became a blur.  Anneke's moments were wonderful and ear-catching though.  Despite that, it slayed Ki (for my tastes), and is definitely another purchase-worthy album.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. I'm alright to fly
Post by: mikemangioy on July 09, 2014, 01:44:52 PM
I'm at Supercrash right now. I'm blown away  :o
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. I'm alright to fly
Post by: Onno on July 10, 2014, 07:49:54 AM
Color Your World has TWO within like a minute of music (Sooner or later the knights... from Wrong Side, and Who's the weakest now? from Voices in the Fan).

Don't forget the Info Dump reference at the end.
Yes! Those references are great!

Addicted is amazing. I do think the last half of the album is not as good as the first though. Especially Numbered! is not one of my favourite Devin songs.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. I'm alright to fly
Post by: Ultimetalhead on July 10, 2014, 09:11:50 AM
Numbered! is the best song on Addicted, but you know it's okay we can't always be right.  ;D
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. I'm alright to fly
Post by: Onno on July 10, 2014, 09:39:47 AM
But we tried  :biggrin:
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. I'm alright to fly
Post by: aprilethereal on July 11, 2014, 06:14:41 AM
My favourite Devin album
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. I'm alright to fly
Post by: PROGdrummer on July 11, 2014, 10:51:18 AM
I'm afraid of how this thread is going to react to Deconstruction
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. I'm alright to fly
Post by: Ben_Jamin on July 11, 2014, 10:59:58 AM
Numbered! Is the best song, while Universe In A Ball is the least...

But we can't forget the awesome Ih-Ah!, I prefer the album version to the stripped live version,  although The Retinal Circus version is great, guess he snapped it needs that keyboard, that's what gives the song its charm.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. I'm alright to fly
Post by: Buddyhunter1 on July 11, 2014, 11:29:26 AM
Numbered! Is the best song, while Universe In A Ball is the least...

We can never be friends.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. I'm alright to fly
Post by: seasonsinthesky on July 11, 2014, 01:07:28 PM
Universe In A Ball is the least [-best song]

you like it more than "Resolve?" that's the only one i can't really get behind. it fits well on Epicloud, though.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. I'm alright to fly
Post by: Ben_Jamin on July 11, 2014, 02:20:50 PM
Universe In A Ball is the least [-best song]

you like it more than "Resolve?" that's the only one i can't really get behind. it fits well on Epicloud, though.

I like it less than Resolve!  UIAB is my least favorite, or least best.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. I'm alright to fly
Post by: Buddyhunter1 on July 11, 2014, 04:25:34 PM
Universe In A Ball is the least [-best song]

you like it more than "Resolve?" that's the only one i can't really get behind. it fits well on Epicloud, though.

That's my least favorite too.

Universe In A Ball, honestly, is probably tied with the title track for my favorite song on the album. I have no idea why it's so underrated.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. I'm alright to fly
Post by: Ultimetalhead on July 11, 2014, 04:55:42 PM
If I was forced to pick, I'd probably go with The Way Home! as my least favorite. It's got the awesome operatic vocals in the chorus, but the other songs just seem to have more unforgettable moments.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. I'm alright to fly
Post by: mikemangioy on July 12, 2014, 07:38:20 AM
I think that the opening of this album is one of the best three song run ever. I can't listen to them apart  :D

Addicted especially, that song is stuck in my head since I listened to it, which is like five or six days ago
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. I'm alright to fly
Post by: Ultimetalhead on July 12, 2014, 01:05:31 PM
Oh, absolutely. I block the album into 3 "sectors:" Addicted/Universe/Bender, Supercrush/Hyperdrive/Resolve, and then the rest form a nice little ending suite. Really, the way the album flows as a whole is just fantastic.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. I'm alright to fly
Post by: Sacul on July 12, 2014, 02:59:07 PM
Listening to it right now. Happy metal? Yeah, this album seems quite uplifting, but not as near as Life. It's also a weird fusion of pop and metal without using lots of major scales. I'm liking it, specially Bend it Like a Bender! because of Anneke's vocals. And it's giving me a way better impression than the last 3 albums. Cool.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. I'm alright to fly
Post by: Ultimetalhead on July 12, 2014, 04:22:04 PM
If Happy Metal were recognized as a genre, Bender and Resolve! would be the defining songs.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. I'm alright to fly
Post by: Crow on July 12, 2014, 10:29:55 PM
The Way Home is definitely the black sheep of the bunch for me, it doesn't even feel like it belongs with the rest of the songs on the album really.
Addicted, Supercrush, and Numbered are all amazing, with the rest all being pretty great too. Hyperdrive's probably better here but I like both versions so w/e.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. I'm alright to fly
Post by: adace on July 13, 2014, 05:15:08 AM
My favorite Devy album. :hefdaddy
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. I'm alright to fly
Post by: WebRaider on July 13, 2014, 11:29:04 AM
 :hefdaddy Magical album.... something so special about this one for me that's beyond description. I love every song on this one (although I'll take heat for having Bender near the bottom of my favs with Resolve). Will probably always be my favorite Dev album (very high praise considering) and also likely always a Top 10 in my all-time's.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. I'm alright to fly
Post by: Scorpion on July 13, 2014, 03:54:27 PM
While I totally get loving this album a lot (I do!), I have to be in a certain mood for it, so it could never ever be my favourite by Devin. If I compare this to Terria, then... I mean, this is good if I'm in the mood for it, possibly even better than Terria. But I can throw Terria on whenever I want, and love it, so this will never hold top spot, or even a spot in the Devin Top 5 for me.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. I'm alright to fly
Post by: TioJorge on July 13, 2014, 04:01:20 PM
While I totally get loving this album a lot (I do!), I have to be in a certain mood for it, so it could never ever be my favourite by Devin.

This statement perfectly encompass my feelings towards it. On the right day, it's my favorite album by any artist, not just Townsend's. But most days...it's just a bit too much for me, and while I won't change the track if a song from the album starts playing on my playlist... I also won't actively seek any songs from the album (with great exception to The Way Home!, cause it gets me horny and makes my cry) on a normal day. For the most part, it's still one of my favorite albums by the man; but it's very, very inconsistent for me in terms of playability.

I wasn't gonna mention it, but the couple songs that seem to be the most popular are the ones I like the least; those being Bender and Universe. Universe is awesome but...I dunno, something about Bender just kind of makes the cup of happiness overflow and then I get annoyed. It's grating to me, many times. I just wanna punch Anneke in her vagina and tell her to stop being so fucking perky.  :rollin Really though, as fucked up as it is, it's pretty much exactly how I feel. Just...TOO MUCH! (B-side).

ed: I just realized my favorite is the consensus' least favorite...I....I might be a hipster without ever wanting to or ever realizing it....god FUCKING DAMN IT. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.  :lol
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. I'm alright to fly
Post by: Ultimetalhead on July 13, 2014, 04:25:49 PM
Strange. Addicted is an album that will gel with me no matter what mood I'm in. I automatically come out of it happier.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. I'm alright to fly
Post by: TioJorge on July 13, 2014, 04:32:59 PM
I'm pretty damned bipolar, so if I'm in a bad enough mood, Addicted! will put me in an even worse mood because of the downright ball of light that it is. Most of the time I'm the same, but every now and then...I'll have to avoid it because damn if it isn't the most forcefully uplifting music there is. Sometimes I just need some Ocean Machine to level me out. Or sometimes even AE levels me even better. It's got some high moments...it's got some very low moments (for me, at least, Deadhead being one, because of the circumstances in which I originally heard it).

Either way, Devy...that man is a genre unto himself. I truly believe that.

"So, whorefuckface, what kinda music are you into?"
"Devy"
(https://faithbaptistdivernon.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/confused-smiley.png)
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Glory to the brave
Post by: Ultimetalhead on July 14, 2014, 05:20:16 PM
Time to pick up the pace a bit.

(https://www.metalsucks.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/deconstruction.jpg)

Here we are, folks. This is the album I’ve been waiting to talk about since the beginning of this little trip. Ever since this album came out, three years ago, it immediately, single-handedly, unmistakably bitchslapped its way into the coveted spot of “UMH’s favorite album of all time.” This is the ultimate extreme metal album in every possible way. It’s got harsh vocals, clean vocals, a choir, a full orchestra, blast beats, blast beats, blast beats, psychotic guitar lines, massive songs with unorthodox structures, the only metal dance break in history, lyrics about farting, and so many layers that I don’t think Devin himself has even heard all of it. Hang on to your ass/balls/hats, kids. We’re in for a bumpy ride.

Normally I don’t like to do track by track analysesissesse….s, but like Terria, I really feel like this one needs it. Starting out with Praise the Lowered, we have a continuation of the synth outro from Addicted with a bit of a trip-hop feel before everything FINALLY explodes into the metal onslaught we’ve been expecting since that first build up in Coast. And then, out of nowhere, we’re back to something quiet and pensive. What the fuck, right? Well, if you notice, the songs on Ki that have heavy moments progressively get heavier as they go. Disruptr’s heavy moment is pretty heavy, Gato is really heavy, and Heaven Send is REALLY heavy, and Praise the Lowered comes in heavier than all three of them combined. Yet, still, we wait. I’ve heard some complain that the beginning of Stand kind of kills the momentum, but I like to think of it as a final release of the tension from Ki. The album doesn’t really settle down again (except for some more melodic breaks on Planet and Masturbator), so I feel like the intro to Stand serves to finally put that last nail in Ki’s coffin. Further confirming this theory is the lyrics of Stand and Disruptr both end with “Shut it.”

With that out of the way, holy mother FUCK Stand is an awesome song. Once everything kicks in with the wall of “OM”s and the pounding riff starts permeating, it’s non-stop perfection. This is everything Devin Townsend’s heavy metal should be. Loud, bombastic, and slightly off-kilter with seemingly random blasts of...something. While the guitars and drums may seem overtly simple, the amount of vocal lines and orchestral flourishes in the background give the song complexity. It’s a refreshing change of pace in a world that views the “extremity” of metal based on the technicality of the guitar riffing and drumming. Don’t get me wrong, there is PLENTY of downright ridiculous drumming and guitar playing on this album, but Stand works you into it without coming right out with the crazy shit. Serving as a sort of second overture to Deconstruction (again, it was a long time coming, so spending so much time setting it up just builds up the tension and eventual release even more), Stand introduces the listener to the idea that Devin is ready to face himself and reach his own version of Nirvana, understanding his identity as a musician and a member of the human race (Sound familiar?).

Juular kicks everything into high-gear. Orchestra and choir deliver a throbbing, circus-like vibe that I can only describe as Danny Elfman metal. Lyrically, we’re getting into the concepts of Devin’s bipolarity, and how he no longer feels the need to be the “angry guy” from the SYL records. The music video pretty handily confirms this. The stellar vocals by Ihsahn in the chorus represent the SYL Devin. The video also depicts a sort of runaway train, in which each car houses a segment of Devin’s past. Notably, Ziltoid is driving the train.
Planet of the Apes is the first of the three “juggernaut” tracks, as I call them. This song is loud, pounding, and angular. The riffing is heavily inspired by Meshuggah and the whole djent movement. Lyrically, I feel like it’s a mix of being jaded with the idea of modern metal being “tune the guitars lower or it’s not heavy enough” and a continuation of Devin not being angry enough to be “true” to metal. Still, the fans and general public expect Devin to keep “being metal.” The lyrics that recur most often in Planet are “I stay heavy for my god,” which could refer to the rampant fanboyism present in metal (not like I can really talk, I know). The lighter sections of the song take more of a “be your own person and fuck what everyone else thinks” attitude. Returning to the heavy atmosphere for the rest of the song, tons of lyrics like “Stray from the norm, never be heard,” keep alluding to the idea of “selling out” as an artist, or even as a person. The song and its lyrics seem quite disjointed. Devin stated himself that Planet of the Apes was created from a multitude of different ideas that were more or less frankenstein’d together. Considering the concept of Deconstruction, which is Devin analyzing himself, I feel like the disjointed nature of Planet of the Apes fits quite well both musically and lyrically. There’s a nice Awake!! reference toward the end “All the world’s been waiting for the news.”

I’d say Sumeria is one of the more accessible tracks on Deconstruction, but that’s kind of like calling a bobcat gentle and cuddly. It’s not as vicious as a tiger, but it’ll still tear you apart. Here, we have a more straight-forward, double-bass centric, crunchy death metal riff making up the majority of the song. Lyrically, I feel like it’s continuing the concepts explored in Planet of the Apes, but in more of a frustrated sense. They also focus on the knowledge that Devin’s hoping to obtain during this experience. After the brief ending postlude proclaiming “Pray for where our hearts lead us now,” we’re led to our second juggernaut song.

In order to understand one human’s purpose, it’s necessary to analyze all of humanity. The 16 minute Mighty Masturbator serves as not only the most ridiculous song in Devin’s entire discography, but a complete picture of Devin’s view of humanity. Beginning with the story of a man (probably Devin) who’s supposedly found a way to “save the world,” we’re introduced to nearly every facet of human society. Namely, we’re dealing with the desire and even supposed privilege to dominate all other beings, questing for new knowledge, and religion. Musically, we’re exposed to a bizarre concoction of Zappa-influenced metal and an EDM party sprinkled into the middle. It’s crazy, for sure. The song ends with the realization that Devin IS the mighty masturbator. Amen.

With Pandemic, Devin’s found that his newfound understanding of his life’s purpose isn’t exactly as fulfilling as he had expected. Pandemic is probably the most vicious song on the album. It’s pretty much straight blast-beating and nearly incomprehensible guitar along with a nice choir track tossed in the mix just to make it even more impenetrable.

Now, we come to the true climax of the album. Deconstruction, originally titled Cheeseburger (for incredibly obvious reasons), is the most fitting title track for the whole DTP, and considering how well Ki and Addicted’s title tracks sum up their respective album, I feel like that’s saying a lot. It’s massively disjointed at every possible turn, yet somehow still makes some degree of sense. There’s downright ridiculous drumming, sweep arpeggios all over everything, a guest appearance by Frederik Thorendal and Oderus Urungus (RIP), and an epic, sweeping ending that is right up there with Dynamics and Stagnant in its majesty. Lyrically, the song deals with something along the lines of finding out that the meaning of the universe is a cheeseburger. It’s a very obtuse metaphor for the common conclusion that the universe simply isn’t meant to be understood. The main character of Deconstruction (Devin) is understandably upset by this revelation, and spends the rest of the song apologizing for his stupidity.

Another death metal tinged track, Poltergeist, closes out the album in style. The lyrics here are a final push to cleanse the personal demons, though it’s not ever determined if the “cleansing” was successful. A lot of the next album deals with moving on from the failed experiment to determine the meaning of Devin’s life, and the naming conventions (last song on Decon is called Poltergeist, where the next album is called Ghost) seem to support the idea that it was unsuccessful. Ending with another pounding, chaotic riff with orchestral and choral accompaniment, it finishes off the album in the strongest way possible.

My GOD that was a lot of analysis. I can guarantee you at least half of that is total bullshit speculation on my part, but it would be cool if it wasn’t. I’ve spent way too much of my life obsessing over this album, listening day and night picking apart every little detail. Trust me, that’s not easy to do. I expect this album will receive a bit of a mixed reception due to its chaotic nature and general impenetrability (oh fuck that’s actually a word). It probably took me 10 listens to even understand half of what was going on. A lot of it just sort of flies through your head without leaving much of a lasting impression. That’s not to say there aren’t catchy moments on this album, though. I’d say every song has at least one remotely accessible moment that you could hum to yourself later.

Don’t fret though. If you don’t like this unbelievable clusterfuck of extreme metal, we have one of the more relaxed segments of our adventure coming right around the corner.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Glory to the brave
Post by: Buddyhunter1 on July 14, 2014, 06:45:09 PM
This album is perfect.

It's one of the most ridiculous, insane records out there, and it'll just sound like noise to some people. But if you're into the style like I am... my God. This is my favorite Devin Townsend album ever, and I highly doubt that will ever change.

Anyways, like with Addicted, here's my write-up for it when it came in at #2 in my favorite albums of all time list.

Quote
Deconstruction is, without a doubt, Devin Townsend’s magnum opus. It’s completely crazy and over-the-top. It’s absolutely huge and overwhelming. It’s hands-down the heaviest non-SYL record Devin has ever made. It has a sixteen-minute long song with “masturbator” in the title. The title track features a choir worshipping a giant cheeseburger and an audio sample of someone having explosive diarrhea. Yeah, as with many of my favorite records, the same reasons I love this album could easily be the exact same reasons why others don’t. This is one of the weirdest, biggest, most epic and overwhelming albums ever made, and it’s also a near-perfect work of absolute genius. The Frank Zappa comparison has been made many times before, but it’s worth bringing it up again. If Frank Zappa were a metalhead, his music would definitely sound something like this. What really makes this album so mind-blowingly amazing is its pacing. While it starts out relatively tame, it just gets heavier and crazier as it gets closer to its end. The first two tracks start out with calm, quiet intros that build into heavier segments, and the third song, Juular, is a pretty basic metal composition. (Well, for this album's standards, anyways) Then, Planet Of The Apes comes in and things start getting crazy. It’s a pretty long track, and it goes absolutely all over the place within its ten minutes. It’s a perfect example of the album’s chaotic nature, and is where the record really starts getting into gear. Sumeria, the following track, is the heaviest and most energetic song yet. After it crushes through breakneck-speed metal passages with an epic choir and orchestra, it suddenly stops and concludes with a peaceful, quiet, and beautiful acoustic outro. It’s a much-needed break before the albums biggest and best song, The Mighty Masturbator. Holy mother of God. Remember how I said that my top three albums had my top three songs of all time? Well, this song is number three. It features some of my absolute favorite sections in all of music, like the bombastic, unimaginably epic intro and the crazy, catchy, brutal, and mind-blowing movement in the middle of the song. It also has one of the most hilarious and ridiculous grand finales to any song, ever. After it’s done, you would think that the record was all depleted of its craziness. Not at all. The final three tracks are the heaviest, most insane songs on the whole album. Most notably, the title track, Deconstruction, may be the single most ridiculous and zany song ever created. Every element of insanity found on the record is cranked up to infinity to the point where there’s really no way to describe the song without hearing it for yourself. The album then concludes with its angriest, most brutal track, Poltergeist. Needless to say, this record could easily be way too much for some people to handle. However, for people like me who like this type of music, Deconstruction is, and will most likely be for a long time, one of the greatest creations in existence.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Glory to the brave
Post by: Sacul on July 14, 2014, 08:45:01 PM
Oh man, I have just given a few spins to Addicted adn now we have this :lol. Will have to make some time to listen it, as it seems to be Devin's less accesible record.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Glory to the brave
Post by: Scorpion on July 14, 2014, 08:45:47 PM
I used to dislike this album, and that's exactly because it's so dense, so weird, so over the place, so fucked up. But I kept hearing things that I liked and I came back to it, and it finally started making sense. Like Addicted, it's not my favourite or even close to being it, but when I'm in the mood for whacked-out craziness, there's nothing quite like this album.

Controversial opinion time: Juular is my favourite track on this album, followed closely by Sumeria, though I still like them all, except for Planet of the Apes and Pandemic, which, to me, are merely OK.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Glory to the brave
Post by: KevShmev on July 14, 2014, 09:32:46 PM
Much of Deconstruction is not my cup of tea, but I still like the majority of it quite a bit.  The Mighty Masturbator and Juular are two of my favorite songs from the DTP, and I dig Sumeria and Planet of the Apes quite a bit as well.  I like parts of the title track a lot, although I think the fart noises were silly to include.  I know Devin loves his silliness, and more often than not, it works, but I'd be embarrassed to play that in front of anybody.  The opening two songs are enjoyable, but I rarely go out of my way for either.  I have no use for Poltergeist or Pandemic. 

Overall, good album, with some major highs, but it's my least favorite of the DTP records.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Glory to the brave
Post by: Shadow Ninja 2.0 on July 14, 2014, 09:35:43 PM
arg, posted in the wrong thread. Dadgum.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Glory to the brave
Post by: FlyingBIZKIT on July 14, 2014, 09:37:58 PM
I like Tommy's vocals in Planet of the Apes
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Glory to the brave
Post by: seasonsinthesky on July 14, 2014, 10:22:08 PM
most of Decon was an instant classic for me but there's a group of songs that took me a lot longer to get into: "Stand," "Sumeria," "Pandemic," and "Poltergeist," most of them for obvious reasons. now i love them all, with perhaps "Sumeria" taking the top spot (dat verse riff, uuugggghhhhhh!), but that changes every few months. it was "Masturbator" until i exhausted that song.

i think my favourite moment is the opening of "Pandemic" with the insane return of the backing vocals in "Ki" (piddle and toddle, etc. – unpublished in the booklets but available online because Dev posted it on his forum at some point). i think it purposely reflects back on SYL directly by sounding basically more insane than the start of "Happy Camper (Carpé B.U.M.)."

(second favourite album moment: the ending riff. "STAAAAAAAAAAAAAAND!")
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Glory to the brave
Post by: Nel on July 14, 2014, 10:40:40 PM
Much like others here, there's a lot of little things in the album I really like, but it's interspersed with a lot of musical moments that just don't click for me (kind of like Opeth and BTBAM). Overall an okay album that, once again, I really need to be in the mood for. Needs more listens.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Glory to the brave
Post by: Onno on July 15, 2014, 01:20:08 AM
I didn't get Deconstruction at first, but now it's one of my favourite Devin albums. Why? Well, firstly, it's a huge grower like so many of Devin's albums. Secondly, it's so incredibly dense and heavy. Lastly, what really helped for me was listening to Devin's own commentary track on the album. It's long (as long as the album) but it really helped me grasp the huge concept of this album and the other DTP albums. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boRo1ISss3Q
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Glory to the brave
Post by: seasonsinthesky on July 15, 2014, 10:46:45 AM
i just got the Casualties of Cool USB drive this weekend and it's got a Dev commentary for both discs. before "Fight" he talks about Decon from the 'after' perspective, and how Casualties is about the shadows that the narrator of Decon couldn't handle. he says the point is to merge and experience rather than understand a grasp, and that's a great summary of the whole journey — it's certainly where he ends up on Ghost.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Glory to the brave
Post by: Crow on July 15, 2014, 11:02:20 AM
Deconstruction is crazy in all the best ways and I absolutely love it. I don't however care for any of the humor here, unlike on Ziltoid. Musically though there is just SO GODDAMN MUCH to love. I can never pick a favorite from the album because the things I like about the songs I consider favorites (Stand, Planet of the Apes, Sumeria) are all completely different, plus I barely ever listen to any songs out of the context of the album anyways.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Glory to the brave
Post by: hefdaddy42 on July 15, 2014, 04:11:51 PM
Crap, I'm behind.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Glory to the brave
Post by: ZKX-2099 on July 16, 2014, 07:25:43 AM
This album is perfect.

This is my favorite Devin Townsend album ever, and I highly doubt that will ever change.

I was gonna say that.

It's part of a 4 way tie for my favorite album ever.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Glory to the brave
Post by: hefdaddy42 on July 16, 2014, 09:35:49 AM
I finally finished Addicted.  Wow, that was fantastic!  One of my favorite albums thus far, and one I will return to often.

Now listening to Deconstruction, at Planet of the Apes.  Holy shit.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Glory to the brave
Post by: mikemangioy on July 16, 2014, 10:51:16 AM
I loved Addicted, but as soon as I tried Deconstruction I was like nopenopenopenope

It's too much all over the place and unpleasant, and I know that I'm not gonna go back to it. Sorry.
Juular and Stand were great though, and I still want to listen to The Mighty Masturbator.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Glory to the brave
Post by: Ben_Jamin on July 16, 2014, 11:15:22 AM
I enjoy Deconstruction, although I don't enjoy the title track,   the fart noises kill it.

The Mighty Masturbater reminds of Ki, but 10x more layered, the epic dance part is great. My favorite is Sumeria for some reason, I think its because of how it starts in your face with vocals and music then ends on a calm trip through space with only the vocals left.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Glory to the brave
Post by: KevShmev on July 16, 2014, 11:46:04 AM
Yep, the way Sumeria leads into The Mighty Masturbator is fantastic.  The dance part of TMM is definitely one of the best moments of Devin's career.

GIVE IT UP...YOUR WORLD!!! :metal
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Glory to the brave
Post by: hefdaddy42 on July 16, 2014, 12:12:55 PM
I loved Deconstruction, very epic in scope, ambition, and execution.  Sumeria and The Might Masturbator were the highlights for me.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Glory to the brave
Post by: jingle.boy on July 18, 2014, 11:29:44 AM
Well, glad I'm not the first to say it, but this is fucked up - and not in the good way (for my tastes).  All I can think of while listening to this, is that Devin is doing his best Ross Geller impersonation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPmQKKZ3xYE
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Glory to the brave
Post by: Podaar on July 18, 2014, 01:06:24 PM
Chad, or anyone else for that matter, I get the feeling that Townsend spends quite a bit of time on these albums jabbing his finger in the eye of his audience, just to see if they'll like it, and then having a bit of a laugh at their expense. It feels similar to the way Mike Judge was poking fun at his intended audience with "Beavis and Butt-head". I've yet to decide if I like that though...I sometimes get a kick out of that sort of thing (otherwise I couldn't be a Zappa fan) so I'm going to continue going through this thread and reading Ulti's excellent write-ups just to see if it finally clicks.

I've completed listening to AE enough times that I'm ready to move on to the next one. We'll see.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Glory to the brave
Post by: mikemangioy on July 19, 2014, 01:06:42 PM
On second thought, I actually came back to it and now it's  :hefdaddy
Especially Planet Of The Apes, Stand and Mighty Masturbator.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Glory to the brave
Post by: Shadow Ninja 2.0 on July 19, 2014, 01:08:00 PM
Chad, or anyone else for that matter, I get the feeling that Townsend spends quite a bit of time on these albums jabbing his finger in the eye of his audience, just to see if they'll like it, and then having a bit of a laugh at their expense. It feels similar to the way Mike Judge was poking fun at his intended audience with "Beavis and Butt-head". I've yet to decide if I like that though...I sometimes get a kick out of that sort of thing (otherwise I couldn't be a Zappa fan) so I'm going to continue going through this thread and reading Ulti's excellent write-ups just to see if it finally clicks.

I've completed listening to AE enough times that I'm ready to move on to the next one. We'll see.

Not really sure what you're referring to here.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Glory to the brave
Post by: Ultimetalhead on July 19, 2014, 01:23:21 PM
I loved Addicted, but as soon as I tried Deconstruction I was like nopenopenopenope

It's too much all over the place and unpleasant, and I know that I'm not gonna go back to it. Sorry.
Juular and Stand were great though, and I still want to listen to The Mighty Masturbator.

On second thought, I actually came back to it and now it's  :hefdaddy
Especially Planet Of The Apes, Stand and Mighty Masturbator.
The power of Deconstruction in a nutshell.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Glory to the brave
Post by: PROGdrummer on July 19, 2014, 04:52:28 PM
I was so turned off by the entire first half of Deconstruction on my first few listens.
I really loved everything from Masturbator onward though. Now of course, I think the entire album is perfect.

Strangely enough, I had the opposite reaction upon my first listens of Ghost. Everything up to Blackberry was lovely, then I got really confused by the time Dark Matters came along and didnt really touch the second half of that album for awhile.

I don't know what my problem was, honestly. Some things are just growers I guess. :P
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Glory to the brave
Post by: Ultimetalhead on July 20, 2014, 12:54:03 PM
Ghost write-up coming tomorrow. Let's wrap up the discussion of the most beautifully chaotic album ever crafted before moving along to one of the most beautifully tranquil.   :)
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Glory to the brave
Post by: Nel on July 20, 2014, 10:19:03 PM
Though Deconstruction isn't my favorite, I love the shit out of Praise The Lowered and Stand. The former for it's mellow atmosphere and the build up to the angry second half, the latter for just how intimidating it is.

And is Stand a callback to Disruptr? They sound kind of similar (Stand taking the aggressiveness further of course) and they both have these sections about being a man.

And I noticed the "I'm alright to go/fly." thing coming back during The Mighty Masturbator. And the first song of Ghost is...  ;D
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Glory to the brave
Post by: WebRaider on July 21, 2014, 01:57:04 AM
Deconstruction is the Devin album that I'm still digesting (cheeseburrrrgerrrrr!)... I immediately was a big fan of the first half but the second half used to be just too much. I still listened to this a LOT but took a lot of time away before going back to it and slowly coming to like more of the second half. Very cool and notable all the guest artists on this album!
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Glory to the brave
Post by: Podaar on July 21, 2014, 05:22:35 AM
Chad, or anyone else for that matter, I get the feeling that Townsend spends quite a bit of time on these albums jabbing his finger in the eye of his audience, just to see if they'll like it, and then having a bit of a laugh at their expense. It feels similar to the way Mike Judge was poking fun at his intended audience with "Beavis and Butt-head". I've yet to decide if I like that though...I sometimes get a kick out of that sort of thing (otherwise I couldn't be a Zappa fan) so I'm going to continue going through this thread and reading Ulti's excellent write-ups just to see if it finally clicks.

I've completed listening to AE enough times that I'm ready to move on to the next one. We'll see.

Not really sure what you're referring to here.

You're kidding me, right?

This album has a song about Cheeseburger as a mystical reason for the cosmos! He farts into a fucking microphone! He comes up with a cool riff and then doubles the guitar over and over and over until all the edge is gone and it's just a big, soft, gooey mess. He screams out such angst riddled words like "RECYCLE!" And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

If you don't think there is an element of, "Hey, lets see how many people like this." I don't think you're paying attention.

Which isn't in and of itself, bad. Like I said, I'm still trying to decide if I like that element of his music. I've already ordered 2 of his albums based on this thread and I'm leaning toward another.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Glory to the brave
Post by: ariich on July 21, 2014, 05:55:34 AM
If you think that stuff is about having a laugh at the listeners' expense, then I think you haven't really understood him.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Glory to the brave
Post by: Podaar on July 21, 2014, 06:32:58 AM
If you think that stuff is about having a laugh at the listeners' expense, then I think you haven't really understood him.

Granted. I'm willing to admit that. I'm still trying to digest his message and hopefully I'll get it.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Glory to the brave
Post by: ZKX-2099 on July 21, 2014, 06:48:19 AM
If you think that stuff is about having a laugh at the listeners' expense, then I think you haven't really understood him.

Granted. I'm willing to admit that. I'm still trying to digest his message and hopefully I'll get it.

The message is: There is no message.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Glory to the brave
Post by: Podaar on July 21, 2014, 06:53:43 AM
Okay.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Glory to the brave
Post by: Nel on July 21, 2014, 07:24:58 AM
Though I do kind of want a cheeseburger.  :corn
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Glory to the brave
Post by: Ultimetalhead on July 21, 2014, 08:14:00 AM
Though Deconstruction isn't my favorite, I love the shit out of Praise The Lowered and Stand. The former for it's mellow atmosphere and the build up to the angry second half, the latter for just how intimidating it is.

And is Stand a callback to Disruptr? They sound kind of similar (Stand taking the aggressiveness further of course) and they both have these sections about being a man.

And I noticed the "I'm alright to go/fly." thing coming back during The Mighty Masturbator. And the first song of Ghost is...  ;D
Indeed. Stand is a spiritual successor to Disruptr. They even both end with the words "Shut it." "Shut it." is also stated during Hyperdrive!.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Glory to the brave
Post by: Sacul on July 21, 2014, 12:08:58 PM
I'm listening to Deconstruction for the first time... wat. I'm. listening. to.? It's weird as shit, but curiously in an awesome way :lol.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Glory to the brave
Post by: TioJorge on July 21, 2014, 12:24:40 PM
Sumeria is the epitome of what a metal opera should be to me. It's absolutely perfect in that regard. That said, I have to be in a specific mood for that kind of music, when it's good, it's perfect, but otherwise, Decon is way too much for my ears a lot of times. But in those moments when I want a bombardment of heavy, operatic, melodic destruction, it's sex for the ears.

But yeah I'm ready to hear the next one. They've been great.

Oh and Ulti, have you heard Thing from the CoC bonus tracks? I would love to hear your thoughts on it.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. So it goes around
Post by: Ultimetalhead on July 21, 2014, 01:03:54 PM
Oh and Ulti, have you heard Thing from the CoC bonus tracks? I would love to hear your thoughts on it.
I have not heard it, and this makes me very very sad.

(https://www.nuclearblast.de/static/articles/180/180055.jpg/1000x1000.jpg)

I’ll be honest. We’re going to have a bit of a shorter write-up for Ghost. There’s not quite as much going on, musically or lyrically, to obsessively analyze like the previous three albums. Furthermore, I don’t listen to this one quite as much, because I need to be in the mood for it to really be effective. But when I’m in the right mood, it’s fantastic. Anyway.

Ghost is beautiful. That’s honestly all I need to say about it. It’s a great album to put on in the background (and absolutely perfect for sleeping). The ambient keyboard pads throughout provide a very cohesive backdrop for Devin’s ethereal vocals and pan-flute from Kat Epple. It’s a hell of a statement, especially after Deconstruction. But really, there isn’t a single other album in Devin’s discography to this point that was even hinting at music like this. This isn’t quite as stripped down or exposed as Ki, but it has the same basic level of “depth” if that makes any sense. There’s plenty of layers. After all, it’s still a Devin album. But, the layers are more singular keyboard patches rather than multiple moving parts of horns/keyboards/guitars/whatever.

I like how much variety Ghost has despite all being relaxed, ambient music. The title track and Blackberry have a sort of country twang to them (one that will be explored in MUCH greater detail later). Other songs, like Heart Baby and Monsoon, focus exclusively on the interplay between Devin’s guitar and Kat’s flute. By far the most unique pair of songs on the disc, and a personal highlight, are Dark Matters and Texada. They’re the only moments on the album where things escalate to anything above a relaxing, tranquil experience. Texada features a pulsing bass-line alongside gentle arpeggios and a more pronounced drum part. If you cranked up the guitars of Texada to be more distorted and threw down some screams, it wouldn’t be out of place on something like Terria. I’ve heard some complaints that Texada feels out of place on Ghost because of how different it is to everything else, but I think it really helps give the rest of the songs more context, and it’s fantastic in its own right.

That’s really all I have to say about this one. It’s very beautiful, relaxing, and a worthwhile “chill-out” companion.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. So it goes around
Post by: hefdaddy42 on July 21, 2014, 02:43:59 PM
Looking forward to it.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. So it goes around
Post by: mikemangioy on July 21, 2014, 04:52:29 PM
Yay! Can't wait to listen to it tomorrow. It's 1 AM here, soI'll wake up relaxed and listen to this on the proch with a nice cup of coffee.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. So it goes around
Post by: Ultimetalhead on July 21, 2014, 05:16:48 PM
Yay! Can't wait to listen to it tomorrow. It's 1 AM here, soI'll wake up relaxed and listen to this on the proch with a nice cup of coffee.
Make it perfect!
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. So it goes around
Post by: jingle.boy on July 21, 2014, 06:24:25 PM
Well, I'll be honest.  With references to Ki (which was probably my most disliked album through this journey), my expectations are lying on the floor with this one - which may turn out to be a good thing.

Will report back tomorrow.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. So it goes around
Post by: Nel on July 21, 2014, 07:31:21 PM
Have not been able to get into Ghost. There's bits I like, but overall I can't really remember much of it on the fly and I need to be in a sleepy or chill mood to really listen to it. Also thanks to the way the discs are packaged in the Contain Us box set, my copy is kinda donked and the last two tracks always come out clipping and skipping when I rip it.

Ulti, will you cover the bonus tracks of Contain Us? I'm not sure how those tracks were when they were originally in special editions and/or were iTunes bonus tracks, but on the disc in the set (called "Stuff That Was Almost Stuff"), the tracks actually segue into each other, nearly forming an album of its own. Like, the end of Traestorz continues into the beginning of Sticks And Stones, for example.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. So it goes around
Post by: Ultimetalhead on July 21, 2014, 09:21:32 PM
As much as I'd like to go into more detail with the bonus materials, this thread's already been going on quite a while. I would have loved to do all the SYL albums, Punky Bruster, both the Ass-Sordid Demos, Sex & Religion, EKO, Devlab, The Hummer, Epiclouder, and every other song Devin's ever farted near. Unfortunately, there's a rather impressive backlog for the discography discussions, so we're going to leave it to official albums only.  :sadpanda:
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. So it goes around
Post by: seasonsinthesky on July 21, 2014, 09:27:40 PM
it's all about "Fly" and "Feather." oh man, talk about highlights of the discography.

otherwise the whole thing meanders quite a bit. if it's too much, maybe try the By a Thread version, since it makes "Heart Baby" more interesting, and cuts down the extra ambience like "Monsoon," "Dark Matters," and "Infinite Ocean" (though i really like them, they certainly drag on quite long) to more reasonable lengths.

honestly, i love Ghost² material so much that i'd rather listen to it, but sometimes i wonder if that's really because its length is around 40 minutes rather than 73. i get why Ghost had to be a full statement like Decon — every track has its place for a reason with Dev — but i'd rather have a "to the point" version put together for vinyl or something. of course, that's not Ghost's identity, though...
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. So it goes around
Post by: Ultimetalhead on July 21, 2014, 09:31:28 PM
Totally agreed on Fly and Feather. Those songs are absolutely wonderful. I also quite like Heart Baby, but I'm with you on Monsoon and Infinite Ocean being a little bit much. I like them as mood pieces for sure, and they actually do rather well to set up their next songs. Monsoon calms everything back down after the bouncy Blackberry, before giving way to the synths and whatnot for Dark Matters, and Infinite Ocean feels like a sort of bridge from the rest of the project to As You Were, like a quiet meditation over the whole experience.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. So it goes around
Post by: TioJorge on July 21, 2014, 11:03:10 PM
Love me some Heart Baby and Fly, probably my favorites, followed by Monsoon and Blackberry. Great sleepy time music and all around relaxation.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. So it goes around
Post by: KevShmev on July 21, 2014, 11:14:37 PM
Ghost is, IMO, the 2nd best album from the DTP and quite possibly one of his three or four best records ever; it's that awesome.  Granted, it is one of those "has to be listened to in full to grasp the overall greatness of it" albums, and I rarely have time to do so with it, but when I do, it is always an amazing experience.  :coolio


Well, I'll be honest.  With references to Ki (which was probably my most disliked album through this journey), my expectations are lying on the floor with this one - which may turn out to be a good thing.

 

Fear not.  Ki and Ghost are very different, despite both being fairly laid back, albeit in their own ways. 

Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. So it goes around
Post by: jingle.boy on July 22, 2014, 06:15:46 AM
Well, I'll be honest.  With references to Ki (which was probably my most disliked album through this journey), my expectations are lying on the floor with this one - which may turn out to be a good thing.

Fear not.  Ki and Ghost are very different, despite both being fairly laid back, albeit in their own ways.

Right you were.  This was definitely more palatable to my ears.  Some (kinda) upbeat/country moments on the front half, and decent background music for the latter half.  Not sure I'd come back to it, but I certainly enjoyed it more than Ki.  This is the kind of album you listen to baked, or to fall asleep to.  I don't do the former anymore, and doubt I'd buy this just so I pass out while listening to it.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. So it goes around
Post by: Crow on July 22, 2014, 09:14:16 AM
Love this album to pieces but it does meander near the end, yeah. Texada's the only track in the second half that I really enjoy, though every song in the first half is wonderful. Feather and Blackberry hnng <3
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. So it goes around
Post by: Buddyhunter1 on July 22, 2014, 10:00:09 AM
Seams is such an underrated track. So peaceful...
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. So it goes around
Post by: mikemangioy on July 23, 2014, 01:44:30 AM
So, I listened to Ghost and I almost fell asleep  :lol but, that apart, it's beautiful. I enjoyed Ghost (the title-track), Feather and Blackberry the most. But let's take a moment to appreciate that cover art, it's gorgeous  :heart
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. So it goes around
Post by: Onno on July 23, 2014, 04:02:03 AM
Ghost is amazing, one of the most soothing records ever made. I absolutely love it.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. So it goes around
Post by: Sacul on July 23, 2014, 09:13:39 AM
I remember listening to Ghost some months ago, but it bored me. Now I think it's amazing :hefdaddy. I hope it may help my insomnia problems :biggrin:
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. So it goes around
Post by: Onno on July 23, 2014, 03:54:05 PM
I remember listening to Ghost some months ago, but it bored me. Now I think it's amazing :hefdaddy. I hope it may help my insomnia problems :biggrin:
I've never suffered from insomnia, but last year when I was on fieldwork for my study in Spain, this was the album I listened to almost every night before I went to sleep. It's so beautiful and calming; I sometimes even fell asleep only to wake up in the middle of the night again with my earphones wrapped around my head. I even listened to it during the day sometimes just to relieve some of the pressure.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. So it goes around
Post by: PolarizeMe on July 23, 2014, 07:06:13 PM
Ghost is one of my all time favorite songs under the DTP moniker (and Dev himself agrees!). I need to be in the right mindset/mood to listen to it, but apart from that it's one of the most beautiful sounding records I've ever heard. Gives me a summertime feeling that album, and I love the cover art.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. So it goes around
Post by: Nel on July 24, 2014, 01:22:56 AM
I love the cover art. You see a lot of these kinds of pictures on sites like DeviantArt, but this one's very soothing, and the way the title looks on it (specifically the O being a bunch of sparks) is great too.

Speaking of which, I just saw the cover art for what was going to be Ghost 2. The one with the naked, distorted Barbie dolls? That gives me the fuckin' creeps.  :lol
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. So it goes around
Post by: hefdaddy42 on July 24, 2014, 08:27:50 AM
I'm about halfway through Ghost and I've gotta say, it's quite enjoyable, although seemingly out of character.  But I guess that's part of the point.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. So it goes around
Post by: ZKX-2099 on July 24, 2014, 08:38:44 AM
Yeah it's a great album. I'm just rarely in the mood for slow music.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. So it goes around
Post by: PolarizeMe on July 24, 2014, 02:18:40 PM
Speaking of which, I just saw the cover art for what was going to be Ghost 2. The one with the naked, distorted Barbie dolls? That gives me the fuckin' creeps.  :lol

The naked distorted Barbie doll art ended up being used as the back graphic for the t-shirt design Dev had for the Casualties of Cool pledge campaign.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. So it goes around
Post by: Buddyhunter1 on July 24, 2014, 05:51:42 PM
Speaking of which, I just saw the cover art for what was going to be Ghost 2. The one with the naked, distorted Barbie dolls? That gives me the fuckin' creeps.  :lol

Look very closely in the upper right corner...
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. So it goes around
Post by: Nel on July 24, 2014, 06:29:43 PM
Speaking of which, I just saw the cover art for what was going to be Ghost 2. The one with the naked, distorted Barbie dolls? That gives me the fuckin' creeps.  :lol

Look very closely in the upper right corner...

 :|

Welp, that's just icing.  :biggrin:
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. So it goes around
Post by: Zantera on July 25, 2014, 11:34:28 AM
Ghost and Ki are the only Project albums I really like. Those are really quite awesome. Decon is a fun listen, but Addicted never did anything for me, and Epicloud felt like Devin by the numbers. I'm happy he returned to form with a strong album like Casualties of Cool though, which feels like a mix between Ki and Ghost, with some other elements thrown in as well.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Dancing all into whatever
Post by: Ultimetalhead on July 26, 2014, 02:29:50 PM
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/f2/Epicloud_album_cover.jpg)

Epicloud is the spiritual successor to Addicted, and this is made abundantly clear at every possible turn. Anneke takes more of a backseat this time around, but her vocals still deliver that undeniable “Addicted” sound. This time around, we’ve got a full choir (!!!) to add to the wall of sound. Honestly, the choir is enough to make Epicloud stand out apart from its peers. Even though Deconstruction had a choir through a lot of the festivities, Epicloud’s choir has more of a gospel feel to it that blows Deconstruction’s out of the water. While it most closely resembles Addicted, there are plenty of moments on Epicloud that recall the heavier, riff driven moments of Deconstruction, and even the calmness of Ghost. Ki’s sound isn’t really represented at all, but we’ll get there.

Really, if “arena rock” is an accepted genre of music, I would call Epicloud “arena metal.” So many of Epicloud’s most defining moments come in the choruses of Where We Belong, Grace, and Hold On. Devin said that he mixed it like usual, but tried to keep it so that you could really turn it up without getting grating. Epicloud’s a great album to take on road trips, blasting out the rolled down windows in the middle of summer. The loud parts of this album are the very definition of “larger than life.” Much like Addicted, we have multiple “metal-infused pop songs” like Save Our Now and Hold On. Save Our Now is a personal highlight for it’s use of the standard “pop drum beat” and proving that you can still write a “simple” song with emotion and artistic integrity. The chord progressions on Epicloud are mostly rather pedestrian, but they’ve got a few twists and turns for the seasoned music listener. This is an album to put on when you just need something loud and easy to follow. It’s the polar opposite of most of Devin’s heavier albums, but it’s a nice change of pace from the impenetrability of Deconstruction.

For the harcore Dev fan, the real draw to this album is the remade version of Kingdom. A fan favorite, Kingdom’s only real weakness is that it’s stuck on an album surrounded by mediocrity and mixed like horse shit. This time, it’s given the enormous, bombastic production that it deserves, to tremendous success. I remember when it first came out, some were crying foul claiming that it felt out of place and disruptive in the middle of Epicloud, but I think it works just as well as Hyperdrive! did on Addicted.

The only real Deconstruction-like moments on Epicloud are in True North, which has a pounding, angular riff that wouldn’t feel out of place in Stand. Grace, the other major centerpiece of the album has a slightly off-kilter rhythmic motif that goes throughout the song, with huge, arena-metal vocals and a production style that pretty much defines the word “Epic.” Grace is really tough to classify. Obviously, a song like Divine or even Liberation would probably be considered more immediately accessible than Grace, but Grace is like an accessible version of a standard “Dev-metal” song. Like, a more stripped down version of Deconstruction. There’s plenty of layers all over it, but it’s so much easier to follow than any song on Deconstruction. I see a lot of complaints that Grace is actually “too” simple, but that’s exactly the point of Epicloud.

I don’t listen to Epicloud all that often, to be honest. I absolutely love it whenever I put it on, though. It’s pretty much the easy-listening version of Devin Townsend, and that’s not a bad thing.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Dancing all into whatever
Post by: Onno on July 26, 2014, 03:14:00 PM
I really like Epicloud, it was the album that introduced me to Devin's music. It's not one of his better albums IMO but it's still a it fantastic album. In my opinion, Addicted sounds really fake-happy at times (which is intentional), and especially with the ending that it does it really feels part of the DTP-cycle. Epicloud is just a happy and energetic album.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Dancing all into whatever
Post by: mikemangioy on July 26, 2014, 03:26:55 PM
I already listened to Epicloud a couple of times, and it's my favorite after Decon this far. I really dig all the gospel influence and it just puts me in a good mood.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Dancing all into whatever
Post by: Crow on July 26, 2014, 06:03:33 PM
I like some of Epicloud but a lot is forgettable to me, I couldn't even name all the tracks. Angel is fantastic though, at the very least.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Dancing all into whatever
Post by: MoraWintersoul on July 26, 2014, 06:05:45 PM
Epicloud is one of my faves. Regarding Ghost 2, I always liked Watch You a lot, it's totes a Kevin Moore-ish song.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Dancing all into whatever
Post by: Shadow Ninja 2.0 on July 26, 2014, 06:26:14 PM
I already listened to Epicloud a couple of times, and it's my favorite after Decon this far. I really dig all the gospel influence and it just puts me in a good mood.

I don't really know what you mean by gospel influence. Unless you're just referring to Effervescent?
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Dancing all into whatever
Post by: Zantera on July 26, 2014, 06:45:26 PM
I didn't care much for Epicloud. It has a few redeeming songs, but overall feels kinda "Devy by the numbers".
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Dancing all into whatever
Post by: Ultimetalhead on July 26, 2014, 07:42:27 PM
I already listened to Epicloud a couple of times, and it's my favorite after Decon this far. I really dig all the gospel influence and it just puts me in a good mood.

I don't really know what you mean by gospel influence. Unless you're just referring to Effervescent?
It's definitely got gospel influence here and there. Liberation's vocal melodies during the chorus are very much gospel inspired, as well as Angel.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Dancing all into whatever
Post by: Mosh on July 26, 2014, 07:56:00 PM
I like Epicloud. It's an insanely fun album to spin as a whole, and maybe more rewarding than Addicted by that standard, but I feel the individual tracks aren't as strong on their own. One of the great things about the project albums was that they all worked perfectly together but you could also pick out a lot of the songs and still enjoy them. This was even possible on Deconstruction of all albums. I didn't get that with Epicloud. With the exception of Liberation, Save Our Now, Kingdom, and maybe Where We Belong, I don't often find myself listening to these songs out of context.

But aside from that gripe, it's a great album and one of his most "complete". I think it punctuates the Project albums perfectly. After all the self reflection and tension/release found in the DTP, here's an album where you can just let loose and enjoy. A perfect summer record too.

Also, how good is Epiclouder?? It's the opposite of Epicloud really. Not much of a flow there (understandable), but a lot more songs I find myself gravitating to when I'm just picking out individual songs.  :heart Happy Birthday. More callbacks to Ki on this disc too.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Dancing all into whatever
Post by: TioJorge on July 26, 2014, 09:12:46 PM
I really love Epicloud. Like you Ulti, I really don't spin it that much, especially any tracks alone; anytime I do spin it, it's almost always the entire album. But it's awesome, it is indeed very reminiscent of Addicted and on the opposite side of that token, it sometimes feels like someone gave it a few pain killers and dulled it enough to where it's not nearly as in your face, but just leveled enough to call it chill...though, again...definitely still hyper. I like it. Especially Where We Belong (Mora, my fellow Moore lover, hit the bullseye), True North,  Save Our Now, Kingdom, and Hold On. If any songs get played alone, it'll be one of those, usually WWB.

Overall a very relaxing playthrough, as you said. I really can't say anything without sounding like I'm echoing you, damn it.  :lol :tup

P.S. Is it sad that I actually feel accomplishment and generally good that I edited the wiki page to include the pledge bonuses?  :rollin After I did, I was like....

"Yes. I have contributed, my fellow Townsendites"
(https://thewritershandsinthoseofthepotters.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/sandcastles.png)

Who knows if it'll stick since the only source I have is data on the USB drive. 've never edited a Wiki before. It was.....so....good. :hat :|

Also I never knew the original meme of this was a kid eating sand.  :rollin
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Dancing all into whatever
Post by: KevShmev on July 26, 2014, 11:07:51 PM
I love Epicloud. It's like a slightly less awesome Addicted: catchy as hell, fun metal.

And the bonus tracks are worth mentioning, especially Take Me Ego, featuring a jaw-dropping vocal performance by Anneke. :hefdaddy :hefdaddy
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Dancing all into whatever
Post by: seasonsinthesky on July 27, 2014, 12:52:36 AM
"Cry Forever" should have been on the record, dammit.

otherwise, i find Epicloud an odd fencesitter. the highlights are really high for me (SON, "Kingdom," "Grace") but the lows are some of my most despised Devsongs ("Lucky Animals," which even riff-references my most hated SYL song, "Monument").

some of Epiclouder is pretty brilliant: "Heatwave" would've made the album way more interesting and varied (which is why it was in the original tracklist, i assume), "Happy Birthday" is just wonderful "Hyperdrive!"-style goodness, and "Socialization" is an epic worthy of Deconstruction!
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Dancing all into whatever
Post by: Onno on July 27, 2014, 01:26:26 AM
TONIGHT, WE DINE AT DENNY'S!!
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Dancing all into whatever
Post by: ZKX-2099 on July 27, 2014, 09:08:25 AM
The twist moment in Love And Marriage is brilliant.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Dancing all into whatever
Post by: Scorpion on July 27, 2014, 09:25:22 AM
I love Epicloud, and I love Epiclouder. Some of Devin's best work across those two albums. While I enjoy the flow of Epicloud a lot, I think the individual songs on Epiclouder are, all in all, of a higher quality than those on Epicloud, though that has a few standouts in Hold On and Angel, especially. Also, Take My Ego and Cry Forever are brilliant as well. In fact, the only song that I don't enjoy that much from the Epicloud sessions is the vinyl-only title-track, which is just okay. The rest is great, and I would say that I prefer this album to Addicted, though I'm not quite sure why exactly.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Dancing all into whatever
Post by: Buddyhunter1 on July 27, 2014, 10:39:14 AM
Like others have said, I don't listen to this album as much as a lot of other ones, but it's still a fantastic album, perhaps even in his top five.

Great flow, great sound (though the mix has waaay too much drums and low end), and great songs. Not counting the really short tracks, True North is probably my least favorite song on the album, but besides that, nothing is worth skipping. I think my favorite song might actually be Angel. That fucking choir and performance from Anneke... so much feels.

Fun fact: My dad who's in his 50s and generally isn't much of a metalhead has decided that this is his favorite album of the 21st century.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Dancing all into whatever
Post by: Ben_Jamin on July 27, 2014, 10:43:19 AM
My all time favorite Devy album. Its just a fun listen and it feels dev just decided to have fun with this record. Epiclouder is the best bonus disc I've ever heard, mostly all these songs are great, Take My Ego, Love and Marriage,  Happy Birthday,  all are lovely and ethereal.

I'm glad True North and Lucky Animals are first cause I don't enjoy those songs, its devy by numbers.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Dancing all into whatever
Post by: antigoon on July 27, 2014, 11:10:55 AM
I think some combination of Epicloud and Epiclouder could be one of Devin's best albums.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Dancing all into whatever
Post by: Nel on July 27, 2014, 11:34:54 AM
My first Devin album. The first listen inspired me to get the other four DTP records, and for the last few weeks, I've mainly been listening to those, revisiting this was a treat. It's definitely like a more operatic Addicted. Though it really does touch on all the moods of the last four records.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Dancing all into whatever
Post by: Ben_Jamin on July 27, 2014, 11:39:53 AM
I hate to nitpick but, the lyrics are "Dancing all into an ever"
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Dancing all into whatever
Post by: Ultimetalhead on July 27, 2014, 12:22:45 PM
I hate to nitpick but, the lyrics are "Dancing all into an ever"
Nope. In Effervescent! it's "Dancing all into whenever," and in Angel (which is where the quote is from), it's "Dancing all into whatever." I chose that lyric because in the Epicloud commentary Devin stated that the line "Dancing all into whatever" sums up Epicloud for him.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Dancing all into whatever
Post by: antigoon on July 27, 2014, 01:00:55 PM
the fuck does that even mean
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Dancing all into whatever
Post by: Mosh on July 27, 2014, 01:05:13 PM
Probably has something to do with the spontaneous nature of the album. He didn't set out to write such an album at first right? He was trying to write Ziltoid and all these happy sounding songs came out.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Dancing all into whatever
Post by: TioJorge on July 27, 2014, 01:11:53 PM
Why would any of you mofos question Ulti on anything Townsend related? Fools.  :lol For real. Get on his level, bro.

Plus...for as nonsensical (seeming) 'dancing all into whenever/whatever' is...'dancing all into an ever' sounds downright retarded and completely nonsensical.  :rollin

Gotta love misheard lyrics...
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Dancing all into whatever
Post by: Ben_Jamin on July 27, 2014, 03:32:22 PM
I hate to nitpick but, the lyrics are "Dancing all into an ever"
Nope. In Effervescent! it's "Dancing all into whenever," and in Angel (which is where the quote is from), it's "Dancing all into whatever." I chose that lyric because in the Epicloud commentary Devin stated that the line "Dancing all into whatever" sums up Epicloud for him.

I don't have the booklet with me, but I thought in Effervescent it was '...an ever'. Oh well, I'll trust you on that. Also, don't have my ipod so couldn't listen, just went off memory. Doesn't help I haven't listened to those songs in a while.

Save Our Now is great because I have heard Pendulums' The Island (I loved it instantly), and to know he got some backing tracks from the actual song makes SON that much more badass.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Dancing all into whatever
Post by: Ultimetalhead on July 27, 2014, 04:13:45 PM
Probably has something to do with the spontaneous nature of the album. He didn't set out to write such an album at first right? He was trying to write Ziltoid and all these happy sounding songs came out.
That was always my interpretation of it. A lot of Devin's lyrics delve into absurd levels of metaphor, but it's definitely my favorite aspect of his lyric-writing. I can't quite confirm that Epicloud was an accident, but it may well have been. All I remember was hearing him talk about a new album with Anneke and my fanboner must have stopped me from caring about anything else he said in that tweet/post/whatever.

Why would any of you mofos question Ulti on anything Townsend related? Fools.  :lol For real. Get on his level, bro.
(https://static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/1/16715/3738525-2245322786-tumbl.jpg)
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Dancing all into whatever
Post by: PROGdrummer on July 27, 2014, 04:18:23 PM
I always thought the lyric was "Dancing on into an ever effervescent quality". I dont know what sounds stupid.
But then again, "effervescense" is "the escape of gas from an aqueous solution and the foaming or fizzing that results from a release of the gas".


so
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Dancing all into whatever
Post by: Mosh on July 27, 2014, 06:05:29 PM
Probably has something to do with the spontaneous nature of the album. He didn't set out to write such an album at first right? He was trying to write Ziltoid and all these happy sounding songs came out.
That was always my interpretation of it. A lot of Devin's lyrics delve into absurd levels of metaphor, but it's definitely my favorite aspect of his lyric-writing. I can't quite confirm that Epicloud was an accident, but it may well have been. All I remember was hearing him talk about a new album with Anneke and my fanboner must have stopped me from caring about anything else he said in that tweet/post/whatever.

I'm not sure if I would call it an accident necessarily. I think it was more that he came up with a few "poppy" metal songs and decided to pursue that direction further. The album is too focused for me to believe that it all came together accidentally. Devin is candid enough about his work process though that I imagine he's given a clear explanation somewhere.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Dancing all into whatever
Post by: TioJorge on July 27, 2014, 07:32:11 PM
Save Our Now has recently become one of my favorites, perhaps my favorite off Epicloud. I hadn't listened to Epicloud for quite some time before this and it caught me by surprise how much I liked it. I mean I had always liked it but now I've got blood rushing to my penis.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Dancing all into whatever
Post by: jingle.boy on July 28, 2014, 05:33:02 AM
Just listened to the main album, and am now spinning Epiclouder.  Very nice.  Anneke is a little more restrained, but still a gem to listen to.  This seems to me like a perfect blend of metal and mellow, and it's really nice.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Dancing all into whatever
Post by: Ultimetalhead on July 28, 2014, 08:46:26 AM
Save Our Now has recently become one of my favorites, perhaps my favorite off Epicloud. I hadn't listened to Epicloud for quite some time before this and it caught me by surprise how much I liked it. I mean I had always liked it but now I've got blood rushing to my penis.
Save Our Now was one of my favorites since the beginning. Absolutely love the chorus. Another highlight is the growl that punctuates the intro riff when the loud part kicks in. It's kind of hard to hear, but it's definitely there.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Dancing all into whatever
Post by: KevShmev on July 28, 2014, 08:52:51 AM
The beginning of Save Our Now is probably my favorite moment from the entire Epicloud album, and one of Devin's best moments ever.  When the entire band kicks in, the combination of the playing and Anneke's wordless vocals make you feel as if you are floating over the clouds.  Totally bad ass. :hefdaddy :hefdaddy
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Dancing all into whatever
Post by: Ben_Jamin on July 28, 2014, 09:27:32 AM
I always thought the lyric was "Dancing on into an ever effervescent quality". I dont know what sounds stupid.
But then again, "effervescense" is "the escape of gas from an aqueous solution and the foaming or fizzing that results from a release of the gas".


so

According to the cd booklet, in Effervescent and True North it does say "dancing all into an ever", while Angel it says "whatever"
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Dancing all into whatever
Post by: TioJorge on July 28, 2014, 12:05:33 PM
Just now listening to the Epicloud bonus tracks... Wow! Cry Forever has got an awesome feel to it, I love that operatic heaviness. Take My Ego is pretty cool, this one will take a couple more listens to get into more.

ed: Oh wow, the book totally does say 'ever'. But I hear 'whenever' very clearly...and no, it isn't because I originally thought it was 'whenever'. I'm pretty horrible at deciphering people's annunciations while singing, but I still hear 'whenever' even when thinking it's 'ever' after reading the lyric...if that makes any sense. A lot of times once I see the lyric...I'll 'say' the word in my head while the singer is singing and it'll help to hear the pronounced word if I can't quite decipher it well. I definitely hear 'whenever/whatever'. That said, there's been more than a handful of occasions in which a lyric book either has a line that was 'cut' (or is just not said...? thinking of a Dream Theater song but can't remember which one) or simply wrong. *shrug*

eded: I think my favorites are tied between Cry Forever, Save Our Now, Quietus, Happy Birthday, The Mind Wasp (especially the latter half), and Where We Belong.  :biggrin:
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Dancing all into whatever
Post by: Ultimetalhead on July 28, 2014, 05:15:55 PM
That's very interesting on the lyrics. I never thought to check the booklet (because lolme), but every lyric site I confirmed with said that it was "dancing all into whenever." Oh well, I'm not right all the time despite what Tio thinks.  :P

Epiclouder is a wonderful collection of bonus material, for sure. It's probably my favorite "disc" of bonus songs, though many of my favorites lie elsewhere (Juno). I haven't spent enough time with the vinyl bonus or the iTunes or whatever bonuses to formulate an opinion on them though. Socialization is an epic song, and I'm also especially fond of Quietus, Love Tonight, and Whoa No!. I like how Heatwave is kind of a spiritual successor to Trainfire (which is also a precursor to Casualties, as it turns out).
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Dancing all into whatever
Post by: Buddyhunter1 on July 28, 2014, 05:39:39 PM
Epiclouder's got some great stuff on it. What really makes it interesting is that it's got a good deal of stuff with a completely different vibe than the main disc... Quietus and The Mind WASP, for example, are both awesome songs that wouldn't sound out of place at all on Ki.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Dancing all into whatever
Post by: TioJorge on July 28, 2014, 05:43:38 PM
Agreed on all accounts!

While we're on the subject of bonus devies, I really love the very...ethereal, techno-punkish, ambiance-driven run of Locate - Echo - Assignable from AE's bonus.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Dancing all into whatever
Post by: Ben_Jamin on July 28, 2014, 10:52:32 PM
Agreed on all accounts!

While we're on the subject of bonus devies, I really love the very...ethereal, techno-punkish, ambiance-driven run of Locate - Echo - Assignable from AE's bonus.

I love that a lot as well. I'd like to see him explore that more.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Dancing all into whatever
Post by: Cruithne on July 29, 2014, 03:49:38 AM
Well, I'm a long way behind for one reason or another... so in short:

Addicted: The start and finish of the album are good, but the mid section of the album is incredible. On the basis of tracks such as Christeen, Sunshine & Happiness, The Fluke, etc... I'd wanted Dev to do an album like this and when he finally did he knocked it out of the park!
Deconstruction: It's the aural equivalent of going through a car wash without the car. Intense. Almost impenetrable. Absurdly brilliant.
Ghost: Not my thing and I knew it wouldn't be. It's pleasant enough but I rarely ever listen to this kind of music so I don't get much value from it.
Epicloud: Mixed. There are some great tracks (Grace, particularly) but there's several anodyne tracks too. I did listen to the whole album quite a lot on its release, but it's one of those albums where over time it's become clear that I'm unlikely to ever bother listening to in its entirety again.

Just now listening to the Epicloud bonus tracks... Wow! Cry Forever has got an awesome feel to it, I love that operatic heaviness. Take My Ego is pretty cool, this one will take a couple more listens to get into more.

Dammit... I have the a version of Epicloud with the Epiclouder bonus disc and wasn't even aware those two tracks existed :-\
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Dancing all into whatever
Post by: Ben_Jamin on July 29, 2014, 10:07:52 AM
Well, I'm a long way behind for one reason or another... so in short:

Addicted: The start and finish of the album are good, but the mid section of the album is incredible. On the basis of tracks such as Christeen, Sunshine & Happiness, The Fluke, etc... I'd wanted Dev to do an album like this and when he finally did he knocked it out of the park!
Deconstruction: It's the aural equivalent of going through a car wash without the car. Intense. Almost impenetrable. Absurdly brilliant.
Ghost: Not my thing and I knew it wouldn't be. It's pleasant enough but I rarely ever listen to this kind of music so I don't get much value from it.
Epicloud: Mixed. There are some great tracks (Grace, particularly) but there's several anodyne tracks too. I did listen to the whole album quite a lot on its release, but it's one of those albums where over time it's become clear that I'm unlikely to ever bother listening to in its entirety again.

Just now listening to the Epicloud bonus tracks... Wow! Cry Forever has got an awesome feel to it, I love that operatic heaviness. Take My Ego is pretty cool, this one will take a couple more listens to get into more.

Dammit... I have the a version of Epicloud with the Epiclouder bonus disc and wasn't even aware those two tracks existed :-\

They're itunes exclusive bonus tracks. Take My Ego is way worth it.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Dancing all into whatever
Post by: jingle.boy on July 29, 2014, 12:30:20 PM
They're itunes exclusive bonus tracks. Take My Ego is way worth it.

And not so exclusively available on Spotify.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Dancing all into whatever
Post by: Ben_Jamin on July 29, 2014, 02:02:20 PM
They're itunes exclusive bonus tracks. Take My Ego is way worth it.

And not so exclusively available on Spotify.

Oh, I wouldn't know because I don't use spotify.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Dancing all into whatever
Post by: Sacul on July 29, 2014, 02:26:40 PM
Just listened to Epicloud, and it was quite cool, specially Hold On.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Dancing all into whatever
Post by: hefdaddy42 on August 02, 2014, 05:37:01 AM
Just finished Epicloud.  Wow, that was glorious!  One of my favorites from Devin!
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Dancing all into whatever
Post by: jingle.boy on August 02, 2014, 07:38:06 AM
It's up there, and I'll call it purchase worthy - along with the bonus material.  I'm still partial to Infinity and Addicted.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Dancing all into whatever
Post by: KevShmev on August 02, 2014, 09:08:45 AM
Devin does catchy metal really well, which is why Addicted and Epicloud are both so awesome. :metal
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Dancing all into whatever
Post by: Ultimetalhead on August 02, 2014, 09:47:37 AM
For sure! Love those albums. Casualties is coming today or tomorrow.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Dancing all into whatever
Post by: Nel on August 02, 2014, 03:40:21 PM
Going to order it. Didn't trust the Amazon sellers (2-disc version was listed as Casualties of Coola), so Omerch here I come from.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And so it goes
Post by: Ultimetalhead on August 03, 2014, 09:12:09 AM
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/05/Casualties_of_Cool.jpg)

Casualties of Cool is the final stop on our extensive look into the mind of Devin Townsend (for now). It’s a bit of an anti-climatic ending, considering all the intense, layered music we’ve been exposed to on this little trip. Casualties is quite possibly the most unique album in Townsend’s entire discography. Much like Ghost, there isn’t a trace of metal to be found anywhere, but there were plenty of the trademark Devin atmospherics, just fed through a different aesthetic. Casualties is a similar concept to Ghost, but instead of soft ambient as the main theme, it’s a bizarre form of Johnny Cash-esque country. At first glance, this album seems so far removed from Devin’s body of work (his name doesn’t appear on the cover at all). However, this is still unmistakably Devin Townsend.

I’ll be honest, I didn’t “get” this album until a few days ago hearing Devin’s commentary over it. I’ve been listening to it on and off since it came out, but I never got much out of it other than a thought of “this is nice” and prompt loss of interest. And I thought for a while, hell, maybe this album just isn’t for me. Devin said himself that he couldn’t give a fuck if people enjoy this album or not, and it was an album he had to make for himself. He’s been saying that since it was announced, and that’s totally okay. I don’t have to like Casualties. Nobody does. Fortunately, the tide has turned significantly, and now I consider it to be worthy of being examined to the level of all the previous works.

The first tidbit of information we had on Casualties came from Devin himself, calling it “haunted Johnny Cash songs.” And there’s really no other way to describe it. Sure, you could call it “atmospheric ambient country” but what the fuck does that even sound like? Anyway, the country twang is rather present throughout the album, but there are several songs that sound more like Ki (think Terminal or Lady Helen) such as Flight, Bones, and The Bridge. I find myself enjoying the songs without the twang a bit more, though even the ones that are overtly “twangy” are lovely. The Code has a stomping rhythm to it, Daddy has a nice banjo-like guitar line running throughout, and Mountaintop could be the most “country” song here with its distinctly “Rawhide” feel. Still, Mountaintop’s highlight comes in the utterly beautiful chorus.

Really, that’s what Casualties is all about, for me. There are moments of such incredible beauty littered throughout this album that it’s impossible to dismiss. Casualties is a very lengthy statement, and since the whole album relies on the atmospheric country idea, it can run together a bit. Personally, I liked it a lot more after hearing Devin’s commentary over it explaining the “story” of the album. Basically, it goes that an artist floating through space lands on some planet because he hears the voice of a woman (assumed to be Che). He’s almost possessed by her, and is desperate to find her. He later finds out that the voice is merely coming from an old radio, and the planet is made of the bones of other travelers taken in by the voice. He then finds a phonograph with a message from the voice: “Don’t give up. You can get out.” He then builds a bridge out of the bones and lived happily ever after. It’s convoluted and tough to see how the story flows from song-to-song, but that’s fairly typical of Devin’s concept albums.

Che really makes this album especially special. I enjoyed her work on Ki well enough, but she absolutely steals the spotlight on Casualties, much like Anneke on Addicted. Any time Devin mentions working with Anneke, I get excited based on the premise alone. After hearing how well Che sings on Casualties, I’m extremely stoked for future collaborations. Judging by how well Casualties has been received, I’m sure we’ll see more.

A little addendum that I couldn’t fit anywhere else: Bones is the most beautiful song I’ve ever heard, bar none. Seriously, that shit actually reduced me to tears. That’s never happened before, ever.

We’ll take about a week on Casualties, and then I’ll write up a little retrospective.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And so it goes
Post by: Konrad on August 03, 2014, 10:42:56 AM
Casualties got me in the first listen. It's just perfect  :heart
Ranks my top 5 all time favs
 
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And so it goes
Post by: KevShmev on August 03, 2014, 11:22:08 AM
I like Casualties of Cool a lot, but like Ghost, it is already very much of a mood record for me, meaning I'll only listen to it at specific times (like before bed, when I want to relax, etc.).  It won't become a default "go-to" Devin album for me, like Terria, Addicted and Epicloud all are, but that doesn't make it any less good.

Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And so it goes
Post by: Onno on August 03, 2014, 12:44:21 PM
Right when it came out, CoC jumped into my top 5 (and possible top 3) of favourite Devin albums. I absolutely love it  :heart

That said, I seemed to recall that the main character dies while building the bridge, but due to his effort his spirit and the woman's spirit are freed and they proceed to some kind of afterlife together. I believe Devin said that in one of the Pledge update videos for this album.

Anyway, just everything on CoC is PERFECT. Che's vocals are astonishing, and fit the music even better than Devin's sometimes. The drumming by Morgan Agren is very well done and really fits the 'country' theme without being too standard or simplistic. The sax that sometimes comes in (the sax player from Shining played on CoC) is an amazing fit!
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And so it goes
Post by: TioJorge on August 03, 2014, 01:24:49 PM
Great write up, per norm! This is one that I connected with from the immediate get-go. I utterly adore the sound that he's created, and despite my immense, vehement abhorrence of anything country, somehow he has made a glaring exception in this case for me. I honestly don't see this as even being 'country', which is very odd because it does have an unmistakable, as you said, 'twang' but without being so completely cheesy, daft and repetitious as I find most country songs to be (please, country fans (the two of you here), don't even comment...to each their own). There's this awesome foreboding dread throughout the album that is so fucking sexy. It's indescribable and I love it. I couldn't agree more though on the fact that the commentary made the whole project come into clear view, it's so nice hearing Devy's thoughts and explanations on certain nuances of the album and his favorite moments, the story, production...it's awesome. This is one of my favorites from the man and Che' and I really hope they work together again in the future as well. I'd love that. I don't do rankings anymore, but if I did, this one would undoubtedly be up at the top no matter what day it is.

I'm really hoping you'll do at least a paragraph on the extras (maybe even the pledge exclusives?). I find it fascinating that Thing came out of these sessions and I'm wondering how the fuck that happened.  :lol It's just too bad there's so little info on it right now.

Awesome stuff, Ulti; thank you for taking the time to do this. It's great and I'm getting more and more into Devy because of it (which I didn't think was possible).
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And so it goes
Post by: Ultimetalhead on August 03, 2014, 02:34:51 PM
That said, I seemed to recall that the main character dies while building the bridge, but due to his effort his spirit and the woman's spirit are freed and they proceed to some kind of afterlife together. I believe Devin said that in one of the Pledge update videos for this album.
That sounds familiar too. I must have misremembered.

Awesome stuff, Ulti; thank you for taking the time to do this. It's great and I'm getting more and more into Devy because of it (which I didn't think was possible).
That was the idea.  ;D I of course had a legitimate excuse to revisit his whole discography, and I'm definitely glad I did. So much good music.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And so it goes
Post by: The King in Crimson on August 03, 2014, 04:41:23 PM
Not really a fan of Casualties honestly. Too much of it simply runs together and is very samey, repetitive and hard to distinguish and when you have an album this long, that's just not good. I have the same problem with Ghost in that it's 'pretty' (or sometimes very pretty) but it's just too long and, as a result, just fades into the background after a while. I'm not sad or angry that I pledged for this, but I kinda wish that I'd pledged less. The bonus tracks are not, overall, as interesting as the main album and kind of fit in the same mold. A few standout as not being very Casualties-y but this is not a  case like with Epiclouder where the bonus tracks don't really fit in with the sound of Epicloud but are still fairly good in their own ways. The Casualties bonus tracks are just more of the same and, if I ever want to listen to this, I'll go for main album as that's where the true quality is. No way I'm spending two and a half hours to listen to both. The songs that jump out to me the most are "Daddy," "Moon," "The Code," "Bones" and "The Bridge."

Overall, interesting idea for an album but that's the best I can say about it. Very much not for me.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And so it goes
Post by: PolarizeMe on August 03, 2014, 08:35:09 PM
Casualties surprised me to be honest. It surprised me by how much I love it. Don't play it often to be honest, but I feel rewarded everytime I do listen to it. For me at least, it sounded a nice hybrid between the cool and darkness that Ki had with the pretty-ness and ambience of Ghost. On the main disc, "Flight", "Mountaintop", "Moon"/"Pier", "Ether", "Forgive Me", and "Bones" are the standout tracks IMO. On the bonus disc, I really loved "Aquarius", "Perspective", and the three song suite of "Drained", "Mend" and "Where You've Been". Possibly one of my top 5 favorite Dev albums, and as of right now it's still my favorite album of this year.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And so it goes
Post by: Genowyn on August 04, 2014, 10:01:46 AM
I tried to sit down and listen to Casualties but I couldn't get through it. I really hate country music (:lol), though I do like Trainfire quite a lot...
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And so it goes
Post by: Onno on August 04, 2014, 12:19:16 PM
I tried to sit down and listen to Casualties but I couldn't get through it. I really hate country music (:lol), though I do like Trainfire quite a lot...
How far did you get? IMO, the first few songs may be more like standard country but that certainly changes throughout the album.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And so it goes
Post by: Shadow Ninja 2.0 on August 04, 2014, 12:23:19 PM
Maybe it's on account of living in Alabama, but honestly barely any of the album sounds like "country" to me.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And so it goes
Post by: Onno on August 04, 2014, 01:10:23 PM
Maybe it's on account of living in Alabama, but honestly barely any of the album sounds like "country" to me.
I think Daddy sounds like country, but different, and that's probably the most 'country' song on the record. The rest of the album does show a strong country influence but there's a shitload of stuff going on that just kicks it out of the country genre.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And so it goes
Post by: PROGdrummer on August 04, 2014, 06:27:09 PM
i love coc
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And so it goes
Post by: TioJorge on August 04, 2014, 06:32:23 PM
 :heart
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And so it goes
Post by: ZKX-2099 on August 05, 2014, 09:36:03 AM
Casualties surprised me to be honest. It surprised me by how much I love it. Don't play it often to be honest, but I feel rewarded everytime I do listen to it.

Ditto.

The end of Moon...

One of the few times sax hasn't annoyed me.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And so it goes
Post by: Scorpion on August 05, 2014, 11:27:53 AM
How is it possible for a song to be as beautiful as Bones arghhh
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And so it goes
Post by: Sacul on August 05, 2014, 09:20:17 PM
My first impressions were that this felt like Ghost, but with less layers and darker. And, to be honest, I fell that Ghost has more country than this :lol. It was a good listen, gill give it more attention.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And so it goes
Post by: Ben_Jamin on August 05, 2014, 09:58:12 PM
Casualties feels more bluesy to me.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And so it goes
Post by: Crow on August 05, 2014, 10:26:56 PM
I still don't have casualties almost 3 months later :T
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And so it goes
Post by: Lucien on August 05, 2014, 10:32:13 PM
Hm...

I should come up with an order of albums by Devin Townsend to introduce a pop/rock/country fan so that they might eventually enjoy even the heaviest of his albums.

For instance, a country fan would enjoy Casualties first, then Ghost, then maybe Ki, etc. etc. going in order from lightest to heaviest, so you could introduce anyone to Devin Townsend and maybe have them enjoy it. Kind of an interesting idea.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And so it goes
Post by: PROGdrummer on August 07, 2014, 04:49:49 PM
What will become of this thread when Z2 and DTP #6 come out? Will there be any big analysis and discussion here?
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And so it goes
Post by: KevShmev on August 07, 2014, 04:55:52 PM
So, uh, did we rank the albums discussed in this thread yet?  Seems like the right time to do it, now that we're caught up (until the next one comes out).  I can't rank Casualties yet...still too soon.  But as for the rest...

1 Terria
2 Addicted
3 Ocean Machine
4 Epicloud
5 Ghost
6 Infinity
7 Synchestra
8 Ki
9 Deconstruction
10 Ziltoid
11 Acceleration Evolution
12 Physicist

It's a mark of how good most of his stuff is that an album as strong as AE is only my 11th favorite out of 12.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And so it goes
Post by: Shadow Ninja 2.0 on August 07, 2014, 05:18:24 PM
Ranking the ones I have

Ki
Ocean Machine
Terria
Deconstruction
Ghost
Addicted
Epicloud
Ziltoid
Synchestra
Infinity

Though honestly, there's not a lot of space between them, the only one I'm not really crazy about is Infinity. It's a bit early for Casualties, but right now, it'd probably be in between Ghost and Decon.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And so it goes
Post by: Buddyhunter1 on August 07, 2014, 06:09:56 PM
Oh my, it's that time already?
I figured we would wait until the closing update. :lol

1: Deconstruction
2: Addicted
3: Epicloud
4: Ki
5: Accelerated Evolution
6: Ocean Machine: Biomech
7: Terria
8-9: Ghost / Casualties Of Cool (still too soon to decide between the two)
10: Ziltoid
11: Synchestra
12: Infinity
13: Physicist
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And so it goes
Post by: Sacul on August 07, 2014, 07:03:00 PM
Awesome Stuff

Ocean Machine
Infinity
Addicted!
Epicloud
Ghost


Interesting

Terria
Accelerated Evolution
Casualties of Cool
Deconstruction


Not-so-good/boring

Ki
Physicist
Synchestra
Ziltoid


These last ones are tied, because they bore me enough to give them a proper listen :lol
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And so it goes
Post by: TioJorge on August 07, 2014, 07:34:55 PM
What will become of this thread when Z2 and DTP #6 come out? Will there be any big analysis and discussion here?

I'm guessing Ulti will do a separate thread. It'll probably take us a while to really let it sink in, and probably even longer for Ulti to truly see into it's soul hole. I wouldn't wanna rush something like this anyway.

I can't WAIT till it does release though.

I'm sure most of you know I don't like rankings anymore but I can give a general outline of what my absolute favorites are; the ones that my bipolar self won't change in a day's (or less) time.

Ocean Machine, Epicloud (I also count Epiclouder in this), Accelerated Evolution, Casualties of Cool, and Ki will always be my favorite DT albums. They're the ones that initially blew my world open and continue to do so. Especially Epicloud/er, those albums are definitely the ones that benefited the most from these discussions for me, without a doubt. It was fun and definitely insightful! I look forward to becoming addicted and discussing Z2 vs. DTP.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And so it goes
Post by: Onno on August 08, 2014, 01:26:44 AM
Pfff.... ranking these albums is so hard...

1. Ki
2. Ocean Machine: Biomech
3. Deconstruction
4. Casualties of Cool
5. Terria

6. Infinity
7. Accelerated Evolution
8. Ghost
9. Epicloud
10. Synchestra
11. Ziltoid the Omniscient
12. Addicted


13. Physicist

I'm really bad at ranking albums, and as a result 1-5 may swap from time to time, as may 6-12 :P
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And so it goes
Post by: Cruithne on August 08, 2014, 02:17:06 AM
Casualties feels more bluesy to me.

There's maybe country tropes in the guitar playing here and there, but the production and the vocal delivery is far removed from the country music I know (though being British I don't know that much...).

I like Casualties, but I could do without the second half of Pier, the second half of Deathscope, the whole of Hejda and the whole of Pure - i.e. anything where it's primarily atmospherics rather than a song. However, the album was almost worth the money just for Bones alone.

As for rankings:

1. Terria
2. Addicted
3. Ziltoid
4. Ki
5. Deconstruction
-----------------------
6. Epicloud
6= Ocean Machine
6= Physicist
6= Infinity
-----------------------
10. Casualties
11. Accelerated Evolution
12. Ghost
13. Synchestra
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And so it goes
Post by: Ultimetalhead on August 08, 2014, 03:21:22 PM
Oh my, it's that time already?
I figured we would wait until the closing update. :lol
That was the idea, but hey fire away. I'll just post mine on the 10th and wrap it up.

What will become of this thread when Z2 and DTP #6 come out? Will there be any big analysis and discussion here?

I'm guessing Ulti will do a separate thread. It'll probably take us a while to really let it sink in, and probably even longer for Ulti to truly see into it's soul hole. I wouldn't wanna rush something like this anyway.
Eh, I dunno. I might post a review in here after it's been out for a while and I've truly dissected every single note, but I may end up just posting that in the general Devin thread.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And so it goes
Post by: The King in Crimson on August 08, 2014, 06:16:28 PM
1. Terria
2. Ocean Machine
3. Synchestra
4. Addicted
------------------
5. Deconstruction
6. Ki
7. Accelerated Evolution
8. Epicloud
9. Infinity
------------------
10. Ziltoid
11. Casualties of Cool
12. Ghost
13. Physicist

Something like that.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And so it goes
Post by: weirdo on August 09, 2014, 01:00:54 AM
For those who like the ghost-y, more atmospheric stuff, I thought this was absolutely beautiful: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AetYZ4Tzzk&list=UU8KIhclVaK0Des9uMrJlt1w
It's from Devin's youtube channel. There's a lot of interesting stuff there  ;)

Also, www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBXQI2FLEu0&index=86&list=UU8KIhclVaK0Des9uMrJlt1w

-------------------------------------

From the albums I own:
1.Deconstruction
2.Terria
3.AE
4.Addicted
5.Infinity
6.Epicloud/-er

Never cared that much of the stuff with Anneke  :-\. Epicloud could be a step higher, haven't listened to that one lately.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And so it goes
Post by: jingle.boy on August 09, 2014, 05:39:49 AM
Well... I didn't know any Devy (outside of a couple of songs I heard on ProgNation at Sea) before this.  But because of this thread I've purchased:

Infinity
Terria
Accelerated Evolution
Synchestra

And will be purchasing Addicted.

So, mission accomplished I suppose.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And so it goes
Post by: hefdaddy42 on August 09, 2014, 06:09:02 AM
Just finished Casualties of Cool.  Very nice, definitely un-Devin-ish. 

But there's plenty of country-ish stuff there.  It's not reminiscent of what passes for country currently (which is mostly just pop with a Southern accent), but the drum patterns played with brushes and guitar patterns SCREAM classic country.  The comment about Johnny Cash definitely rings true, as regards that stuff.

Anyway, fantastic album.  This guy can apparently do anything.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And so it goes
Post by: Ben_Jamin on August 09, 2014, 11:21:02 AM
I'm missing 3 albums:

1. Epicloud/er
2. Addicted
3. Ocean Machine
4. Casualties of Cool
5. Ki
6. Ziltoid
7. Synchestra
8. Ghost
9. Deconstruction
10. Accelerated

I enjoy them all so this means nothing. 
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And so it goes
Post by: PROGdrummer on August 09, 2014, 01:38:25 PM
God Tier
Ghost
Deconstruction
Epicloud(er)
Ki

Awesome Tier
Addicted
Casualties of Cool
Ziltoid
Accelerated Evolution

Pretty Good Tier
Terria
Ocean Machine

Poop Tier
Physicist
 
Still haven't heard yet
Synchestra
Infinity
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And so it goes
Post by: Scorpion on August 09, 2014, 01:51:42 PM
1. Terria
2. Ocean Machine: Biomech
3. Ki
4. Casualties of Cool
5. Epicloud+Epiclouder
6. Addicted
7. Infinity
8. Accelerated Evolution
9. Ghost
10. Synchestra
11. Deconstruction
12. Ziltoid the Omniscient
13. Physicist

That was hard. Anything up to Deconstruction I'd call at least a "good album", with ZTO and Physicist being the only ones of his albums that I'd call "meh" or worse.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And so it goes
Post by: TioJorge on August 09, 2014, 08:16:16 PM
Oh my fuckin COD, PROG! HOW COULD YOU!? The ocean...it will swallow you.



...


...


 :hat :coolio

No but really I can't imagine anyone thinking that Ocean Machine is anything but the biggest and perkiest of tits. And they make you toasted ham and cheese sandwiches.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. And so it goes
Post by: KevShmev on August 09, 2014, 11:33:39 PM
Terria and Ocean Machine both being called just "pretty good" looks pretty goofy to me, too, but to each his own, right?  Most of his albums are so damn good that it's inevitable that some will prefer some of the others.   :metal
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Welcome Home Ladies and Gentlemen
Post by: Ultimetalhead on August 10, 2014, 09:06:09 AM
Well, it's been quite a journey indeed. Finally, we've come to a close. I'm very happy with all the people who have just now been exposed to the awesomeness of Devy. I find myself wishing I would have put some sort of ranking at the beginning of the thread to see if all the relistening and writing changed my opinions at all, but I didn't. Oh well.

1. Deconstruction
2. Addicted
3. Ocean Machine: Biomech
4. Infinity
5. Terria
6. Ki
7. Accelerated Evolution
8. Synchestra
9. Epicloud
10. Casualties of Cool
11. Ghost
12. Ziltoid
13. Physicist

Woot. Thanks all for following.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Welcome Home Ladies and Gentlemen
Post by: hefdaddy42 on August 10, 2014, 02:53:30 PM
Thanks for the journey, UM!
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Welcome Home Ladies and Gentlemen
Post by: Podaar on August 11, 2014, 11:29:15 AM
Thanks for this thread Ultimetalhead!!  :hefdaddy

I'm still following your write-ups as I have time to listen to albums. I haven't been commenting because, well, I'm so far back that it would be out of context at this point. Now that the tread is done though, I may offer my opinion as I develop them.

You really set a high benchmark for this format. Thanks again!
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Dancing all into whatever
Post by: IKnow on August 17, 2014, 04:59:10 AM
They're itunes exclusive bonus tracks. Take My Ego is way worth it.

And not so exclusively available on Spotify.
Cry Forever and Take My Ego on Spotify? They're not there for me. Cry Forever is an amazing track.

Great write-ups Ultimetalhead, really well written. Can't wait for Z2 now ;D
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. Welcome Home Ladies and Gentlemen
Post by: ZKX-2099 on August 17, 2014, 06:43:15 AM
Still needs some SYL and Punky.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. 'Cause there is always time...
Post by: Ultimetalhead on June 01, 2016, 06:07:40 AM
Back from the deaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaadddddddddd.............

Okay so since Z2's been out for almost two years, I feel like I can write about it with as little bias as possible now that my feelings about it have finally settled down, so here we go.

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d1/Devin_Townsend_Z2_cover.jpg)

Before its release, Z2 was subject to the highest level of hype I've ever witnessed for a new Devy album. And frankly, why the hell not? Ziltoid was single-handedly responsible for introducing a multitude of fans to the world of Townsend with its endlessly quotable dialogue and musical-like structure. While I don't really think Ziltoid holds up all that well today, it's still a fine album with a lot of nice songs, and the dialogue has actually aged better than the music (which seems backwards). People were fired up for more antics from the zany coffee-loving alien with more of the presumably psychotic music. I know my mental image of the Ziltoid portion of Z2 was basically Deconstruction with less orchestration and more Ziltoid. Sounds great, bring it.

And then we found out it would be a double album! How could one possibly handle 2 discs full of Ziltoid? We wouldn't have to. Turned out, the first disc would be another album in the vein of Addicted and Epicloud. Definitely nothing wrong with that. It's a little weird that Devin was going to basically go back to back to back with similar stylistic inclination, but fine. We're all here for Ziltoid anyway, right?

So here we are. Z2 is upon us. Split into two halves: A DTP album called Sky Blue and a Ziltoid album called Dark Matters (a song from Ghost, which always kind of bothered me because I'm petty). Not to speak for the whole group, but I feel like most people felt that Sky Blue didn't do enough to set itself apart from the previous 2 "catchy pop metal" albums, and the Ziltoid portion was just kind of a flop altogether. And honestly, it's kind of hard to disagree with that. I'm going to attempt to analyze it as a piece of the discography, while also attempting to explain why it may have been poorly received. We'll hit them both separately as they are very separate beasts.

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e4/Sky_Blue_%28Album_Cover%29.jpg)

To get my opinion out of the way first, I think Sky Blue is awesome. It's full of majestic, swooping brilliance with some real heaviness to back up the melodies. The atmosphere and "scope" of the thing is one area where it really succeeds. There are parts of Sky Blue that are absolutely monumental. The bridge of A New Reign gets stuck in my head constantly, Midnight Sun comes close to Synchestra territory, and Before We Die might be my favorite chorus in his entire line of work. Even the soft songs towards the end work a lot better than their counterparts from the past. Forever is much more memorable than a song like Divine. Having an interesting chord progression certainly helps. And I really love how it flows into Before We Die.

On the opposite side, I think Rain City is kind of a dud, which is a major bummer considering it takes up 8 minutes of the album's relatively short runtime. And I also think it flows like absolute piss. He stacked all the exciting, uptempo songs at the beginning, leaving the last four songs to plod along at practically the same tempo. Before We Die is plenty epic on its own, but imagine how much more impact it would have if Rain City was cut in half or didn't exist at all. Sky Blue was already at risk of becoming the forgotten other half of Z2, but its lack of album flow really cemented its permanent status as a collection of B-sides from Epicloud. And the actual collection of B-sides from Epicloud had better flow. Really weird.

Again, I love these songs. I think they suffer from an unfortunate release time. If these songs came out before Addicted or Epicloud they would probably be life-changing. But there's just nothing new or particularly exciting to a seasoned fan. Now for the really bad news. Remember earlier where I said Sky Blue might become the forgotten half of Z2?

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/2d/Dark_Matters_%28Album_Cover%29.jpg)

Man, what happened here? I think most people would agree this was actually a pretty colossal letdown. I tried to defend it as long as I could, but it's become apparent that Dark Matters just isn't that great. And when I think of Z2, I think of Sky Blue. The alien doesn't even cross my mind. That's kind of terrifying. Let's be clear, I still like this album. Some of the songs are quite good. But if you treat this as a single entity without Sky Blue to prop it up, it rivals Physicist for its sheer mediocrity.

Treating this like a musical, there's usually a story component and a music component, and it's usually way too fucking long. Fortunately, Dark Matters is a rather brief one. The story tries really hard to capture the absurdism and charm of the first Ziltoid, but it feels like it's trying a bit too hard. It starts off fine; Ziltoid steals a child from a massively dangerous alien and causes universal war. Sweet. From Wandering Eye forward, everything gets really stupid. I mean, Ziltoid's story in the original was massively contrived and nonsensical, but at least it had the cop out of it being a dream at the end. Dark Matters has no such cop out. It resolves itself very haphazardly with more things that make zero sense (MY BROTHAAAAA). But that's fine, we're here for the music right?

Oh dear. The music's not very good either. Certainly not enough to make up for the lackluster story. Again, there are some serious bright spots. The trio of War Princess, Deathray, and March of the Poozers is awesome, heavy, and exactly what we've come to expect from a heavy Devin Townsend album in the 2010s. And these are the songs where the story is least cringe-inducing. The rest of it is very forgettable. The intro drags along with brief flashes of brilliance (the mid-section of Ziltoidian Empire). And everything after March of the Poozers is so riddled with dialogue that it's impossible for the music to get anything accomplished. You'd think this would be fixed by listening to the raw version with no dialogue, but it's still not anything amazing. Dimension Z is a fine enough closing hymn, but the damage is done by this point.

Alright, so why? There's nothing really inherently BAD about anything I've said above. It's still a Devin Townsend album with all the trademarks therein. And it's a sequel to an album about a coffee-addicted sock puppet. What were we expecting? Philosophic brilliance? A monumental epic for the ages?

Of course we were! Ziltoid's cult following has exploded to a point where there was no way anything could ever live up to it. It was absolutely perfect for what it was, and a sequel should have never happened. The story was tied up beautifully. It wasn't open for any kind of expansion, and it just didn't need it. I'm about to go into a pretty long, heady rant about why it fails, so if you're not interested in an essay on THE GREATER IMPLICATIONS OF ART IN THE 21ST CENTURY then skip the fuck ahead past these next 2 paragraphs.

Here's the thing about art. It's no longer about what's pretty or interesting to the general public. Visual art has long abandoned that concept, and we're getting there on music as well. The only way you can analyze art anymore is with the following question: "Does the artist achieve their goal?" Obviously, you have to understand what the artist's goal is first. And that's why modern art is lost on most people. The question has to morph from "What the holy shit am I looking at/listening to?" to "Why do I feel this way and why did the person that created this monstrosity WANT me to feel this way?" If we can't decipher the artist's goal, bad art. If we can decipher the artist's goal and don't perceive the intended effect, bad art. Z2 falls into the latter category. The original Ziltoid had the benefit of a crucial artistic element: surprise. Ziltoid came out of nowhere. Devin's concept with Ziltoid was to do absolutely everything himself, and we got a cool story about an alien drinking coffee (which actually is a major allegory for the music industry and where Devin's live was at the time). He gave no shits and lived above Earth in a big rocketship. Goal achieved, brilliantly even. Ziltoid is in my bottom half of Devy albums, but it's still wonderful for what it is.

Now comes sequel-time! The kiss of perma-death for every art form. Now there's an expectation on both sides. Fans are expecting brilliance, and (warning I'm about to put words in the mouth of an artist which is bad but hear me out) Devin may well be expecting to be able to put out whatever he wants and have instant, permanent praise just for bearing the Ziltoid name. This rarely works out well. I'm not at all insinuating that Devy "phoned it in" or anything. I'm definitely insinuating that the expectations were completely unreachable. At the same time, there's quite a number of artistic missteps at play here. Dark Matters has barely any of the charm that made the original Ziltoid so great. And it has everything to do with the environment of its creation. ZTO was a very angry album. Devin was at wits end with having to do SYL even though he wasn't feeling the rage anymore, the DTB was permanently entrenched as SYL's little brother, and he was facing the crash that inevitably led to his sobriety. That's a lot of life happening all at once, and Ziltoid reflects it all perfectly. Things are a lot better now, which is great for him, but not so great for creating a sequel to an album that was made under drastically different circumstances. It's not Devin's fault in any way, shape, or form, but that's what happened. And the result is a pretty mediocre offering in a consistently excellent discography.

Wow, sorry about that. I really needed to let that out. Z2 is a decent album let down by astronomical expectations and rather unfortunate timing. Both discs suffer from the "more of the same" disease and while many of the individual songs stand out, the flow is almost non-existent for both sides. It's very okay.

See you in another 2-ish years for Transcendence.  :P
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. 'Cause there is always time...
Post by: Scorpion on June 01, 2016, 06:22:35 AM
I... basically agree with everything that you wrote. Dark Matters is really just shockingly mediocre. I would have ranked it below Physicist if it didn't have the saving grace of March of the Poozers and War Princess.

Sky Blue is pretty awesome, though. I do agree that it's impact is lessened by the fact that it's the third in a string of similar-sounding albums, but all the songs range from good to amazing. I do really like Rain City though and the flow doesn't really bother me at all - I like how it begins with so much energy and then gradually winds down. It probably helps that the 1-2 punch of Forever / Before We Die is probably among the best in Devin's discography.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. 'Cause there is always time...
Post by: jakepriest on June 01, 2016, 07:10:52 AM
Sky Blue is a pretty good album, on equal standings with Addicted and Epicloud.
I agree with pretty much everything you said about Dark Matters, except that I absolutely despise Deathray and like the Earth - Ziltoid Goes Home duo the most.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. 'Cause there is always time...
Post by: Sacul on June 01, 2016, 08:24:39 AM
I found both of these to be rather forgettable and mediocre releases  :corn
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. 'Cause there is always time...
Post by: Adami on June 01, 2016, 08:29:45 AM
Really didn't care much for either, but I prefer Dark Matters by a small amount. Sky Blue really just feels like Dev said "well....this formula works, guess I'll just keep doing it over again". Dark Matters had some pretty cool musical moments, but the awful dialogue, lyrics and story just ruin it for me.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. 'Cause there is always time...
Post by: Metro on June 01, 2016, 08:47:17 AM
Z2 should have just been the Dark Matters disc and nothing else. Sky Blue should have been released last year to hold us over until Transcendence this year.

I loved Dark Matters at first and the songs do kick ass in a live setting(especially Poozers and ZGH) but it hasn't aged well for me. It does feel like Devin kinda forced himself to make the record and it shows especially in the plot of the story.(which seems like something my 5 year old cousin could write in 10 minutes) I'm not expecting a Battlestar Galactica or anything but I think he could have done better.
Musicwise, there's nothing that surprises me on the record. Even on my first listen I thought, "This sounds like typical Devin." I didn't even think there was such a thing as "Typical Devin", and it kinda disappointed me.
There are some great moments(the buildup in Earth, and Dimension Z) but there's nothing really new and nothing that makes me go "Holy Shit!" like Deconstruction or Z1 did.

Sky Blue on the other hand is great at some points, but it feels like Addicted and Epicloud's younger brother who desperately wants to be like his older brothers. There's too much open space in some parts of the record, mainly on the last half of the album, where the ambient outros go on forever. You could have fit at least 2 more songs on the album if you cut that out.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. 'Cause there is always time...
Post by: Adami on June 01, 2016, 08:58:49 AM
Totally agree with most of that.

Ziltoid (the first) had a story that was goofy and silly on a surface level, but was quite clearly about Dev's musical history, feelings of inadequacy and so forth. An oddly personal album for him.

Dark Matters is the goofy silly stuff but has nothing going on beneath it. 
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. 'Cause there is always time...
Post by: Onno on June 01, 2016, 09:42:21 AM
I really like Sky Blue. However, I think Dark Matters has a few very good moments but all in all, it's not nearly as interesting as the rest of his discography (even Physicist is way better than DM, apart from the production). I really like the first four songs on Dark Matters, especially From Sleep Awake. Deathray is one of my least favourite poppy Devin songs ever. MotP is very good and Earth is quite cool as well. Ziltoid Goes Home only has some very tight drumming to keep it interesting. Dimension Z makes up for a bit of it all but isn't good enough to be a total redemption.

I'm a huge Devin fan, but this is the first time one of his releases really let me down. And it's not even that bad, because the music isn't bad. Like I said, I really like Sky Blue and listen to it regularly. But Dark Matters is just really boring apart from a few moments/songs.

All in all, I guess I just agree with everything you said  :lol

Totally agree with most of that.

Ziltoid (the first) had a story that was goofy and silly on a surface level, but was quite clearly about Dev's musical history, feelings of inadequacy and so forth. An oddly personal album for him.

Dark Matters is the goofy silly stuff but has nothing going on beneath it. 

This is exactly my opinion. ZTO had so much more meaning and depth if you look past the silly story. DM just doesn't have that. I only hear a hint of that during Dimension Z and From Sleep Awake.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. 'Cause there is always time...
Post by: WebRaider on June 01, 2016, 10:47:52 AM
Roughly this is how I feel it went down. If you pay enough attention to Devin's interviews over the last several years it seems somewhat obvious to me that Devin had this idea of carrying out Ziltoid into this next level of realization with a full production/stage show thing cause of his obsession with The Dark Crystal and puppets.

He wanted to see it through to that and he seemed to realize with his growing popularity (which I don't think he's ever expected) that it was possible but he sort of funded that whole thing with the creation of Z2. I don't think he ever really had a well thought out Ziltoid album at that point. He just wanted to get it out so he could bring to fruition the whole Ziltoid stage show thing and it sort of shows.

 Meanwhile, I think his record company sort of was like yeah hey Dev if you could possibly also do some more of that Epicloud type thing while you're being your zany self with the Ziltoid thing. Now, I don't believe for a second that Devy would kowtow to a record company, but I think he probably had some material (or at least ideas) in that vein already available and realized it would help pacify the record company and also boost interest in the whole project. Sky Blue isn't bad but it feels like a continuation of Epicloud in many ways (and for me both pale slightly in comparison to Addicted) and it falls flat given that and added in with the bloat of the poor result of Dark Matters.

Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. 'Cause there is always time...
Post by: Ultimetalhead on June 01, 2016, 10:56:28 AM
Roughly this is how I feel it went down. If you pay enough attention to Devin's interviews over the last several years it seems somewhat obvious to me that Devin had this idea of carrying out Ziltoid into this next level of realization with a full production/stage show thing cause of his obsession with The Dark Crystal and puppets.

He wanted to see it through to that and he seemed to realize with his growing popularity (which I don't think he's ever expected) that it was possible but he sort of funded that whole thing with the creation of Z2. I don't think he ever really had a well thought out Ziltoid album at that point. He just wanted to get it out so he could bring to fruition the whole Ziltoid stage show thing and it sort of shows.

 Meanwhile, I think his record company sort of was like yeah hey Dev if you could possibly also do some more of that Epicloud type thing while you're being your zany self with the Ziltoid thing. Now, I don't believe for a second that Devy would kowtow to a record company, but I think he probably had some material (or at least ideas) in that vein already available and realized it would help pacify the record company and also boost interest in the whole project. Sky Blue isn't bad but it feels like a continuation of Epicloud in many ways (and for me both pale slightly in comparison to Addicted) and it falls flat given that and added in with the bloat of the poor result of Dark Matters.
Ah yes. You touched on something I kind of forgot about in the write up. The music and everything regarding the album seems kind of like an afterthought. He may well have seen it as an opportunity to go wild with the puppetry and the multimedia stuff (ZTV, the RAH show) and used the music as the means to the project. Usually projects like that work better when the music comes first, and the pageantry after (see: Retinal Circus).
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. 'Cause there is always time...
Post by: KevShmev on June 01, 2016, 01:59:58 PM
I agree about the Ziltoid sequel. Heck, I don't think the first is that great - it's really good, he has like 10 or so better - but Z2 was a major flop. I like Sky Blue a lot, even if it does have that "been there, done that" vibe.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. 'Cause there is always time...
Post by: jakepriest on June 01, 2016, 03:07:26 PM
I agree about the Ziltoid sequel. Heck, I don't think the first is that great - it's really good, he has like 10 or so better - but Z2 was a major flop. I like Sky Blue a lot, even if it does have that "been there, done that" vibe.

The first is a top 3 Devin album. And honestly, Z2 isn't half as bad as what you all make it out to be. It's okay for what it is, an over-the-top rock opera. It's nothing like the first Ziltoid, but it doesn't really have to be in order to stand as a sequel.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. 'Cause there is always time...
Post by: KevShmev on June 01, 2016, 03:35:45 PM
It's not bad; it's just there. Somewhat bland and mostly forgettable.

Sky Blue wouldn't come close to making my top 3. It's the 3rd best in that style, behind Addicted and Epicloud, and it can't touch Terria, Infinity, Ghost, Casualties of Cool or Ocean Machine.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. 'Cause there is always time...
Post by: Mosh on June 01, 2016, 06:04:23 PM
The downfall of Z2 is how calculated the whole thing was. Sky Blue was created at the request of the record company, although it's still a solid album and probably better reflects the sort of music Devin likes to make now anyway. Dark Matters also seems forced though. I think the fact that it took so long to make, given his known work ethic, should've been a hint that this wasn't something that came out naturally the way albums like Casualties, Epicloud, the first Ziltoid, Ki, etc came about. That's not to say albums that take a long time are automatically no good, but Devin is the kind of artist who works pretty quickly once inspiration hits. I get the impression that there was no inspiration for Dark Matters and he just sort of forced it out. It almost reminds me of the last couple of SYL albums, how they were made almost out of a feeling of obligation.

I have a ton of respect for Dev as an artist and I'm not really trying to hate on him or anything. I get why these albums were made. Dark Matters really seemed like a gift to the fans which makes it kind of sad how lukewarm the reception was and record company influenced albums are pretty unattractive but I get that the DTP is a source of income for a lot of the people involved. Somehow Sky Blue feels like the most genuine of the two anyway. I just hope if Dev pays attention to internet mumblings, he realizes that we like him best when he's doing whatever the fuck he wants. That is what drove so many people to him in the first place.

Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. 'Cause there is always time...
Post by: Ultimetalhead on June 02, 2016, 07:27:03 AM
I just hope if Dev pays attention to internet mumblings, he realizes that we like him best when he's doing whatever the fuck he wants. That is what drove so many people to him in the first place.
Nail, head, etc. You only need to compare the reception of Casualties vs. Z2 to find that. It's also what caused the original Ziltoid to be a success. No expectation, no compromise, and a creative drive.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. 'Cause there is always time...
Post by: Nihil-Morari on June 02, 2016, 10:33:39 AM
Yeah I love that part of him too. He feels like a modern day Zappa to me sometimes, but Zappa always did whatever the fuck he wanted, and Devin sometimes compromises, is seems. I'd love him to find a new creative goal, because of course, while it is easy to think 'well just do what you want', that is way harder than it sounds.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. 'Cause there is always time...
Post by: Onno on June 02, 2016, 12:53:31 PM
I'm not that familiar with how Zappa's career developed, but back then the music industry was a bit healthier for sure. I think most of the compromises Devin makes (I heard him saying in an interview that one of the reasons to continue doing DTP for him was having to pay the other musicians - he can't just take a year off doing some other records now) are related to him wanting to be sure he makes enough money to live and take care of his family.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. 'Cause there is always time...
Post by: Mosh on June 02, 2016, 04:54:40 PM
I think the major difference between Devin Townsend and Zappa is confidence. Zappa never seemed to second guess what he was doing. Devin comes off as a bit insecure sometimes and has had several well documented identity crises (I believe he's in the middle of another one right now). However usually once he gets over that he ends up putting out some of his best works (Infinity, Terria, the DTP).

The compromising is another big difference, Zappa would've never bent to his record company nor did he feel obligated to any of his bands. If the band wasn't rewarding, financially or artistically, he'd break it up. But Zappa did not have the financial limitations that Devin and his band have, which brings me to this:
I'm not that familiar with how Zappa's career developed, but back then the music industry was a bit healthier for sure. I think most of the compromises Devin makes (I heard him saying in an interview that one of the reasons to continue doing DTP for him was having to pay the other musicians - he can't just take a year off doing some other records now) are related to him wanting to be sure he makes enough money to live and take care of his family.

I wouldn't say it's because the music industry was healthier (I think Zappa definitely wouldn't have thought so) but because Zappa was just lucky enough to have some pretty major commercial success. Sure the majority of his music was as far from mainstream as you can get, but sometimes he played in the mainstream and had several pretty big hits. Most of the people in his bands also had outside record deals or other gigs outside of Zappa's band, or they went on to be even bigger after leaving (Steve Vai), which isn't true for Devin Townsend. Nobody really goes to see Devin to see who's in his band, unless it's Anneke. With Zappa the bands were just as legendary in a lot of cases.


Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. 'Cause there is always time...
Post by: WebRaider on October 11, 2016, 06:28:54 PM
And here is a direct answer from Devin about how Z2 went down and how he feels about it!

https://youtu.be/n5x-6Tc1WJg?t=22m18s
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. 'Cause there is always time...
Post by: Adami on October 11, 2016, 06:31:56 PM
And here is a direct answer from Devin about how Z2 went down and how he feels about it!

https://youtu.be/n5x-6Tc1WJg?t=22m18s

God damn I love how honest and authentic he is. I seriously can't imagine many musicians being so frank.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. 'Cause there is always time...
Post by: Mosh on October 11, 2016, 11:07:43 PM
I find it interesting that the album he had to force out is infinitely better than Dark Matters.

I've been really digging Transcendence lately. Much less contrived than the Z2 thing. You can tell he's more open to input from other band members now because it shows in the music.

Great clip btw, just watched the whole thing.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. 'Cause there is always time...
Post by: seasonsinthesky on October 12, 2016, 06:17:39 AM
I find it interesting that the album he had to force out is infinitely better than Dark Matters.

Dark Matters IS the one he was pushed into doing by the label. That's why he says in the guitar clinic that he just wanted to do ZTV, no album. Then when he was making the album, he needed to make something accessible too, so he basically had to push out Sky Blue as well. TL;DR: All of Z2 musically was forced in some way, whether it's direct from record label people or Dev himself.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. 'Cause there is always time...
Post by: Mosh on October 12, 2016, 12:11:28 PM
I'd like to know the timeline on that, because he was working on music for a Ziltoid sequel since before Epicloud. This was before the DTP really became a continuous project the way it is now.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. 'Cause there is always time...
Post by: TioJorge on October 12, 2016, 03:03:28 PM
Damn, well that's interesting...and makes sense. I don't abhor Z2 (or more specifically, DM; I still love Sky Blue a whole lot) nearly as much as many peeps here, but DM is definitely my least listened to album by the guys and that says enough as it is. I do still love the ever living hell out of March Of The Poozers. But the concept of the story is something I never cared about even with the first album, so that part didn't matter much. But then it's the music itself that does sound very uninspired. It's very clear when someone who is usually so heartfelt and inspired creates something that isn't quite coming from the heart.
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. 'Cause there is always time...
Post by: cramx3 on October 12, 2016, 03:21:45 PM
If the album was forced, and I am not arguing that since I watched that clip and he admits to it, then why did he perform the whole album live for RAH?  Seems like performing the first Ziltoid would have made more sense.  Especially since (at least here) it seems the second Ziltoid was not as popular (I agree with this). 
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. 'Cause there is always time...
Post by: jakepriest on October 12, 2016, 04:49:58 PM
If the album was forced, and I am not arguing that since I watched that clip and he admits to it, then why did he perform the whole album live for RAH?  Seems like performing the first Ziltoid would have made more sense.  Especially since (at least here) it seems the second Ziltoid was not as popular (I agree with this).

Because he wanted to promote the new album so it would get sales I guess.
The second setlist that the fans chose was the main selling point of the show to me anyway. (even if it was way too heavy on OM stuff)
Title: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. 'Cause there is always time...
Post by: Mosh on October 12, 2016, 05:44:17 PM
Well I think he wanted to put on a big stage show for it, that much comes across in the video clip. Watching that DVD it's clear that it was more about the overall production than the music.

Title: Re: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. 'Cause there is always time...
Post by: Ben_Jamin on October 12, 2016, 11:31:44 PM
In that video he says he originally just wanted to do a puppet show. And what's closest to a puppet show? A live show.
Title: Re: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. 'Cause there is always time...
Post by: jakepriest on October 13, 2016, 06:22:12 AM
In that video he says he originally just wanted to do a puppet show. And what's closest to a puppet show? A live show.

But he did the puppet show already. I really don't think that's the reason.