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General => General Music Discussion => Topic started by: Metro on March 13, 2023, 10:46:37 PM
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(https://i.imgur.com/DiyCWJ7.jpg)
Welcome to the Devin Townsend Discography Discussion Thread v2!
This is the second Discography Discussion Thread for Devin. The original (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=41621.0) was done by Ultimetalhead back in 2014-2016 and covered Devins main discography up to his 2014 double album, Z2.
Ultimetalhead did a great job(sidenote, what happened to him?), but I wanted to do my own take on this idea and cover EVERYTHING across all of his projects throughout the years. Not just the major releases. Were going back to the earliest recordings and covering every album, every EP, every demo, every live album, some stuff that has never been released, etc. Everything up to his most recent studio album, Lightwork.
I encourage everyone to listen along. Most of his major releases can probably be found on the music streaming app of your choice. Anything else can likely be found on YouTube. Dev is an artist with a very diverse and sometimes very divisive catalog. Not all of his music is for everyone. Even as a huge fan theres plenty of releases I dont care for. Nevertheless, Im gonna give every release its time in the sun. That doesnt mean each individual release will get its own post, some things will be lumped together.
The main focus is the music of course, but Im gonna present a bit of the history surrounding each release. In a way this will also be a biography of Devin. Im skipping the whole Dev was born in blah in 19blah and started playing blah in 19blah and getting right into his early work.
Table of Contents:
Chapter 1 (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=58218.msg2976581#msg2976581)
Ancient
Ass-Sordid Demos I: 1990-1996
Ass-Sordid Demos II: 1991-1992
Chapter 2 (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=58218.msg2977006#msg2977006)
Vai - Sex and Religion
IR8
Chapter 3 (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=58218.msg2977443#msg2977443)
Strapping Young Lad - Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing
Punky Brόster - Cooked on Phonics
Tree of the Sun / Blastula
Chapter 4 (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=58218.msg2977939#msg2977939)
Strapping Young Lad - City
Strapping Young Lad - No Sleep 'Till Bedtime: Live in Australia
Chapter 5 (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=58218.msg2978240#msg2978240)
Ocean Machine: Biomech
Chapter 6 (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=58218.msg2979237#msg2979237)
Guest Appearances and Other Stuff (1995-1997)
Chapter 7 (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=58218.msg2979326#msg2979326)
Infinity
Christeen + Four Demos EP
Official Bootleg 2000
Chapter 8 (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=58218.msg2980442#msg2980442)
Physicist
Chapter 9 (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=58218.msg2981335#msg2981335)
Terria
Chapter 10 (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=58218.msg2982935#msg2982935)
Guest Appearances and Other Stuff 2 (1998-2003)
Chapter 11 (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=58218.msg2983075#msg2983075)
Strapping Young Lad - Strapping Young Lad
Strapping Young Lad - Tour EP
Strapping Young Lad - For Those Aboot to Rock: Live at the Commodore
Chapter 12 (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=58218.msg2984760#msg2984760)
The Devin Townsend Band - Accelerated Evolution
Project EKO
Chapter 13 (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=58218.msg2986148#msg2986148)
Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel Soundtrack
Devlab
Chapter 14 (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=58218.msg2987353#msg2987353)
Strapping Young Lad - Alien
Chapter 15 (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=58218.msg2990247#msg2990247)
The Devin Townsend Band - Synchestra
The Devin Townsend Band - Safe Zone
Chapter 16 (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=58218.msg2991879#msg2991879)
Strapping Young Lad - The New Black
Strapping Young Lad - C:enter:### EP
Strapping Young Lad - Chaos Years
Chapter 17 (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=58218.msg2993443#msg2993443)
The Hummer
Guest Appearances and Other Stuff 3 (2004-2008)
Chapter 18 (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=58218.msg2994598#msg2994598)
Ziltoid the Omniscient
Chapter 19 (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=58218.msg2997064#msg2997064)
The Devin Townsend Project - Ki
Chapter 20 (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=58218.msg2998302#msg2998302)
The Devin Townsend Project - Addicted
The Devin Townsend Project - Live in the USA 2010
Chapter 21 (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=58218.msg3000310#msg3000310)
The Devin Townsend Project - Deconstruction
Chapter 22 (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=58218.msg3001927#msg3001927)
The Devin Townsend Project - Ghost
The Devin Townsend Project - Ghost 2
Unplugged
Chapter 23 (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=58218.msg3003606#msg3003606)
The Devin Townsend Project - By a Thread: Live in London 2011
Chapter 24 (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=58218.msg3005079#msg3005079)
The Devin Townsend Project - Contain Us
Chapter 25 (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=58218.msg3008928#msg3008928)
Guest Appearances and Other Stuff 4 (2009-2012)
Chapter 26 (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=58218.msg3014320#msg3014320)
The Devin Townsend Project - Epicloud
The Devin Townsend Project - Epiclouder
The Devin Townsend Project - The Retinal Circus
Chapter 27 (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=58218.msg3016174#msg3016174)
Casualties of Cool - Casualties of Cool
Casualties of Cool - Casualties of Cooler
Casualties of Cool - Live at Union Chapel
Chapter 28 (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=58218.msg3018346#msg3018346)
The Devin Townsend Project - Z²: Sky Blue
The Devin Townsend Project - Z²: Dark Matters
The Devin Townsend Project - Live at Loud Park 2013
The Devin Townsend Project - Ziltoid: Live at the Royal Albert Hall
Chapter 29 (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=58218.msg3019502#msg3019502)
Only Half There
Iceland
Chapter 30 (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=58218.msg3020373#msg3020373)
The Devin Townsend Project - Transcendence
The Devin Townsend Project - Holding Patterns
The Devin Townsend Project - Ocean Machine: Live at the Ancient Roman Theatre Plovdiv
Chapter 31 (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=58218.msg3021973#msg3021973)
Empath
Tests of Manhood
Acoustically Inclined: Live in Leeds
Order of Magnitude: Empath Live, Vol.1
Empath: Live in America
Chapter 32 (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=58218.msg3022895#msg3022895)
Quarantine Project
Devin Townsend Podcast
Quarantine Concert Series
Devolution Series
Guitar Improvisations
BBC Colours Soundtrack
Chapter 33 (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=58218.msg3023624#msg3023624)
Guest Appearances and Other Stuff 5 (2013-2021)
Chapter 34 (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=58218.msg3024570#msg3024570)
The Puzzle
Snuggles
DreamPeace
Chapter 35 (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=58218.msg3025847#msg3025847)
Lightwork
Nightwork
Chapter 36 (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=58218.msg3027410#msg3027410)
Etc.
The End.
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Looking forward to this! :metal
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Subscribed. Love the albums Ive paid attention to, many more I know little know about.
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Following
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Will participate!
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Hell yes! I will be following and listening along.
I don't know what happened to Ultimetalhead as he was a bit before my time on DTF I think. However his initial discography thread was instrumental in getting me into Devin and was one of the first instances where I realised that DTF was a place I'd need to keep coming back to.
If I remember rightly his favourite albums were Deconstruction and Addicted! Those write ups in particular were really in depth (no pressure dude) and helped me appreciate what Devy was doing.
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Following this. Definitely a fan but I know theres a lot of his work Ive never heard yet.
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Following! Devin is my favorite musician, easily. I don't love everything he's made but I always admire his commitment to following his own path, and his personality always shines through the music regardless of what style he's currently tackling. He's also released some of my favorite albums ever, as I'll call out when we get to them! :corn
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I love Ocean Machine and Ziltoid the Omniscient, and there's a few other songs that I know from Devin Townsend, but overall I've only heard a little bit of his discography.
I'll be following this (I might not comment much, but I'll definitely be reading it all), and hopefully my newfound obsession with Metallica doesn't keep me from listening along!
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As I mentioned in the tracker thread, I probably won't be able to do that much listening, but I'll definitely read everything and comment here and there. I used to be kind of obsessed with his work in the mid-late 00s, then burned out for quite awhile (right before Anneke joined one of his projects, doh!, so I didn't even know it was a thing for a number of years). My interest has perked back up again in the last few years though, and while I'm not as crazy about his newer material, I suspect some of it will grow on me. I want to dig into the Casualties of Cool project soon since someone sent Chι Aimee Dorval in my roulette. The amount of stylistic range Devin has is pretty insane, not many can do everything from ambient to whatever you want to call SYL and everything inbetween so convincingly, and still have it all sound like them.
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Take your seats everyone, class is about to begin...
Early Bands and Demos (1978-1992)
The earliest recordings of Devs music come from three sources:
Ancient - A compilation released in 2016 as a cassette and included with the special edition of his autobiography, Only Half There. It contains demos from his teenage years in the late 80s, recordings from his first band Grey Skies in 88, some live Strapping Young Lad tracks from 95, and some other miscellaneous demos.
(https://i.imgur.com/nOWufFI.png)
Tracklisting:
1. Demo: Age 14 with Brian Waddell and Ted Kamizato
2. Demo: Age 14
3. Demo Excerpt: Age 15 (Brian, Devin, Ted)
4. Black and White
5. Black Mountain Summit
6. Fever Dream
7. Voices in the Fan (94 Demo)
8. Come to the Edge
9. S.Y.L. (Live)
10. Home Nucleonics (Live)
11. Bodies 13 (Live)
12. Family Christmas
Ass-Sordid Demos I: 1990-1996 - Another compilation released independently in 2000 containing mostly solo demos by Dev.
(https://i.imgur.com/pTTWYym.jpg)
Tracklisting:
1. Man
2. Ocean Machines
3. Promise
4. LA
5. Morwar
6. Amsterdam
7. Red Tomorrow
8. My Girl
9. Roadkill
10. Thats Life
Ass-Sordid Demos II: 1991-1992 - Another compilation released independently in 2004 containing primarily material from two of Devs earliest projects: Grey Skies and Noisescapes.
(https://i.imgur.com/Yj06kHq.jpg)
Tracklisting:
1. Black and White
2. Bury the Wrong
3. San Pablo Train
4. Roadkill
5. Rain
6. Ascent to the Summit of Black Mountain
7. SunMud/Woman
8. I Am
9. Ernies Room
10. Friends
11. Thick Stock
12. Cold
13. Soft
14. Amsterdam
My goal is to present Devs music in chronological order. Unfortunately the tracks from these releases arent really organized in chronological order. Thus, theres gonna be some jumping around from album to album in this part of his discography, so bear with me.
Well touch on everything released on these compilations eventually, but lets start with the first three songs on Ancient, recorded in 1986/1987:
Demo: Age 14 with Brian Waddell and Ted
Demo: Age 14
Demo Excerpt: Age 15 (Brian, Devin, Ted)
These are demos featuring Dev on lead guitar, and childhood friends Brian Beav Waddell and Ted Kamizato on rhythm guitar and bass, respectively. The trio jams along to basic chord progressions with a drum machine while Dev solos overtop. The first Demo begins with a clip of Dev at age 6 on Christmas morning attempting to play a Violin.
Theres not much to say about these demos. Dev, like all guitarists during our teenage years, just wanted to shred shred and shred some more.
Theres another song on Ancient called Family Christmas(Track 12), which is credited to Strapping Young Lad, though that is definitely not correct. Its a recording of Devs family singing the Hank Williams Sr. song (I Heard That) Lonesome Whistle. No clue what year, but I would assume sometime in the 70s.
(https://i.imgur.com/PDBWycR.jpg)
Grey Skies
(https://i.imgur.com/TY1EHis.jpg)
Devs first real band was Grey Skies. Grey Skies was formed in 1988 after Dev submitted a demo tape of his own music as an audition for a Battle of the Bands competition. He was surprisingly accepted into the competition and scrambled to put together a band with some friends from high school to perform the material. Grey Skies did not win the Battle of the Bands, but continued to play live at parties and local venues. The band recorded a few songs at a basement studio in New Westminster called 12th Street Studios, funded by a friend of the band.
Grey Skies had a revolving lineup for live shows, featuring other classmates like Ted Kamizato, but the recorded material has this lineup:
Devin Townsend - Guitar/Vocals
Ken Flemming - Bass
Greg Price - Drums
(https://i.imgur.com/jvWUAEe.jpg)
Grey Skies music is featured on Ancient, and both Ass-Sordid Demos I & II.
Tracks 4-6 on Ancient:
Black and White
Black Mountain Summit
Fever Dream
Ass-Sordid Demos I contains the Grey Skies song Roadkill(Track 10). The same song is featured on Ass-Sordid Demos II, along with 6 other Grey Skies songs, including the aforementioned Black and White, and Black Mountain Summit (With a slightly different name).
Tracks 1-6, and 12 on Ass-Sordid Demos II, labeled as Preproduction Demos 1991:
Black and White
Bury the Wrong
San Pablo Train
Roadkill
Rain
Ascent to the Summit of Black Mountain
Cold
Grey Skies was very much inspired by alternative metal bands of the time, like Mr. Bungle, Faith No More, and Janes Addiction, with some juvenile humor added in here and there. Most notably on tracks like Roadkill and San Pablo Train. Dev claims Ascent to the Summit of Black Mountain is one of his favorite songs that hes ever done. The songs are fun, despite their immaturity, and they show that Dev was very accomplished guitar player from a young age. My favorite of these songs has to be Cold, which features an awesome solo by Dev.
Caustic Thought
(https://i.imgur.com/ourUT2H.png)
Around this time, Dev became friends with fellow Canadian band Caustic Thought, featuring future SYL members Byron Stroud and Jed Simon on bass and guitar respectively. Dev replaced Jed in Caustic Thought for a few minor tours, though he never appeared on any recorded material from the band. Caustic Thought and Grey Skies would both fizzle out by the early 90s.
Dev appears in a couple of Caustic Thought videos
Planet Claire (B-52's cover): https://youtu.be/IIHjdxPbLmk
Tender Prey: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgFKl6AJZCs
(https://i.imgur.com/t1rF2jD.png)
The longest hair I have ever seen on this man.
Noisescapes
(https://i.imgur.com/SfvSIt4.jpg)
After the dissolution of Grey Skies and leaving Caustic Thought, Dev began to work on a demo tape entitled Noisescapes. These demos include Greg Price on drums (Formerly of Grey Skies). From this point on, Dev started using Open C tuning (CGCGCE) on his guitar almost exclusively, rather than standard tuning (EADGBE). He was inspired to use Open C tuning after learning the Led Zeppelin song, Friends, which he covers on the Noisescapes demo.
(https://i.imgur.com/jkIp6EW.jpg)
Tracks 7-10 on Ass-Sordid Demos II, labeled as Womp Womp Womp - 1992
SunMud/Woman
I Am
Ernies Room
Friends
Noisescapes is noticeably darker sounding than Grey Skies, and the songs lack the juvenile humor of Grey Skies. The same influences were still there, but the songwriting and had matured and the guitar playing had improved.
The intro to SunMud/Woman is an early version of Velvet Kevorkian, the opening track to the 1997 SYL album, City. But well talk about that album later.
If youre a Led Zeppelin fan, youre gonna hate his cover of Friends. Just warning you now. It features a bunch of tongue-in-cheek voicemails from his friends, coworkers, and even his father.
Other Noisescapes songs can be found on both Ass-Sordid Demos
Man (Track 1 on Ass-Sordid Demos I)
Amsterdam (Track 6 on Ass-Sordid Demos I, and Track 14 on Ass-Sordid Demos II)
Man is a reworked version of the Woman section of SunMud/Woman.
There are two versions of Amsterdam, one on either edition of Ass-Sordid Demos.
The version from ASD I features Greg Price on drums. No year is given for the recording of this version, but it was likely recorded in 91/92 with the other Noisescapes demos. The other version from ASD II is an acoustic version of the song recorded in 1996. This version features some orchestration and is intercut with excerpts from an interview with Dev circa 1992.
(https://i.imgur.com/T5kex7f.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/iGxAc5O.jpg)
Some pics of Dev recording demos at Fiasco Bros. Studio with engineer Michelle Garuik
(https://i.imgur.com/FRWrKi9.jpeg)
Dev and Michelle with Leonard Osanic, owner of Fiasco Bros. Studio
(https://i.imgur.com/KD5oQ2s.jpeg)
Dev's state of the art guitar rig
Other songs that were written for Noisescapes but NOT included on the Ass-Sordid Demos were:
Goat
Skin Me
Filler
Funeral
The Death of Music
Thing Beyond Things
These songs would find their way onto other albums.
Copies of the Noisescapes demos were packaged in old pairs of Devs underwear, and sent out to labels such as Roadrunner and Metal Blade. The demo was rejected by almost everyone he sent it to. Everyone except Relativity Records. Cliff Cultreri from Relativity Records met with Dev and offered him a 7-album deal. Devin accepted the deal and began working on a Noisescapes album, which he planned on calling Promise. Not long after, Cliff introduced Dev to Steve Vai, who was putting together a new band and needed a vocalist
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Oh man, I forgot I have the Ancient compilation, as I bought the signature limited edition of his autobiography. I need to dig that out and give it a listen.
It's also sort of weird to see Devy with so much hair. :lol
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I'm not really familiar with these and my general stance on demos is that I don't particularly care for them. But I might dip around a bit if these are on youtube and maybe sample a bit. I've also been listening to the Devin podcast (about halfway through) and it's interesting to hear how rough of a ride he had to get into the music scene. Lots of false starts and stops before he got going.
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He send demos packaged in old underwear and wonders why he is rejected? :D
Haven't heard any of these but like Zantera I'm not that interested in demos. Some are fun to listen to, to see how the music/musician evolves, but few have staying power for me.
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Ho boy! Off to a great start. I'm pretty sure I listened to Ass Sordid Demos at some point but I've never heard Ancient.
I'll fire these up today and share my thoughts.
Edit: Here we go...
I bought Devin's book when it came out, but I only got the regular version, which came with the Iceland CD, but not Ancient on cassette. Just out of interest, will you be covering Iceland later, as I love it!
I'll start with Ancient and listen to both Ass Sordid Demo releases later.
Those early demos are really cool. His talent shines through right from the off, and it's hard to believe he's only 14! I love that little intro from baby Dev. It reminds me of Green Day's International Superhits! where a 5 year old Billie Joe gives us an intro. Also, I love that he's been playing with Beav on and off for all these years.
I was surprised that even these early songs showcase Devin's ability to create atmosphere and soundscapes. Some parts here sound so distinctly him! As you'd said Metropolaris, there's a lot of young Dev shredding here, which is great.
The second demo sounded quite mature, specifically in the intro, and parts of it reminded me of Metallica's Orion.
The third one had Devin's humour all over it, and Black and White sounded familiar but I couldn't place it.
Black Mountain Summit had a cool funk riff that reminded me of White Zombie or something. Also the best example of great Devy vocals so far.
Fever Dream suffers due to the audio quality being even worse than the rest, but that's fine.
Side two was more recent and less intriguing to me. The demos of early songs were fine, and so were live performances of SYL. I wouldn't relisten often, but interesting enough.
For those who are following this thread and not well versed in Devin's catalogue, this wouldn't necessarily be the best place to start, but coming back once you do know more would be recommended.
I'll post about Ass Sordid Demos later. I guess I'll need to listen on YouTube as the Spotify is not the same as either of the ones you posted? Is it a compilation of both or what?
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Devin is one of my favorites, but I have been off of him for a while. Even recent attempts to revisit some of his material didn't win me over like in the past (the new album not being very good didn't help), so I think I am just in a different headspace at the moment. Will read and chime in when necessary, and hopefully a big Devin phase for me is just around the corner.
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I'll post about Ass Sordid Demos later. I guess I'll need to listen on YouTube as the Spotify is not the same as either of the ones you posted? Is it a compilation of both or what?
YouTube is definitely your best source for the demos. I looked at the Spotify version, and yeah for some reason that version is a combination of stuff from both discs? Very weird, but Im surprised any of that is on streaming.
And yes, Iceland will be covered eventually!
I know theres not a whole lot of discussion to be had about this early stuff, so the next update will come Thursday, covering the Steve Vai era. Gonna speed through his stuff pre-Ocean Machine. Once we get into his main discography, updates will be a bit more spaced out.
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There was a time when I was into Devy, and I still have a lot of respect for him as an artist, so I will follow along from afar.
I don't care about any of these demos, though. I will wait to start listening along until we get to more of his more "mature" output.
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Devin is one of my favorites, but I have been off of him for a while. Even recent attempts to revisit some of his material didn't win me over like in the past (the new album not being very good didn't help), so I think I am just in a different headspace at the moment. Will read and chime in when necessary, and hopefully a big Devin phase for me is just around the corner.
This is absolutely crazytalk. Lightwork is great and a wonderful album.
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Following!
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Devin is one of my favorites, but I have been off of him for a while.
(the new album not being very good didn't help)
hopefully a big Devin phase for me is just around the corner.
Kev, these all ring pretty true to me. I went through a BIG Devin phase from like 2015 - 2019ish, but then my love waned a bit. I personally loved Empath but The Puzzle/Snuggles/Lightwork don't come close to that, or any of the albums I love.
I have a feeling it's a 'me' thing, and I've just been exploring new stuff, and not in the right headspace for Devin. I do have a feeling this thread will help get me back there. I didn't think the last three albums were bad, just subpar by his high standards.
I'll post some comments on the Ass Sordid Demos later on, as there were some highlights, and mainly it was nice to listen to some new (to my ears) Devy. I love his humour, and although the demos aren't all high quality, Devin is good at making a demo sound like a legit recording.
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Ass Sordid Demos, let's go. As I mentioned earlier, Devin has been great at releasing demos that feel like full studio releases. Looking at the bonus demo discs from Epicloud, Transcendence and Lightwork in particular, there are often demo songs I prefer over the main studio released songs.
This is obviously a slightly different kettle of fish, as these demos are from a lot earlier in his career. They are still pretty good though, and an interesting insight into the man himself.
Starting with Ass Sordid I, the highlights for me were Ocean Machines, L.A., My Girl and Roadkill. The rest of the songs had some interesting enough parts, and it was cool to hear the early version of War.
There are some really good riffs in amongst all this, like around the 1:50 mark of Ocean Machines. Devin's vocals also sound great on this song.
L.A. has more great vocals, from screams to coos.
I think I need to listen to My Girl again, it has some really beautiful parts.
Lastly is Roadkill. Ever wanted to hear 90s Metallica re-record No Remorse but about dead animals? No need, Devy already did it :lol
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Devin is one of my favorites, but I have been off of him for a while.
(the new album not being very good didn't help)
hopefully a big Devin phase for me is just around the corner.
Kev, these all ring pretty true to me. I went through a BIG Devin phase from like 2015 - 2019ish, but then my love waned a bit. I personally loved Empath but The Puzzle/Snuggles/Lightwork don't come close to that, or any of the albums I love.
I have a feeling it's a 'me' thing, and I've just been exploring new stuff, and not in the right headspace for Devin. I do have a feeling this thread will help get me back there. I didn't think the last three albums were bad, just subpar by his high standards.
I'll post some comments on the Ass Sordid Demos later on, as there were some highlights, and mainly it was nice to listen to some new (to my ears) Devy. I love his humour, and although the demos aren't all high quality, Devin is good at making a demo sound like a legit recording.
For what it's worth, I'm now a big Devin fan, but you DO sort of have to be in the headspace for it. I can't really just pull a DT album off the shelf and cram on it.
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Devin is one of my favorites, but I have been off of him for a while.
(the new album not being very good didn't help)
hopefully a big Devin phase for me is just around the corner.
Kev, these all ring pretty true to me. I went through a BIG Devin phase from like 2015 - 2019ish, but then my love waned a bit. I personally loved Empath but The Puzzle/Snuggles/Lightwork don't come close to that, or any of the albums I love.
I have a feeling it's a 'me' thing, and I've just been exploring new stuff, and not in the right headspace for Devin. I do have a feeling this thread will help get me back there. I didn't think the last three albums were bad, just subpar by his high standards.
I'll post some comments on the Ass Sordid Demos later on, as there were some highlights, and mainly it was nice to listen to some new (to my ears) Devy. I love his humour, and although the demos aren't all high quality, Devin is good at making a demo sound like a legit recording.
For what it's worth, I'm now a big Devin fan, but you DO sort of have to be in the headspace for it. I can't really just pull a DT album off the shelf and cram on it.
I do agree. The great thing about him is that A) there is a Devin album for every mood, so whatever headspace you happen to be in, something will groove. B) Devin puts his heart and soul into what he puts out, and regardless of how much I personally like it, I always respect it.
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Big Devin fan here but also echo some of the thoughts above about being in the right headspace etc to fully appreciate some of his music, especially the latest few albums. Lightwork hasn't really clicked for me but I enjoyed Empath.
I'll be following. Not familiar at all with the demo stuff so this is all really interesting.
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Devin is one of my favorites, but I have been off of him for a while.
(the new album not being very good didn't help)
hopefully a big Devin phase for me is just around the corner.
Kev, these all ring pretty true to me. I went through a BIG Devin phase from like 2015 - 2019ish, but then my love waned a bit. I personally loved Empath but The Puzzle/Snuggles/Lightwork don't come close to that, or any of the albums I love.
I have a feeling it's a 'me' thing, and I've just been exploring new stuff, and not in the right headspace for Devin. I do have a feeling this thread will help get me back there. I didn't think the last three albums were bad, just subpar by his high standards.
I'll post some comments on the Ass Sordid Demos later on, as there were some highlights, and mainly it was nice to listen to some new (to my ears) Devy. I love his humour, and although the demos aren't all high quality, Devin is good at making a demo sound like a legit recording.
I think that can be said for everything he has released in the last 8-9 years. Casualties of Cool was the last Devin album that demanded listens over and over and over in my CD player*, and I always say, if I love something, it will find its way into my CD player*. Sky Blue and Transcendence were both very good, but not top tier Devin for me. Empath had some great moments, but felt a bit too tedious overall; getting through that entire album always feels like work.
*or the modern day equivalent
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Vai - Sex and Religion
Released July 27, 1993
(https://i.imgur.com/D3n9B0M.jpg)
Tracklisting:
1. An Earth Dwellers Return
2. Here & Now
3. In My Dreams With You
4. Still My Bleeding Heart
5. Sex & Religion
6. Dirty Black Hole
7. Touching Tongues
8. State of Grace
9. Survive
10. Pig
11. The Road to Mt. Calvary
12. Down Deep Into the Pain
13. Rescue Me or Bury Me
14. Just Cartilage (Japanese Bonus Track)
Personnel:
Steve Vai - Guitar, Vocals
Devin Townsend - Lead Vocals
T.M. Stevens - Bass
Terry Bozzio - Drums
(https://i.imgur.com/O2WmbLf.jpeg)
In 1992 Steve Vai was putting together a new band, simply called Vai, to record a follow-up to his 1990 album, Passion and Warfare. He had chosen drummer Terry Bozzio and bassist T.M. Stevens for the lineup, but needed a vocalist. Cliff Cultreri of Relativity Records had shown Devs Noisescapes demo to Steve, and Steve really liked it. Cliff asked Dev if hed be interested in singing on Vais next album. Dev, being a fan of Steve Vai, accepted the offer and the label flew him down to L.A.
The recording of this album was a weird experience for Dev, and he wasnt sure what to do with the material. He was by no means a professional singer. He went from being a kid in Vancouver singing along to Faith No More and Janes Addiction albums while washing dishes at a restaurant, to singing in a professional studio in L.A. for a band comprised of world-class musicians. All at the age of 20. Vais attempts to inspire him by telling him about past vocalists he had worked with(David Lee Roth and David Coverdale) only made Dev even more nervous. In spite of this, I think Dev delivers a good (not great) performance.
Musically, the album is more song-oriented than Steve Vais previous album, Passion and Warfare, but theres still plenty of guitar wankery. To me this album sounds like slightly Proggy Hair Metal. With the music landscape changing at the time and stuff like Grunge on the rise, its no surprise this album didnt find much of an audience. Personally, Im not a huge fan of this one. Never been a Steve Vai fan outside of a couple of songs, and the inclusion of Dev on this record doesnt change that.
The album was released on July 23, 1993, and reached #48 on the US Billboard 200. The record went Gold in Japan.
In My Dreams With You and Down Deep Into the Pain were released as singles, the former featuring lyrics co-written by Vai, Desmond Child, and Roger Greenawalt.
In My Dreams With You is a very cheesy and creepy love song. It reached #36 on the Billboard Charts.
Down Deep Into the Pain features actual samples of Steve Vais wife, Pia, screaming while giving birth. This single did not chart.
Music videos were filmed for both singles.
In My Dreams With You: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbiQNM0HrrI
Down Deep Into the Pain: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Twi28xWoLxc
Vai was intended to be a supergroup of sorts, but Bozzio and Stevens would only stick around for the album recording and did not tour, though Stevens did appear with the band on The Tonight Show for their performance of Still My Bleeding Heart.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-ynEpNTcVQ
(https://i.imgur.com/tiZNsZI.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/MFlWZjg.jpg)
Dev toured with Steve Vai throughout 1993, occasionally playing rhythm guitar in addition to singing. He and Steve were joined by Abe Laboriel Jr. on drums, Scott Thunes on bass, and Will Riley on keyboards. Abe left the tour after a disagreement with Steve over a time signature. He was replaced by Toss Panos. The Wildhearts opened for the band on the European leg of the tour.
Heres a video of the band playing in NYC on 10/15/1993:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mb3h2YIEfC0
A bootleg of the band in Tokyo, 1994
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHYW55f9kbg
Some photos from the tour
(https://i.imgur.com/IONgaK6.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/v2tzekV.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/nYzyUJA.jpeg)
Dev continued to work on on his own music during this time. Some of those songs can be found on the Ass-Sordid Demos:
Thick Stock (Track 11 on Ass-Sordid Demos II. Features T.M. Stevens on Bass and Greg Price on drums)
L.A. (Track 4 on Ass-Sordid Demos I)
My Girl (Track 8 on Ass-Sordid Demos I)
Thats Life (Track 10 on Ass-Sordid Demos I. No year is given for this track, but its safe to assume it was written around this time.)
Thick Stock is the standout track from this batch. Its a heavier number featuring a really cool slap bassline played by T.M. Stevens from Vai. In return, Dev sang on a song from Stevens 1994 solo album Boom. Dev is credited as: Devon Screaming Townsend and performs Inspired vocal scream effects & attitude on the song By Any Means.
The other three songs here arent really anything special in my opinion.
(https://i.imgur.com/v3UaScM.jpg)(https://i.imgur.com/uURH9eF.jpg)
At the end of the Vai tour Dev expected to continue production on his Noisescapes album. However, Cliff Cultreri informed Dev that the Vai band was ending, and Relativity Records would be dropping him, claiming that his music was too schizophrenic to be successful. Realistically, the only reason they showed any interest in Devs music was to get him to record and tour with Steve Vai. Dev returned home to Vancouver. Bitter, broke, and disillusioned with the music industry. He went back to his old job, singing along to Faith No More and Janes Addiction albums while washing dishes at a restaurant.
Post-Vai Projects
Dev stayed busy during this time writing his own music, as well as doing session work on other peoples albums. He played guitar on 3 songs on the Front Line Assembly album, Millennium. He sang on a cover of the Rush song Natural Science for a covers compilation. (Love Dev, Love Rush, but this cover is not great). Roadrunner Records reached out to him with a potential record deal, which they rescinded after hearing his demos. One day Ginger Wildheart, of the band The Wildhearts, reached out to Dev asking if hed be interested in replacing their guitar whom they just fired. Dev accepted this offer and joined as a touring guitarist for a European Tour. While on tour, Borivoj Krgin from Century Media offered Dev a 5-album deal, claiming No one else wants your shit. Take it or leave it. Dev accepted the offer and began working on material for his next projects: Strapping Young Lad, and Ocean Machine.
Around this time, Dev was contacted by Geezer Butler of Black Sabbath, who wanted Dev to audition for a new band he was putting together. Dev flew to England to audition. He was still bitter from the experience with the Vai band, and was not excited at the thought of joining up with yet another rock star, fronting their band, and singing their lyrics. He intentionally made an ass of himself at the audition, singing lyrics about how he thought Geezer was an asshole. Dev has said he deeply regrets his behavior to this day. Obviously he didnt get the gig, and he flew back home.
Upon returning home, he received a letter from Judas Priest. Rob Halford had recently left the band and they invited Dev to audition. Dev declined the invitation, thinking no one would be interested in a version of Judas Priest fronted by some kid. (As cool as it would have been, he's right.)
One day, through a mutual friend, he was introduced to Metallicas then-bassist, Jason Newsted, who was interesting in collaborating with Dev...
IR8
Recorded in 1994
(https://i.imgur.com/OL64nH5.jpeg)
Tracklisting:
1. Colossus
2. Nothing
3. Black on Black
Personnel:
Jason Newsted - Bass/Vocals
Devin Townsend - Guitar
Tom Hunting - Drums
(https://i.imgur.com/yGz5JRU.jpeg)
Jason, Dev, and Tom Hunting from the band Exodus met up to jam at Newsteds studio, The Chophouse, and recorded three demo songs together under the name IR8. This would be the first of four projects involving Dev and Jason. IR8 was a metal side project that was just for fun, and was never going to be a serious band. Jason enjoyed collaborating with Dev, but James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich from Metallica found out about his side project and shut it down, forbidding Jason from working on music outside of Metallica. Jason left Metallica in January 2001, and hoped to revive this project with Dev, but Dev wasnt interested.
"Nothing" reminds me of Detox.
(https://i.imgur.com/MJsLtNM.jpg)
Jason rereleased the demos on CD in 2002, along with three additional songs from a similar project recorded in 1995 featuring Andreas Kisser of Sepultura on guitar instead of Dev. This project was called Sexoturica. A clever-ish combination of the three members main band names.
Next update comes out Friday the 17th and will cover the first SYL album and Dev's first solo album.
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I actually haven't heard Sex & Religion but been meaning to check it out. I've heard Devin talk about this period of his life and how weird it felt, singing someone else's words and being a front figure for music that wasn't really his and all that. Also the whole experience of getting to LA and seeing the music industry and how it wasn't what he thought and so on.
Curious to check it out though, if nothing else just to have heard it.
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Mega Dev fan here- seen him about 10 times - the most times Ive seen any artist.
I was a mega SV fan, still am, and the Vai album was a big deal for me. Some great stuff amongst some difficult stuff on that album.
TBH it was a relief when Rescue Me
came along- I much preferred Steves voice to Devs, and it was a blessed relief not to be assaulted by full Dev!
When I saw them at Hammersmith in 93, Jannick from Maiden was stood behind me. Starstruck! Yeah!
I preferred Devs stuff when he started steering his own ship. City convinced me of his power. I never heard OM til about a decade after it was recorded, but, top 10 all-time album for me.
Thanks for doing this thread. Im learning stuff!
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Devin is one of my favorites, but I have been off of him for a while.
(the new album not being very good didn't help)
hopefully a big Devin phase for me is just around the corner.
Kev, these all ring pretty true to me. I went through a BIG Devin phase from like 2015 - 2019ish, but then my love waned a bit. I personally loved Empath but The Puzzle/Snuggles/Lightwork don't come close to that, or any of the albums I love.
I have a feeling it's a 'me' thing, and I've just been exploring new stuff, and not in the right headspace for Devin. I do have a feeling this thread will help get me back there. I didn't think the last three albums were bad, just subpar by his high standards.
I'll post some comments on the Ass Sordid Demos later on, as there were some highlights, and mainly it was nice to listen to some new (to my ears) Devy. I love his humour, and although the demos aren't all high quality, Devin is good at making a demo sound like a legit recording.
I think that can be said for everything he has released in the last 8-9 years. Casualties of Cool was the last Devin album that demanded listens over and over and over in my CD player*, and I always say, if I love something, it will find its way into my CD player*. Sky Blue and Transcendence were both very good, but not top tier Devin for me. Empath had some great moments, but felt a bit too tedious overall; getting through that entire album always feels like work.
*or the modern day equivalent
Can I push back gently and ask, "Does "sub-par" or "not top tier" really just mean "I don't like it as much"? I mean, Devin is NOT AC/DC. His catalogue is all over the map. I get CHILLS from Addicted! (It's my favorite Dev record by far) but I have yet to hear a Strapping Young Lad song I like. I'm able to admit that not everything he does is for me, and that's fine. I don't think I'm justified in saying "SYL Blows!" or "SYL is mid-tier Dev!" For some, I imagine that's ALL they like in his catalogue.
For me, for example, Transcendence is, well, transcendent. I love that record a lot, and go back to it almost as much as anything else in his catalogue. I'd really struggle to call that anything less than a work of art - meaning only that it's a solid release that delivers on Devin's intent, whether I like it or not.
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As for Sex & Religion, I got it when it came out and HATED it. It was only after I sort of "figured out" Devin (after reading his book and seeing the Live in London shows) and went back and listened that it really clicked with me. It's not my favorite work by him (or Vai, for that matter) but it's a solid record.
The clip of the Tonight Show is worth watching. It's funny in hindsight, especially after reading Dev's account of that time in his book. We have to mention that at one point, Dev took a crap in Steve's guitar case. That must've been something to behold.
Also, if you're a Vai fan, his new album, Gash, was recorded just before this period, and was shelved because of the Sex & Religion project. He never got a chance to go back to it because the singer on that died in '98 and he only now released the music (I believe so it didn't look like he was capitalizing on that tragic story).
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I think I tried listening to Sex And Religion once, out of curiosity. It was pretty cornball and I turned it off after a few tracks, I think. Devin's voice is great, but he wasn't exactly given the best material to work with there.
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Devin is one of my favorites, but I have been off of him for a while.
(the new album not being very good didn't help)
hopefully a big Devin phase for me is just around the corner.
Kev, these all ring pretty true to me. I went through a BIG Devin phase from like 2015 - 2019ish, but then my love waned a bit. I personally loved Empath but The Puzzle/Snuggles/Lightwork don't come close to that, or any of the albums I love.
I have a feeling it's a 'me' thing, and I've just been exploring new stuff, and not in the right headspace for Devin. I do have a feeling this thread will help get me back there. I didn't think the last three albums were bad, just subpar by his high standards.
I'll post some comments on the Ass Sordid Demos later on, as there were some highlights, and mainly it was nice to listen to some new (to my ears) Devy. I love his humour, and although the demos aren't all high quality, Devin is good at making a demo sound like a legit recording.
I think that can be said for everything he has released in the last 8-9 years. Casualties of Cool was the last Devin album that demanded listens over and over and over in my CD player*, and I always say, if I love something, it will find its way into my CD player*. Sky Blue and Transcendence were both very good, but not top tier Devin for me. Empath had some great moments, but felt a bit too tedious overall; getting through that entire album always feels like work.
*or the modern day equivalent
Can I push back gently and ask, "Does "sub-par" or "not top tier" really just mean "I don't like it as much"? I mean, Devin is NOT AC/DC. His catalogue is all over the map. I get CHILLS from Addicted! (It's my favorite Dev record by far) but I have yet to hear a Strapping Young Lad song I like. I'm able to admit that not everything he does is for me, and that's fine. I don't think I'm justified in saying "SYL Blows!" or "SYL is mid-tier Dev!" For some, I imagine that's ALL they like in his catalogue.
For me, for example, Transcendence is, well, transcendent. I love that record a lot, and go back to it almost as much as anything else in his catalogue. I'd really struggle to call that anything less than a work of art - meaning only that it's a solid release that delivers on Devin's intent, whether I like it or not.
Oh yeah, I wasn't explicitly clear, but when I say they're subpar compared to the rest of his output, that is purely my opinion. With Devin's work (and with all music) there has been the perfect storm that has allowed me to view certain albums as his 'masterpieces', but I am aware that in different circumstances what I consider his best album,could actually be any one of them, including the most recent three.
Following the multiverse theory there is a different universe, for every album ever released, in which a different album is my favourite all time record. As in, through different choices and experiences I could have been led down a path where I even loved 80s pop!
So yea, it's all chaos, luck and chance. There is a universe where I love every album recorded....
Except KISS :neverusethis:
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As for Sex & Religion, I got it when it came out and HATED it.
Same with me, and it was for that reason that I took so long to actually give Dev a chance with his solo stuff.
I look forward to giving it another spin soon, which will be my first in years.
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Heres a couple more clips from this era
Dev and Steve Vai on MTVs Headbangers Ball
https://youtu.be/Lp7ewS9UUBc
Dev telling a funny story from the Vai tour
https://youtu.be/4f7pJT1LxCE
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Can I push back gently and ask, "Does "sub-par" or "not top tier" really just mean "I don't like it as much"? I mean, Devin is NOT AC/DC. His catalogue is all over the map. I get CHILLS from Addicted! (It's my favorite Dev record by far) but I have yet to hear a Strapping Young Lad song I like. I'm able to admit that not everything he does is for me, and that's fine. I don't think I'm justified in saying "SYL Blows!" or "SYL is mid-tier Dev!" For some, I imagine that's ALL they like in his catalogue.
For me, for example, Transcendence is, well, transcendent. I love that record a lot, and go back to it almost as much as anything else in his catalogue. I'd really struggle to call that anything less than a work of art - meaning only that it's a solid release that delivers on Devin's intent, whether I like it or not.
It definitely means "I don't like it as much." I get that some loved Empath, and that is the fun of it. If we all loved everything equally, how boring would that be? ;)
Transcendence does have a few songs I reach for often, but I just don't find it as encapsulating from start to finish as material like Infinity, Terria, Addicted or Casualties of Cool. Those four albums there are, for me, his all-timers. I'd probably throw Ocean Machine and Ki into the mix as well, although a step below the other four. Epicloud and Ghost are probably both right there for me as well.
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The funny thing about Sex & Religion is that I gave it a really wide berth for about 15 years due to the song Pig being put on the CD of a British music magazine (might've been Metal Hammer) back in the day that a friend of mine had bought... he played me that song incredulous at what a mess it was and I had to agree.
I still skip that song if I ever listen to what proved to be a very good record of which Dev is, imo, the MVP.
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I absolutely LOVED Sex and Religion when it came out - it's a brilliant album and was very heavy for the time, I just love the sludge of DDITPain, but it does sound a bit dated today and I've not listened to it in years. Don't know why this album doesn't get more love.
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Devin is one of my favorites, but I have been off of him for a while.
(the new album not being very good didn't help)
hopefully a big Devin phase for me is just around the corner.
Kev, these all ring pretty true to me. I went through a BIG Devin phase from like 2015 - 2019ish, but then my love waned a bit. I personally loved Empath but The Puzzle/Snuggles/Lightwork don't come close to that, or any of the albums I love.
I have a feeling it's a 'me' thing, and I've just been exploring new stuff, and not in the right headspace for Devin. I do have a feeling this thread will help get me back there. I didn't think the last three albums were bad, just subpar by his high standards.
I'll post some comments on the Ass Sordid Demos later on, as there were some highlights, and mainly it was nice to listen to some new (to my ears) Devy. I love his humour, and although the demos aren't all high quality, Devin is good at making a demo sound like a legit recording.
I think that can be said for everything he has released in the last 8-9 years. Casualties of Cool was the last Devin album that demanded listens over and over and over in my CD player*, and I always say, if I love something, it will find its way into my CD player*. Sky Blue and Transcendence were both very good, but not top tier Devin for me. Empath had some great moments, but felt a bit too tedious overall; getting through that entire album always feels like work.
*or the modern day equivalent
Can I push back gently and ask, "Does "sub-par" or "not top tier" really just mean "I don't like it as much"? I mean, Devin is NOT AC/DC. His catalogue is all over the map. I get CHILLS from Addicted! (It's my favorite Dev record by far) but I have yet to hear a Strapping Young Lad song I like. I'm able to admit that not everything he does is for me, and that's fine. I don't think I'm justified in saying "SYL Blows!" or "SYL is mid-tier Dev!" For some, I imagine that's ALL they like in his catalogue.
For me, for example, Transcendence is, well, transcendent. I love that record a lot, and go back to it almost as much as anything else in his catalogue. I'd really struggle to call that anything less than a work of art - meaning only that it's a solid release that delivers on Devin's intent, whether I like it or not.
Oh yeah, I wasn't explicitly clear, but when I say they're subpar compared to the rest of his output, that is purely my opinion. With Devin's work (and with all music) there has been the perfect storm that has allowed me to view certain albums as his 'masterpieces', but I am aware that in different circumstances what I consider his best album,could actually be any one of them, including the most recent three.
Following the multiverse theory there is a different universe, for every album ever released, in which a different album is my favourite all time record. As in, through different choices and experiences I could have been led down a path where I even loved 80s pop!
So yea, it's all chaos, luck and chance. There is a universe where I love every album recorded....
Except KISS :neverusethis:
I'll keep working on it! Never say never!!! :) :) :)
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Can I push back gently and ask, "Does "sub-par" or "not top tier" really just mean "I don't like it as much"? I mean, Devin is NOT AC/DC. His catalogue is all over the map. I get CHILLS from Addicted! (It's my favorite Dev record by far) but I have yet to hear a Strapping Young Lad song I like. I'm able to admit that not everything he does is for me, and that's fine. I don't think I'm justified in saying "SYL Blows!" or "SYL is mid-tier Dev!" For some, I imagine that's ALL they like in his catalogue.
For me, for example, Transcendence is, well, transcendent. I love that record a lot, and go back to it almost as much as anything else in his catalogue. I'd really struggle to call that anything less than a work of art - meaning only that it's a solid release that delivers on Devin's intent, whether I like it or not.
It definitely means "I don't like it as much." I get that some loved Empath, and that is the fun of it. If we all loved everything equally, how boring would that be? ;)
Transcendence does have a few songs I reach for often, but I just don't find it as encapsulating from start to finish as material like Infinity, Terria, Addicted or Casualties of Cool. Those four albums there are, for me, his all-timers. I'd probably throw Ocean Machine and Ki into the mix as well, although a step below the other four. Epicloud and Ghost are probably both right there for me as well.
Yeah, and I hope you know I'm just drawing out that point; I'm not busting yours (or anyone's) balls with that. It's just that he's an artist - like Neil Young or the Grateful Dead - where part of his charm is that he's got the balls to go wherever his muse takes him. The one thing I took from his autobiography - and I LOVE this about him - is that after the Vai incident, he made a commitment to whatever he did, doing it FULL ON, and if he couldn't do that, he wasn't going to participate.
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One day Ginger Wildheart, of the band The Wildhearts, reached out to Dev asking if hed be interested in replacing their guitar whom they just fired. Dev accepted this offer and joined as a touring guitarist for a European Tour.
There's reasonable-ish footage of that line-up playing the Reading festival in '94 on the Tube of Yous, should anyone be interested.
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One day Ginger Wildheart, of the band The Wildhearts, reached out to Dev asking if hed be interested in replacing their guitar whom they just fired. Dev accepted this offer and joined as a touring guitarist for a European Tour.
There's reasonable-ish footage of that line-up playing the Reading festival in '94 on the Tube of Yous, should anyone be interested.
As a big fan of The Wildhearts and Devin I am interested!
Except KISS :neverusethis:
I'll keep working on it! Never say never!!! :) :) :)
Of course I jest, KISS aren't necessarily my cup of tea but I can get down with them every now and then.
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Sex & Religion was my introduction to Devin Townsend.
I was and still am a big fan of Steve Vai and I loved that record when it came out and a big part of it was Devin. In fact it's still one of my favorite Vai albums. As with all of his records there are a couple of songs that I don't get, that are too far out there, but the rest slays.
Deep Down Into The Pain is an alltime favorite and probably the heaviest Vai has ever done. Devin really shines on this one, showing his versatility from normal singing to more operatic vocals to reckless screaming. And thanks to Bozzio and Stevens this is one metal song, that's actually groovy.
I saw them on that tour, sadly without Bozzio and Stevens but it was still a hell of a ride. Relatively small club, packed to the limit. Devin moved around the stage like a madman, and I mean that literally, he had some strange moves and a kind of disturbing aura. But he killed it vocally and played some sick guitar lines too.
If not for this record I would have never reached out to Ocean Machine when it came out, but more on this later.
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Yeah, and I hope you know I'm just drawing out that point; I'm not busting yours (or anyone's) balls with that. It's just that he's an artist - like Neil Young or the Grateful Dead - where part of his charm is that he's got the balls to go wherever his muse takes him. The one thing I took from his autobiography - and I LOVE this about him - is that after the Vai incident, he made a commitment to whatever he did, doing it FULL ON, and if he couldn't do that, he wasn't going to participate.
No issues, all good! :tup :tup
Many of the best artists are the ones not afraid to go to places that fans would not expect. That is often done by the greats like Devin, Rush & Radiohead. :)
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Never heard the Sex & Religion album, aside from Touching Tongues which I always liked. Watched that clip from The Tonight Show, and boy is Devin a weird little dude, but the song was kind of fun. Is it that jazzy on the album, or was that just because they had the Tonight Show band playing with them?
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Yeah, and I hope you know I'm just drawing out that point; I'm not busting yours (or anyone's) balls with that. It's just that he's an artist - like Neil Young or the Grateful Dead - where part of his charm is that he's got the balls to go wherever his muse takes him. The one thing I took from his autobiography - and I LOVE this about him - is that after the Vai incident, he made a commitment to whatever he did, doing it FULL ON, and if he couldn't do that, he wasn't going to participate.
No issues, all good! :tup :tup
Many of the best artists are the ones not afraid to go to places that fans would not expect. That is often done by the greats like Devin, Rush & Radiohead. :)
Shots fired! Shots fired!
(To be honest, though, I actually thought about Radiohead when I wrote that. They are literally the exception to the rule, since they are so douchey. :) ).
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Shots fired! Shots fired!
(To be honest, though, I actually thought about Radiohead when I wrote that. They are literally the exception to the rule, since they are so douchey. :) ).
I haven't seen really any of their interviews or anything enough to know if they are douchey, but their music is great, so all good by me. :biggrin: :biggrin:
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Thanks for the write up Metropolaris. I've read Devin's book (might need to read it again) so I am aware of the Vai stuff and how the whole experience affected him. I think it's wild that he was so young and basically picked from obscurity. I can't imagine doing something like that at such a young age. Not only that but he went onto be offered big gigs like front fucking Priest! Fair play to him for not following the money, much respect.
I knew he'd worked with Newsted, but had never heard this IR8/Sexoturica release.
Back to Sex and Religion. Well it's not something that I would revisit often, and it sounds VERY of it's time. Nonetheless I think there is some good stuff on here, and Devin kills it for the most part. It's nice to see that some of his weirdness came out on record, as I guess Vai could've cut that shit out. There are some questionable lyrics in here but overall it's not too bad.
I wonder what we'd get if these two collaborated now? I'd be down for hearing it anyway.
This is all part of Devin's journey, and who knows if he'd ever have made a career in the music biz without this break. Who knows, but it's worth listening to for that alone. I can say that I'd revist it every few years or so.
Now, onto IR8 vs. Sexoturica. I listened to this and honestly thought I was listening to the wrong thing. I can't hear Devin on this at all. I thought he was supposed to be on vocals, but surely that isn't him?!. He must be just playing guitar right? It sounds more like Max Cavelera or Lars-Gφran Petrov. This little side project is fine, and nothing particularly new. I wouldn't revisit this again, I think I got all I got out of it from one listen. If this was the sort of music Dev and Newsted were doing together, I'm glad they didn't pursue it any further. Either way I feel sorry for Newsted as I feel it was an insecure dick move from Hetfield and Ulrich in shutting him down.
Keep 'em coming dude.
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I think Devin's career is pretty interesting and his podcast is definitely worth a listen. You don't get many musicians who are hand picked to play a key role as a vocalist on a project in the spotlight who then leaves to go his own way and has to work his way up almost from nothing again. Usually there's bands who grind their way to Hollywood but Devin basically got the LA taste right away and then went his own path.
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I think his podcast got way too rambly after the first few episodes, but there's definitely some good insight in there, especially for the Ocean Machine-Terria era.
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I think Devin's career is pretty interesting and his podcast is definitely worth a listen. You don't get many musicians who are hand picked to play a key role as a vocalist on a project in the spotlight who then leaves to go his own way and has to work his way up almost from nothing again. Usually there's bands who grind their way to Hollywood but Devin basically got the LA taste right away and then went his own path.
Yea it's what I consider a real success story. He's doing what he loves, by his rules.
I think his podcast got way too rambly after the first few episodes, but there's definitely some good insight in there, especially for the Ocean Machine-Terria era.
I went through a period of watching any interview I could find with the guy. I think I pretty much watched every interview on YouTube. I've heard him talk at length many times about his create process, breaking down the confines of what a 'metal' artist can and can't do etc. I can listen to Devy talk for hours, and have done.
It's been a few years though so I think I might give the podcast a go. I possibly listened to the first one, I can't remember.
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They're a bit hard to find now (I think some of them were removed from YouTube) but his album commentaries on the four DTP albums are goldmines.
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I actually have all of those commentaries, plus the ones for Epicloud, both Casualites discs, and Empath.
I was thinking about uploading them to YouTube once we got to the DTP era. But if they were taken before it would probably happen again. Well see.
The podcast has been a great source of info for these write-ups, but yeah there is way too much rambling. When you listen to enough of Devs rambling, you realize he pretty much says the same stuff every time. :lol
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I was thinking about uploading them to YouTube once we got to the DTP era. But if they were taken before it would probably happen again. Well see.
If you set them to unlisted you should probably be fine. ;)
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I think Devin's career is pretty interesting and his podcast is definitely worth a listen. You don't get many musicians who are hand picked to play a key role as a vocalist on a project in the spotlight who then leaves to go his own way and has to work his way up almost from nothing again. Usually there's bands who grind their way to Hollywood but Devin basically got the LA taste right away and then went his own path.
Blabbermouth blows, but this is a fairly insightful bit (https://blabbermouth.net/news/devin-townsend-still-cant-listen-to-vais-sex-religion-album). I've actually seen this in other arenas (not music). I sort of bristle to this day over the trope of "do what you love" for a job. There's nothing like fame and money to beat that hippy shit right out of you. :)
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When you listen to enough of Devs rambling, you realize he pretty much says the same stuff every time. :lol
Yea he really does, but it's all so genuine I sort of don't mind. He does love to talk about himself and 'the process' :lol
I think Devin's career is pretty interesting and his podcast is definitely worth a listen. You don't get many musicians who are hand picked to play a key role as a vocalist on a project in the spotlight who then leaves to go his own way and has to work his way up almost from nothing again. Usually there's bands who grind their way to Hollywood but Devin basically got the LA taste right away and then went his own path.
Blabbermouth blows, but this is a fairly insightful bit (https://blabbermouth.net/news/devin-townsend-still-cant-listen-to-vais-sex-religion-album). I've actually seen this in other arenas (not music). I sort of bristle to this day over the trope of "do what you love" for a job. There's nothing like fame and money to beat that hippy shit right out of you. :)
Nice read Stads. I guess it all happened the way it did for Dev partly because of that experience. Wonder how his career would've gone without that break.
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I think Devin's career is pretty interesting and his podcast is definitely worth a listen. You don't get many musicians who are hand picked to play a key role as a vocalist on a project in the spotlight who then leaves to go his own way and has to work his way up almost from nothing again. Usually there's bands who grind their way to Hollywood but Devin basically got the LA taste right away and then went his own path.
Blabbermouth blows, but this is a fairly insightful bit (https://blabbermouth.net/news/devin-townsend-still-cant-listen-to-vais-sex-religion-album). I've actually seen this in other arenas (not music). I sort of bristle to this day over the trope of "do what you love" for a job. There's nothing like fame and money to beat that hippy shit right out of you. :)
Coincidentally, Borivoj Krgan, who signed Dev to Century Media, founded Blabbermouth.
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Strapping Young Lad - Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing
Released April 4th, 1995
(https://i.imgur.com/65nP7yz.jpg)
Tracklisting:
1. S.Y.L.
2. In the Rainy Season
3. Goat
4. Cod Metal King
5. Happy Camper (Carpe B.U.M.)
6. Critic
7. The Filler - Sweet City Jesus
8. Skin Me
9. Drizzlehell
10. Satans Ice Cream Truck
Bonus Tracks
11. Japan (2006 Remaster Bonus Track)
12. Monday (2006 Remaster Bonus Track)
13. Exciter (Judas Priest Cover) [2006 Remaster Bonus Track]
Personnel:
Devin Townsend (Credited as Nived) - Guitar, Vocals, Keyboards
Jed Simon - Guitar (Critic, Skin Me)
Mike Sudar - Guitar
Ashley Scribner - Bass
Adrian White - Drums
Additional Musicians:
Chris Byes - Drums (Critic, The Filler - Sweet City Jesus)
Smokin Lord Toot (Real name unknown) - Drums (Cod Metal King)
Chris Meyers - Keyboards (Goat, Skin Me)
Greg Price - Additional Drum Programming (Skin Me, Drizzlehell)
Stooly (Byron Stroud) and E. Val Yum (Chris Valagao) - Backing Vocals
(https://i.imgur.com/46s01si.jpeg)
Strapping Young lad was meant as an outlet for the aggression and frustration that Dev felt after his experience with the Vai band and being jerked around by record labels. He wanted to write something apocalyptic, and started listening to bands like Carcass, Fear Factory, Cop Shoot Cop, and Morbid Angel. The first SYL album, Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing, was recorded in a week in December 1994 at Mushroom Studios in Vancouver. It features the original SYL lineup of Dev, Jed Simon, Mike Sudar, Ashley Scribner, and Adrian White. Some of the songs here were written for the Noisescapes Demos from 92: Goat, Skin Me, and Filler. The chorus to the bonus track Japan would later reappear on the song The Death of Music from Ocean Machine: Biomech.
A music video was made for S.Y.L.
https://youtu.be/WwyuM0PODuY
(https://i.imgur.com/V2NIfNQ.jpeg)
Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing was released on April 4th, 1995. It sold only 142 copies in its first month. The band did very little touring for this record. They played a live show broadcast from KZSU Radio Studio in Stanford, CA, seen partially in this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PM7DcSxXkcM&t=201s
Three songs from that performance can be found on the Ancient cassette (Tracks 9-11)
S.Y.L. (Live)
Home Nucleonics (Live)
Bodies 13 (Live)
Home Nucleonics would end up on SYLs second album, City, released in 1997.
Bodies 13 wouldnt end up on any album, but aspects of the song would turn into future songs like Oh My Fucking God, Detox, Force Fed, and Color Your World.
SYL wasnt meant to be taken seriously, and it wasnt meant to be his main project. But thats what it ended up becoming, at least for the first part of his career. In recent years, Dev has dismissed this album as a couple of good songs and a bunch of demos. Century Media invested very little money into SYL, and despite the albums lack of success, they kept Dev signed on. Dev showed Century Media the demos he was working on for a project called Ocean Machine, but they werent interested in releasing it. Sony Japan contacted Dev and told him that if he started his own record label, they would distribute Ocean Machine. So he started HevyDevy Records, his own record label for his own music. With this, he recorded and finally released his first solo album
And now for something completely different
Punky Brόster - Cooked on Phonics
Released March 19, 1996
(https://i.imgur.com/2u8rLye.jpg)
Tracklisting:
1. Recipe for Bait
2. Fake Punk
3. EZ$$
4. Metal Dilemma
5. Oats Peas Beans and Barley
6. Wallet Chain
7. Heinous Anus
8. Heavy Metal Mama
9. Crustys at the Ivanhoe
10. Picture of Myself
11. The Girls Next Door
12. Larrys O
13. Metal Heads are Punk Rockers (Bonus Track) [Parody of the Ramones song Sheena is a Punk Rocker]
Personnel:
Devin Townsend (Credited as Dr. Skinny/Lord Stenchlor) - Guitar/Vocals/Narration
John Harder (Credited as Squid Vicious/Jokor, King of the Orcs) - Bass/Vocals
Adrian White (Credited as Dances with Chickens/Underwator) - Drums and hysteria
Additional Personnel:
Bob Wagner - Additional drums
Chris Valagao - Vocals (Oats Peas Beans and Barley)
Jed Simon - Backup vocals
Byron Stroud - Backup vocals
(https://i.imgur.com/4veUqOt.jpeg)
Welcome to (technically) Devs first solo album. Not what you were expecting, right?
Cooked on Phonics was released under the name Punky Brόster in 1996. The album was recorded in 1995 at Red Stripe studios, and took A week and a half to write, 6 days to record, and 12 hours to mix. according to Dev. The record was written as a parody of the growing Pop-Punk scene at the time, specifically bands like Green Day and The Offspring. It features Ocean Machine bassist John Harder and former SYL drummer Adrian White.
Cooked on Phonics is a concept album. It tells the story of a fictitious death metal band called Cryptic Coroner, from South Central Poland, who decide to become a Punk band called Punky Brόster to make more money. Their story is narrated by Dev. Tracks 1-10 cover the main story. The Girls Next Door is a part of the story but for whatever reason comes along after the story has ended. Larrys O doesnt seem to be a part of the story. Same with the bonus track, Metalheads are Punk Rockers. As someone who loathes most Pop-Punk
I kinda like this record. The songs are fun and catchy even if the story is silly. Some standout tracks are: Fake Punk, Metal Dilemma, and Wallet Chain.
(https://i.imgur.com/VlZRrEz.jpeg)
This is the full artwork for Cooked on Phonics. Only a section of it was used for the HevyDevy Records re-release.
The full artwork was condensed and used for the cover of the Japanese version of the album, seen below.
(https://i.imgur.com/L8a4nXt.jpg)
Punky Brόster simultaneously is and isnt indicative of where Devs music would go. While Punk music isnt something that would appear in his music again, the idea of a concept album with narration and goofy voices is something he would revisit years down the line
Punky Brόster was released on March 19, 1996. At first it was only released in Japan, but eventually was made available for the rest of the world through Devs fan club. Upon release, it made no impact whatsoever. Punky Brόster never played any live shows, and the album really is nothing more than a novelty in Devs catalog. Made just for fun on the side while Dev worked on the first SYL album and Ocean Machine.
Tree of the Sun / Blastula
Recorded in October 1995, Limited release. Extremely rare.
(https://i.imgur.com/EmiQLRO.jpg)
Tracklisting:
Side A - Tree of the Sun
(https://i.imgur.com/x5c4875.gif)
1. Phoenix
2. Athena / Red
Side B - Blastula
(https://i.imgur.com/61HexnK.gif)
1. Contain Us
2. Spaztech
Personnel:
Jason Newsted - Bass/Vocals
Devin Townsend - Guitar/Vocals
Scott Reeder - Bass/Vocals
Dale Crover - Drums/Vocals
(https://i.imgur.com/lpzQE4E.jpg)
Dev met up again with Jason Newsted again in October 1995 along with drummer Dale Crover from the band Melvins, and bassist Scott Reeder, formerly of Kyuss. They recorded songs under two different names: Tree of the Sun, and Blastula. Some sources call Blastula Count Blastula and the Satanitones but the tape just says Blastula.
Not a lot is known about this project, other than that it happened. The only info I can find about it now comes from a Melvins forum thread from 2004.
https://www.themelvins.net/forum/index.php?topic=1094.0
The thread contains a (now dead) link to an MTV article from 2002. Thanks to the nifty Wayback Machine, we can still read the article:
https://web.archive.org/web/20031212175944/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1459315/12272002/metallica.jhtml
Other Chophouse projects slated to surface soon include the Black Sabbath-like Tree of the Sun, which features Townsend, the Melvins' Dale Crover and ex-Kyuss bassist Scott Reeder; the "full death metal" Blastula; and the Satanitones
(https://i.imgur.com/FmjrrgP.png)
Like IR8, this project was just done for fun, with no possibility of becoming a full time band. I've never listened to this demo. I've been trying to hunt it down for years now, but no luck. Some say that Jason would hand out tapes from these Chophouse projects like this and IR8 after shows. Jason made one song from the project available for download at some point, but it's no longer available anywhere. Surely Jason has the tapes somewhere, but its unlikely that this project will ever get any kind of wide release. I doubt this project is some long lost gem waiting to be uncovered, and the few reviews Ive seen say that it sounds like shit, but regardless I do hope it surfaces someday.
In 2017 Scott Reeder posted a photo on Instagram of the four guys from these sessions, seen above.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BZBsj1ghrT5/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=63ff80e4-2e33-4fb6-93bb-32863029c4c5
Thanks for the support, I'm glad you guys are enjoying this. :tup
The next update will come this Monday, the 20th, covering the SYL album City. I've been typing for a week straight and I need a break to eat some carrots or something idk.
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I could never get into SYL, I tried several times, I even own The New Black, although I understand that that is regarded as one of the weaker records, I sampled the other records a couple of times but it just doesn't work for me. It's not that it's aggressive and heavy, I've got no problem with that, but the music just doesn't work for me.
I heard that Punky Brόster record only recently, back then it was hard to get. Listened to it once or twice, it's nice for what it is but it's not really something I would revisit frequently.
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Despite having heard Devin for the first time maybe a decade ago and becoming a fan, I actually didn't listen to SYL at all until this year when I decided I would go through their discography chronologically before seeing him live. Just felt like a blind spot I could easily correct. I didn't avoid SYL for any particular reason before, just one of those "I'll get to it one day" and one day becomes 10 years.
I will say about Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing that my first listen was pretty solid but over the next 4 listens or so I just thought less about it with each time. Particularly when you revisit this album after City or Alien, it's just nowhere near that level. I think it's okay for what it is. I think it has that raw feel of a debut album where you can tell the elements are there but they're not clicking yet. Kinda like On the Sunday of Life by Porcupine Tree or even When Dream and Day Unite by DT. I think also considering City is a fantastic album, it just makes this one feel a bit lacking. I don't think it's required listening for any Devin fan unless they are curious.
Punky Bruster is an album I think of even less. I don't wanna say it's bad but I listened to it once or twice on youtube out of curiosity and for me it didn't even feel worth to download because it would take up space on my drive and I don't see myself revisiting it. But it's okay. Really Heavy as a Heavy Thing is better in my opinion but if I ranked his discography both of these would be close to the bottom, if not in the bottom 3-5.
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Before I do a listen through of these today, just wanted to post some thoughts.
Strapping was my first exposure to Devin, back in 2005. I got a copy of Metal Hammer magazine that had a free CD featuring Love?. I loved that song from the off, and bought the album, but didn't listen to anything else Devin related for about 6 or 7 years.
Zantera, I share the same views with you, in that City and Alien are my go to Strapping albums. Every other release just seems to be missing that special something. Heavy as a Really Heavy thing may be the Strapping album I've listened to least. I'd be surprised if I've heard it more than 10 times.
I'll give it a spin today, but I will say that I watched the music video for S.Y.L. earlier and forgot how good that song is, especially the chorus.
Punky Bruster I've never checked out, but unlike you Metropolaris I DO like pop punk. It's something I've meant to get round to but never have. I have a feeling I won't be that into it, based on the premise, but we'll see.
As for Tree of the Sun / Blastula & The Satanitones, I've never even heard of this project! Unsurprising, as it seems so steeped in mystery. I hope someone can find some audio, it's gotta be out there somewhere. Just a comment on Blastula and the Satanitones, it sounds like it could be related to Ziltoid :lol
Oh, also Metropolaris (or anyone who can answer), the comment I made yesterday about IR8 not sounding anything at all like Devin. That's not him singing right? Does he just play guitar?
Edit: Ignore me, I've just reread the post and it's Jason on vocals, obviously :facepalm:
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Zantera, I share the same views with you, in that City and Alien are my go to Strapping albums. Every other release just seems to be missing that special something. Heavy as a Really Heavy thing may be the Strapping album I've listened to least. I'd be surprised if I've heard it more than 10 times.
For me the SYL catalogue is pretty easily divided into 3 categories. City & Alien - fantastic, top tier stuff. SYL & The New Black - mostly good, a bit more inconsistent but some great stuff. Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing - OK. :hat
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I'll start with a few thoughts and comments on Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing, then move to Punky Brόster later on.
As I said earlier, it's possibly the Strapping album I've listened to the least, and City/Alien are generally the ones I stick on if I'm in the mood for SYL.
I will say that on a more focused listen today, the first track S.Y.L. is really good. The intro starts with a kid saying something about "playing for Devy" and "a bear, a big bear. And he ate the kids" :lol I'm sure I read somewhere that this audio is a young Devin, but I could be misremembering. I love the chorus on this song, and it's clear that the lyrical content is reflecting on the Vai experience. You gotta respect his faith in himself as the 'coming of a new age'. Also, the final line in the song is 'Strapping Young Lad. Cheesy Metalhead'. Classic.
The next few songs are just alright (which is kind of my view on the album as a whole). I noticed on this listen that Goat has a part (and riff) that sounds just like Pantera's 'Good Friends and a Bottle of Pills', from Far Beyond Driven, which came out the year before.
Er, Happy Camper, did they often perform this live as I'd love to see Devin perform this vocally, like how would he even do that. To be fair it sounds like incoherent rambling for the most part, so that's probably how.
I haven't got much to say about the rest of the album proper. It's heavy, and the start of something for Dev, and Strapping as a band, but there is better to come.
I will just talk about the bonus tracks though. I've not heard them before as I don't have that version. The first two aren't as extreme as Strapping, and feel like testing the waters of where his solo work will take him. Was that the purpose? Did he release them as bonus tracks to test the waters as such? They're not bad, either way. Lastly is the Judas Priest cover, Exciter. I'm not really a Priest fan, but I thought this was great. Apparently I prefer artists covering Priest rather than the actual band (see Death's cover of Painkiller).
Metropolaris, you mentioned Priest contacting Devin about joining the band on vocals. Do you know if this cover was before or after that? I love the idea of Priest hearing it and going "wow, this is really cool, we should sign this kid up". However, I think it would be a total Devin thing to do, to turn them down THEN record a cover like "look what you missed out on" :lol
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Metropolaris, you mentioned Priest contacting Devin about joining the band on vocals. Do you know if this cover was before or after that? I love the idea of Priest hearing it and going "wow, this is really cool, we should sign this kid up". However, I think it would be a total Devin thing to do, to turn them down THEN record a cover like "look what you missed out on" :lol
I don't know the answer to this but I remember hearing about the Judas Priest thing and I believe Devin said something like "I turned it down because nobody wants to hear me as the singer of Judas Priest" and it just made me chuckle to myself. A lot of people would just jump at that chance and I love that he saw it from the fan perspective that no matter how good you are, you will never be better than Halford as a Judas Priest vocalist. :lol
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Metropolaris, you mentioned Priest contacting Devin about joining the band on vocals. Do you know if this cover was before or after that? I love the idea of Priest hearing it and going "wow, this is really cool, we should sign this kid up". However, I think it would be a total Devin thing to do, to turn them down THEN record a cover like "look what you missed out on" :lol
I don't know the answer to this but I remember hearing about the Judas Priest thing and I believe Devin said something like "I turned it down because nobody wants to hear me as the singer of Judas Priest" and it just made me chuckle to myself. A lot of people would just jump at that chance and I love that he saw it from the fan perspective that no matter how good you are, you will never be better than Halford as a Judas Priest vocalist. :lol
Yea, plus he was so young and.... well, he's Devin. If he went up on stage and was just his weird self I can't imagine any of the hardcore fans being able to take the band seriously :lol
But even if he did take the gig, there's no way he'd be able to fake it for long.
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Pretty sure the cover came after the offer from Priest.
Dev also mentioned in his biography that they announced Tim Owens pretty much immediately after he responded, so they likely made their decision by the time he got the offer letter
Dev apparently blacked out in the vocal booth recording Happy Camper, so Im surprised to see that they performed it live at least 10 times, according to Setlist.fm
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In recent years, Dev has dismissed this album as a couple of good songs and a bunch of demos.
Yeah, this is pretty accurate. The first two songs are decent, but the rest of the album isn't anything I'd recommend to anyone. Though as others have pointed out, Happy Camper is worth a listen just to hear that ridiculous vocal performance, even if the song itself isn't that good.
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Really enjoying this thread so far. Pretty cool to read about the offers from Geezer and Judas Priest and learn more about his early years in music. I really need to pickup his book.
I knew about Strapping Young Lad when they were active, and I had heard them, but I didn't really give them a chance until after I had taken the plunge on Dev's solo stuff/DTP stuff. I don't listen to the 1st album all that often, but I think Dev's description of it is pretty accurate.
I checked out the Punky Bruster record a few years back, and I enjoy it. I can get down with some pop-punk. I really like Bad Religion, Lagwagon, NOFX, MXPX. It is a pretty cool concept and a fun record too.
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After listening to Punky Brόster I get it. There's not really much point in discussing the songs etc, as this is really a further statement on Devin's frustration with the music industry. It lines up with where he must've been at, mentally, at this time.
It is a fairly accurate commentary on the American punk scene in the mid 90s, and the crossover into the mainstream. It also comes across like an episode of South Park or something :lol
I love punk rock in general, but particularly the 90s American skate punk scene. My first introduction to punk was bands like Green Day and The Offspring (the bands he is aiming this at), and I loved them (and actually still do). My favourite punk bands now are NOFX, Rancid and Bad Religion. These three reached huge commercial success in the 90s, crossing over into the mainstream. I genuinely don't think any of these bands started off with the intention to make a lot of money, it just wasn't there for punk bands in the 80s and early 90s. Green Day kinda kicked down the door and why wouldn't these other bands want to make money and play to bigger crowds? Yes the music is simple and straightforward, but that doesn't mean it's bad. There were bands out there trying to make a quick buck of the trend, but they definitely all weren't.
Either way, I get Devin's frustration, and the point of the record. It's a 'fuck you' to those bands, and 'look how easy it is to write a record like this'. In some respects I get where Devin's frustration is coming from but I also think it makes him seem like a bit of an elitist dick, who is jealous of the fame and fortune these bands were achieving. He's long since let go of that frame of mind, and this album is what's left of those sentiments.
My own feelings towards the scene he is jabbing at puts me in a place where I feel myself getting defensive. I feel like he was in a place where he was digging at the scene, but if the album had been a success, he'd have taken the cash. That doesn't line up with the Devin I feel I know from reading and listening to interviews, but this is '96 Devin. I can't remember what he says about it in the book, I'll have to go back and read it.
I'd like to think that he would've purposefully made it bad enough not to sell (which is arguably what he did), but I feel he comes across as bitter, from reading the lyrics. It's kind of a juxtaposition to Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing, as on that album he's saying 'fuck you, I'm the future, and I'll do it my way' whereas Punky Brόster is 'fuck you, I'm pissed I'm not making easy money'.
Just my two cents, buuuuuuuuuuut 90s American skate punk fucking rules! As Billboy73 said, bands like NOFX, Bad Religion, Lagwagon, MXPX kick ass!
Dev apparently blacked out in the vocal booth recording Happy Camper, so Im surprised to see that they performed it live at least 10 times, according to Setlist.fm
Holy shit :lol listening to it, that fact doesn't surprise me.
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After listening to Punky Brόster I get it. There's not really much point in discussing the songs etc, as this is really a further statement on Devin's frustration with the music industry. It lines up with where he must've been at, mentally, at this time.
It is a fairly accurate commentary on the American punk scene in the mid 90s, and the crossover into the mainstream. It also comes across like an episode of South Park or something :lol
I love punk rock in general, but particularly the 90s American skate punk scene. My first introduction to punk was bands like Green Day and The Offspring (the bands he is aiming this at), and I loved them (and actually still do). My favourite punk bands now are NOFX, Rancid and Bad Religion. These three reached huge commercial success in the 90s, crossing over into the mainstream. I genuinely don't think any of these bands started off with the intention to make a lot of money, it just wasn't there for punk bands in the 80s and early 90s. Green Day kinda kicked down the door and why wouldn't these other bands want to make money and play to bigger crowds? Yes the music is simple and straightforward, but that doesn't mean it's bad. There were bands out there trying to make a quick buck of the trend, but they definitely all weren't.
Either way, I get Devin's frustration, and the point of the record. It's a 'fuck you' to those bands, and 'look how easy it is to write a record like this'. In some respects I get where Devin's frustration is coming from but I also think it makes him seem like a bit of an elitist dick, who is jealous of the fame and fortune these bands were achieving. He's long since let go of that frame of mind, and this album is what's left of those sentiments.
My own feelings towards the scene he is jabbing at puts me in a place where I feel myself getting defensive. I feel like he was in a place where he was digging at the scene, but if the album had been a success, he'd have taken the cash. That doesn't line up with the Devin I feel I know from reading and listening to interviews, but this is '96 Devin. I can't remember what he says about it in the book, I'll have to go back and read it.
I'd like to think that he would've purposefully made it bad enough not to sell (which is arguably what he did), but I feel he comes across as bitter, from reading the lyrics. It's kind of a juxtaposition to Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing, as on that album he's saying 'fuck you, I'm the future, and I'll do it my way' whereas Punky Brόster is 'fuck you, I'm pissed I'm not making easy money'.
Just my two cents, buuuuuuuuuuut 90s American skate punk fucking rules! As Billboy73 said, bands like NOFX, Bad Religion, Lagwagon, MXPX kick ass!
I think it's safe to say that in HIS brain, his record wasn't going to sell. Whether he tanked it or not, there's no precedent for that to have happened.
And look, I'm not bagging on what you like - hell, the live "Jesus of Suburbia" from the "Bullet In A Bible" set is transcendent - but Dev's not wrong. Green Day is to punk what Nirvana (as compared to Mud Honey, Soundgarden and Green River) are to grunge and what Poison (as compared to Maiden, Sabbath and Motorhead) is to hard rock/heavy metal. They're the palatable, safe version. There's no harm no foul in that, but I can imagine for someone like Devin, who at the time felt like he was invested to the maximum in an industry that wasn't either receptive or complimentary of that effort, it was a difficult pill to swallow.
One thing I will say about Devin: I don't know him, I've never met him, but in terms of the "nakedness" he puts in his art, and the candidness of his autobiography and the openness he shows in interviews, I'm not sure there's an artist I can name that has grown - MATURED - so discernibly and so publicly.
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And look, I'm not bagging on what you like - hell, the live "Jesus of Suburbia" from the "Bullet In A Bible" set is transcendent - but Dev's not wrong. Green Day is to punk what Nirvana (as compared to Mud Honey, Soundgarden and Green River) are to grunge and what Poison (as compared to Maiden, Sabbath and Motorhead) is to hard rock/heavy metal. They're the palatable, safe version. There's no harm no foul in that, but I can imagine for someone like Devin, who at the time felt like he was invested to the maximum in an industry that wasn't either receptive or complimentary of that effort, it was a difficult pill to swallow.
One thing I will say about Devin: I don't know him, I've never met him, but in terms of the "nakedness" he puts in his art, and the candidness of his autobiography and the openness he shows in interviews, I'm not sure there's an artist I can name that has grown - MATURED - so discernibly and so publicly.
Gotta give a hard disagree about Green Day Stads. I fully agree that they became one of the many 'safe' faces of punk rock, it wasn't always that way, and I wouldn't say them were 'safe' in '96. Sure, they were no GG Allin, but they originated from the Gillman St scene, and that's about as fucking punk as you can get.
It's the same as any band that gains fame and fortune. It's hard to have that anger and fuck the world attitude when you have everything you could ever dream of and you're getting smoke blown up your ass daily. Metallica also became 'safe' compared to their early output.
I guess the problem I have is the generalisation and assumption. I feel your statement is a generalised and narrow view of Green Day as a band. There's more to them than that, even though yes, I personally can't stand any of their music post American Idiot. They were a proper punk band that got famous, and yes that changed them as a band. You cam talk about selling out and whatever, but in '96, when Punky Brόster came out, Green Day had released Insomniac the year before, arguably their most punk rock album.
Yes, there were bands who followed the money and didn't represent the 'scene' as some felt they should. Some of these bands Devin's frustration and jabs are fairly aimed at, but there were plenty of bands who found success around that time who are not deserving of it. Bands like NOFX and Bad Religion, like I previously mentioned. Yes they found commercial success, ahd with that started playing to crowds that weren't just hardcore punks. That doesn't actually make them any less a punk band though.
As to your final paragraph though dude, I totally agree, and it's one of the main reasons I love him so much, and binged on his interviews.
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I don't consider the first SYL or Punky Brewster albums to be much more than demos. Especially since SYL did become a band and half the lineup (notably Gene Hoglan) is missing. I actually like the SYL stuff a lot but the first album doesn't have a whole lot going for it for me. Devin really starts to hit his stride with City/Ocean Machine. Everything up to that point is just lead up.
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Strapping Young Lad - City
Released February 11, 1997
(https://i.imgur.com/RJWaTFB.jpg)
Tracklisting:
1. Velvet Kevorkian
2. All Hail the New Flesh
3. Oh My Fucking God
4. Detox
5. Home Nucleonics
6. AAA
7. Underneath the Waves
8. Room 429 (Cop Shoot Cop cover)
9. Spirituality
Bonus Tracks:
10. Centipede (2007 Remaster Bonus Track)
11. Home Nucleonics (2007 Remaster Bonus Track)
12. Headrhoid (Gunt Demo) [2007 Remaster Bonus Track]
13. Detox (96 Demo) [2007 Remaster Bonus Track]
14. AAA (96 Demo) [2007 Remaster Bonus Track]
Personnel:
Devin Townsend - Guitar, Vocals
Jed Simon - Guitar
Byron Stroud - Bass
Gene Hoglan - Drums
Additional Personnel:
Chris Valagao - Vocals
Tanya Evans - Vocals
(https://i.imgur.com/4W127KF.jpeg)
As Dev was putting together Ocean Machine, Century Media wanted a follow-up to Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing. He put Ocean Machine on hold and moved back to LA, living with Borivoj Krgen and working in the mail room at Century Media. He hoped to immerse himself in the anger he felt from his previous time living in LA during his time with Vai, and focus that anger on writing the next SYL album, which would become City.
By this point Mike Sudar and Ashley Scribner had moved onto to other projects, and drummer Adrian White didnt connect with the material Dev was writing. Jed Simon was still on board, but Dev had to find a new drummer and bassist. He was introduced to Gene Hoglan through a mutual friend at an Iron Maiden concert. Gene was a fan of the first SYL record and Dev asked him on the spot if hed play on the second record. Gene agreed to do it. Dev called up his former Caustic Thought bandmate, Byron Stroud, and got him to join the band on bass. This would be the lineup for the rest of SYLs career.
With the new lineup complete, the band met up at Steve Vais Mothership Studios, where Sex and Religion was recorded. Dev and Steve had stayed in loose contact here and there since the Vai band ended, and Steve felt bad about how that project fell apart and wanted to try to patch up the relationship. He let SYL use his studio and even allowed them to sleep there. The album was mostly written by Dev, with Gene co-writing the drums to Oh My Fucking God. The album was recorded very quickly, and released in February 1997.
City could be considered the real beginning of Strapping Young Lad. The songs feel more focused and the production is much better than Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing. Each song has its own identity, whereas most of HAARHT just blends together as an industrial grindcore mush. Even the anger feels more genuine on City. This album is pure chaos
and I love it. I dont dabble much in extreme metal, but theres a certain beauty to the madness of this album.
Velvet Kevorkian is a rework of the first half of SunMud/Woman, from the Ass-Sordid Demos.
Oh My Fucking God was co-written with Gene Hoglan.
Detox is a rare Dev song written in Drop D tuning (DADGBE). The song is about how Dev felt during a night on the town with The Wildhearts during his brief time in the band.
A music video was filmed for Detox: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3f20L0msLsM
AAA was written in a weird guitar tuning: AAAEAE. Dev would use this tuning again heavily on Physicist.
Room 429 is a cover of a song by Cop Shoot Cop, one of Devs favorite bands.
Spirituality is the only clunker on this album. It kinda drags and I have to be in the right mood to listen to it.
The bonus tracks are there if youre into that sort of thing. I think Centipede has cool groove. Nothing else really sticks out to me.
City received high praise from metal publications like Kerrang! and Metal Hammer, and the band started gaining a real fanbase. The band, accompanied by John Morgan on keyboards, toured through 1997 in North America, Europe, and Australia.
Here's some videos from that tour
Sauget, IL 8/13/97: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_pvVWeVO_8
Albany, NY 8/30/97: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hD3aRQqaVSs
Atlanta, GA 9/6/97: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_AGVF5YuSPKf1tLabRQjCJwryXlp6Lni
The last show of 97, in Melbourne, was recorded for a live album
Strapping Young Lad - No Sleep Till Bedtime: Live in Australia
Recorded October 12, 1997, Released June 2, 1998
(https://i.imgur.com/Se6tb5x.jpg)
Tracklisting:
1. Velvet Kevorkian (Live)
2. All Hail the New Flesh (Live)
3. Home Nucleonics (Live)
4. Oh My Fucking God (Live)
5. S.Y.L. (Live)
6. In the Rainy Season (Live)
7. Far Beyond Metal (Live)
8. Japan
9. Centipede
Bonus Tracks:
10. Home Nucleonics (96 Demo) [Japanese Bonus Track]
11. Headrhoid (Gunt Demo) [Japanese Bonus Track]
12. Detox (96 Demo) [Japanese Bonus Track]
13. AAA (96 Demo) [Japanese Bonus Track]
Additional Personnel:
John Morgan - Keyboards
(https://i.imgur.com/A4dPPMG.jpeg)
Not much to say about this live album. Its a solid performance. It contains the song Far Beyond Metal, which was written around this time but wouldnt appear on a studio album until SYLs final album, The New Black. No Sleep has the same bonus tracks as City.
Heres some (very low quality) footage of that show
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xR_WTm4b5ZA
The band continued to tour in 1998, hitting Europe, Australia, and Japan.
Some footage from a show in Kawasaki, Japan 10/20/98: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QVbZGXlB-s
With the release of City, Strapping Young Lad was now a force to be reckoned with. Dev thinks of City as the ultimate SYL album. But, as stated previously, SYL was never intended to be his main gig. And the exaggerated metal persona he displayed onstage with the band wasnt an accurate representation of himself, and he got tired of playing that character, so to speak. This, combined with his mental health struggles, which Ill cover in a later update (That ones gonna be a doozy
), eventually led to Dev putting SYL on hiatus in 1998, so that he could focus on his solo work.
Decided to drop this one a bit early since conversation had died down. I also went back and added some more photos to the previous posts.
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Nice one dude :tup
I've never listened to the live album, so will be giving that a spin. After the talk about Devin's podcast, I'm going to listen to the City episode, then listen to the album before posting my thoughts :corn
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City is awesome. I think Alien is the best SYL album, but City has its own qualities that surpass Alien. Its the most genuine-feeling SYL by a long shot. HaaRHT and The New Black are too tounge-in-cheek, the self-titled was a bit phoned in (even though I really like that album), and the anger on Alien feels a bit played-up and manufactured by comparison. The anger and darkness on this album feels incredibly real. Its also a shame that this was effectively the last industrial metal SYL album, because it does that style so damn well. The sound is heavy as fuck, but the industrial layers and more melodic touches are what make the album so memorable and fun to listen to.
For me, the only clunker on it is Room 429. That song just doesnt belong on this album imo. It sticks out like a sore thumb, kills the flow/energy of the record, and just isnt that good of a track to begin with (Im just talking about the cover, I have no real opinion on the original).
Centipede is an awesome bonus track, too. One of the best SYL songs.
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Just finished listening to the podcast. I've definitely heard Devin talk about a lot of this stuff before but I'm always happy to hear more.
I've never been the biggest Fear Factory fan, but Demanufacture was on repeat a fair bit for me in like '05/'06. It's weird, although there are clear similarities in their sound, I never really put Strapping and FF together as similar bands. I love hearing how important that Fear Factory show was for Devin, and how it helped him realise his vision of what he wanted his music to sound like.
As someone who is not musical at all, I find it so impressive to hear him talk about having a vision and just making it happen (and at such a young age too).
I haven't watched all the videos you linked Metropolaris, but I at least watched a bit of all of them. The Detox video is fine, but pretty generic and doesn't have the impact S.Y.L. had.
As for the live stuff, I might need to watch the whole video for the Sauget show. The video and audio quality seems way better than the others. I think it's the first time I've seen live footage of Devin from back then. I LOVE how he was still the same goofball back then, had the same stage presence and sense of humour. From hearing him talk, I'd assumed at this point in his career he'd just be doing the generic metal tough guy persona on stage. Nice to see he was pretty much exactly the same, just with enough hair to fucking circle bang!
It's 11pm here, so I'll listen to City and No Sleep 'till Bedtime tomorrow :corn
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Except for Spirituality, which to this day I still can't remember a single thing about, City is a perfect record, imo. Amazing.
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Finished listening to City earlier. Personally I've always vastly preferred Devin's other work over Strapping (outside of a few songs). City is a highlight sure, and a really good album, but I don't connect with it in a way where I feel it could ever be an album I couldn't live without.
Clearly it's an improvement over Heavy As a Really Heavy Thing, although I do like the debut. The run from All Hail to Detox is the best part of the album, and maybe I'm in the minority but I really like Room 429, even if it does stick out like a sore thumb.
Like with Heavy, I don't have the special version of City, so this was my time hearing the bonus tracks. They were OK, but I've not really got anything to say about them. All in all, which is why l love these threads, I gave this a Korean focused listen and feel like I appreciate it more than I did yesterday.
Onto No Sleep 'till Bedtime!
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There was actually a time when Spirituality was my favorite song on the album. It's just so huge, dark, and apocalyptic-sounding. Nowadays I prefer the faster songs like All Hail The New Flesh and Detox, but Spirituality is still up there for me.
I think I said this in another thread but I was listening to this album in a particularly shitty mood a few months ago, and Oh My Fucking God finally clicked with me after all these years. That song's almost Jane Doe levels of pure rage injected directly into my bloodstream. :metal
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I'm not really into Devin's solo work, but I LOVE Strapping Young Lad. I didn't give them a chance until a number of years ago, probably when his Ziltoid DVD came out and I caught the live video of him playing Detox live at that show. I knew he hadn't really been playing SYL songs live, so that was a surprise and something really cool for him to see.
The song knocked my socks off and I really got into SYL later on when I was looking for something different to listen to. Such a great band and City is the shit! :metal
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City is a fantastic album! Definitely agree with the hype. Also agree that one and Alien are the standouts in the SYL discography.
Also I was thinking that City and Ocean Machine might be the best duo of 2 albums by the same artist released in the same year, even if under different monikers. I'm not 100% on my final ranking of his releases but I feel the likelihood of both of these being at the top of the different projects is pretty high.
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Also I was thinking that City and Ocean Machine might be the best duo of 2 albums by the same artist released in the same year
*King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard has entered the chat*
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Also I was thinking that City and Ocean Machine might be the best duo of 2 albums by the same artist released in the same year, even if under different monikers. I'm not 100% on my final ranking of his releases but I feel the likelihood of both of these being at the top of the different projects is pretty high.
There's competition even from Devin himself there, with Ki and Addicted in 2009. :lol I'm not sure if I'd rank Ki quite as high as Ocean Machine or City (though it does come close), but Addicted is my favorite Devin Townsend album, ever.
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Well, they're all third to Genesis' A Trick Of The Tail/Wind And Wuthering, and Kiss' Destroyer/Rock and Roll Over, but I see where you're all going.
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No Sleep 'till Bedtime was OK. I was a little underwhelmed, and after watching a bit of that Sauget show, I was hoping for some weird Devin banter on this album. Unfortunately it didn't deliver. I guess I'll just watch that youtube clip tonight.
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Also I was thinking that City and Ocean Machine might be the best duo of 2 albums by the same artist released in the same year
*King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard has entered the chat*
:lol
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O earth, what changes hast thou seen!
There where the long street roars, hath been
The stillness of the central sea.
The hills are shadows, and they flow
From form to form and nothing stands
Like clouds they shape themselves and go.
- Alfred, Lord Tennyson, In Memoriam A.H.H. (1850)
Ocean Machine - Biomech
Released July 21, 1997
(https://i.imgur.com/jVXcVFv.jpg)
Tracklisting:
1. Seventh Wave
2. Life
3. Night
4. Hide Nowhere
5. Sister
6. 3 A.M.
7. Voices in the Fan
8. Greetings
9. Regulator
10. Funeral
11. Bastard
a. Not One of My Better Days
b. The Girl from Blue City
12. The Death of Music
13. Thing Beyond Things (Listed as a bonus track on some versions)
Personnel:
Devin Townsend - Guitar, Vocals, Keyboards
John Harder - Bass
Marty Chapman - Drums
Chris Valagao - Backing Vocals
John Morgan - Keyboards
Ocean Machine is culmination of Devs career up to this point. Its the project he had been wanting to make for years, but kept having to put it on the back burner due to other commitments and record label bullshit. The roots of the project can be traced back to the Noisescapes days, with songs like Voices in the Fan, Regulator, Funeral, Bastard, The Death of Music, and Thing Beyond Things. Lets get one thing straightened out: The album was originally called Biomech and released under the band name Ocean Machine. Eventually the album was rereleased as a Devin Townsend solo album titled Ocean Machine: Biomech. I use the titles interchangeably. Use whatever title you prefer.
(https://i.imgur.com/y9tdfFN.png)
The band Ocean Machine was comprised of Dev on Guitar and Vocals, John Harder on bass, and Marty Chapman on drums. Recording began in 1995 not long after Heavy As a Really Heavy Thing was completed. Further recording took place at Factory Studios in Vancouver in 1996. At the same time, Rob Halford was next door recording with his band Two and popped into the studio one day to watch Ocean Machine rehearse and chat with the band. The basic tracks were recorded at the Factory, but Dev wasnt able to achieve the sounds that he wanted for the album. He ended up taking the material to a studio called Musibelios in Mαlaga, Spain to rework and mix the album with an engineer/producer named Daniel Bergstrand.
Dev and Daniel spent three weeks in Spain trying to put the album together. The experience was not great. The owner of the studio would randomly kick them out of the building so that he could party with his buddies (One of whom was Antonio Banderas). In addition, they had arrived in the midst of tropical storm season and kept losing power. When they were able to work, they re-recorded most of the guitar and drum tracks, and many overdubs. They were unable to get a decent snare sound, so they ended up sampling the snare from the beginning of the Metallica song Sad But True and copying and pasting that sample for every snare hit on the album. Once they were finished, Dev refused to pay the studio owner, and in turn the owner refused to let them have the master tapes. Dev and Daniel snuck into the studio after hours and made copies of the masters. They ran out of time, and one song was left behind, Ocean Machines, though the demo appears on the Ass-Sordid Demos. Dev left Spain the next day.
(https://i.imgur.com/JBmeD43.jpg)
Above is a progress chart from the initial 1995 sessions for the album. Of the songs listed, only 3 ended up on Ocean Machine: Voices in the Fan, Funeral in the Rain(Eventually shortened to just Funeral), and The Death of Music. The songs Promise, Come to the Edge, Man, and My Girl can all be found on Ancient and the Ass-Sordid Demos. To my knowledge, the remaining songs Tomorrows Flesh, Old, and Visitor at Sea have not been released, unless they were renamed. Devs goal was to fit as much music on one disc as possible. John Harder recommended that Dev include some of his demos to fill out the record. That led to songs like The Death of Music and Thing Beyond Things being included.
A music video was made for Life, seen here in glorious 240p
https://youtu.be/IL7SoDwTbZA
Ocean Machine: Biomech was released July 21, 1997 under his HevyDevy records label. Like Punky Brόster, it was at first only available in Japan, where it achieved moderate success. Dev shopped the record around to other labels for wider distribution and eventually made a deal with Inside Out Music, who became the distributor of his solo work outside of SYL. This is the only album released under the name Ocean Machine. Future solo albums would be released as Devin Townsend.
Ocean Machine never toured. In fact I dont think they ever played a live show. Starting in 1998, Strapping Young Lad would begin to incorporate songs from Ocean Machine into their setlists.
Heres a video from 1998 of SYL playing a few Ocean Machine songs plus Happy Camper from Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rtiDQyWHEM
The production on this album is unique. Maybe not technically great, but it gives the album a unique atmosphere I havent heard anywhere else. Its hard to describe the sound of Ocean Machine. Its often categorized as Progressive Metal. Sure, I guess that accurate at points, but dont expect something that sounds like Dream Theater. Guitar solos are few and far between, and exist to serve the song rather than to show off how many notes Dev can fit in a solo.
Ocean Machine: Biomech is my favorite album of all time. It wasnt my first Dev album, but its the one that has had the biggest impact on me and I cant think of any other record from any other artist that comes close. It came to me at a particular low point in my life. I dont like to get into my personal life on the internet, but Ill say that the section of The Death of Music where he repeats Dont die on me, dont go away, when I need you here was something I needed to hear at that time. I listened to this album on repeat for months and it got me through that time. I would not change a single thing about this record. Thanks Dev.
Infinity update coming soon
I also stumbled upon an archive of old HevyDevy records blog updates from 1995-1998. Worth a read if you're interested
https://web.archive.org/web/19990202110855/http://members.home.net/hevydevy/archive.html
https://web.archive.org/web/19981206124933/http://members.home.net/hevydevy/news.html
Some interesting stuff to read in there. Not sure who wrote it, probably his wife Tracy.
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Great write up Metropolaris. This thread is moving fast! Sorry been really busy so haven't had much time for comments but am loving this.
Just want to quickly circle back to Sex & Religion. I'm a huge fan of Vai's Passion & Warfare and worshiped that album back in 1990 and remember at the time lots of press leading up to the S&R release and this 'new kid on the block' Devin Townsend who was going to be singing on the record. Expectations were high but I felt this album was a huge let down, a major disappointment for me at the time. Kind of thought I would never hear of Devin again after that album..
Then a few years later I heard about SYL and when I checked them out I couldn't believe this was the same guy.
I actually didn't get into the rest of Devins discography until a few years after that and of course Ocean Machine rules. Just awesome.
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This is where we really start getting to the good stuff. I wouldn't say Ocean Machine is my favourite Dev album, but it's damn close. I think it's a real album experience, and has its own unique sound within his discography.
I know a lot of people say that Funeral, Bastard, Death of Music run is the best three song run in his whole body of work. I like it but admit I'm always kinda waiting for it to click, as it's always just been good to me, rather than great.
As I did with City, I'm going to listen to the podcast episode for this album, then the album, then post thoughts.
:corn
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This was the first thing I heard from Devin outside Vai's S&R and it blew me away.
This is my favorite Devin record and probably a top 10 record of all time for me.
Which is a blessing and a curse for my DT experience. On one hand I'm impressed that Devin could come up with something so great so early in his career, on the other hand everything that came after had to live up to Ocean Machine - Biomech and consequently failed. Some were close, others far away, but my hopes and expectations were never really met.
I would say the production on this record is shit, it sounds muddy, the bass is almost inaudible and the guitars lack some serious punch, but it fits the mood so perfectly I can't really complain.
The best three song run is Regulator/Funeral/Bastard. Especially Funeral with it's wall of sound guitars gets me every time.
The Death Of Music seems to be everyone's favorite, but while it's nice, it's way too long. On the other hand, the so called bonus track Thing Beyond Things is simply beuatiful in it's simplicity.
I read somewhere this whole record is like the ocean waves rolling in and I can see/hear that.
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I finished the Ocean Machine podcast episode earlier, which raised some questions as well as giving more information. I'm listening to Ocean Machine now, and I think I'll give it a second spin straight after, before posting any thoughts.
I feel a full Devin binge coming on. I was messaging my brother earlier and we were talking music. He is not into anything even remotely heavy, and is currently obsessing over Madonna and her work. I mentioned Devin Townsend abd he was like "who is Devin Townsend?".
Well, that was a rookie mistake! That was the only in I needed. I sent him the infamous 'Kingdom live at EMG' (https://youtu.be/nubJjB95VdY) video and am awaiting his reaction to it (which I'll post here).
I then of course went down a rabbit hole watching loads of vocal coach reaction videos. I love to see people react to Devin who clearly have never heard anything like it before. You can see that they can't quite make sense of what they are actually hearing, just so much visible confusion :lol
Also, for anyone new to Devy, and following along to this thread to get a better understanding of him and his music, please make sure you watch the link above, it's just awe inspiring!
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This thread is moving fast!
Yes, probably a bit too fast for me to follow along with. Haven't had time to hit the Vai record yet lol. But that's more me and all the other music I'm listening to than a problem with this thread.
If I can catch up by the end of the week, awesome, but if not, I will leave it to the rest of you guys and catch up later.
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I can space out the updates a bit more if you guys want that.
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It might give a bit more chance for discussion, especially now as we're past some of the early work which may not interest too many people.
Ocean Machine is arguably his best work (and City arguably the best SYL release) so there might be more to say about them :corn
Edit: My brothers reaction to Kingdom... "Wow he goes hard! I mean it is very impressive".
Don't think he's converted :loser:
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It might give a bit more chance for discussion, especially now as we're past some of the early work which may not interest too many people.
Ocean Machine is arguably his best work (and City arguably the best SYL release) so there might be more to say about them :corn
Edit: My brothers reaction to Kingdom... "Wow he goes hard! I mean it is very impressive".
Don't think he's converted :loser:
Look, we love him here - I love him, for sure - and his talent is not to be denied, but the reality is, he's very eclectic, and in the larger scheme of things, he's an acquired taste. It took me something like two decades to finally warm to him and even now, I only really access a portion of his catalogue.
None of this is meant to be a slam; if anything it's a compliment. I admire him for sticking so completely to his guns and following his muse so faithfully.
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It might give a bit more chance for discussion, especially now as we're past some of the early work which may not interest too many people.
Ocean Machine is arguably his best work (and City arguably the best SYL release) so there might be more to say about them :corn
Edit: My brothers reaction to Kingdom... "Wow he goes hard! I mean it is very impressive".
Don't think he's converted :loser:
Look, we love him here - I love him, for sure - and his talent is not to be denied, but the reality is, he's very eclectic, and in the larger scheme of things, he's an acquired taste. It took me something like two decades to finally warm to him and even now, I only really access a portion of his catalogue.
None of this is meant to be a slam; if anything it's a compliment. I admire him for sticking so completely to his guns and following his muse so faithfully.
This is my viewpoint, as well.
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It might give a bit more chance for discussion, especially now as we're past some of the early work which may not interest too many people.
Ocean Machine is arguably his best work (and City arguably the best SYL release) so there might be more to say about them :corn
Edit: My brothers reaction to Kingdom... "Wow he goes hard! I mean it is very impressive".
Don't think he's converted :loser:
Look, we love him here - I love him, for sure - and his talent is not to be denied, but the reality is, he's very eclectic, and in the larger scheme of things, he's an acquired taste. It took me something like two decades to finally warm to him and even now, I only really access a portion of his catalogue.
None of this is meant to be a slam; if anything it's a compliment. I admire him for sticking so completely to his guns and following his muse so faithfully.
Oh I couldn't agree more. I'd still never stop exposing people to him though. For me, it was a win for my brother to watch the whole video. The majority of what I listen to, he wouldn't make it past the first moment.
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I'm not super familiar with Dev's work but I am familiar with Ocean Machine and I gotta say "Seventh Wave" is a top tier Devin song. I loved it from the moment I heard it some 15 years ago.
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I'm not super familiar with Dev's work but I am familiar with Ocean Machine and I gotta say "Seventh Wave" is a top tier Devin song. I loved it from the moment I heard it some 15 years ago.
That's exactly how I feel. I once read that the album was meant to sound like music representing the ocean, or how the ocean would write music. The repetitive main riff and groove feels like it truly represents the waves of the ocean. The riff just keeps rolling like the waves.
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I love Ocean Machine. Way back almost 15 years ago when I first got into Devin, for whatever reason he didn't fully click with me and I didn't venture past maybe 6 or 7 of his albums (so I still had a lot of gaps at that time) but Ocean Machine and Terria were the 2 that really stood out and I even got them on colored vinyl when InsideOut reissued them. Revisiting Ocean Machine these years later, after having been converted to a big Devin fan and explored most of his discography (still have a few left to listen to) and Ocean Machine just stands up so well. As an album it just flows really nicely and I don't necessarily find myself going "I cant wait for song X or song Y" because the whole journey is just so great.
Maybe at the end of all of this I might attempt some sort of Devin album ranking but it would be hard. Still, I feel like Ocean Machine would be nailed on for the top3 and have a very strong shot at either being 1 or 2. It's just a really special album in my opinion.
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I love Ocean Machine, but I am very overdue for listening to it again (it's been nearly two years), so I will have to make some time to do that soon. The last five tracks are all great, and Thing Beyond Things is somewhere in my Top 20 favorite songs of all time. I'll be surprised and greatly impressed if any other Devin Townsend album tops this one for me.
Also, I gave Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing and Punky Bruster a listen, and while I thought both were alright, I probably won't seek them out again.
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Here's a little bonus. A cover of Sinner - Judas Priest that Dev did with the Ocean Machine lineup. Released on a JP tribute record that Century Media put together.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jzSxDnTZ34
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City - This is the SYL album that I revisit the most, though I'm not the biggest SYL fan. I prefer Dev's other stuff to SYL.
Ocean Machine - Devin has obviously had some interesting productions on a lot of his albums, and Ocean Machine is one of those. Pretty interesting to read about how this one specifically was produced across the 2 studios. I think the production works with the mood and vibe of the record. It gives me that oceanic, underwater feeling. He's really good at creating atmospheric pieces that conjure up a certain mood, and this album is loaded with that. The flow of the album is also really interesting. While I do really enjoy this record, I don't rank it as high as most probably do.
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Here's a little bonus. A cover of Sinner - Judas Priest that Dev did with the Ocean Machine lineup. Released on a JP tribute record that Century Media put together.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jzSxDnTZ34
WOW... I don't know what I expected, but it wasn't that. That was KILLER. I'm not sure I've heard a better Priest cover, EVER. That's definitely Dev, no doubt, but he did a masterful job of keeping the parts that were essential (IMO, the Priest guitar tone, the chorus vocals) but adding his own touches (the increased sound effects, the verse vocals).
I really dug that. Thanks, Metro.
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Here's a little bonus. A cover of Sinner - Judas Priest that Dev did with the Ocean Machine lineup. Released on a JP tribute record that Century Media put together.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jzSxDnTZ34
WOW... I don't know what I expected, but it wasn't that. That was KILLER. I'm not sure I've heard a better Priest cover, EVER. That's definitely Dev, no doubt, but he did a masterful job of keeping the parts that were essential (IMO, the Priest guitar tone, the chorus vocals) but adding his own touches (the increased sound effects, the verse vocals).
I really dug that. Thanks, Metro.
Glad you liked it! Definitely check out SYLs cover of Exciter if you havent already
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Here's a little bonus. A cover of Sinner - Judas Priest that Dev did with the Ocean Machine lineup. Released on a JP tribute record that Century Media put together.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jzSxDnTZ34
WOW... I don't know what I expected, but it wasn't that. That was KILLER. I'm not sure I've heard a better Priest cover, EVER. That's definitely Dev, no doubt, but he did a masterful job of keeping the parts that were essential (IMO, the Priest guitar tone, the chorus vocals) but adding his own touches (the increased sound effects, the verse vocals).
I really dug that. Thanks, Metro.
Those Century Media tribute albums have some awesome performances:
Volume 1
1. "The Hellion/Electric Eye" Helloween
2. "Saints in Hell" Fates Warning
3. "Victim of Changes" Gamma Ray
4. "Sinner" Devin Townsend
5. "The Ripper" Mercyful Fate
6. "Jawbreaker" Rage
7. "Night Crawler" Radakka
8. "Burnin' Up" Doom Squad
9. "A Touch of Evil" Lion's Share
10. "Rapid Fire" Testament
11. "Metal Gods" U.D.O.
12. "You've Got Another Thing Comin'" Saxon
Volume 2
1. "The Ripper" Iced Earth
2. "Beyond the Realms of Death" Blind Guardian
3. "The Sentinel" Heavens Gate
4. "Love Bites" Nevermore
5. "Exciter" Gamma Ray
6. "Dissident Aggressor" Forbidden
7. "Painkiller" Angra
8. "Tyrant" Overkill
9. "Grinder" Kreator
10. "Dreamer Deceiver" Skyclad
11. "Bloodstone" Stratovarius
12. "Screaming for Vengeance" Virgin Steele
13. "Night Comes Down" Leviathan
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Here's a little bonus. A cover of Sinner - Judas Priest that Dev did with the Ocean Machine lineup. Released on a JP tribute record that Century Media put together.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jzSxDnTZ34
WOW... I don't know what I expected, but it wasn't that. That was KILLER. I'm not sure I've heard a better Priest cover, EVER. That's definitely Dev, no doubt, but he did a masterful job of keeping the parts that were essential (IMO, the Priest guitar tone, the chorus vocals) but adding his own touches (the increased sound effects, the verse vocals).
I really dug that. Thanks, Metro.
Those Century Media tribute albums have some awesome performances:
Volume 1
1. "The Hellion/Electric Eye" Helloween
2. "Saints in Hell" Fates Warning
3. "Victim of Changes" Gamma Ray
4. "Sinner" Devin Townsend
5. "The Ripper" Mercyful Fate
6. "Jawbreaker" Rage
7. "Night Crawler" Radakka
8. "Burnin' Up" Doom Squad
9. "A Touch of Evil" Lion's Share
10. "Rapid Fire" Testament
11. "Metal Gods" U.D.O.
12. "You've Got Another Thing Comin'" Saxon
Volume 2
1. "The Ripper" Iced Earth
2. "Beyond the Realms of Death" Blind Guardian
3. "The Sentinel" Heavens Gate
4. "Love Bites" Nevermore
5. "Exciter" Gamma Ray
6. "Dissident Aggressor" Forbidden
7. "Painkiller" Angra
8. "Tyrant" Overkill
9. "Grinder" Kreator
10. "Dreamer Deceiver" Skyclad
11. "Bloodstone" Stratovarius
12. "Screaming for Vengeance" Virgin Steele
13. "Night Comes Down" Leviathan
Yea that cover was great :metal
I'd love to check out both these tributes, some truly great bands!
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Guest Appearances and Other Stuff (1995-1997)
I did say I was gonna cover everything, so I would be remiss if I didnt mention Devs guest appearances, production work, and whatnot. Figure Ill do one of these kinds of updates every now and then.
Guest Appearances:
Steve Vai - Alien Love Secrets (1995), and Fire Garden (1996)
Dev appears at the end of the song, Juice, from Alien Love Secrets. He also sang on two songs from Fire Garden, Whookam and Fire Garden Suite. His contributions are pretty minimal, unlike on Sex and Religion.
Juice: https://youtu.be/BdjT_c9z0oo
Whookam: https://youtu.be/TzP9mgIfK44
Fire Garden Suite (Devs vocals start at 7:36): https://youtu.be/EHukBMJDqi4
The Wildhearts - Kill Me to Death (1997)
Dev sang backup vocals on The Wildhearts' song Kill Me to Death, a B-Side to their single Urge, from the album Endless, Nameless.
Kill Me to Death: https://youtu.be/LTy-w2iHjbQ
Production:
Stuck Mojo - Pigwalk (1996)
The first time Dev produced another band was Pigwalk, by Century Media labelmates Stuck Mojo. Guitarist Rich Ward was a fan of the first SYL album and asked Dev to produce the album along with Daniel Bergstrand. Dev also sang on two songs; Animal and Violated.
Animal: https://youtu.be/xPkTonH3l4U
Violated: https://youtu.be/Eu-Ncp1RZMc
Minority - Kids Don't Make The Guns (1996)
Dev produced this demo tape from Vancouver rap-rock band Minority.
Kids Don't Make the Guns: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEPhWaO1nUg
Zimmer's Hole - Bound By Fire (1997)
Zimmer's Hole is a side project featuring Jed and Byron from SYL, and Chris Valagao, who would frequently do guest vocals on Dev's early solo albums. Gene Hoglan would eventually join the band in 2007. Dev produced all three albums the band released, starting with their debut, Bound By Fire.
Bound By Fire: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_k1AXOd1KCfTJ1_qE9RIxfT59x3td0kSss&si=DSAad_jOpbOmZqOA
GRRRR!! - Volume 1: Extreme Music From Vancouver (1997)
Dev released a compilation of music from Vancouver metal bands under his HevyDevy Records label
https://www.discogs.com/release/12622040-Various-GRRRR-Volume-1-Extreme-Music-From-Vancouver
Subversion - Foul (1997)
Dev produced this Demo tape from Canadian metal band Subversion. There's a few different bands called Subversion, it seems this one only did this one Demo before calling it quits. Could not find the audio anywhere.
Unit:187 - Loaded (1997) and Stillborn (1997)
Unit:187 is an Industrial Metal band from Vancouver featuring Jed and Byron from SYL. Dev produced part of their second album, Loaded, and contributed the remix "I Look at the Love Load (I Need Nobody But Me)" to their EP, Stillborn. Dev is credited as Big Mac Daddy and a Side of Fries. The remix would later appear as Love-Load on the Christeen + 4 Demos EP.
Loaded: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_l-9SFuzYRGEQCvrvExYeJfyYbXrv1EjcQ&si=T_03lZEephW950_W
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Keep these updates coming dude!
So I have not heard any of these songs before. I couldn't find the Wildhearts one on Spotify so I haven't listened to that one yet.
As for the rest, I'm not really a Vai fan (or so I thought) but Juice and Fire Garden Suite were both really good. The Stuck Mojo songs weren't so much my thing though.
I guess I should try some more Vai albums.
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Infinity
Released October 22, 1998
(https://i.imgur.com/XAr2aHt.jpg)
Tracklisting:
1. Truth
2. Christeen
3. Bad Devil
4. War
5. Soul Driven (aka Soul Driven Cadillac)
6. Ants
7. Colonial Boy (aka Wild Colonial Boy)
8. Dynamics (aka Life is All Dynamics)
9. Unity
10. Noisy Pink Bubbles
Bonus Tracks:
11. Sister (Live Acoustic)
12. Hide Nowhere (Live Acoustic)
13. Man
Personnel:
Devin Townsend - Guitar, Bass, Vocals, Keyboards
Gene Hoglan - Drums
Additional Personnel:
Christian Olde Wolbers - Upright Bass (Bad Devil)
Andy Codrington - Trombone (Bad Devil)
Jamie Meyer - Piano Solo (Bad Devil)
Erin Townsend, Lyn Townsend, Dave Townsend, Naomi, Tanya Evans, Lara Uthoff, Chris Valagao, Brad Jackson, Jennifer Lewis - Backup Vocals
Im gonna try my best to summarize this period, but given the nature of it, I think perhaps its better to hear Dev himself explain it. Heres a link to his podcast about this album where he talks about what he was going through around this time: https://youtu.be/6hCr8brn40Y
Dev started writing Infinity after finishing City and Ocean Machine. During this time, he started experimenting with psychedelic drugs. His experiences on these drugs led him to believe he was hearing messages from aliens and from God. Soon Infinity became more than just another record to him. It became a mission from God. His mental state continued to worsen, and he eventually developed somewhat of a messiah complex and started seeing humans as nothing more than water-based pieces of sentient meat. Dev was admitted into a psychiatric hospital in December 1997, where he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
After being discharged from the hospital, he continued working on Infinity. Infinity was recorded at Red Stripe Studios in Vancouver, where Dev would spend days on end working on it, neglecting his friends and family. Dev played most of the instruments, and Gene Hoglan played drums. Bad Devil features Christian Olde Wolbers(Formerly of Fear Factory) on standup bass, Andy Codrington on trombone, and Jame Meyer on piano. Dev mixed the record twice, once at Red Stripe and again at Mushroom Studios. He tried combing both mixes, but only succeeded in accidentally making the whole record Mono.
(https://i.imgur.com/9yuNG1Y.jpg)
The sound of Infinity isnt as gloomy as Ocean Machine. Its a brighter, more upbeat record for the most part. I find the production on this record interesting. I like it, but with all the reverb and sparkly-sounding synthesizers, to me it always sounds like theres another album playing in the background.
Some notes about some of the songs...
Truth was written by Dev in one take.
Ginger Wildheart is credited with co-writing Christeen. In reality he didnt contribute to the song, but according to Dev he served more as an inspiration for the song.
Bad Devil was written during SYLs first tour in Australia.
War comes from a demo Morwar(track 5 on Ass-Sordid Demos I), recorded in 1996.
Soul Driven contains the line Sing Maute Dingas! Maute Dingas is the name Dev gave to a Moth in Australia.
Ants is weird. Most of this album is weird. I like it.
The special edition of Infinity includes 3 bonus tracks; 2 acoustic tracks from Official Bootleg 2000, and the song Man, from Ass-Sordid Demos I.
A music video was filmed for Christeen:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcfDxq8Zw5A
In 2023, Dev announced a remaster of Infinity for it's 25th anniversary. This remaster was released November 24, 2023 and includes the 3 bonus tracks, and 4 additional songs from the Christeen EP. This remaster has new artwork, with Dev recreating the original cover.
(https://i.imgur.com/04q1KjH.jpg)
Originally, Infinity had a different tracklisting with some different songs:
1. Truth
2. Processional
3. Christeen
4. War
5. Soul Driven
6. OM
7. Dynamics
8. Unity
The songs Processional and OM would end up on
Christeen + Four Demos EP
Released in 1998
(https://i.imgur.com/adx0edy.jpg)
Tracklisting:
1. Christeen
2. OM
3. Sit in the Mountain
4. Processional
a. Star Child Rise
b. Welcome Home
c. Metamorph
d. Infinite Waltz
5. Love-Load
The Christeen EP contains the titular song and 4 leftover tracks from the Infinity sessions. Theres some real gems on here, namely OM and Sit in the Mountain.
Processional has some cool moments, but definitely needed some more work. The final section of Processional, Infinite Waltz, would later appear at the end of The Mighty Masturbator from the 2011 album Deconstruction.
Love-Load is
something. It was originally a remix titled "I Look at the Love Load (I Need Nobody But Me)". which Dev contributed to an EP by Unit:187.
As previously stated, Dev put SYL on hiatus in 1998 for the sake of his mental health and to focus on his solo work. But they only took a break from recording new material. Jed, Gene, and Byron were still part of Devs solo band until the Devin Townsend Band came about in 2002. And during this time the band would still play SYL songs in addition to Devs solo stuff. They wouldnt do another record as SYL until the 2003 self-titled album, but SYL was still active as a touring band for years during this hiatus.
Heres some footage of Dev and the band live in Japan on February 26, 1999: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXregOyzvPg&t=927s
The next show of the tour, on February 27, 1999, was recorded and released as
Official Bootleg 2000
Full band set recorded February 27, 1999 in Tokyo, Japan
Acoustic set recorded January 14, 2000 in Vancouver, BC
Released in - you guessed it - 2000
(https://i.imgur.com/avmkWwb.jpg)
Tracklisting:
Full Band Set
1. Unity (Live)
2. Seventh Wave (Live)
3. Regulator (Live)
4. Truth (Live)
5. War (Live)
6. Bad Devil (Live)
7. Christeen (Live)
8. Hide Nowhere (Live)
9. Happy Birthday Jed
10. Detox (Live)
11. Fake Punk (Live)
12. Goof Off*
13. Oh My Fucking God*
Acoustic:
14. Sister (Acoustic)
15. Hide Nowhere (Acoustic)
16. A Little Background*
17. L.A. (Acoustic)*
18. My Beautiful Little Raincoat (Acoustic)*
19. Noisy Pink Bubbles (Acoustic)
20. Night (Acoustic)
* - Omitted from CD version
Personnel:
Devin Townsend - Guitar, Vocals
Jed Simon - Guitar, Backup Vocals
Byron Stroud - Bass
Gene Hoglan - Drums
Thats right, Dream Theater isnt the only DT with an Official Bootleg.
Official Bootleg 2000 was released independently through HevyDevy Records some time in 2000. First on CD and VHS, and eventually on DVD. The first part of the bootleg is a recording of a Devin/SYL show in Tokyo in February of 1999, on Jeds Birthday. The second part is a solo acoustic show Dev did in Vancouver in early 2000. This release has been out of print for years, but luckily you can watch the whole thing on YouTube. I managed to find a copy of the CD version on eBay a few years ago. Still hoping to get my hands on the VHS/DVD one day.
https://youtu.be/MGxQfblrzbo
The full band set is a typical show from this era. The band would play a set of Devs solo material, and a set of SYL material. Only a few songs are included from the SYL set.
The acoustic show features some rarer Dev songs like L.A. and Noisy Pink Bubbles, as well as a song only found on this release: My Beautiful Little Raincoat.
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This is a messy-ass record that I've never really understood the appeal of. I didn't truly realize how fucked his mental state was while recording this album until that podcast, but hearing it explains a lot about why this record is the way it is. Bad Devil is one of his best songs ever, and Truth is a classic, but the production is pretty awful and a lot of the songs on here like Soul Driven or Dynamics just feel... there. I still can't remember any moments on Soul Driven beyond the intro. It's definitely a step down from his previous couple albums, but at least it's interesting.
An additional bit of trivia: the ending of War (the "STOP THE NOISE FOR ONCE" bit) samples the ending of Thunderfuck, the last song on the 1997 The Wildhearts album Endless, Nameless. The two albums have a lot in common actually, namely being the result of abysmal mental and psychological states. It's an abrasive clusterfuck of a listen, but I actually really like it.
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I hadn't heard Infinity before this year and I like it a lot. I think I agree that it doesn't quite reach 'top tier' Devin for me but I wouldn't hesitate to put it in the second tier below that. For me it doesn't really have that aura of 'this album is just a killer from start to finish' but it's a wonderful album that has some heights on the level of Ocean Machine and City (comparing this to what he had already done at this point) but some other areas like the sound or just a few songs not being as consistent throws it off a bit. He definitely went through a tough period at this time and it's almost crazy how he made something this good considering that.
Truth, Bad Devil and Christeen are probably the standouts for me but on the latest listen I also loved Unity. That feels like a very underrated song I don't hear much talk about. Also I don't know if there's any truth to this speculation or if it's just my brain, but I know Devin is a fan of Cardiacs (one of my favorite bands) and I get some strong vibes of that on this album. Ants in particular but a few other moments as well. If I ever got a chance to meet him after a show or ask a question, I would probably ask if he was aware of them at this moment in time and if there was possibly any influence at all, because he does not mention this in the podcast.
I think Buddyhunter1 is maybe a bit too hard on the album though, for me the 'messy-ass' record is Physicist which we will get to. On a scale of Ocean Machine and City being fantastic albums and Physicist being a bit of a jumbled mess with potential that just ended up a bit lacking, Infinity definitely falls a lot closer to Ocean Machine and City for me. This is definitely in his upper half of his discography for me.
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As I did with City and Ocean Machine, I'm going to listen to the Infinity podcast episode before posting thoughts.
Before we get there though, I just realised I didn't post my thoughts on Ocean Machine.
Ocean Machine probably just about creeps into my Devin top 5, but it's a close call. There are some real highlights, and it's definitely one of those albums (as someone earlier mentioned) where it is a full album experience. With albums of that nature, there are songs that I wouldn't ever listen to on their own (songs like Sister and 3am), but as part of the album experience they are unmissable.
My favourite part is probably the opening two tracks. Seventh Wave is really cool and I love the sound of that opening riff, as well as the chorus being a thing of beauty. Life is my favourite song on the album, and yea just really powerful stuff. Night isn't quite as good, but still one of the better songs. The next stretch of songs, to Regulator, are the low point for me, but still really good.
The end of the album is almost as good as the beginning, but in a very different way. I find the opening to be quite uplifting and positive, whereas the end of the album is quite the opposite, for the most part. Since joining DTF I have always heard such high praise for the three song run of Funeral > Bastard > The Death of Music. I like these songs, but feel like I've been waiting for that "Holy shit" moment, where I finally 'get' why so many love these songs. That moment has never come for me, but I still enjoy the songs. At the end of the album I also love Regulator and Things Beyond Things, just great songs.
Lastly, just a few thoughts on things covered in the podcast. Devin talked about how the Vai experience affected him, and how he approached this record (and when he approached this record). I wonder what the album would've sounded like, had he recorded it before, or without the Vai experience. I love hearing how he stuck to his principles and turned down record deals, that compromised his vision. For someone so young trying to make his way in the music business, that's got to be rare. Finally, I never anything about them sampling the Sad But True snare samples. I can't imagine Metallica are aware of this, Lars would have a field day :lol
While we're here I'll also rank all the albums up to this point...
1. Ocean Machine
2. City
3. Heavy As a Really Heavy Thing
4. Sex and Religion
5. No Sleep 'till Bedtime
6. Ass Sordid Demos II
7. Ass Sordid Demos I
8. Punky Brόster
9. Ancient
10. IR8 Vs. Sexoturica
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Really great write and a group of albums I've never heard before. I'll give infinity a spin later today.
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I think Buddyhunter1 is maybe a bit too hard on the album though, for me the 'messy-ass' record is Physicist which we will get to.
Hey, I never said that album was better. :lol Though since the general consensus on that album seems to be a lot more negative than Infinity, I'll probably end up defending it a little. :P
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Just got done spinning Infinity and I liked it! It wasn't all great or good but there were some great songs on the record. I loved Chisteen and Unity.
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When it comes to albums that have questionable production, I often find that either I don't really hear what the issue is, or it just doesn't bother me. I know we haven't got to Physicist yet, but I've often heard people say it's 'unlistenable'. It just doesn't bother me, but I know I'm in the minority. Well, apparently Infinity has some questionable moments as well, but they don't affect my views on the album.
Kinda like Ocean Machine, I feel the strongest part of Infinity is the beginning. I find the first three songs to be the best tunes here. Truth starts off in the most epic and explosive way, the flows perfectly into Christeen.
Bad Devil was one of the first 'weird' Devy songs that clicked with me, it's just a wild ride, and one of many favourites of mine. Actually, upon listening, War is also really great, so make that the first four songs.
Soul Driven is the low point on the album for me, but then it picks back up with the other really 'out there' song on the album. I think Ants is such a quirky but cool song. I'm sure in the original thread Ultimetalhead wrote, he mentioned that him and a buddy used to do like a push up challenge to Ants, or something, where they had to do as many push ups as they could for the duration of the song :lol That story kind of stuck with me, and I can't help but think of it when I listen.
Colonial Boy is cool and was interesting to hear in the podcast how the song is linked to his Irish grandad, I didn't know that. It's pretty short but that's fine.
Dynamics has an apt title, and I like it, but Unity is even better. Unity is a great way to close the album, even if it's not officially closing the album. Noisy Pink Bubbles rounds us off with something strange but wholly Devin.
I think after such a lengthy record, Infinity seems really short, and it is pretty short, but it works with the songs we've got. Knowing what Devin was going through at this time, it's fair to call Infinity schizophrenic. It is totally all over the place, but I love it for that. It's like there are two different albums fighting it out to own the album with their style, but it just ends in a mish mash. There are probably more songs I love here, than on Ocean Machine, but as the previous album is a full album experience that flows so nicely, it just edges out Infinity.
It's definitely one of my favourite albums of his, and fascinating to read/hear about where he was at during the recording of this. It's sobering to hear of all he was going through, and the dangers to your mental health that drugs can pose. It's positive in that he emerged out the other side and ended up making significant changes to his life. But it's also hilarious the thought of him walking around in white tunics feeling that he was some sort of divine figure.
I'll relisten to the Infinity EP later and post about that too. I always really liked it, so it will end relatively high in my ranking.
1. Ocean Machine
2. Infinity
3. City
4. Heavy As a Really Heavy Thing
5. Sex and Religion
6. No Sleep 'till Bedtime
7. Ass Sordid Demos II
8. Ass Sordid Demos I
9. Punky Brόster
10. Ancient
11. IR8 Vs. Sexoturica
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I have always known Christeen + 4 Demos as the Infinity EP. I like this EP and selection of songs, and revisit it fairly often. Christeen we already know, and love, but the others are worth checking out too. Om is probably my favourite of the bunch, and would be right at home on Infinity. I wish it had made the original cut, as I think it's better than a few songs that did.
Sit in the Mountain is fine, if a little short. It's the weakest of the bunch though.
Processional is interesting as that one part ends up being repurposed for The Mighty Mastubator. That song (TMM) is a whole trip on it's own, and one that I still haven't fully been able to digest, even after listening for close to 10 years. It's interesting to hear part of that was bouncing around like 10 years earlier. The rest of Processional is alright, but the song on the whole goes on a little. Generally listening to it makes me want to go listen to The Mighty Masturbator, so there's that.
Lastly is Love-Load. Parts of this remind me of what he ended up doing on the Projeck EKO EP, which was some EDM sorta vibe, that wasn't really for me.
Yea, the EP ain't bad, and even if I don't love every song, it has it's place in Devin's vast discography.
1. Ocean Machine
2. Infinity
3. City
4. Christeen + 4 Demos
5. Heavy As a Really Heavy Thing
6. Sex and Religion
7. No Sleep 'till Bedtime
8. Ass Sordid Demos II
9. Ass Sordid Demos I
10. Punky Brόster
11. Ancient
12. IR8 Vs. Sexoturica
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Infinity was my introduction to Dev. It got some great reviews in the UK music press when it came out, and this was a period when I was looking for new and different music. I'm not sure Ocean Machine was ever originally released in the UK, if it was it passed me by, so I expect for many Infinity was the first Devin album they heard. It's weird, difficult, at times unlistenable with flashes of genius - everything we love about Devy. Took me a loooooooooooong time to get into, mind.
Tickets are still on sale for Dev's UK tour this week - I know he's spoken about the difficulties of being a touring musician, but after playing the Royal Albert Hall and Bloodstock festival, this tour seems to be one heck of a step down for him. Tiny venues, minimum production - what's going on? Where's his audience gone?
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Tickets are still on sale for Dev's UK tour this week - I know he's spoken about the difficulties of being a touring musician, but after playing the Royal Albert Hall and Bloodstock festival, this tour seems to be one heck of a step down for him. Tiny venues, minimum production - what's going on? Where's his audience gone?
I'm honestly so tempted, as he's playing 45 minutes away from me on Wednesday. I just can't afford it, and as much as I'd love to I need to spend my money elsewhere. Gutted though, especially as this thread has me fully back in a Devy phase.
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As far as the writing of Christeen goes I think this, in 2000, was the first occurence of Ginger saying he didn't contribute to the writing at all.
From http://thewildhearts.com/askginger/askginger22.shtml:
"Devin Townsend is far too good for this business. To tell you the truth about Christeen, I wrote nothing on that song. My hunch is that he wrote it and it reminded him of something I'd maybe write, so he gave me a credit."
Devin addressed its writing back in 2011 too http://www.wildhearts-book.co.uk/interviews/interview-with-devin-townsend/
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After the absolutely stellar Ocean Machine - Biomech, Infinity is a very mixed bag for me. Some good songs, one or two great ones and some, that are just not my thing. When it came out I've played it a lot, but haven't reached for it for years.
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As far as the writing of Christeen goes I think this, in 2000, was the first occurence of Ginger saying he didn't contribute to the writing at all.
From http://thewildhearts.com/askginger/askginger22.shtml:
"Devin Townsend is far too good for this business. To tell you the truth about Christeen, I wrote nothing on that song. My hunch is that he wrote it and it reminded him of something I'd maybe write, so he gave me a credit."
Devin addressed its writing back in 2011 too http://www.wildhearts-book.co.uk/interviews/interview-with-devin-townsend/
Interesting! I was going off the album credits, where Ginger is crediting for writing that song with Dev. But it seems it was more inspiration than collaboration. Ill change my post.
Physicist update coming soon.
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Infinity was my introduction to Dev. It got some great reviews in the UK music press when it came out, and this was a period when I was looking for new and different music. I'm not sure Ocean Machine was ever originally released in the UK, if it was it passed me by, so I expect for many Infinity was the first Devin album they heard. It's weird, difficult, at times unlistenable with flashes of genius - everything we love about Devy. Took me a loooooooooooong time to get into, mind.
Tickets are still on sale for Dev's UK tour this week - I know he's spoken about the difficulties of being a touring musician, but after playing the Royal Albert Hall and Bloodstock festival, this tour seems to be one heck of a step down for him. Tiny venues, minimum production - what's going on? Where's his audience gone?
Those are on off performances though. Not sure how it usually goes in Europe, but whenever he is in the states hes playing smaller venues.
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Physicist
Released June 26, 2000
(https://i.imgur.com/30226JJ.jpg)
Tracklisting:
1. Namaste
2. Victim
3. Material
4. Kingdom
5. Death
6. Devoid
7. The Complex
8. Irish Maiden
9. Jupiter
10. Planet Rain
11. Forgotten (Hidden Track)
Bonus Tracks:
12. Man (Japanese Bonus Track)
13. Ocean Machines (Japanese Bonus Track)
14. Promise (Japanese Bonus Track)
Personnel:
Devin Townsend - Guitar, Vocals, Keyboards
Jed Simon - Guitar
Byron Stroud - Bass
Gene Hoglan - Drums
Additional Personnel:
Chris Valagao, Marina Reid, Sharon Parker, Teresa Duke - Background Vocals
(https://i.imgur.com/0SCQezp.jpg)
Infinity ended up being very successful in Japan. With a bit of money in their pockets, Dev and his wife moved into a new house and he set up a home studio in the basement where he began to work on new material. Around this time, Jason Newsted invited him for another jam at his studio, The Chophouse. The jam didnt go well. Gene Hoglan had come along with Dev and he just wasnt into it. Dev was also in a weird place mentally after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Dev proposed that the three of them start a new band called Fizzicist. Jason, who was understandably uncomfortable with this whole situation, declined.
Dev continued to experiment with drugs during this time, and one day during a particularly bad acid trip, he came up with the idea for what would become Physicist. Dev started working on Physicist in his home studio. He was making progress, but halfway through recording the album, he accidentally deleted all of his work when he went to back it up. This put Dev into a deep depression. He didnt want to go back and redo all of that work, but at the same time he was running out money. In addition, his SYL bandmates were miffed about not doing another album. Eventually Dev decided to re-record the album with Jed, Gene, and Byron. Despite the album featuring the SYL lineup, Physicist is NOT an SYL album. The re-recording was done quickly, as Dev didnt have much money to put into it.
Physicist was released June 26, 2000. Its generally considered one of the weakest albums in his catalog for a few reasons. Most notably is the mix, which is very muddy. Dev was still bummed about having to redo the whole record and left mixing to Mike Plotnikoff. This would be the first and last time Dev would not be involved with mixing one of his albums. Dev put very little effort into the vocals. Often doing just one take before moving on to the next song. He used a weird guitar tuning for this record: AAAEAE, previously used on the song AAA from City. This low guitar tuning combined with his echo-heavy guitar tone only add to the albums muddiness.
Namaste is a cool opener that hits the ground running. A better version of this song can be found on the Ziltoid - Live at the Royal Albert Hall live album from 2015.
Victim was redone for the bonus disc for his 2016 album Transcendence.
Kingdom would end up becoming Devs most popular song. Though in this form its a far cry from what we know it as today. A better version can be found on his 2012 album Epicloud, as well as pretty much every live album from 2010 onwards. The Physicist version is played in his weird AAAEAE tuning, but nowadays is played in Open B tuning (BF#BF#BF#D#).
Death was going to be re-recorded for Z2, but Dev decided not to.
Irish Maiden is inspired by the Iron Maiden song Losfer Words (Big Orra).
Planet Rain was written during SYLs first Australian tour.
Forgotten is a slowed down, fucked up version of Bad Devil.
The Japanese version of Physicist came with 3 bonus tracks, Man, Ocean Machines, and Promise. All of which can be found on the Ass-Sordid Demos.
No singles or music videos were released for Physicist. He did record a commentary that came with some versions of the album.
(VOLUME WARNING, Video begins very loud.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SUcxUoWZYI
(https://i.imgur.com/XlWiOn4.jpg)
Other than Kingdom, which has become a concert staple and Devs most played song, Physicist has gotten very little representation in live shows. Namaste was played occasionally by the Devin Townsend Project from 2010-2015. Material was played by SYL in 2000 on a short Canadian tour they did with fellow Canadian band, The Smalls. These few dates seem to be the only touring done for Physicist.
Heres some decent footage of one show in Vancouver 6/6/2000: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvGne4cJ0A8
This roadtrip across Canada would serve as the inspiration for Devs next album
I dont think any of the songs on Physicist are truly bad. But rushed production, iffy mixing, and just a overall lack of care for this record results in a very muddy sounding album with songs that blend together into one big gray mush. With better production I think this record would have a better reputation. Dev has mentioned that hed like to redo this album, but probably wont. In his podcast he says that despite the albums many flaws, it sounds accurate for what he was going through at the time. If youre new to Dev, dont let this album scare you off. It gets better.
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Not surprisingly I'm not a fan of this record. The mix is really terrible but I could probably live with it when the songs were there. But they are mostly not. Kingdom is okay, but much better in its re-recorded form. Some other tracks are listenable but all in all you can hear the lack of passion.
I can understand that he really wasn't into redoing the whole thing, but on the other hand, if you do it, do it right. Or you get some half-assed record, like this one.
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In his podcast he says that despite the albums many flaws, it sounds accurate for what he was going through at the time.
To be more specific, he said the abstract idea for this album was something like "a spaceship blasting through space and trying to get through (something) as fast as possible" and yeah, I'd agree that it gives off that vibe.
This is obviously far from Devin's best album, but I honestly don't think it's that much of a downgrade from Infinity, and I will defend it on a few points:
- Yeah the production is bad, but Infinity had bad production too. The mix also seems to suddenly get better on the last two songs here - Jupiter and Planet Rain actually sound pretty decent.
- The version of Kingdom on here is still good, though the operatic vocals in the verses are sorely missed. I like the faster tempo and higher energy on this version, especially during the bridge. The Epicloud version also has its own mixing issues, for the opposite reasons as this one.
- Planet Rain is one of his best songs. That middle section with the lead guitar and strings is just perfect and has gotten me choked up a few times.
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As a big Dev fan that got on the bus with AE, I have to admit I've never heard Physicist and Infinity only the once. :o
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Haven't had a chance to listen to the Physicist podcast yet, but will try to do so later. I mentioned before, but I generally don't pick up on some of the production issues that others do.
I quite like this record, and even though he's released better albums it probably sits somewhere around mid ranking. There really are some cool songs :tup
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- The version of Kingdom on here is still good, though the operatic vocals in the verses are sorely missed. I like the faster tempo and higher energy on this version, especially during the bridge. The Epicloud version also has its own mixing issues, for the opposite reasons as this one.
I'm with you on those points. I like the pacing and how it sounds spacey. The Epicloud mixing sounds more compact that certain vocal parts get buried in that mix compared to the Physicist mix.
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Physicist is very OK to me. Like others have pointed out, the biggest issue is the sound. It also feels a bit lackluster compared to Ocean Machine, Infinity and City that had all come out before, and even albums he would make after this. He also said when talking about this album that he used the SYL group because he sort of felt bad and kinda threw them a bone to keep them happy or not disappoint them (making this instead of another SYL) and all of that just made me go "Yeah I can see that". While those musicians are not necessarily bad or anything, to me it captures the feeling I have of Physicist as a bit of a dud in his discography that just lacks that energy or clear vision that some of his other albums have.
And while you can say "but hey Kingdom was on this", he made that song so much better after this album and this version feels pretty lackluster in comparison. This could possibly be the weakest album he made under his own name out of the 'proper' albums (that means not counting Punky Bruster or the ambient releases for example).
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I've just finished up Physicist and I gotta say I enjoy this record. No, it's not his best but it's still pretty good. It sounds the way it does, for better or worse, and I just take it as it is. Hearing Devin talk about it in his podcast and he kinda says the same. He did talk another about the disappointment in the vocal performances on the record, and how he just put in minimal effort in recording them. That is one area I do feel I wonder the 'What ifs', especially with a song like Kingdom, knowing how it could end up sounding.
The podcast, as always had some cool bits, and some down right hilarious bits. I literally laughed out loud when he was talking about the artist he'd flown over from Australia, who had to sit and watch Devin cry, get high and watch Duck Man, post testicle surgery. I didn't pick up on Victim sampling the '3, 2, 1, go!' from Wipeout. Man, I played Wipeout loads as a kid! He talked more about trying to achieve the sound Metallica's Black Album had, which he ultimately wasn't able to, due to lack of money and naivety. I really didn't realise how much he wanted to achieve that sound I guess, although I obviously get it, the album sounds perfect.
I liked hearing his views on the aesthetic of the album, the colour it represents to him and how he wanted the experience to be akin to a journey through space and the infinite. It is supposed to be a non stop exhausting journey, with little let up.
One thing I've always loved about Devin is that his whole discography is a journey, with each record needing to happen, for the next record to happen. Due to this, like or loathe each release, it is a moment in time for the man. A mindset, a vision, a mistake, call it what you will. It's kind of like how St. Anger was the album Metallica needed to make, to heal and move forward as a band.
Most of Devin's catalogue is like that and it's a musical journey you go on with him, for better or worse. That dedication he has to his vision and process, is commendable, and one that draws you in as a fan. You may not know what you've going to get from a new album, but you can guarantee it will be a statement on everything he is at that point in time.
I think the album is pretty consistent throughout, and even though I wouldn't pick it out often to listen to, it's good in a certain frame of mind. I might get ripped on for this but I'd still rank it above City, because I just prefer the majority of his solo output over the Strapping stuff.
1. Ocean Machine
2. Infinity
3. Physicist
4. City
5. Christeen + 4 Demos
6. Heavy As a Really Heavy Thing
7. Sex and Religion
8. No Sleep 'till Bedtime
9. Ass Sordid Demos II
10. Ass Sordid Demos I
11. Punky Brόster
12. Ancient
13. IR8 Vs. Sexoturica
I've just realised I didn't get around to listening to the live bootleg from the last post. I'll try and get to that tonight.
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It would seem we don't have much to say about Physicist :lol Time to move on I guess
Terria
Released November 6, 2001
(https://i.imgur.com/AEcDGIR.jpg)
Tracklisting:
1. Olives
2. Mountain
3. Earth Day
4. Deep Peace
5. Canada
6. Down and Under
7. The Fluke
8. Nobodys Here
9. Tiny Tears
10. Stagnant
11. Humble (Hidden Track)
12. Universal (Limited Edition Bonus Track)
Personnel:
Devin Townsend - Guitar, Vocals
Gene Hoglan - Drums
Craig McFarland - Bass
Jamie Meyer - Piano, Keyboards
(https://i.imgur.com/1oIR2AZ.jpg)
In 2000, Dev went on a tour across Canada with SYL. This tour, along with the insanity and depression of the last two albums, helped inspire his next album. Dev had put his friends and family through a lot over the last few years, and the medications he had been prescribed for his bipolar disorder eventually brought him back to reality. With a clearer mindset, he began writing for his next album, which would serve as an apology for his behavior, a reflection on the past few years, and a tribute to his homeland of Canada.
(https://i.imgur.com/pMSM0IM.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/pnbh4SG.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/FkboVQW.gif)
Terria was recorded at Mushroom studios in Vancouver. Gene Hoglan once again played drums on the record, Craig McFarland played bass, and Jamie Meyer played keys. Terria is the first time Dev recorded with a Fender Stratocaster, instead of his usual ESP Guitars with EMG pickups. Terria is kind of a return to form for Dev after the disappointment that was Physicist. Its a more relaxed record than Physicist. Its a record that takes its time, whereas Physicist seemed to fly by at mach speed. The aggression is still there, but its not the focus of the music this time around. Theres more of an emphasis on Devs lead playing on Terria, with songs like Deep Peace and Tiny Tears featuring extended guitar solos.
Mountain contains samples of Devs old dog Happy, a rescue dog that only understood commands in Cantonese.
Earth Day, Fluke, and Nobodys Here are all about Devs headspace during Infinity and Physicist.
Deep Peace was written during Infinity.
Canada and Down And Under were written during SYLs tour across Canada. Canada contains a slowed down sample of a child telling a story about a bird. This story would later reappear in the song Sprite from Empath.
Tiny Tears is an apology and basically him accepting that hes just an ordinary guy.
Stagnant is cheesy as hell but Im all for it.
Terria originally had a different tracklisting:
Mountain
Canada
Earth Day
Olives
Deep Peace
Nobodys Here
Down and Under
The Fluke
Tiny Tears
Notes from Africa
Stagnant
Universal
Notes from Africa would eventually end up on Synchestra.
Terria was released November 6, 2001, and was received much better than Physicist. It remains a fan-favorite album. Personally its my 3rd favorite album of his. Ive always thought of it as kind of a counterpart/sequel to Ocean Machine. Land and Sea, Ocean and Terrain. Dev seemed to actually give a shit about the record this time around, and it shows. Better performances, better production, better mix, better overall album.
The Limited Edition version of the album came with an enhanced CD containing a bonus track (Universal), commentary for the album, and footage from a concert in Tokyo in 1999(Previously seen in the Infinity post)
Universal: https://youtu.be/SLzCN4jizGo
Commentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-Mm0mH05Ao
Live in Tokyo 2/26/99: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXregOyzvPg&t=500s
(https://i.imgur.com/FpNlDVj.jpg)(https://i.imgur.com/SK8RExR.jpg)(https://i.imgur.com/UhR3EuZ.jpg)
Dev played some shows in 2001 in Europe and Australia in support of Terria. This would be the last solo tour featuring Jed, Gene, and Byron.
A couple of live selections from this tour:
Melbourne 9/6/01 (Full Set): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_AGVF5YuSPJt8wbT7qawhuNe8ED12Z3Q
Hamburg 6/24/01 (Partial Set): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fA2Sq8iFhk8
Copenhagen 11/17/01 (Partial Set): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXC4Xp9vdqM
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Love, love, love Terria!
I will listen to the podcast today, then post my thoughts later today/tomorrow.
Weirdly, part of Terria was my first exposure to Devin's solo work. As I'd previously said, I discovered SYL back in '05, and although I heard other SYL releases none of it really grabbed me and I had no inclination to try his solo stuff.
Then in 2012, I was travelling and working in Australia. I found work (the hardest job I've ever had to do) pruning mandarin trees. This was in a tiny little town called Gin Gin, about 45 minutes inland from Bundaberg. Whilst here I met a Canadian guy (can't remember his name), who was massively into metal and we had similar tastes.
One day I went over to his house with my external hard drive and blagged a load of his music. This was a great part of travelling as I was mixing with people from all over the world and could swap a load of digital music from these people, good times.
Anyway, this guy was huge into Devin Townsend, and kept saying I needed to check out his solo stuff. I was like "yea, fine, chuck a load on". I'm not sure if he meant to put the whole album on, or purposefully picked a few songs (probablythe former), but either way I was just left with a few songs from Terria. Namely, Olives, Mountain and Earth Day :lol
That was it, that was all I had. I thought Terria was just like an EP or maybe he'd just picked out the three best songs. As much as I love these songs, it still wasn't the best intro into his solo work as I missed the whole rest of this beautiful album.
It wasn't until I joined DTF that I realised I was missing the rest of the album, and rectified this immediately. Deep Peace is the song that sold this album to me, and remains a top 5 Devy song to this day. It truly is a work of art, and that solo is the epitome of transcendent.
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Terria is a fantastic album and probably tied for my favorite Devy album with Ocean Machine. Just such a fantastic album in every way. :hat
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I like this album a lot, though it's not one of my absolute favorites. I think that largely comes down to the pace of it being very slow throughout, and it's a pretty long album too, so it can get a little bit monotonous. But there's some real highlights on here, namely Deep Peace and Canada. I can see why people would list this as their favorite though, and it's a big improvement from the past couple records. This is the beginning of another upwards trajectory for him that will reach a peak in a few albums.
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Deep Peach (albeit the live version from By A Thread) is what got me into Devin in the first place after years of not getting the message.
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I do love those peaches
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I'm a big fan of Terria, it's my favorite Devin Townsend album and the one that I feel has a most fully realized vision (outside the original four DTP albums). I love the way the album takes its time to get moving. The heavy moments are earned and his melody writing is fantastic. An all time great in my book.
It does make sense as a counterpart to Ocean Machine, but I think he refines a lot of what he was trying to do on that record with Terria. The flow is a lot better and the more atmospheric moments feel more cohesive with everything else. Ocean Machine can get a little disjointed in that regard (although I still love OM).
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Can't stand Terria.
Earth Day and Deep Peace are great, but the first two songs just bore the hell out of me and I can't get past the awful drum sound.
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Absolutely fantastic album and possibly my favourite along with Accelerated Evolution. Beautiful stuff.
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Terria was my introduction to all things Devin Townsend. I believe I first heard the album in 2002 or 2003. I instantly fell in love with this album. It was so different, so earnest, so heartfelt. This album still holds a special place among all the albums I've collected over the years. And while I don't listen to it nearly as much as I used to, it's still an amazing record. I will have to give it another spin today.
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Earth Day and Deep Peace are great, but the first two songs just bore the hell out of me and I can't get past the awful drum sound.
I have been known to skip Ollives and Mountain regularly when putting on Terria but I love the rest of the album.
The drums are ok for me, if a bit aggressive on the old kick for such a laid back album.
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Let's dive straight in. Olives is a really weird intro, let's not kid ourselves. Devin kind of explained his thought process behind it in the podcast, but it's still super awkward. I don't hate it, but just don't get it as an opener.
Mountain is the first song proper. Musically it is great, and feels as huge as the title suggests, at times. It has some kinda weird peaks and troughs and I think I'd like a less restrained vocal performance on this one, but it's a really good song.
Earth Day is where we really get going though. What a beast of a song and some of Devin's most ridiculous, yet iconic, lyrics. "RECYCLE" anyone? I mean he's not wrong, but it's strange when you find your self singing that line at full volume. The best bit is this though...
"So just shut your face
And take a seat
'Cause after all
You're just talking meat
And music?
Well, it's just entertainment folks".
Lyrics aside, this is musically great, and I guess the first solo Devin song I fell in love with.
It also leads beautifully into Deep Peace. These two songs are the high point of the record, and what make the whole album so special. This song is just nature, and calmness in nature, to me. I love all the dolphin sounds, and other noises going on. It's probably been talked to death about by this point, but the solo. I know the Devin is no slouch when it comes to guitar solos, but he doesn't often do guitar solos that become such a focal point of the song, like the one here. I love the way it builds, it fits the song beautifully, when the bass comes on part way through and then the part starting 4:29. I honestly don't think I've ever heard a solo like it, it is so unique and beautiful. It's one of those songs that I can listen to and think "surely everyone would like this. What is not to like about this song?". I have heard Stadler talk about receiving the live version of this in a roulette (I think) and how it helped appreciate Devin. I totally get it man, it's something real special.
Canada is a song that I don't often think about, but it is another quality song, and I love how it builds, and lyrically the nature theme is so comforting. Maybe it's because it has a tough job in following Deep Peace, but it definitely ranks in the top half of the record.
I like the acoustic start to Down and Under, and it's basically an instrumental that builds and becomes heavier towards the end. Pretty cool but I could take it or leave it.
The Fluke is alright. I don't have a great deal to say about it, but I do enjoy it.
Nobody's Here is another highlight for me. I love how it starts, and all the background sounds and noises, it's pretty cool.
Then "To feel, feel like there's nobody here
...Feel like there's no more fear
I want to feel like this for a year...
...Feel like there's nobody here..." hits and I really love that chorus.
I love Devin's vocals here and there is another nice guitar solo. Yea, just a damn good song.
Now we're into the final run on the album. Tiny Tears is nearly 10 minutes long, but honestly doesn't feel like it. We get more of Devin opening himself up, and apologising for how he'd acted. He mentions frequently in the podcasts that Physicist and Terria are apologies to his loved ones, for how he'd acted in recent years. That is all very clear, especially on this record.
Stagnant has such a huge chorus, and I really enjoy beating this out, especially the "hoooo-oooouuw-uw". It's really more straight forward than a lot of the music he creates, but I think it's a thing of beauty. Plus a cool little guitar solo. Would love to hear this live actually.
Humble rounds us off, and just starts as a little acoustic ditty that sounds like it was recorded in one take, warts and all, then progresses into a looped outro of weird ass noises. There's music buried underneath there somewhere. I can't remember exactly what Devin said about this song to be honest, I'll need to go back and check. I guess it closes the album in the way it starts, with a song a lot of people would skip.
Could Devin have shortened some of the songs, or left some off completely? Possibly, but honestly I think this is an example of a great album experience. Yea, I'd never listen to Olives on it's own, but as an album experience, I'd never leave it off, as Dev put it there for a reason. Just a great fucking album and one I'd love to pick up vinyl, if it wasn't so damn expensive!
Ranking up to now, including spaces to show the drops in quality for me...
1. Terria
2. Ocean Machine
3. Infinity
4. Physicist
5. City
6. Christeen + 4 Demos
7. Heavy As a Really Heavy Thing
8. Sex and Religion
9. No Sleep 'till Bedtime
10. Ass Sordid Demos II
11. Ass Sordid Demos I
12. Punky Brόster
13. Ancient
14. IR8 Vs. Sexoturica
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This thread is incomplete without the lyrics from the bridge in The Fluke (GREAT SONG) being posted, so here ya go:
"Writing and eating and shitting and sleeping in rain or in shine
Masturbate 'til I'm blind in the cause and effect of the one
Troubled segment of time and the place and the look on your face
And I write and I eat and I shit and I sleep
Yes I eat leafy greens nearly three times a week
And I'm not unafraid but no longer afraid of you anymore..."
Terria is Devin's masterpiece. A perfect album on all levels. :hefdaddy :hefdaddy
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Amen to that, Kev.
This current tour featured the live debut of Fluke, hope he keeps it in the set when he comes to the US.
https://youtu.be/R6YI9bnZhL8
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This current tour featured the live debut of Fluke, hope he keeps it in the set when he comes to the US.
(https://media.tenor.com/29Bi1qFXGwAAAAAC/spongebob-coffee.gif)
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Amen to that, Kev.
This current tour featured the live debut of Fluke, hope he keeps it in the set when he comes to the US.
https://youtu.be/R6YI9bnZhL8
Great
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Anyone listening to these albums for the first time? :corn
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Anyone listening to these albums for the first time? :corn
That'll be me for all but two albums (Ocean Machine and Ziltoid).
EDIT: Actually, I've also listened to Addicted and Epicloud before. I must have forgotten since I only listened to them once or twice.
I gave Infinity and Physicist a listen yesterday. Physicist wasn't bad, but some of the songs felt a little same-y, and "Death" was so loud that I had to take a break and then come back to it with the volume turned way down just so I could listen to it without getting a headache. Infinity was better, though, the songs were more interesting (and none of them were too loud).
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I think I'll listen to Terria in full for the first time in many years. Hopefully I like it more.
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Amen to that, Kev.
This current tour featured the live debut of Fluke, hope he keeps it in the set when he comes to the US.
https://youtu.be/R6YI9bnZhL8
That's awesome. I see he is back to using backing tracks, as no one was singing the bridge live, but it was pretty audible. He took a beating due to the pandemic, though, so whatever he has to do to make it work now is fine by me.
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Terria - Earth Day and Deep Peace are immediate stand outs while the rest of the tracks take a while to get into. Not one of my very favourite Devin albums but still a great one.
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Although my familiarity with DT materials is fairly low Terria is my favorite album of his. The songs are fantastic. I remember discovering the album and listening to Down And Under on repeat for months.
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Started a re-listen on the train to work. Got through The Fluke.
Yea, the production hurts it for me. It's not awful but it is distracting for me. The guitars are really tinny and the drums are strangely mixed. Olives and Mountains continue to be awful to my ears. Earth Day and Deep Peace are a fantastic two song punch. Love those. Canada was okay, better than I remember. Down and Under was fine, I can't remember much about it anymore. And The Fluke was actually a pretty damn good, though I don't get why he made the last 2 minutes just a bunch of noise. I'll listen to the rest on my way home.
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Just catching up, as I haven't had a chance to comment on a few...
Infinity - This record is a little uneven for me, but it has some really good stuff as well. I like a lot of the quirky stuff on this record, Bad Devil, Ants, Colonial Boy. Also really dig Truth, War, and Dynamics. It's just not an album that I really ever reach for. Although, in revisiting it for this, I found myself liking the album more than I thought I did. It will definitely get some more spins in the near future.
Physicist - So, I really do enjoy this record a good bit. It seems like many here also don't think it is as bad as the reputation that it largely has. I don't think the production is really all that bad, but it is definitely muddy. I would say the vocals and vocal production is not great in spots, and that hurts it the most for me. It was interesting to hear him address the vocals in the podcast for sure. Still, I think there is a lot of good material here. I enjoy this version of Kingdom, and Namaste, Victim, and Material, along with Kingdom make a solid 4 track run to open the album. The Complex is another highlight for me, and probably my favorite track. Jupiter and Planet Rain are also solid, and I agree that Planet Rain is a great, epic album closer that is just behind The Complex for my favorite track. All in all, I actually really dig this record, even with the so-so production.
I'll cover Terria in a separate post...
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I think he said on the podcast that The Complex is one the songs he's most proud of? Or possibly just his favourite on Physicist. Either way he talked very positively about it.
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I think he said on the podcast that The Complex is one the songs he's most proud of? Or possibly just his favourite on Physicist. Either way he talked very positively about it.
Yeah, which makes it a bit odd that he's never re-recorded it or played it live recently (to my knowledge).
I didn't think much of it myself for a while, but I can kinda see the potential. I think it's one of the songs on the album that suffers most from the mixing, unfortunately.
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Man, would love to hear/see a live version of the Complex! I couldn't find any info confirming that it has ever been played.
I got about 30 minutes into the Physicist podcast last night before I went to sleep. I love that Devin was pretty open and not afraid to be critical of his albums in the podcast episodes so far. It just adds to the experience of revisiting his albums.
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Heres Dev attempting to play Stagnant at an acoustic show at a record store
https://youtu.be/yTfoHiot13E
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Heres Dev attempting to play Stagnant at an acoustic show at a record store
https://youtu.be/yTfoHiot13E
HAHAHAHA, "attempt" has got me wanting to click....
EDIT: Pretty cool; love that realness. Yet again, the verse of Ih-Ah! reminds me of something else (non-Devin) that I can't place.........
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I don't think I've actually seen Devin struggle vocally before, wow. I thought he was impervious to such mortal constraints!
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Finished Terria the other day.
Nobody's Here is a really good song, even if I didn't like the lyrics. Tiny Tears is fantastic. I didn't really dig Stagnant or Universal very much, especially Universal at all.
But overall, it's a better album than I remember but I rarely have an urge to listen to it. Mostly due to the production and performance (for some of it).
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Guest Appearances and Other Stuff 2 (1998-2003)
Alright, another mini-writeup of Devs guest appearances and production work...
Guest Appearances:
Skinny Puppy - Remix Dystemper (1998)
Dev played guitar on a remix of the song Worlock.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMZiCp_ErOA
Violate This - (2001)
Dev sang on covers of Shout at the Devil - Mφtley Crόe and Wrathchild - Iron Maiden on this compilation album by Stuck Mojo
Shout at the Devil: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXAtzkZ6RNo
Wrathchild: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkuSGc0PVjw
Paradise Lost - Symbol of Life (2002)
He sang on two songs Two Worlds and Small Town Boy
Two Worlds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5A0dAqal8
Small Town Boy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9XiD_2K7-Q
Production:
The Almighty Punchdrunk - Music for Them Asses (2001)
One of Gene Hoglans side projects. Fans of Strapping Young Lad should check this out. This is my first time hearing it, and I dig it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gzEYVlKzv8&list=PLxH6wLWw5deWnPDgY5cimW78_zoV7dKfu
Frygirl - Someone Please Kill Me (2001)
An album by Rosina Tassone, Gene Hoglans then-girlfriend. Could not find the full album anywhere, but I did find one song on her YouTube channel.
Delusional: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmYAuMcYADY
Just Cause - Finger it Out (2001)
Another side project from Gene Hoglan. Death metal fans might dig this one. Not for me.
Full album: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vE9TkLLIGCA
Zimmers Hole - Legion of Flames (2001)
Zimmers Hole features Jed and Byron from SYL, as well as Chris Valagao. Chris frequently contributed backup vocals to SYL and Devs solo albums.
Full album: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5qt6C602bg
Evenlight - Evenlight (2002)
Evenlight is the solo project of DTB guitarist / DTP bassist Brian Beav Waddell. It features the original DTB drummer, Scotty McCargar. Could not find the full album, but heres the song 180.
180: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_He-7rCWL8
December - The Lament Configuration (2002)
Full Album: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoT0_6Qk2OE
In the studio with Dev: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnqBswrqIpI&t=79s
Soilwork - Natural Born Chaos (2002)
Dev co-produced this with Fredrik Nordstrφm, and sang on the songs Black Star Deceiver and Soilworkers Song of the Damned.
Full Album: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8fE8TuEhmptCeuLRIJzyZhLuMWUhFegs
Lamb of God - As the Palaces Burn (2003)
Lamb of God were fans of what Dev did on Soilworks Natural Born Chaos and asked him to produce the record, which they recorded at Montana Studios in Richmond, Virginia.
Dev also sang and played guitar on the song A Devil in Gods Country.
Full Album: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZjIasYxCuKsh0STgRFgSt9b_oj1IBSit
Now that were in the part of Devs catalog that people actually care about, updates will be a little more spaced out. SYLs Self-Titled album update coming Monday.
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Strapping Young Lad - Strapping Young Lad
(aka SYL, aka Chickenfeather)
Released February 11, 2003
(https://i.imgur.com/8jOFhOB.jpg)
Tracklisting:
1. Dire
2. Consequence
3. Relentless
4. Rape Song
5. Aftermath
6. Devour
7. Last Minute
8. Force Fed
9. Dirt Pride
10. Bring On the Young
Other songs:
11. Idom
Personnel:
Devin Townsend - Guitar, Vocals, Keyboards
Jed Simon - Guitar, Keyboards, Backing Vocals
Byron Stroud - Bass, Backing Vocals
Gene Hoglan - Drums
Additional Personnel:
A bunch of people - Backup Vocals
(https://i.imgur.com/HzuWpN0.jpeg)
Strapping Young Lad had remained active as Devs touring band despite going on hiatus in 1998. Dev had kept the band together because he liked being with Jed, Gene, and Byron. However, the other guys were anxious to do another record. The band had been working on some new material on tour in 2001, and in December of that year Dev announced that that Strapping Young Lad would be recording a new album. The press release for the return claims that 9/11 had sparked some creative anger in Dev and he needed an outlet for it. But Dev has backtracked this statement, instead saying that the decision was really to make the other guys in the band happy. The band continued to write and workshop material in 2002 and recorded the album late that year.
Dev claims that SYL played at the World Cup in Korea in 2002. I could not find anything to support that, but I think he may have it mixed up with the Busan Rock Festival. A Korean music festival that took place at the same time as the World Cup that year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciQ5sFF864k
SYL was primarily recorded at Armoury Studios in Vancouver. Dev wrote a lot of the music for SYL, but he ended up giving the reins to the rest of the band for a lot of the album, allowing the others to contribute more than they had in the past. Gene ending up writing some lyrics, and Dev claims that Jed played all the guitar parts on this album. Dev instead focused most of his time and creative energy on another album...
SYL was released February 11, 2003. Coincidentally 6 years to the day after City was released. SYL is different from the first two albums. It abandons the bands industrial elements, instead leaning more towards thrash or groove metal. Devs only goal for this album was to make a heavy metal album. Plain and simple. Heavy metal artwork, heavy metal lyrics, heavy metal everything. Not a strong vision, and it shows in the music. What we get is a bunch of songs that arent really about anything and dont say much other than grrr Im so angry. There was plenty of that on the previous 2 albums, but this time the anger doesnt seem very genuine, more so just an obligation. The lack of thought Dev put into the lyrics unfortunately backfired on him when some people misinterpreted the song Rape Song to be a pro-rape song, when in reality its very much an ANTI-rape song. Dev realized that as an artist and as the frontman and face of this band, he had to be a bit more careful and put more thought into the lyrics he writes.
Relentless was released as a single, and a music video was filmed for it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rqn_otVoNU
Earlier, in 2000, Dev had contributed a demo called Idom to the compilation, Mikazuki in Rock, the soundtrack to the anime Tekkōki Mikazuki.
(https://i.imgur.com/J8wE8py.jpeg)
https://www.discogs.com/release/15352330-Various-Mikazuki-In-Rock
Idom would turn into the songs Dire, Consequence, and Aftermath. It never ended up as a bonus track, but it would eventually be included in The Complete Works, a vinyl box set released in 2013 containing all of SYLs studio material.
Idom: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1HQAJCgKQU
SYL is a very middle-of-the-road album for the band, but I like it. Its far from their best work, but certainly not their worst. It has some standout tracks like Aftermath and Bring on the Young, but a lot of this album does tend to blend together. Id rank it as my 3rd favorite SYL album, right in the middle. The critics were kind to this album, but they also saw that the album lacked what made the previous albums great. Devin saw it too, and sought to make the next album their craziest one yet
Strapping Young Lad - Tour EP
Released in 2003
(https://i.imgur.com/0L6S2P4.jpg)
Tracklisting:
1. Devour (Alternate Mix)
2. Aftermath (Alternate Mix)
3. Oh My Fucking God (Album Version)
4. In the Rainy Season (Live) [Originally from No Sleep Till Bedtime]
5. Detox (Live)
SYL spent most of 2003 on tour in support of the album. On tour, they sold an EP featuring alternate mixes of Devour and Aftermath, live versions of In the Rainy Season and Detox, and the studio version of Oh My Fucking God. Only 2500 copies of the EP were made. This release is certainly not required listening, and good luck finding it if youre curious about it. Its not on YouTube or any streaming service.
The last show of the tour was recorded and filmed for a live DVD
Strapping Young Lad - For Those Aboot to Rock: Live at the Commodore
Recorded January 16, 2004 at the Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver, BC
Released November 2, 2004
(https://i.imgur.com/DHLhk57.jpg)
Tracklisting:
1. Dire (Live)
2. Consequence (Live)
3. Relentless (Live)
4. Rape Song (Live)
5. Home Nucleonics (Live)
6. S.Y.L. (Live)
7. In the Rainy Season (Live)
8. Devour (Live)
9. Aftermath (Live)
10. Oh My Fucking God (Live)
11. Force Fed (Live)
12. Detox (Live)
13. Velvet Kevorkian (Live)
14. All Hail the New Flesh (Live)
15. Far Beyond Metal (Live)
Additional Personnel:
Munesh Sami - Keyboards
Drew - Vocals (Far Beyond Metal)
Full concert:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LcLSgS-_qE&t=1s
Solid performance from the band. Far Beyond Metal features Drew, an audience member who volunteered to sing the chorus.
Drew tried his best and thats all that matters.
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I think the self titled SYL album is pretty fine, but perhaps a bit unremarkable. I know Devin kinda made it to throw his bandmates a bone while he still wasn't quite sure what to do, and his heart wasn't quite in SYL anymore, and that's kinda how it comes off to me when listening to it as well. It's perfectly serviceable and a solid release, it just doesn't really leave me with a strong wish to return to it.
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This was my second-favorite Strapping album for a good while. Nowadays I definitely prefer City, but I still think this album is quite underrated. Yeah, it's missing a lot of the sonic qualities a lot of people go to Devin for, it's pretty gross and dirty-sounding, and the repetitive "WAAAAAARRRRRRRR" lyrics get old pretty fast, but I still think this is a damn good metal album. It hits hard, has plenty of awesome riffs, and the runtime is perfect for a more direct and stripped-back album like this - just long enough to feel substantial, but not enough to overstay its welcome. There's some real highlights here like Aftermath (one of the best Strapping songs ever), Rape Song (poor communication of the intended sentiment aside), and Force Fed (amazing chorus on this one). Maybe not one of the most definitive albums in the catalog, but if you like heavier music I wouldn't sleep on it.
How are the alternate mixes on that tour EP? Noticeably different?
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I think the alternate mixes sound a little bit brighter than the originals, but its not much of a difference.
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Still not a fan of Strapping Young Lad and this record didn't change it.
But this Rape Song debate has me wondering, does anybody really believe that anybody with a at least half-sane mind would publish a pro rape song? :omg:
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Still not a fan of Strapping Young Lad and this record didn't change it.
But this Rape Song debate has me wondering, does anybody really believe that anybody with a at least half-sane mind would publish a pro rape song? :omg:
:lol Really good point. I guess it's a great example of how far out uninformed, reactive opinions can be.
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Catching up...
Terria - This is my favorite Devin album! I just think the whole package works really well. The cover art, the flow of the album, the songs all work together to create a great piece of art. Nothing here feels to long to me. I also love that he used the Strat on this record, as there are some really great Stratty tones that I love on this record. I love how melodic this record is, but can get heavy at times. As mentioned, there is just a beautiful atmosphere to Terria. I think everything here is top notch, but I will agree that Earth Day > Deep Peace and Tiny Tears are the absolute peak of the album.
SYL - This is actually the SYL album I probably revisit the most, even though I prefer City. Overall, I definitely enjoy this one though. The more straight-forward, metal approach works well on this album. It's more lean and mean. There are some great riffs here.
Also, anyone see the Ziltoid comic from Opus Comics? Issue # 1 comes out tomorrow. Might have to check it out.
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I don't have a great deal to say about SYL to be honest. It's not a bad album by them. It's pretty middling by their standards, and although not bad in anyway, it just doesn't reach the heights of City and Alien. I don't revisit the album very often, and would rather listen to pretty much any solo Devin album over this. I did give it a spin earlier just to confirm everything I thought to be true. Yep, just as I thought.
1. Terria
2. Ocean Machine
3. Infinity
4. Physicist
5. City
6. Christeen + 4 Demos
7. Strapping Young Lad
8. Heavy As a Really Heavy Thing
9. Sex and Religion
10. No Sleep 'till Bedtime
11. Ass Sordid Demos II
12. Ass Sordid Demos I
13. Punky Brόster
14. Ancient
15. IR8 Vs. Sexoturica
Also, anyone see the Ziltoid comic from Opus Comics? Issue # 1 comes out tomorrow. Might have to check it out.
No, but I should definitely check this out. Do you know how involved Devy was with it?
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This current tour featured the live debut of Fluke, hope he keeps it in the set when he comes to the US.
(https://media.tenor.com/29Bi1qFXGwAAAAAC/spongebob-coffee.gif)
Man I'm so happy I jinxed this. :biggrin:
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The Devin Townsend Band - Accelerated Evolution
Released March 31, 2003
(https://i.imgur.com/wGER2Kp.jpg)
Tracklisting:
1. Depth Charge
2. Storm
3. Random Analysis
4. Deadhead
5. Suicide
6. Traveller
7. Away
8. Sunday Afternoon
9. Slow Me Down
Bonus Tracks
10. I Really Love Korea (Korean Bonus Track)
Personnel:
Devin Townsend - Guitar, Vocals
Brian Beav Waddell - Guitar
Mike Young - Bass
Dave Young - Keyboards
Ryan Van Poederooyen - Drums
(https://i.imgur.com/Y7otVQy.jpg)
With Strapping Young Lad once again writing new music, Dev decided to form a new band strictly for his solo music to further differentiate the two sides of his music. He wanted the lineup to comprise of local musicians from Vancouver. First to join was guitarist Brian Beav Waddell, a childhood friend of Devs, previously heard on the Ancient cassette. Next was bassist Mike Young, who Dev met at a local music store. Mike introduced Dev to his brother, Dave Young, who joined the band on keyboards. Last to join was drummer Scotty McCargar. Scotty recorded a couple of demos with Dev, but was dismissed after Dev realized they werent on the same page musically. Dev then found drummer Ryan Van Poederooyen, who completed the lineup.
Devs new band, cleverly titled the Devin Townsend Band, recorded their first album at Armoury Studios, where Strapping Young Lad was also recording their self-titled album. As previously stated in the SYL writeup, Dev basically gave control of that album to Jed, Gene, and Byron, and focused his time and energy on the DTB album. Accelerated Evolution was written entirely by Dev, and he once again used a Fender Stratocaster.
Accelerated Evolution was released on March 31, 2003. The album was originally titled Relationships, as many of the songs are about just that. The title was changed to Accelerated Evolution to reflect how quickly the the music came together. AE feels similar to Terria in some ways, but the songs are more focused than on Terria. Songs like Storm, Traveller, and Slow Me Down are more accessible and wouldnt sound out of place on then-modern rock radio. But then theres songs like Deadhead, Suicide, and the duo of Away and Sunday Afternoon which are more progressive and exploratory and feature some awesome lead playing by Dev. Devs vocals really shine on this album, especially on songs like Storm, Deadhead, and Suicide. Deadhead in particular has become a fan-favorite and a live staple.
A music video was filmed for Storm
https://youtu.be/CRrEXdDwn88
In Korea, the album came with a bonus track called I Really Love Korea, which is just Dev talking about the album over some ambience.
https://youtu.be/nrNuY6uIqgw
In 2003, the DTB and SYL embarked on the Keep it in the Family Tour along with Zimmers Hole, a band featuring Jed and Byron from SYL, and Chris Valagao, who had frequently performed backup vocals on many of Devs albums.
(https://i.imgur.com/wwf2rn9.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/DmTFAyf.jpeg)
Live in Munich: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtnDxH4KAVg
Heres a video of the band on tour in 2003, in which Dave Young wrecks the tour bus.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYLWr49T4t4
The special edition of Accelerated Evolution came with a bonus disc entitled
Project EKO
(https://i.imgur.com/ZCyNdiB.jpg)
(Theres no official cover art for this EP. This is my half-assed attempt at making a cover for my digital library.)
Tracklisting:
1. Locate
2. Echo
3. Assignable
Project EKO is 3-track electronic EP. The track names came from different buttons on the keyboard Dev used to write the music. Not much to say about it. If you like electronic music, you might like this. If you don't, this probably ain't gonna change your mind.
Full EP:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wykdNjVykrE
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This album's awesome. It's probably my favorite solo album of his prior to the DTP, and it's accessible enough to be a pretty good starting point if you're not too familiar with Devin. Deadhead is an obvious highlight, but Storm and Sunday Afternoon are almost as good. Then you've got Depth Charge, Suicide, Slow Me Down... a very consistent album. Slow Me Down is easily my favorite of the "poppy album closer" trilogy that started with Terria and ends with Synchestra.
This is also I think the first album in his discography that absolutely nails the production. This album sounds fucking MASSIVE.
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This album's awesome. It's probably my favorite solo album of his prior to the DTP, and it's accessible enough to be a pretty good starting point if you're not too familiar with Devin. Deadhead is an obvious highlight, but Storm and Sunday Afternoon are almost as good. Then you've got Depth Charge, Suicide, Slow Me Down... a very consistent album. Slow Me Down is easily my favorite of the "poppy album closer" trilogy that started with Terria and ends with Synchestra.
This is also I think the first album in his discography that absolutely nails the production. This album sounds fucking MASSIVE.
I pretty much agree with everything said here. Just an incredible album.
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Love Accelerated Evolution. Was my first. :azn:
I'd previously seen Dev supporting The Wildhearts where he did some solo and SYL numbers (I think that was after Physicist came out) and he kept my attention but in a "WTF is this" kind of way. :lol
A while later I'd heard Fluke on an Inside Out sampler so picked this up at HMV. I remember the drive home with it in the car thinking, "omg, this is AMAZING". The sound is huge, the songs really memorable, vocals and pacing of the record... :tup
Like Terria, it's my joint favourite Dev and I wouldn't change a thing on it. Wonderful.
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I hadn't heard this one until quite recently and it really blew me away. Honestly it's up there with Ocean Machine and Terria for me out of his solo albums. Fantastic.
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I definitely like this a lot more than Terria. Production is a big improvement and just general song writing is more focused and concise.
For some reason, not sure why, I keep imagining Jason Newstead playing bass on this. Feels like hed be a great fit.
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For some reason, not sure why, I keep imagining Jason Newstead playing bass on this. Feels like hed be a great fit.
I can barely hear the bass on this album. Is that why you think of Jason Newstead? :lol
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For some reason, not sure why, I keep imagining Jason Newstead playing bass on this. Feels like hed be a great fit.
I can barely hear the bass on this album. Is that why you think of Jason Newstead? :lol
Also a possibility! But really I think its just the riffs. I can just see 90s era Jason playing them.
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I love this album. Deadhead, Storm, and Away are favourites
There are a couple of lesser moments, but really this is very good.
Level with OM:B for top honours so far
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Great record by Devin, my second favorite of all his bands/projects behind Ocean Machine. Almost every song is a winner, and a special mention goes out to Away, a very cool atmospheric piece, even if it meanders a bit towards the end.
And his best sounding record production wise up to this point.
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Dev and Video Games
At some point, video game developer Electronic Arts reached out to Dev to get him to record a cover of American Woman, as they couldnt get the rights to Lenny Kravitzs version of the song. Dev wasnt a fan of the song or video games, and he ultimately turned EA down. Its unknown what game EA wanted the song for.
Interplay Entertainment, another video game company, asked Dev to do the soundtrack for the game Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel. He composed 13 ambient tracks for the soundtrack along with Stuart Garfinkle and Matt Gruber. Dev was excited for the opportunity to explore ambient music, but overall didn't enjoy the experience. The gig came with too many parameters that he had to follow and didnt offer him enough freedom.
Other bands like Killswitch Engage, Meshuggah, and Slipknot licensed songs for the soundtrack.
Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel Soundtrack
Game released January 13, 2004
(https://i.imgur.com/ihA6yqX.jpg)
You can listen to the soundtrack here: https://archive.org/details/fallout_brotherhood_of_steel-2004
The songs Dev contributed are tracks 32-44, labeled Ambience 1-13.
Not much to say about this one. Its just ambient background noise, certainly not required listening. This release is a very minor footnote in Devs catalog, but worth mentioning.
Fallout 3, released in 2008, included a reference to the Strapping Young Lad song Detox
(https://i.imgur.com/hr3OVIm.png)
Hey, speaking of ambient background noise
Devlab
Released December 4, 2004
(https://i.imgur.com/h7GVi1R.jpg)
Tracklisting:
1. Devlab I
2. Devlab II
3. Devlab III
4. Devlab IV
5. Devlab V
6. Devlab IV
7. Devlab VII
8. Devlab VIII
9. Devlab IX
10. Devlab X
11. Devlab XI
12. Devlab XII
13. Devlab XIII
14. Devlab XIV
15. Devlab XV
Personnel:
Devin Townsend - noises, beeps, sweeps, and creeps
Devlab is an experimental/ambient album Dev worked on in his free time in his home studio and on tour. The album is meant to be a soundtrack to a dream.
The tracks are nameless, but are commonly referred to as Devlab I-XV.
Parts of the Brotherhood of Steel soundtrack were reused for Devlab.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGSQBWiDXLs
I consider myself a patient and tolerant man, but I have neither the patience nor the tolerance for this album. This is the only album in Devs catalog I have never been able to finish. I tried to listen to it in full for this writeup, but I couldnt do it. Sorry Dev, you lost me on this one.
Alien update coming Monday.
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I never listened to Devlab as I thought it wouldn't be my thing. Your writeup confirms that.
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As someone who likes ambient music I don't really find Devlab to be particularly great either. It's fine for what it is, just not really a standout in his discography and sort of by default an easy pick among the weaker albums he's done.
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Accelerated Evolution - This is a really great record. I have it just below Terria for my favorite Dev album. I think Terria draws me in just a little bit more, but both are great records. Lots of really catchy songs on this one, and it's a little more straightforward than Terria. Depth Charge is such a great opener, and the album just continues at a high level from there. The production is excellent. The drums sound huge, and I especially love the snare tone here. Dev's vocals are killer here as well. This is usually the record that I recommend to check out first for someone who has never checked out any Dev. The fact that it is a little more straightforward, and doesn't really have any of that Devin weirdness, makes it a good place to start for a newbie. I usually wouldn't want to start someone off with a concept album about an alien searching for the best cup of coffee :hat
Devlab - Not really an ambient music guy, but I have put this on in the background a few times. It's just not my thing. I did not know about the video game soundtrack stuff, but I probably won't check it out anyway.
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I also have not been able to completely sit through Devlab from start to finish. I have skimmed around it and there does seem to be some cool electronic stuff later on in there, kinda like Project EKO, but I don't feel like sitting through all the I'M GONNA MELT YOUUUUUUU to get there.
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I didn't get around to posting about Accelerated Evolution, but I must say that although it doesn't quite reach some of the highs on Terria, it is a much more consistent record, and I really do love it. I don't often think of it as one of my favourite Devy's, but listening to it the other day, it's just great. I'm gonna have to give it the edge over Terria I think, but they are so close.
1. Accelerated Evolution
2. Terria
3. Ocean Machine
4. Infinity
5. Physicist
6. City
7. Christeen + 4 Demos
8. Strapping Young Lad
9. Heavy As a Really Heavy Thing
10. Sex and Religion
11. No Sleep 'till Bedtime
12. Ass Sordid Demos II
13. Ass Sordid Demos I
14. Punky Brόster
15. Ancient
16. IR8 Vs. Sexoturica
I've checked my last.fm, and I've only listened to Devlab once. I'm gonna queue it up and give it my second listen ever :lol
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Friendly reminder to recycle and eat your beets today :tup
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Friendly reminder to recycle and eat your beets today :tup
Shut up and think of something more important to say.
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Friendly reminder to recycle and eat your beets today :tup
Shut up and think of something more important to say.
Shut your face and take a seat. Cuz after all, youre just talking meat.
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But what about music?
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Well, it's JUST entertainment, folks...
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Strapping Young Lad - Alien
Released March 22, 2005
(https://i.imgur.com/8pvHWxl.jpg)
Tracklisting:
1. Imperial
2. Skeksis
3. Shitstorm
4. Love?
5. Shine
6. We Ride
7. Possessions
8. Two Weeks
9. Thalamus
10. Zen
11. Info Dump
Bonus Tracks
12. Zodiac (Melvins Cover) [Japanese Bonus Track]
13. Love? (Extended Edition) [Japanese Bonus Track]
Personnel:
Devin Townsend - Guitar, Vocals, Keyboards
Jed Simon - Guitar
Byron Stroud - Bass
Gene Hoglan - Drums
Additional Personnel:
Dave Young - Keyboards
A bunch of people - Backup Vocals
(https://i.imgur.com/KpCKMfy.jpeg)
Strapping Young Lads 2003 self-titled album showed that the band was back, but not necessarily with a vengeance. The anger was there, but seemed very phoned-in in comparison to the first two albums. Going into the writing for the next album, Dev wanted to recreate his mindset from City and make this album as extreme as possible. He had begun to doubt his bipolar diagnosis, and stopped taking his anti-psychotic medication. The detox of coming off of those drugs, combined with a lack of sleep, plus the fact that Dev continued to smoke weed and drink(the two things that he believes triggered his psychosis in the first place), resulted in Dev flipping out, in his words. The result is an album that is absolutely SYL at their most extreme.
Dev and Gene wrote the bulk of the record in a warehouse in Vancouver. Byron was on tour with Fear Factory and Jed had moved to Philadelphia, so neither were involved in the writing of this album.
The Making of Alien: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pu_-Cpkaam8
Alien was recorded at The Armoury studios in Vancouver. This album marks the first time Dev used a 7-string guitar, tuned GCGCGCE. This guitar and tuning would feature heavily on Devs next few albums. Dave Young of the Devin Townsend Band played keyboards on the album. Alien features a choir of many men, women, and children who sing backup vocals throughout the album.
Skeksis is named after the antagonists of the movie The Dark Crystal, one of Devs favorite movies. The chorus also quotes a melody from the soundtrack to the movie.
Shitstorm was written after a water main broke in Devs basement. Flooding it and destroying gear, merchandise, and master tapes for past albums. Shitstorm is by far the angriest and most chaotic thing hes ever written.
The chorus to Love? is an admitted rip off of the chorus of City of Love by Yes.
An extended version of Love? Was included as a bonus track on the Japanese version of the album.
Love? was originally written in 2003 for a cancelled EP that would have contained 4 new songs and 4 covers. Two of those covers were Zodiac, originally by Melvins, and Whats New Pussycat, originally by Tom Jones. Zodiac would end up as a bonus track on the Japanese version of Alien. Whats New Pussycat was considered for the main tracklisting of Alien, but ultimately was left out and remains unreleased. The remaining songs intended for the abandoned EP are unknown.
Two Weeks is a unique song for SYL. Its a lighter, acoustic song that serves as a break from the persistent chaos.
Thalamus was originally titled Mega Bulldozer, and was incorrectly titled that on some versions.
The closing track, Info Dump, is a noise collage that Dev wrote at 4AM in his basement. Its meant to be a reflection of his mindset during this album. It contains a morse code message that repeats:
X2 + Y2 = Z2 All is in an echo. Reflections of an eternal present connect now and emerge. OM OM OM OM.
OM in morse code is . This rhythm would later show up in the song Color Your World, from Ziltoid the Omniscient.
Music videos were made for Love? and Zen
Love?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fO78lMTSRbA
Zen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmiahLU2oek
The music video for Zen would appear in the movie Shoot Em Up
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvmwullSc7w
Alien was released March 22, 2005. It sold 3,697 copies in its first week. Dev has said its the SYL album he is most proud of. Critics welcomed the more aggressive nature of this album and it was received very well.
SYL toured heavily in support of Alien, primarily in the U.S. I found very little live footage from this era. Weird.
Backstage footage and a performance of Love?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOJXWKYKqvo
Imperial and Skeksis live at the Gods of Metal Festival in Italy
https://youtu.be/7VIioZ0cbIU
Dev put everything he had into Alien. At the end, he was mentally and creatively spent, and did not want to do SYL anymore. However, he owed Century Media one more record to complete the contract. So he quickly started work on the final SYL album
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Alien is fantastic. I go back and forth on whether I like Alien or City more but it doesn't really matter, both are wonderful.
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It sure is an impressive album. I've not listened it in a long time as I'm not in a head space that really matches it, but that's not to take anything away from it.
That breakdown in the middle of Shitstorm ("If you want crazy...." through to "Fuck yooou!") is almost the most intense thing I've ever heard in my life. :lol :metal :hefdaddy
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Alien was where my Devy journey started. I heard Love? on a Metal Hammer cover CD. I loved it almost straight away, and it's still my favourite Strapping song.
I didn't really 'get' the album back in 2005, but I know I wasn't really ready for it. I don't listen to Strapping anywhere near as much as I do Devin's other output, but this is the album I revisit the most if I do want a Strapping hit.
I didn't post about Devlab, but there's not much to say. I don't hate it but there's little that grabs my attention.
1. Accelerated Evolution
2. Terria
3. Ocean Machine
4. Infinity
5. Alien
6. Physicist
7. City
8. Christeen + 4 Demos
9. Strapping Young Lad
10. Heavy As a Really Heavy Thing
11. Sex and Religion
12. No Sleep 'till Bedtime
13. Ass Sordid Demos II
14. Ass Sordid Demos I
15. Punky Brόster
16. Ancient
17. Devlab
18. IR8 Vs. Sexoturica
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This is definitely my favorite SYL record, and I think it's an all-time top 3 Devin album. City has a cooler production style and feels more genuinely dark and angry to me, but Alien makes up for both of those things with its songwriting and sheer consistency. It's a wild and exhilarating ride from Imperial all the way to Zen. Skeksis is a fantastic, sprawling song with some of Gene Hoglan's best drumming. Love? is super catchy and awesome, especially the extended version which really should be on the proper album; the edit definitely lessens the impact of the song a bit. And did they really need to edit out the swears? Did they forget that you literally just listened to Shitstorm of all fucking songs? :lol Some other highlights are We Ride (super energetic and fun) and Possessions (gotta love how the ending of the song is basically just an orgasm).
The big elephant in the room is Info Dump. I know a lot of people who love this album either pretend it don't exists or basically never listen to it, and yeah, when I listen to this album I usually stop at Zen. That said, judging it as a noise piece, I think it's actually really damn good. The structure of it is incredibly effective, starting out as barely-discernible background noise, before settling into an ominous lull, then slowly building up in volume and intensity until everything drops into absolute hellish insanity. And I gotta say, the last time I listened to it with the volume cranked decently high, I was actually shaking a little towards the end. I think the song is very well executed and put together, and succeeds at being legitimately unsettling. But it's just... not on the right album. The rest of the album just isn't a good match for it, sonically or mood-wise. Thankfully Zen is a satisfying enough closer that I don't think it really brings down the album, but it's a weird oddity on what is otherwise such an obviously excellent metal record.
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Alien was the first Strapping album I bought after buying a few Devin albums when I started getting into his stuff. Definitely makes it interesting knowing what he was going through during the making of this album. I am not as big on this record as a lot of Dev fans tend to be. I actually like the self-titled just a little bit more than Alien. Still, there is some good stuff here. Skeksis, Shitstorm, and Love are all solid. We Ride is my favorite thing here, and Zen is decent as well. Nothing else really grabs me all that much though.
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Taking a little break from this thread for a week. Just really busy in real life, and I also dont want to get burned out on this when Im only at around the halfway point.
Thanks for reading, folks! Hope yall are enjoying it so far, and hopefully this mini-break can allow more people to get caught up with the thread.
Heres something cool I found. A commercial Dev did for the final season of The Osbournes.
https://youtu.be/-21An_uudxc
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Taking a little break from this thread for a week. Just really busy in real life, and I also dont want to get burned out on this when Im only at around the halfway point.
Thanks for reading, folks! Hope yall are enjoying it so far, and hopefully this mini-break can allow more people to get caught up with the thread.
Heres something cool I found. A commercial Dev did for the final season of The Osbournes.
https://youtu.be/-21An_uudxc
Yea take the break dude. This is coming along nicely and I'm sure the rest of us can whip up some conversation in the meantime.
I listened to Alien again yesterday and it is just so good. It totally outshines the rest of the SYL catalogue for me. I know it's mainly based on bring me gateway to all things Devy. I'm gonna keep it on rotation in one of my regular playlists for the next few months.
That commercial :lol I love that there's all those stuff out there for Devin that I had no clue about.
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I think I prefer Alien over City, but Im not entirely sure. They both fit a similar mood or mindset and are pretty interchangeable to me. I think you could hypothetically make a best of with just the best tracks from those two records, but it wouldnt make sense both in flow and difference in production styles.
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I'm just dropping here to share my love for Info Dump. It's my favourite SYL track! Builds so nicely.
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The Devin Townsend Band - Synchestra
Released January 31, 2006
(https://i.imgur.com/H2Dfye1.jpg)
Tracklisting:
1. Let it Roll
2. Hypergeek
3. Triumph
4. Babysong
5. Vampolka
6. Vampira
7. Mental Tan
8. Gaia
9. Pixillate
10. Judgement
11. A Simple Lullaby
12. Sunset
13. Notes from Africa
14. Sunshine and Happiness (Hidden Track)
Personnel:
Devin Townsend - Guitar, Vocals
Brian Beav Waddell - Guitar, Backup Vocals
Mike Young - Bass, Tuba
Dave Young - Keyboards, Guitar (Sunshine and Happiness)
Ryan Van Poederooyen - Drums
Additional Personnel:
Steve Vai - Guitar Solo (Triumph)
Daniel Young - Tambourine (Vampolka)
Rocky Milino Jr. - Dobro Guitar (Triumph)
Deborah Tyzio - Vocals (Pixillate)
Chris Valagao, Heather Robinson, Hansen Thingvold - Additional Vocals
(https://i.imgur.com/Fr8cc9o.jpg)
After the mental and musical shitstorm that was Alien, Dev wanted to make something more peaceful. Similar to Terria, this next album was written as response to Devs recent behavior. He began working on the next Devin Townsend Band album, originally titled Human, as a counterpart to Alien. The title was eventually changed to Synchestra, named after a meditation tape by Silver Ships that Dev had listened to as a teenager.
(https://i.imgur.com/Xj6EZ13.jpg)
Synchestra was recorded at Armoury Studios in Vancouver as well as Devs basement studio. Dev used his 7-string guitar for the majority of the album. Synchestra has the same lineup as the previous DTB album, Accelerated Evolution. The album also features Deborah Tyzio, who sings the female vocals on Pixillate, and Steve Vai, who plays a guitar solo on the song Triumph. Synchestra is Devs most progressive album up to this point. Certainly more progressive than Accelerated Evolution, which was more straightforward and focused. This more progressive direction was welcomed by band members Dave, Ryan, and Mike, who were all fans of that type of music. Beav on the other, not so much. He was more into stuff like KISS, and found it hard to be excited about this new direction. In spite of this, Id say he does a fine job on this album.
Studio Tour where Dev is absolutely high as a kite.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXcM01NyxJ4
The first 6 tracks, Let It Roll through Vampira, flow together like one long piece.
Let It Roll starts the album on a peaceful note, featuring mostly just Dev and an acoustic guitar. It eventually builds up and flows right into Hypergeek, which serves as a kind of overture for the album.
Wait a minute
acoustic song that leads into an overture? Self-titled band? Sounds familiar
(https://i.imgur.com/x6FZQ9Ds.png)
Hypergeek leads right into the triumphant-sounding Triumph, featuring a country section inspired by Steve Morses On the Pipe, and a guitar solo by Steve Vai.
Babysong is a song abut, well, having a baby.
Vampolka is partially inspired by Pipeline by The Chantays.
Vampira is a rare Dev song in standard tuning. Its a more straightforward heavy metal song inspired by Judas Priest and Metallica. It was released as a single and music video was made for it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjjIna3j1Nc
The second half of the album begins with Mental Tan, which serves as a breather leads right into Gaia. Gaia is a heavy, groovy number with some awesome drumming from Ryan.
Pixillate is another heavy song featuring Deborah Tyzio on the verses.
Judgment, A Simple Lullaby, and Sunset from a mini-suite that serves as the climax for the album. Judgement would later be reprised on the song Polyphony on the next SYL album.
The closing track, Notes from Africa was originally written for Terria, but was left off. It contains a reference to "Love?" from Alien.
Sunshine and Happiness is a hidden track, featuring Dave Young on guitar.
Devs breakdown of the songs from a forum post in 2005:
http://www.hevydevyforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=4655&p=97214#p97214
Synchestra is the first record Dev produced, engineered, and mixed on his own. He had been very much involved in those aspects on past albums(With the notable exception of Physicist), but this was his first time doing all of it solo. He had always butted heads with mixing engineers in the past about how he wanted his records to sound, and finally just decided to do it himself. The production is interesting to say the least, even if it isnt technically correct. Ive heard people say this record sounds tinny. It sounds fine to me, but to each their own.
The Special Edition of the album cam with a bonus DVD entitled
Safe Zone
Tracklisting:
1. Truth
2. Regulator
3. Storm
4. Earth Day
5. Life
6. Deadhead
7. Away / Deep Peace
8. Slow Me Down
9. Truth (Alternate Take)
Safe Zone is a live in-studio performance of the band at Greenhouse Studios.
Full Performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFCOzUaV3bc&t=110s
Truth (Alternate Take): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ny44JwWkSrI
The DTB did some touring in early 2006 in support of Synchestra, but Dev devoted most of his time to touring with SYL.
Some (very crusty
) live footage from this era
Guitar Solo/Deep Peace: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jy7PDnbY6d8
Truth: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OCE_9RjS-s
Vampolka/Vampira: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVWgmijZwb8
Storm: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mj3i7TSPjYk
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This is the start of what I feel is Devin's weakest 3-album run (I'm ignoring the ambient records) and a brief slump in his discography. It certainly has some highlights - Vampira is fun as hell, and Triumph, Gaia and Pixillate are very enjoyable proggy cuts. But then you've got stuff like Babysong which does nothing for me, and I check out pretty quickly into the suite at the end; I find it tedious as hell to get through.
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Synchestra as a whole is a pretty excellent album in my opinion and maybe his last great album in a while (I don't mean that to knock the few following this but I don't think I'd put any of the DTP albums higher, maybe Ki). The only real negative for me I suppose is that I don't really have any strong favorite songs on here, it's more of a "liking the album as a whole" thing. But it's kinda written that way to be like a long song cycle and it kinda works as that IMO.
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This is was my first Dev album. Not my favorite but holds a dear place in my heart. I first heard Vampira on youtube however many years ago and thought it was dumb as hell. But then I noticed......it was stuck in my head! So I listened to it again. And again. And again. Suddenly I loved it. So I got the album and then Ziltoid and I was hooked.
Has a few meh moments but tons of highlights. And I guess I'm one of the few who loves The Baby Song.
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OK, I really quite enjoy Synchestra. It's quality does rise and fall in places, but it's the great thing about Devy, you never know where his albums are going to go. I'll start by saying I love how this album starts and ends!
I might be in the minority here but the bookend songs on this record are my favourites. Let it Roll starts things off beautifully, and although it's short, I listen to it on it's own fairly often. Hypergeek serves as a bit of an intro to Triumph but it continues the album on a high. Triumph is a pretty good song, nothing too flashy or different but i dig it. I love the little instrumental breakdown around the 3 minute mark.
I don't hate Babysong, but I get why it wouldn't be for everyone. Anyway, onto the great Vampolka! I love it's weirdness, and for those familiar with the Final Fantasy series, parts of it are very reminiscent of different Chocobo themes from various games. Then we have it's second part, Vampira. Also great, if slightly more serious than the first part. It's the third real highlight of the album and another song I can spin anytime, anywhere.
Mental Tan reminds me of parts of the Ziltoid records, and I could imagine this bring used as an interlude with the story being narrated over the top.
Gaia feels like classic Devy, and a pretty cool song all told. This section of the album, going into Pixillate>Judgement>A Simple Lullaby, does drag though.
The album brings it back at the end though, and I personally love Sunset>Notes from Africa>Sunshine and Happiness. Is there a more aptly named song in his catalogue than Sunshine and Happiness? It puts me in such a good mood. I'd take a whole album in this style honestly (you could chuck Canucklehead on the same album too).
So yea, my main takeaway is the album drags in the middle, some of the songs could've been shortened and Let it Roll/Sunshine and Happiness are the best songs on the album.
1. Accelerated Evolution
2. Terria
3. Ocean Machine
4. Infinity
5. Synchestra
6. Alien
7. Physicist
8. City
9. Christeen + 4 Demos
10. Strapping Young Lad
11. Heavy As a Really Heavy Thing
12. Sex and Religion
13. No Sleep 'till Bedtime
14. Ass Sordid Demos II
15. Ass Sordid Demos I
16. Punky Brόster
17. Ancient
18. Devlab
19. IR8 Vs. Sexoturica
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Huh. I thought Synchestra was more popular around here. Guess not.
Next update coming tomorrow.
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I definitely love it, and some people be surprised at some of Devin's other work I rate lower.
As I said in my post about the album, it's just got a section in the middle that's a bit of a slog, but other than that, great stuff. I do feel it gets fairly overshadowed by so many other Devy albums, and I don't think it gets that live it deserves personally. I'd take it over Ki and Ghost for instance.
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OK, I really quite enjoy Synchestra. It's quality does rise and fall in places, but it's the great thing about Devy, you never know where his albums are going to go. I'll start by saying I love how this album starts and ends!
I might be in the minority here but the bookend songs on this record are my favourites. Let it Roll starts things off beautifully, and although it's short, I listen to it on it's own fairly often. Hypergeek serves as a bit of an intro to Triumph but it continues the album on a high. Triumph is a pretty good song, nothing too flashy or different but i dig it. I love the little instrumental breakdown around the 3 minute mark.
I don't hate Babysong, but I get why it wouldn't be for everyone. Anyway, onto the great Vampolka! I love it's weirdness, and for those familiar with the Final Fantasy series, parts of it are very reminiscent of different Chocobo themes from various games. Then we have it's second part, Vampira. Also great, if slightly more serious than the first part. It's the third real highlight of the album and another song I can spin anytime, anywhere.
Mental Tan reminds me of parts of the Ziltoid records, and I could imagine this bring used as an interlude with the story being narrated over the top.
Gaia feels like classic Devy, and a pretty cool song all told. This section of the album, going into Pixillate>Judgement>A Simple Lullaby, does drag though.
The album brings it back at the end though, and I personally love Sunset>Notes from Africa>Sunshine and Happiness. Is there a more aptly named song in his catalogue than Sunshine and Happiness? It puts me in such a good mood. I'd take a whole album in this style honestly (you could chuck Canucklehead on the same album too).
So yea, my main takeaway is the album drags in the middle, some of the songs could've been shortened and Let it Roll/Sunshine and Happiness are the best songs on the album.
I wholeheartedly share the same feelings about Synchestra as you do. While the album does seem to drag in the middle, each song individually is awesome. I will also say that Sunshine and Happiness is one of my favorite Dev songs. This is the first Devin Townsend album I had bought and was glad I did. Let it Roll is an amazing intro to an album. I was glad hearing some of these played on the live albums he released since I heard this album.
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Strapping Young Lad - The New Black
Released July 11, 2006
(https://i.imgur.com/fjO4Xe4.jpg)
Tracklisting:
1. Decimator
2. You Suck
3. Antiproduct
4. Monument
5. Wrong Side
6. Hope
7. Far Beyond Metal
8. Fucker
9. Almost Again
10. Polyphony
11. The New Black
Bonus Tracks:
12. The Long Pig (European Bonus Track)
13. Zodiac (European Bonus Track)
14. C:enter:### (Japanese Bonus Track)
Personnel:
Devin Townsend - Vocals, Guitar
Jed Simon - Guitar, Backing Vocals
Byron Stroud - Bass, Backing Vocals
Gene Hoglan - Drums
Additional Personnel:
Will Campagna - Keyboards, Backing Vocals
Chris Valagao - Backing Vocals
Cam Kroetsch - Vocals (You Suck)
Oderus Urungus - Vocals (Far Beyond Metal)
Bif Naked - Vocals (Fucker)
(https://i.imgur.com/rvK0ayE.jpeg)
Dev never intended for Strapping Young Lad to be his main project, and after the chaos that was Alien, he was ready for it to be over. But, he still owed Century Media one more album to complete their contract. Shortly after finishing the Devin Townsend Band album Synchestra, he began work on the final SYL album. He wanted to make this album more commercial than past SYL records, while still being true to what SYL was. The result is an album that is more melodic than any past album, and brings back some of the humor from the early early days of SYL.
SYL was slated to play on the Ozzfest tour in 2006, and Century Media told Dev that the album had to be done before the tour began. The New Black was recorded at Profile Studios in Vancouver, with additional recording done at Armoury Studios. The New Black features appearances from Cam Kroetsch on You Suck, fellow Canadian artist Bif Naked on the song Fucker, and the late great Oderus Urungus from GWAR on Far Beyond Metal. TNB was recorded quickly, and was a more collaborative effort than previous album, with Jed and Byron playing a bigger role after not being involved with the writing of Alien.
Decimator contains a callback to Depth Charge from Accelerated Evolution.
Monument would later be referenced in the song Lucky Animals from Epicloud.
Wrong Side as released as a single and a music video was made for it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXfnr0pxQQI
Far Beyond Metal was written back during the City era.
Fucker was reworked into an instrumental called Catwalk, included in the Contain Us Boxset.
The highlight of the album is the ending trilogy of Almost Again, Polyphony, and The New Black.
A music video was made for Almost Again
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwuReRw23_0
Polyphony references Judgement from Synchestra.
The New Black was released July 11, 2006, a couple weeks into the Ozzfest tour. As jokey and immature as it is at times, I find The New Black to be a decent album overall. Id rank it in 4th place in the SYL discography. The anger is there, like on every SYL album, but this time its intentionally played up and exaggerated. The way I see it, with every previous SYL album, Dev had something to be angry about. Whether that anger came from past experiences in the music industry, 9/11, fear, paranoia, psychosis, etc. With this album, I see it as him getting over the anger and those past experiences and looking back on it and laughing. It doesnt bother him anymore. Theres nothing to be angry about anymore.
Thats just my take. Its up to you whether or not TNB is a satisfying conclusion to Strapping Young Lad or not.
The band played some headlining shows and other festivals in addition to Ozzfest in 2006.
Dev backstage at Ozzfest: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4GpEN71obo
Download Festival June 9, 2006: https://youtu.be/pa1r1WZtYcc
Live at Hultsfredsfestivalen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8Ba7kOlCE4
In the midst of the Ozzfest tour, Century Media offered Dev the option to renew his record contract, but he was truly done with the band. Strapping Young Lad played their final show August 13th, 2006 in West Palm Beach, Florida, the final show of the Ozzfest tour. Dev had repeated throughout this time that after this album and tour, he was done with SYL. This came as a surprise and a disappointment to the other members. Initially no one else in the band or management took his claims seriously, instead just chalking it up to Dev crying wolf. They didnt believe he would actually end this band that, at the time, was the biggest they had ever been. But Dev had had enough of the mental anguish that went into writing this music and portraying this exaggerated heavy metal frontman night after night after night for years and was ready to move on to the next chapter. His decision to end the band resulted in his estrangement from Jed, Gene, and Byron for some time, but these relationships would eventually heal.
In May of 2007, Dev held a press conference where he debuted his new puppet, Ziltoid the Omniscient. (More on that later
)
At this press conference, he announced the end of Strapping Young Lad as well as the Devin Townsend Band, and his intention to retreat from the public eye to spend more time with his wife and new born son. He still planned to produce other peoples albums, and to write and release music recorded at his home studio, but he had no plans to get back on the road anytime soon. With this announcement, SYL was officially over.
Strapping Young Lad released one last EP before officially calling it quits
Strapping Young Lad - C:enter:### EP
Released April 19, 2007
(https://i.imgur.com/xBTdHEs.jpg)
Tracklisting:
1. C:enter:###
2. Zodiac (Melvins Cover)
3. In the Rainy Season (Live)
4. Underneath the Waves (Live)
C:enter:### was released in April of 2007 as a 7 single limited to 500 copies. It contains the titular song, which was a bonus track on some versions of The New Black, as well as their cover of the Melvins song Zodiac, and two live tracks. The title track is a solid instrumental song. The rest of the songs weve heard before.
But wait, there's more...
Strapping Young Lad - 1994-2006: Chaos Years
Released March 31, 2008
(https://i.imgur.com/Nli8ay4.jpg)
Tracklisting:
1. S.Y.L.
2. In the Rainy Season
3. Velvet Kevorkian
4. All Hail the New Flesh
5. Oh My Fucking God
6. Detox
7. Relentless
8. Rape Song
9. Aftermath
10. Imperial
11. Skeksis
12. Shitstorm
13. Love?
14. You Suck
15. Wrong Side
16. Almost Again
17. Satans Ice Cream Truck
Hey, I said I was covering EVERYTHING, right? That includes the one "Best Of" compilation in Dev's discography.
Chaos Years was released by Century Media in March of 2008. It contains songs chosen by the band members that have been remastered by Dev. It also came with a DVD that contains live footage of the band, including their complete set at Download Festival 2006, and all of the music videos from their career.
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I can understand this being someone's favorite SYL album if they don't really like SYL. It is heavier than his solo material but not by that much, and the humorous tone definitely makes some of the more extreme elements more palatable. For me though, it doesn't have the same appeal as the other SYL records. Far Beyond Metal is an excellent song, the jazz breakdown in Antiproduct is fun, Decimator and Hope are... pretty good... and that's basically it. For an album that's more melodic and catchy than all the previous SYL albums, the songwriting could have been a lot better in my opinion. But for an album that was conceived more as an obligation than anything else, it could have been a lot worse, and it's definitely better than Heavy As A Really Heavy Thing.
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The New Black is decent. I'd put it on par with the self-titled but not as great as City or Alien. In the bigger picture of his catalogue it's not really that interesting or memorable but it's also far from his weakest stuff.
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Hey, I'm finally caught up!
The New Black is not my favorite SYL album, but it has its moments.
Synchestra, of course, is pretty fucking awesome. One of the first things I think of when I think of Devin.
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I dig Synchestra. Solid. Better than much of what comes after but not as good as Terria/AE, imo.
I love TNB and is the SYL I reach for most. Summed up by the "... and I don't fucking care!" at the end of the Fucker chorus, I tend to feel. ;D
The immature silliness is actually funny on this one, and chimes with my annoyance at endlessly po-faced metal, so a win afaic.
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All the SYLs ranked:
1: Alien
2: City
3: Strapping Young Lad
4: The New Black
5: Heavy As A Really Heavy Thing
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1. City
2. Alien
3. SYL
4. The New Black
5. Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing
And the DTB albums too since thats done
1. Accelerated Evolution
2. Synchestra
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It took me way too long to spot the joke in C;Enter:###'s title - in my defence I'd never heard '#' referred to as a pound sign where I am (UK), I'm wondering if it's a Canadian thing.
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It took me way too long to spot the joke in C;Enter:###'s title - in my defence I'd never heard '#' referred to as a pound sign where I am (UK), I'm wondering if it's a Canadian thing.
I'd heard American programmers discuss "pound defines" so I had a head's up what it was meant to mean but in Britain they're "hash defines" and the # symbol is often used to indicate a number.
So yeah, "see colon, enter colon, hash hash hash" makes no sense.
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Catching up.
I love Synchestra. It's not as good as Ocean Machine or Accelerated Evolution but on par with Terria imo.
It starts great with Let It Roll/Hypergeek/Triumph and it's the only record I know with a frog on it. ;D
I could do without Baby Song but then Vampolka/Vampira is silly fun but catchy as hell, and before the record loses steam in the middle comes Pixillate, another highlight for and with Sunshine And Happinessit it ends in such an uplifting way.
I can understand this being someone's favorite SYL album if they don't really like SYL.
Well, I don't really like SYL but I also don't really like The New Black. It's the only SYL record I own, mainly because I got it cheap back in the day. But like with all other SYL records, I just can't connect with the music. The heavyness here seems forced and most of the songs just aren't good enough.
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The Hummer
Released November 15, 2006
(https://i.imgur.com/AqU3iRP.jpg)
Tracklisting:
1. The Hummer
2. Arc
3. Consciousness Causes Collapse
4. Equation
5. The Abacus
6. Cosmic Surf
Personnel:
Devin Townsend - noises
The Hummer is another ambient record that Dev recorded in his spare time on tour and at home. It came from experiments he performed where he would play sub bass frequencies using a Nord synthesizer and look for what objects around the room were vibrating.
Arc is the the longest track released by Dev up to this point (I hesitate to call it a song).
Consciousness Causes Collapse contains a sample of Leonard Cohen reading from the Tibetan Book of the Dead. It also features Jeff Feinstein on flute.
The Hummer was released November 15, 2006 exclusively through his HevyDevy Records label. The Hummer is much more calm and a much easier listen than Devlab. Dev says he showed this album to a friend, and they said it sounded like a weapon. I can definitely understand this album making people uncomfortable. Some of these low frequencies are enough to make your brain rattle. If youre not into ambient music, this wont change your mind. Its an interesting listen to say the least. Unlike Devlab, I have listened to this album all the way through once. Probably won't do it again unless I need a brain massage.
And while we're here, let's do another one of these...
Guest Appearances and Other Stuff 3 (2004-2008)
Guest Appearances:
Ayreon - The Human Equation (2004)
The Human Equation is a concept album by Ayreon featuring many guest vocalists as different characters, including Dev, James LaBrie, and Mikael Εkerfeldt among others. Dev plays the character Rage, and wrote his own lyrics for his sections. He sings on the songs Day Three: Pain, Day Eight: School, and Day Sixteen: Loser.
How to Sell the Whole F#@!ing Universe to Everybody
Once and for All! - Sir Milliard Mulch (2005)
Im not sure what in the goddamn hell this album is and Im not that curious. Dev does some spoken word on the track:
The Great Strength of Our Professional Affiliations / How to Spend Music Industry Currency
He talks about places he worked at when he was younger: An industrial bakery, a stainless steel factory, an industrial plumbing supply store, an A&W, and other restaurant jobs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2PQ8q81k0k
Removal - If You Dont Have Anything Nice to Say, Start a Band (2007)
Dev sang on the song Layers of the Union
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=km3UO0arYbc
A Life Once Lost - Iron Gag (2007)
Dev played a guitar solo on the song Detest
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4suIG-OGfg
Production:
The Heavils - Heavilution (2004)
Heavy metal band from Illinois. Kinda SYL-inspired. Dev produced their 2nd and final album.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nn5IPRlOOFHeiTuxd7OjxNDEu7mqboo50
Ten Ways From Sunday - Ten Ways From Sunday (2004)
TWFS is a band from Vancouver featuring Mike and Dave Young, and Ryan Van Poederooyen from the DTB. Pretty run-of-the-mill early 2000s alt rock.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_mwkcrH7Tw3m_sOWYfMVurIVetREzc9qls
Misery Signals - Of Malice and the Magnum Heart (2004), and Controller (2008)
A metalcore band from Alberta, Canada. Dev produced their 1st and 3rd albums, and sang on the song A Victim, A Target from Of Malice and the Magnum Heart.
While producing Of Maline and the Magnum Heart, Devs basement flooded when a water main broke, destroying gear, master tapes, and merchandise. The guys in Misery Signals helped Dev salvage whatever they could from the flood.
Of Malice and the Magnum Heart: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijonm_cjfzA
Controller: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-BlS2yr8b4
Savannah - Hate Found Love Lost (2004), and The Road To... (2007)
Savannah is a Canadian metalcore band featuring Dev's friend Cam Kroetsch.
Hate Found Love Lost: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCZbcwRFJVE
The Road To...: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeBQkSZ-ghY
Darkest Hour - Undoing Ruin (2005), and Deliver Us (2007)
Dev produced the 4th and 5th albums from this metalcore band. Also played guitar on the song Full Imperial Collapse from Deliver Us.
Undoing Ruin: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcQfM4LCpP5ryNSl88C1LRquGSehDbJzS
Deliver Us: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcQfM4LCpP5q52629wsFB6l6m1zE6JB9F
Dev in the studio with Darkest Hour: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8DhgEVEtA0
GWAR - Beyond Hell (2006)
Dev produced GWARs tenth album at their home studio in Richmond, VA. He also sang on the song Tormentor.
Full album: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLezi_F-5-vaSS_9zHo9EQVYWsEnX2AbOg
Dev sings Tormentor live with GWAR: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNbz14G1duw
GWAR hands out with Dev: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJvsMVo5XJg
Soilwork - Sworn to a Great Divide (2007)
Dev only produced the vocals for this album
Full album: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLF0yIDuA63HXGGUXTD0jyvYTOoMewydfT
Dev recording Bjφrn Strid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxjGMcqU2xY
Himsa - Summon in Thunder (2007)
Dev also only produced the vocals for this album.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NlKG-nu9GA
Zimmer's Hole - While You were Shouting at the Devil
We Were in League with Satan (2008)
Third album from Zimmers Hole featuring Jed, Gene, and Byron from SYL and frequent SYL backup vocalist Chris Valagao.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DktTX6bV3fM
Bleeding Through - Declaration (2008)
Full album: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uhznh_mo_YE
Becoming the Archetype - Dichotomy (2008)
Dev also sings on the track Mountain of Souls (The Ghost)
Dev in the studio with BTA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfZ578MX13k
Full Album: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLB875405EC4F078FA
Terror Syndrome - Terror Syndrome (2008)
Terror Syndrome is a metal side project from Mike and Dave Young, and Ryan Van Poederooyen from the DTB. Dev only mixed this one and played guitar on the song Spinning Backwards. The album was produced by RVP.
Spinning Backwards: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InBm6GCXdWk
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Consciousness Causes Collapse contains a sample of Leonard Cohen reading from the Tibetan Book of the Dead.
I immediately recognized that excerpt from Gojira's The Way Of All Flesh and I was wondering where it was from! That's literally the only thing I can remember about this album from the one time I skimmed through it. :lol
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GWAR - Beyond Hell (2006)
Dev produced GWARs tenth album at their home studio in Richmond, VA. He also sang on the song Tormentor.
Full album: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLezi_F-5-vaSS_9zHo9EQVYWsEnX2AbOg
Dev sings Tormentor live with GWAR: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNbz14G1duw
GWAR hands out with Dev: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJvsMVo5XJg
I'm not familiar with this album nor Devin's involvement in it :metal I'd love to see more Dev and Gwar collabs.
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I never listened to The Hummer.
I became a fan of Ayreon shortly before THE was released and when Arjen revealed that Devin was one of the vocalists I was really excited. And I wasn't disappointed, Devin's contributions are great, as are all contributions from all the other singers. The Human Equation is an all time top 10 record.
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Anybody want some coffee?
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Anybody want some coffee?
(https://media.tenor.com/KxmQ3_uZyhYAAAAC/ziltoid-omnicient.gif)
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FETID
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GWAR - Beyond Hell (2006)
Dev produced GWARs tenth album at their home studio in Richmond, VA. He also sang on the song Tormentor.
Full album: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLezi_F-5-vaSS_9zHo9EQVYWsEnX2AbOg
Dev sings Tormentor live with GWAR: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNbz14G1duw
GWAR hands out with Dev: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJvsMVo5XJg
I'm not familiar with this album nor Devin's involvement in it :metal I'd love to see more Dev and Gwar collabs.
Speaking of GWAR, they actually have a bar here in Richmond, cleverly named the GWARbar. If you look at it on street view on Google Maps, you see this (https://www.google.com/maps/@37.5487228,-77.4428723,3a,75y,278.5h,82.8t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1shRidjZVfMnl2yM2_RkX6og!2e0!7i16384!8i8192), which perfectly embodies the spirit of Richmond.
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Ziltoid the Omniscient
Released May 21, 2007
(https://i.imgur.com/Ziu0ZjP.jpg) (https://i.imgur.com/EuWSEVr.jpg)
Tracklisting:
1. ZTO
2. By Your Command
3. Ziltoidia Attaxx!!!
4. Solar Winds
5. Hyperdrive
6. N9
7. Planet Smasher
8. Omnidimensional Creator
9. Color Your World
10. The Greys
11. Tall Latte
Special Edition Bonus Tracks:
12. Dont Know Why (Messages from Ziltoid)
13. Traveling Salesman
14. Another Road
Personnel:
Devin Townsend - Guitar, Bass, Vocals, Keyboards, Drum Programming
Additional Personnel:
Dave Young - Voices (Omnidimensional Creator)
Brian Beav Waddell - Narration
At a press conference in May of 2007, Dev announced the end of Strapping Young Lad and the Devin Townsend Band. He also announced his intention to take a break from touring to spend more time with his wife and newborn son. He still planned to write and record music and to produce other peoples albums. At this press conference he debuted his new puppet, named Ziltoid the Omniscient. Ziltoid was to be the main character of a new concept album he was working on.
So who or what is Ziltoid the Omniscient?
In concept:
Ziltoid is a fourth-dimensional alien from the planet Ziltoidia. He comes to Earth in search of their ultimate cup of coffee. On Earth, coffee is just coffee. But on Ziltoidia, coffee is an extremely valuable resource, similar to the spice from Dune. Ziltoid is the greatest guitar player ever to have lived.
And to be clear, its pronounced Omniscient, NOT Omniscient.
In reality:
In addition to quitting SYL, Dev also quit drinking and smoking. Initially he found it hard to write without those things, and wasnt sure what the next step was for himself musically. Dev wanted to leave the SYL era of his life behind, but realized he couldnt just ignore that side of his personality forever. This where Ziltoid comes in. Ziltoid began as a simple sock puppet Dev made while hanging out with Beav. Inspired by the movie The Dark Crystal, he started working on a more elaborate Ziltoid puppet and came up with a whole backstory and theme song for him. The puppet even featured Devs actual Skullet that he had cut off after quitting SYL. Ziltoid started off as just something fun and goofy Dev would work on in his spare time, but evolved into something more. Ziltoid became a personification of the side of him that he believed was rooted in insecurity and repressed adolescence. He eventually decided to make a concept album about Ziltoid.
The album was originally titled The Mighty Masturbator, but eventually changed to Ziltoid the Omniscient. ZTO was written, recorded, and mixed entirely by Dev alone at his home studio. All the vocals, guitars, bass, and keyboards were done by him, and drums were programmed using Drum Kit from Hell, a plug-in that uses samples from Meshuggah drummer Tomas Haakes drum kit. Fredrik Thordendal, also from Meshuggah, helped Dev with programming the the drums. Dev once again primarily used his 7-string for most of the album. However, Ziltoid is the greatest guitar player ever to have lived. Brian Beav Waddell voices the narrator of the album, and Dave Young voices the Omnidimensional Creator. Musically, this is the album where SYL and DTB collide. Its got the heavy, aggressive, chaotic nature of SYL, but combined with the more progressive and emotive nature of DTB and Devs past solo work.
ZTO was the first song written, back when Ziltoid was just a sock puppet.
By Your Command and Hyperdrive have become two of Devs most popular songs and concert staples.
Ziltoidia Attaxx!!! reminds us that Ziltoid is the greatest guitar player ever to have lived.
The climax of Color Your World features the same (OM) rhythm previously heard in Info Dump, from Alien. Color Your World also contains a lyrical callback to Voices in the Fan, from Ocean Machine.
The special edition of the album came with three bonus tracks.
Dont Know Why (a.k.a. Messages from Ziltoid) is mostly just a Ziltoid rant, if thats something you need in your life. At one point he recites lyrics from the Soilwork song Sick Heart River.
Traveling Salesman is a Johnny Cash-esque tune that is very out of place. No idea why this was included, even as a bonus track.
Another Road is just Dev jamming along to a click track. It contains parts of Canada, from Terria.
No music videos were made the album, but Dev did upload 3 Messages from Ziltoid to MySpace.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_AGVF5YuSPKMDSiz11ujG-zfnVfJOsVk
Ziltoid the Omniscient was released May 21, 2007. 16 years ago today. I totally planned that, and did not realize that just now. Reviews were fairly positive, if a little confused about the album. Ziltoid has since gone on to become Devs mascot, basically. His Eddie. His Vic Rattlehead. Hes been featured on various types of merchandise, including a felt hand puppet. Ziltoid is the greatest guitar player ever to have lived. Ziltoid would eventually get a sequel album, entitled Z2, released in 2014.
(https://i.imgur.com/V4t1Kv8.jpg)
The album is playable on the game Rock Band, and features additional dialogue recorded by Dev that is exclusive to this version.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdIP3XROaYWs1J8IlAU_j5rwMbrl0NXGI&si=T8yPXv6DdV1Vue3e
Dev obviously didnt tour for ZTO, but songs from the album would be incorporated into his setlist when he eventually started touring again.
Ziltoid was my introduction to Dev. Back in 2010, I saw the artwork for the album on some forum page (Not DTF) and Googled it out of curiosity, thinking it was a poster for some cheesy sci-fi movie. I read about the album on Wikipedia and was intrigued at the idea of a solo album that was done truly solo. Listening to the album, I was hooked immediately. Prog metal music combined with cheesy sci-fi? Sign me up. ZILTOID was even the license plate on my first car. I gave that license plate to Dev at a show in Atlanta in early 2020.
(https://i.imgur.com/wpseafy.jpg)(https://i.imgur.com/ahKrC8E.jpg)
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Don't have too much to say about The Hummer. It's fine for what it is but I haven't listened to it a ton. Even as a fan of ambient music there's just other artists doing that style better that I will go to before I will go to Devin doing ambient (since Devin also does other things better) but I don't hate it or anything. It's just a bit unremarkable and down there among his albums.
Ziltoid is an album I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with. There's definitely some good music on there but it goes maybe too far into comedic joke territory for my taste. As much as I love Devin's sense of humor, there's moments in some of his songs where it gets a bit into cringe territory for me. I haven't listened to Ziltoid in a while so I should listen to it with fresh ears, but I listened to it quite a lot initially when I got into Devin. It's fun, it has a silly concept and it's one of those albums I can see people either fully loving, or being on the fence with.
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I remember after starting to dig Vampira, I went to a local record store to see what they had of his and I saw Ziltoid. I just said nope! Looked silly and I liked my music serious. Eventually I caved and its a fantastic album. Dont love the sequel, but thats a different discussion. Love this album though. I think planet smasher is probably one that really stands out to me.
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Ziltoid is a mixed bag for me. I like it more than Synchestra or The New Black, and in some ways it's classic Devin, but as an album experience I find it to overall be a bit weak.
The pros:
- Ziltoid as a character is very fun (in a very stupid way, but still), and I'm happy that this album introduced him into the Devin universe.
- This album is extremely quotable. All of the spoken word bits from By Your Command, the quips during the greatest guitar solo ever in Ziltoidia Attaxx, and maybe my favorite, "I'M ZILTOID! I DON'T GIVE A SHIT! I LIVE ABOVE EARTH IN A BIG ROCKET SHIP!"
- By Your Command is such a big highlight and probably one of Devin's best songs. Lots of great riffs in the first half, and I'm still impressed at how smoothly the build-up in the second half was executed.
- I think what gives a this album a lot of its appeal is that it has a very whimsical atmosphere at times, and a surprisingly evocative emotional core. That whole middle section of Color Your World, especially. That's some of the most beautiful and heart-wrenching music Devin has ever written, and the fact that it's on a dumb concept album about aliens in coffee is something to be appreciated. Many have criticized the next Ziltoid album for not capturing this strength at all, which I'm inclined to agree with.
The cons:
- The whole middle stretch of this album does very little for me. I know Solar Winds has its fans, and it does have some really beautiful parts, but on the whole it's too drawn out for me and the narrative bits drag it down. Hyperdrive is just, infinitely better on Addicted so I never listen to this version of it. N9 is completely uninteresting to me, and Planet Smasher I also find pretty boring. That's a big percentage of the album that I could do without, so I never really listen to it in its entirety.
- I like Ziltoidia Attaxx and The Greys, but they're also pretty low-impact compared to Devin's best stuff. Really, By Your Command and Color Your World are the only songs on this album that feel essential to me.
- This definitely sounds like an album that Devin made all by himself, in terms of production. It's not bad or unpleasant by any means, but it does sound pretty amateurish. I actually use Drumkit From Hell too for my own music, and listening back to this album I can't help but feel I've been able to get better-sounding drums from it than what Devin manged to get here. :lol
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- This definitely sounds like an album that Devin made all by himself, in terms of production. It's not bad or unpleasant by any means, but it does sound pretty amateurish. I actually use Drumkit From Hell too for my own music, and listening back to this album I can't help but feel I've been able to get better-sounding drums from it than what Devin manged to get here. :lol
You gotta remember that Drumkit from Hell has come a long way in the last 15 years. Plus there are tons more plugins for different kits now as well.
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- This definitely sounds like an album that Devin made all by himself, in terms of production. It's not bad or unpleasant by any means, but it does sound pretty amateurish. I actually use Drumkit From Hell too for my own music, and listening back to this album I can't help but feel I've been able to get better-sounding drums from it than what Devin manged to get here. :lol
You gotta remember that Drumkit from Hell has come a long way in the last 15 years. Plus there are tons more plugins for different kits now as well.
I'm pretty sure the samples are the same cuz I recognize them all (I bought it in 2012 and haven't upgraded since then :lol). The way they're mixed on this album just isn't very good. Mine aren't either right now, in all fairness, but they sound closer to the sound I'd want to get out of that kit.
Drumkit From Hell is also used on Meshuggah's Catchy ThirtyThree and the Nothing remaster and they sound better there, too.
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- This definitely sounds like an album that Devin made all by himself, in terms of production. It's not bad or unpleasant by any means, but it does sound pretty amateurish. I actually use Drumkit From Hell too for my own music, and listening back to this album I can't help but feel I've been able to get better-sounding drums from it than what Devin manged to get here. :lol
You gotta remember that Drumkit from Hell has come a long way in the last 15 years. Plus there are tons more plugins for different kits now as well.
I'm pretty sure the samples are the same cuz I recognize them all (I bought it in 2012 and haven't upgraded since then :lol). The way they're mixed on this album just isn't very good. Mine aren't either right now, in all fairness, but they sound closer to the sound I'd want to get out of that kit.
Drumkit From Hell is also used on Meshuggah's Catchy ThirtyThree and the Nothing remaster and they sound better there, too.
Well, yeah, the way drums are mixed can make all the difference in the world, no matter what software you use.
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Been spinning Infinity lately. I love the songs but the production is so awful it gets tough to listen to.
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Listened to ZTO when it came out and enjoyed it but it wore off quickly for me. Sort of fun but ultimately found it too long and dull after repeated listens. If it he'd trimmed it to an EP it might have suited me better. I can't stay engaged with the mighty Ziltoid for an hour. :lol
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I'm a big fan of ZtO. N9 and Planet Smasher are relatively middling, and still very good. The Greys is very powerful emotionally for me.
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GWAR - Beyond Hell (2006)
Dev produced GWARs tenth album at their home studio in Richmond, VA. He also sang on the song Tormentor.
Full album: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLezi_F-5-vaSS_9zHo9EQVYWsEnX2AbOg
Dev sings Tormentor live with GWAR: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNbz14G1duw
GWAR hands out with Dev: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJvsMVo5XJg
I'm not familiar with this album nor Devin's involvement in it :metal I'd love to see more Dev and Gwar collabs.
Speaking of GWAR, they actually have a bar here in Richmond, cleverly named the GWARbar. If you look at it on street view on Google Maps, you see this (https://www.google.com/maps/@37.5487228,-77.4428723,3a,75y,278.5h,82.8t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1shRidjZVfMnl2yM2_RkX6og!2e0!7i16384!8i8192), which perfectly embodies the spirit of Richmond.
:lol that is great!
ALso, awesome license plater :metal
I'm a big fan of ZTO. It's just a really good albeit stupid prog (conceptual/lyrically) metal album. Personally, always loved the song Ziltoidia Attaxx!!!
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Been spinning Infinity lately. I love the songs but the production is so awful it gets tough to listen to.
Nooooooooooooooooo!!! The production of Infinity is awesome. It sounds like a Broadway musical on crack. I wouldn't want all of his CDs to sound like that, but the charm of that record is in the sound (as well as the many great songs).
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I love Ziltoid, probably my third favorite record by Devin after Ocean Machine and Accelerated Evolution.
A lot of Devin's humor falls flat for me, it's either too stupid or too childish, but here he hits a sweet spot. Right from the beginning, when those videos of Ziltoid surfaced, I was hyped for this record. And it didn't disappoint. The only song I don't care about is N9 but all of you, that don't like Planet Smasher, you are simply wrong ;) That's just an awesome metal tune. And by the way, the name's Herman... And I hate musicals! :metal :metal :metal
The concept is cheesy and silly, but from the design of the sock pupptet, the videos of Ziltoid, the packaging of the record to the music and the lyrics, everything fits and is in line with the concept.
And if you want, you can even see a meta level in Colour Your World (The creator confesses that you are a puppet, we are all puppets) or is all of this just a dream of a slacker working in a coffee shop?
Yeah, I love this record.
PS: Very cool license plate, sadly you can't have this in Germany.
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Been spinning Infinity lately. I love the songs but the production is so awful it gets tough to listen to.
Nooooooooooooooooo!!! The production of Infinity is awesome. It sounds like a Broadway musical on crack. I wouldn't want all of his CDs to sound like that, but the charm of that record is in the sound (as well as the many great songs).
Kev, dont get me wrong, I love the album but I wish it was mixed and mastered warmer and clearer. That's just my ears.
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Count me as someone who also loves Ziltoid. Definitely one of my favourite Dev records.
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Count me as someone who also loves Ziltoid. Definitely one of my favourite Dev records.
Absolutely!!!! Deconstruction might be my favorite though.
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Yea, I too love Ziltoid. The sequel sounds a lot more polished but the original has a certain charm to it.
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Next update coming next week. Not sure which day. A Tuesday perhaps.
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(https://media3.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExZjg4OGE3YThmNjg1MWJiOWVkMzQ0Y2VmOWExOWIwZmFlODRhNTNjNyZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZzX2dpZklkJmN0PWc/tnYri4n2Frnig/giphy.gif)
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Next update coming next week. Not sure which day. A Tuesday perhaps.
:neverusethis:
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The 'core' songs on Ziltoid are among Devin's best: By Your Command, Solar Winds, Hyperdrive, Color Your World, and The Greys. The songs that are more there to move the plot along are enjoyable enough but I don't really go back to them, but that's what you usually get when it comes to concept albums. Sometimes I think the album leans a little too heavily into the ultrafast brutal tremolo picking/kick drum triplet type of thing, it gets monotonous after a while. But when this album is good it's really fantastic and you hear hints of what's to come with DTP, particularly Addicted and Deconstruction. The humor and story are surprisingly effective for me. It's goofy but Devin does goofy well.
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...Now What?
Dev continued writing music during his hiatus and amassed over 60 songs of varying styles.
His plan was to release a new solo album compiling some, but not all of the new material.
The tracklisting for this album, entitled Ki:
1. A Monday
2. Coast
3. Disruptr
4. Gato Negro
5. (Purge)tory
6. Stand
7. Waveform
8. Heavens End
9. Dinosaurs!
10. Lady Helen
11. Ki
12. Addicted
13. Quiet Riot
14. Demon League
Eventually Dev scrapped the single album idea, and instead chose to expand this project into 4 albums. Each album would cover a different side of his music and feature a different lineup of musicians. This 4 album series was called the Devin Townsend Project. The overall theme for this series is Dev reckoning with his past, and learning to how to live and write without drugs and alcohol.
The Devin Townsend Project - Ki
Released May 25, 2009
Put on your 3D glasses now
(https://i.imgur.com/PXE4GpT.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/EMSUSo7.jpg)
Tracklisting:
1. A Monday
2. Coast
3. Disruptr
4. Gato
5. Terminal
6. Heavens End (Incorrectly titled Heaven Send on most versions)
7. Aint Never Gonna Win
8. Winter
9. Trainfire
10. Lady Helen
11. Ki
12. Quiet Riot
13. Demon League
Bonus Material:
1. Synchronicity Freaks
2. Oodles of Noodles
3. Testing Fender Gear
Personnel:
Devin Townsend - Guitar, Vocals, Bass
Duris Maxwell - Drums
Jean Savoie - Bass
Dave Young - Keyboards
Additional Personnel:
Chι Aimee Dorval - Vocals (Gato, Trainfire)
Ryan Dahle - Vocals (Gato)
Bjorn Strid, Peter, Christopher, Grant, Corey, Jeremy, Ryan - Backup Vocals
The first album from the DTP is Ki (pronounced like Key). Ki was born from late night jams where Dev had to play quietly with a clean tone so as to not wake his newborn son. He became obsessed with getting the best clean guitar tone, and bought an Eric Johnson Stratocaster and a Fender Amp. He also started writing in Open B and Open Bb tunings for the first time ever. Dev felt frustrated with this new life of fatherhood and producing other peoples music instead of his own. He tried to put that anger into the music he was writing, but he had to figure out how to do it quietly. The result is an album that is restrained for the most part, only occasionally and temporarily exploding into aggression. Ki is unlike anything Dev had done before, the closest comparison being Terria.
Dev put together a new band just for this album. He brought back Dave Young from the DTB on keyboards. He met Jean Savoie, who was working at a local music store and playing in a Beatles cover band. Jean joined the new band on bass. Duris Maxwell was recruited as the drummer after Dev met him at a local blues jam. Duris had a long career as a session drummer and played with bands like Jefferson Airplane and Heart, and he even played with Jimi Hendrix at one point. The band met up to record the album at a house that Dev had rented and converted into a home studio. Most of the album was written by Dev alone, but the band would jam every day during the sessions, and some of those jams would turn into songs. Ki also features Devs first collaboration with Chι Aimee Dorval, who sings on the songs Gato and Trainfire. Dev was looking for a female vocalist for the album and Dave Young recommended Chι. Gato also features Ryan Dahle on backup vocals.
(https://i.imgur.com/sIZqKrd.jpg)
Coast was the first song Dev wrote for the DTP (Not counting the re-recording of Hyperdrive)
Coast also features a riff from Jesus Christ Superstar.
A music video was made for Coast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_T-LM3VYpE
Gato features a melody from The Dark Crystal, the same melody heard on Skeksis, from Alien.
Heavens End features members of Soilwork on gang vocals.
Aint Never Gonna Win and Winter evolved from studio jams. ANGW was originally called Pornogra-Free.
Lady Helen was named after Devs grandmother
Ki contains lyrics from the song Soft, originally from Ass-Sordid Demos II.
The name Ki came from an album by Japanese New Age artist Kitarō
Quiet Riot borrows from the song Cum On Feel the Noize, originally by the band Quiet Riot. The Jean-Michael mentioned in the song refers to Ozzy Osbournes real name, John Michael.
The door opening and closing at the very end of Demon League is meant to be the "protagonist" of these four records leaving to go to a rave, which is where the next album picks up...
Universe in a Ball was considered for this album, but was left off and ended up on his next album, Addicted.
Three bonus tracks were available for download (No longer available)
Synchronicity Freaks was one of the first songs written for the DTP.
Oodles of Noodles is another studio jam.
Testing Fender Gear is exactly what the title says.
(https://i.imgur.com/JXNp0O8.jpg)
Japanese artwork for the album.
Some videos of the recording sessions
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_AGVF5YuSPIwtMrZL7Bw5ZhHJt66oWW0
Dev recorded commentary tracks for all 4 of the original DTP albums. I tried to upload them to YouTube to share, but they were hit with copyright strikes because you can hear the album in the background. I even tried fiddling with a noise gate to try to block out the music, but no luck. If anyone wants to hear the commentary tracks, shoot me a PM.
Ki was released May 25, 2009. Reception was positive, but a little surprised at the direction Dev had taken post-SYL. Ki sold 800 copies in the US in its first week, and reached #69 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart. Ki is my 4th favorite Dev album, across all his projects. Its a very vibe-y record, and rather appropriately reminds me of winter.
Dev didnt tour specifically for this record, but would play songs from Ki when he started touring again in 2010.
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I love me some Ki. Actually all the DTP albums are great, but that clean guitar tone on Ki is just otherworldly. I absolutely love that sound.
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Yes I also love Ki and all the DTP albums. I'd say Ki was possibly the one that took the longest for me to fully take in and absorb. But really great stuff on this album and agree with Puppies on the clean guitar tone.
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I love Ki. Probably my joint favourite late Dev album.
He's done so much stuff that I don't listen to the ones that don't speak to me. But my limited rankings:
Terria
Accelerated Evolution
Ki
Empath
Epicloud
Synchestra
City
Alien
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The DTP era is around where I became a fan (not until 2011, but still), and I still think it's his best. Ki is a lovely album, and one of his most under-appreciated, I think. I've never really heard another album like it, especially the songs like Disruptr, Gato, and Heaven's End. The build-up in Disruptr is just perfect and makes it one of my favorite songs by him. Songs like Winter, Lady Helen, and the title track are also incredibly beautiful.
This isn't the only "clean Devin" album, obviously, but this is easily the best showcase of that side of his sound, in my opinion.
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The DTP era is where Devin slowly starts to lose me, but I still like Ki a lot. It's definitely more mellow than most of his previous ones but songs like Disruptr, Gato and Heaven's End still rock.
The result is an album that is restrained for the most part, only occasionally and temporarily exploding into aggression.
And I think herein lies one of Ki's problems, it is sometimes too restrained. A song like Disruptr has a nice build up, but it lacks (imo) one final climax to make it a really great song. And there are others where I think it (the song) is almost there but is still held on a leash and not really let go.
And regarding the clean tone. Surprised to read that Devin put some much effort into it, cause I think it's really nothing special. Like a lot of musicians who do mainly heavy and distorted guitars, his clean tone is kinda there, not bad, but really nothing special.
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I love Ki. I remember him talking about finding the drummer and the dude would just play a beat and stare at the tom like he wanted to kill it and then eventually hit it. Really inspired me to be restrained at times.
I'd say these four albums are my favorite of his all in all and I don't think he's ever returned to that level of greatness.
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While it has some great songs, Ki is very much an "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts" album. Great album to listen to from start to finish and get lost in.
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I didn't know anything about the recording of the album, so it actually makes a lot more sense regarding the "restrained" part. It's an album I didn't care for on my first many listens and only really clicked for me after seeing some of these songs live in 2020 when Che was on tour with him. I still don't love the album, but it has it's moments of awesomeness.
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The DTP albums are where Dev really kicks up a gear, but Ki is more of a prologue to that than the start of it. It's a strong album, it loses it's way a little in the 2nd half, but it's a great listen and Heaven's End is one of my fave Dev tracks. It was so nice to see this material represented so strongly on the Orders of Magnitude DVD.
Ki is the top half of the bun, Addicted is the cheese, Deconstruction is the burger and Ghost is the bottom bun.
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Ki is easily my favorite out of the DTP albums. Just overall a strong album.
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Does anyone know if sister has any specific meaning? or just a cool interlude
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He talks about it in his podcast here (https://youtu.be/q2vpT_8zKp4?t=4208)
Also, next update coming sooner rather than later... (https://imgur.com/YcTd1EV)
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I gotta catchup a bit:
Synchestra - For some reason this is probably my least listened to Devin album (not including ambient, Punky, demos etc). Not really sure why though. I gave it a listen a few days back and I was like "wow, there is a lot of good stuff here, why do I never reach for this album". It probably was an album that I bought when I went on a buying spree. When that happens something I bought usually gets pushed to the wayside, as I don't have time to listen to everything when I pickup a ton of new stuff like that. I definitely agree that album drags a bit in the middle, but the opening trio and the closing suite of songs are really great stuff. Synchestra will definitely get more spins in the future.
The New Black - Knowing that Devin was already done with SYL and this album was to fulfill a contract, it definitely could have been a lot worse. I find the New Black to be overall pretty decent considering the background of the making of the album.
Ziltoid - I started getting into Devin after this album had come out, but before DTP. I didn't start with Ziltoid though. I think I finally bought Ziltoid after Ghost had come out. I had heard about the album and the concept, it didn't sound super appealing to me. The main turn off though was the programmed drums. Never been a big fan of programmed drums, but when I finally caved in and bought Ziltoid, I quickly got past my reservations. I would still love to hear it with real drums though. It's just a fun album, and I don't find it fetid at all! The concept, while silly, is actually pretty cool and well fleshed out. I think this album flows really well. The songwriting here is great from Devin, and that helps with the flow. It has some really nice melodic moments and some heavy moments that build tension. I love Devin's Ziltoid voice, and the narration works fine for me on this album. Overall, a great record with a fun concept that I revisit often.
I want to give Ki a listen before I comment, as it has been a while since I have listened to it.
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That's right folks, its the return of
ADDICTED FRIDAY! :metal :metal
The rules are simple: You listen to the DTP album Addicted on a Friday. If you do, you win. If you don't, you lose.
Don't lose.
The Devin Townsend Project - Addicted
Released November 17, 2009
(https://i.imgur.com/BbKnjj3.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/hOmOB4E.jpg)
Tracklisting:
1. Addicted!
2. Universe in a Ball!
3. Bend it Like Bender!
4. Supercrush!
5. Hyperdrive!
6. Resolve!
7. Ih-Ah!
8. The Way Home!
9. Numbered!
10. Awake!!
Personnel:
Devin Townsend - Guitar, Vocals, Keyboards
Anneke van Giersbergen - Vocals
Ryan Van Poederooyen - Drums
Brian Waddell - Bass
Mark Cimino - Guitar
Additional Personnel:
Dave Young - Keyboards
Susanne Richter - Vocals (Ih-Ah!)
Rob Cunningham, Hugh Gilmartin, John Rafferty, Brian Johnson, Steve Lobmeie - Backup Vocals
Addicted is the second album from the DTP. Addicted represents the poppy, more accessible side of Devs music. A side that had been present in small doses on past albums with songs like Life, Christeen, Material, Stagnant, Slow Me Down, Sunshine and Happiness, and Hyperdrive. Addicted was inspired by commercial rock albums with big, heavy production, like Nickelback and Metallicas Black Album.
Addicted was recorded The Factory in Vancouver and at Devs home studio. Dev once again put together a new band for this album. He brought back DTB drummer Ryan Van Poederooyen, as well as DTB guitarist Brian Beav Waddell, this time on bass. Mark Cimino, whom Dev met back in 1992 when he was recording the Vai album, joined the band as the second guitarist. Like on Ki, Dev wanted a female vocalist for the album. He wasnt sure who to chose, when one day out of nowhere, Anneke Van Giersbergen emailed him a clip of her singing Hyperdrive with her band (https://youtu.be/Ce8q79RKLqk), Agua de Annique. Dev was immediately impressed and asked her to sing on Addicted. Addicted would be the first of many collaborations between them.
(https://i.imgur.com/eiLND2n.jpg)
Universe in a Ball was considered for the Ki album, but Dev had trouble adapting the song to the style of Ki.
A music video was made for Bend it Like Bender
https://youtu.be/FaCefwkz4HY
This version of Hyperdrive was recorded in Open C# tuning to accommodate Annekes voice. This is the only time Dev has ever used that tuning.
Resolve is an admitted ripoff of the Wildhearts song Vanilla Radio.
Ih-Ah came to Dev in a dream. Susanne Richter sings backup vocals on it instead of Anneke.
The main riff to The Way Home was written by Beav.
Dinosaurs and Juno were intended for Addicted, but were ultimately left off and included in the Contain Us box set.
Some clips from the recording of the album
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_AGVF5YuSPLM733auTbja2P9cqe4G2u3
Addicted was released November 17, 2009. Reception was generally positive, though Ive seen some scathing reviews criticizing the poppy direction of this album. Addicted was the second Dev album I heard. Part of me wanted to hate it because I was a stupid teen obsessed with Dream Theater who thought Pop=Bad, but I can not hate this record. I do think hes done this aspect of his sound better on future releases. I lent this album to a girl I dated back in high school. She broke up with me but refused to give me back the CD.
Dev returned to touring in 2010 under the Devin Townsend Project name, playing songs from Ki, Addicted, and past solo albums. The live lineup was similar to the Addicted band, but Mark and Anneke were unable to commit to touring, so Dave Young joined as the second guitarist and Anneke only performed with the band on special occasions. The bands first tour was opening for Cynic and Between the Buried and Me.
The Devin Townsend Project - Live in the USA 2010 EP
Recorded February 1, 2010, released February 14, 2011
(https://i.imgur.com/Cqlv6Gzm.jpg)
no album art for this one, enjoy this picture instead
Tracklisting:
1. Supercrush!
2. Kingdom
3. Truth
4. OM
5. By Your Command
Personnel:
Devin Townsend - Guitar, Vocals
Dave Young - Guitar
Brian Beav Waddell - Bass
Ryan Van Poederooyen - Drums
Macbook Pro - Background stuff
This EP was recorded in Baltimore, MD at Sonar, a (now closed) venue that looks like a parking garage with a stage attached. It was released as a free download(No longer available) as a promotion for a 2011 European tour. It contains most of the bands set that night, excluding only the first song: Disruptr.
Some sources incorrectly refer to this EP as Live in Europe.
The EP was later included in the Contain Us box set.
Full show, including Disruptr:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAixNvR4LsM
This was the second release I heard from Dev, so this was my first time hearing most of these songs. I think it's a solid performance, but looking back on it, Dev's humor and self-deprecation is a little much.
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I don't think it's fair to describe Addicted as pop - by any objective standard it's fairly f*cking heavy and noisy.
I LOVE this album, it's a top-3 Dev album for me, and doesn't have a bad song on it. The use of AVG's vocals is inspired genius. All together now - "We are one, and we have found, they only wanted you around, to hold it down so stand your ground, we won't be here forever...."
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https://www.loudersound.com/news/devin-townsend-announces-empath-live-in-america-will-be-released-in-august
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Addicted is my favorite Devy album. Love every part of it. I think "poppy" is relative; there's nothing really "poppy" about it other than the melodicism of Anneke's voice, but it certainly gives it a sort of different flavor, a variability, that increases it's accessibility.
As I've said too many times for it to not be creepy at this point, but the Live In London footage of this album being performed is mandatory viewing for fans of Devin, and, in particular, Anneka. She steals the show, IMO.
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While I think Terria is Devin's best album, Addicted is the one I listen to the most. They are 1a and 1b for me. While not poppy, Addicted is certainly a bit more accessible and catchy by metal standards than Devin's usual fare, and it goes without saying that Anneke's voice is the secret sauce of this amazing record.
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This is my favorite Devin album and one of my favorites of all time. The sound of it is just fantastic - incredibly colorful and bright but still heavy and complex. This is the best production a Devin album has ever had and probably the best showcase of his "wall of sound" style, which is a bit funny considering Devin's said in podcasts and commentaries that the sound of this album was kind of an accident and wasn't really what he was going for. It's one hell of a happy accident then, cuz the production on this record sounds amazing and is miles better than that of say, Epicloud.
Really though, it's the songs that make this album special. Addicted, Universe In A Ball, Bend It Like Bender, Hyperdrive, Awake... so many amazingly-written bangers on here, and the second half introduces some nice quieter songs to keep the album from being too one-note.
I've never seen the title track live before, and I really hope I get to one day. It might just be my favorite song he's ever written. That colossal main riff, the screamed vocals, that massive chorus, and that freaky guitar solo over that groovy-as-hell riff? Perfection.
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Addicted is my favorite Devy album. Love every part of it. I think "poppy" is relative; there's nothing really "poppy" about it other than the melodicism of Anneke's voice, but it certainly gives it a sort of different flavor, a variability, that increases it's accessibility.
As I've said too many times for it to not be creepy at this point, but the Live In London footage of this album being performed is mandatory viewing for fans of Devin, and, in particular, Anneka. She steals the show, IMO.
Addicted is also my favorite Dev album. I basically agree with everything you say here PLUS The Retinal Circus DVD is one of the greatest live concerts captured on video IMO. It's what won me over as a Devin fan before I even heard any of this full albums. That concert and specifically a lot of the Addicted songs made me a big fan.
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Addicted is an amazing album. I was a huge fan of Anneke prior but I'm glad this album brought her a huge new fan base.
My only issue with the album is the lack of sufficient bass. It's technically there I guess, but not really.
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Going back a little. KI is still my favorite Devin album to listen to start to finish. Something about the entire vibe I just love. Coast into Distruptrrrrrr. Cmon.
On to Addicted. Love the addition of Anneke on the record. Their voices are just magic together. I'm still hit or miss on Bender and Universe. Sometimes i dig them sometimes i just have to skip ahead. The run from Hyperdrive to Awake is incredible.
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I'm still hit or miss on Bender and Universe.
Universe In A Ball is awesome, probably my second favorite song on the album! That main riff is just infectious. I wasn't super into Bender at first, I found it a little too poppy, but I've since gotten over that and now it's one of the best songs on the album to me. :metal
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Resolve is the only clunker on this album for me. I almost always skip it.
And can we get some love for The Way Home? One of the most underrated Dev songs, and one of his best vocal performances.
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I'd just like to add that I got to see a rare US performance of Devin with Anneke at a Progpower festival a few years ago. One of my all time favorite concerts ever. Got to see Numbered live which was incredible.
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Resolve is the only clunker on this album for me. I almost always skip it.
And can we get some love for The Way Home? One of the most underrated Dev songs, and one of his best vocal performances.
The Way Home is one of my favorite Devin tracks. Addicted is a fantastic album, it's tied with Terria as my favorite record.
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I've never seen the title track live before, and I really hope I get to one day. It might just be my favorite song he's ever written. That colossal main riff, the screamed vocals, that massive chorus, and that freaky guitar solo over that groovy-as-hell riff? Perfection.
I am with ya. Addicted and Tiny Tears are always neck and neck in the battle for being my favorite Devin song, and it's wild because I am generally not a fan of screaming vocals at all, yet Addicted, which features mostly screaming vocals, couldn't stick to landing any better than it does. Incredible song. :hefdaddy :hefdaddy
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Resolve is an admitted ripoff of the Wildhearts song Vanilla Radio.
Haha. As a massive Wildhearts fan, I can't believe that's never occurred to me! :lol (The original single recording of Vanilla Radio is much better than the album version.)
I need to re play Addicted today. Listened to it lots when it came out but it fell off my radar. Anneke and Dev together is a match made in heaven. Her voice and presence are beautiful. Saw the man with her live on the Epicloud tour and it was ace. :heart
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Addicted never really clicked for me but I suppose it's time soon for another revisit to see if time has changed anything there. Just not a huge fan of that poppy metal vibe of the album with 3-4 minute songs.
For me it's the weakest out of the first 4 DTP albums.
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Listened today on a car journey. Great stuff.
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Cheeseburger Thursday?
Cheeseburger Thursday.
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I like Addicted but don't love it. When it came out I listened to it a lot but it didn't have staying power, now I rarely have the urge to reach for that record. And I'm not really a fan of Anneke and the version of Hyperdrive from Ziltoid is far superior, although I know I'm probalby the only one that feels that way.
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I didn't really care for Ziltoid or Ki any more this time than the last time I listened to them years ago, but Addicted was pretty good stuff.
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I first saw Dev back in 93 with Vai.
I only kept a peripheral interest until Ziltoid came along, which I loved.
I started buying everything, with Ki, then Addicted being the next albums released contemporaneously.
Saw DTP at The Cube in Southampton on the Addicted tour. Gig started with Addicted. It was great. A really good concert. Some tapes AFAICR.
Since then seen him maybe a dozen times, sometimes at little acoustic gigs, sometimes at the extravaganzas (Retinal, RAH).
Always great stuff. He gives so much of himself.
The DTP stuff is a definite peak, with Epicloud in my top 10 albums.
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https://youtu.be/yEBCV0ic6Tc
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The Devin Townsend Project - Deconstruction
Released June 20, 2011
(https://i.imgur.com/uw6z12c.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/sPclx3P.jpg)
Tracklisting:
1. Praise the Lowered
2. Stand
3. Juular
4. Planet of the Apes
5. Sumeria
6. The Mighty Masturbator
7. Pandemic
8. Deconstruction
9. Poltergeist
Other Songs:
1. Ho Krll (iTunes Bonus Track)
2. Terrorizer
3. Deconstructing Badgers
Personnel:
Devin Townsend - Guitar, Vocals, Bass, Keyboards
Ryan Van Poederooyen - Drums (Praise the Lowered, Stand, Planet of the Apes, The Mighty Masturbator, Ho Krll)
Dirk Verbeuren - Drums (Juular, Sumeria, The Mighty Masturbator, Pandemic, Deconstruction, Poltergeist, Terrorizer, Deconstructing Badgers)
Additional Personnel:
Prague Philharmonic Orchestra - Orchestra
Amsterdam PAdam Chamber Choir - Choir
Fredrik Thordendal - Guitar Solo (Deconstruction)
Guest Vocalists:
Paul Kuhr (Novembers Doom) - Praise the Lowered
Mikael Εkerfeldt (Opeth) - Stand
Ihsahn (Emperor) - Juular
Tommy Giles Rogers (Between the Buried and Me) - Planet of the Apes
Joe Duplantier (Gojira) - Sumeria
Paul Masvidal (Cynic) - Sumeria
Greg Puciato (The Dillinger Escape Plan) - The Mighty Masturbator
Floor Jansen (After Forever, Nightwish) - Pandemic
Oderus Urungus (GWAR) - Deconstruction
Florian Magnus Maier (Dark Fortress) - Stand, The Mighty Masturbator
The third album from the DTP is Deconstruction. Deconstruction represents the chaotic, aggressive, and progressive metal sides of Devs music. It was originally conceived as an orchestral EP, entitled Deconstruction of a Cheeseburger, to be released after the original version of Ki.The next DTP album, Ghost, was actually recorded before Deconstruction, but Deconstruction is still the third album in the series. It was recorded after Ghost because Dev wanted to record something more mellow first, and didnt think hed be able to get into that headspace if he did Deconstruction first.
Deconstruction is a concept album, partially inspired by The Divine Comedy. Dev touches on the story in his podcast, but he gets way more in depth about it in the album commentary, which I definitely recommend listening to. As previously stated in the Ki writeup, you cant find these commentaries on Youtube, but I have them and am happy to share them. The story is about a man who is obsessed with learning the secrets of the universe, and decides to go to Hell. There, he sees a bunch of weird shit and eventually meets Satan himself. Satan presents him with a cheeseburger and tells him that to understand the secrets of the universe, he must eat the cheeseburger. However, our main character is a vegetarian and cant eat the cheeseburger.
Like Addicted, Deconstruction was recorded at The Factory and Devs home studio. Unlike the other DTP albums, Dev didnt put together a new band for Deconstruction. Most of the record is just Dev, who plays guitar, bass, and keyboards in addition to singing lead vocals. He originally wanted to have 4 different drummers:
- Ryan Van Poederooyen
- Dirk Verbeuren (Formerly of Soilwork, now with Megadeth)
- Brooks Wackerman (Formerly of Bad Religion, now with Avenged Sevenfold)
- And an unknown 4th drummer, possibly/maybe Gene Hoglan.
He eventually settled on just 2 drummers: Ryan and Dirk. Ryan was chosen because he is a hard-hitting drummer and also Devs live drummer with the DTP. Dev wanted to give Ryan a head-start on the material since he would be playing some of it live. Dirk Verbeuren was chosen because hes a faster drummer whos capable of blast beats. Perfect for the chaotic sound of this album. The two drummers split the material, each playing on different songs, and both drummers play on The Mighty Masturbator.
Deconstruction also features many different guest vocalists from the metal world, listed above. Fredrik Thordendal from Meshuggah plays a guitar solo on the title track. Dev wrote the orchestration and choral arrangements with help from Mike St. Jean and Florian Magnus Meier, and hired the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra and the PAdam Chamber Choir in Amsterdam to play and sing on the album. They only had 4 hours to record the orchestra, and the orchestra sightread the music. The choir was not impressed or amused with Devs lyrics about farting and cheeseburgers, or the tongue twisters he threw in just to mess with them, like Cinnamon Synonym.
Deconstruction was mixed by Jens Bogren and Dev in Sweden. A remixed version of the album was included in the Contain Us box set. Having listened to the remix for the first time recently, after listening to the original mix for the past 12 years, the only significant difference I heard was that the bass guitar is a little clearer.
Praise the Lowered was originally titled (Purge)tory.
Juular was originally titled Jugular but Dev misspelled it and decided to keep the typo. Juular was the only single released for this album and a music video was made for it.
https://youtu.be/n-DKs0qfdEk
The Mighty Masturbator is the longest song Dev released up to this point. The song in a way is meant to poke fun at long, pretentious progressive metal songs full of guitar wankery.
The Mighty Masturbator was the original title for the Ziltoid album, and the song even features an appearance from Ziltoid himself at the end. Ziltoid is the greatest guitar player ever to have lived.
The arpeggios Dev plays when the full band comes in are from Numbered, as are some of the lyrics.
The arpeggios at 5:57 are a sped up version of the arpeggios from the song Ki
The rave section comes from Traestorz, an electronic song included in the Contain Us box set.
The riff at the end of the rave section is the same riff as the outro to By Your Command, but slowed down (Pound pound pound ye push ye push
)
The final part of the song is taken from the Infinite Waltz section of Processional from the Christeen EP.
Pandemic contains lyrics from the arpeggio section of the song Ki:
Heres a little riddle bout a when I was a little toddle, Piddle in the puddle and my head was in a muddle You can sing it when youre sad, You can sing it when youre mad, You can sing it in the shower come along the latest fad
(https://i.imgur.com/D6Qe17v.jpg)
This progress chart from the recording sessions shows other songs not included on the album.
Terrorizer (Formerly known as Madd at My Dadd) was not included on the album or Contain Us, and instead was released on the compilation CD Fear Candy 100, included with issue 216 of the magazine, Terrorizer.
https://youtu.be/eeutihZh18I
Ho Krll was a iTunes-exclusive bonus track and also included in the Contain Us box set. It was originally intended for Ziltoid the Omniscient.
Illuminati, Turning Black, and The Universe may have become other songs.
Brown Man was included in the Contain Us box set, and it requires your immediate attention
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOARd5vjlGk
Deconstructing Badgers was also recorded during the Deconstruction sessions (Not shown on the chart) and is a cover of a song from a Weebl cartoon
The original: https://youtu.be/EIyixC9NsLI
Devs uploaded his cover to YouTube in 2013.
https://youtu.be/C0apsOhWV2M
Deconstruction was released on June 20, 2011, the same day as the following DTP album, Ghost. Dev says he structured this album like a roller coaster. It starts slow and gradually builds momentum, and by the time you get to Pandemic, its all speed and frenetic chaos until the end. Theres some much needed breaks from the chaos along the way, like the clean sections of Planet of the Apes and Sumeria. If Deconstruction is a meal, its a triple, or even a quadruple cheeseburger with a side of fries, and large soda. Its a lot to take in, and it may be too much for some people. Understandable, but if you can digest it, its a satisfying experience.
Deconstruction is my 4th favorite DTP album, and somewhere in the top 10 for all of Devs discography. I first listened to Deconstruction on a drive to Harrisonburg, VA. So whenever I listen to it, I think of mountains and James Madison University. Absolutely what Dev had in mind when making this album.
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My fave Devy album! :tup
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I got way behind in this thread and will probably have to bookmark it and read it at a later point, but I feel obligated to mention Addicted!, which was just covered. I had a pretty massive initial period of Devy listening a few years before that came out, and by the time it was coming out I was pretty burned out on his music for a number of years. I somehow missed the news that he was working with Anneke at the time, so I didn't discover it until years later. That collaboration really revitalized his music for me though, as I increasingly got into Anneke's other projects over time. They made a great musical pair for a number of albums. "Supercrush!" is easily one of his best songs with their tradeoffs, plus Ryan's outstanding drumming.
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Deconstruction! What an album - it is a lot to take in. I love it though.
Addicted - this is also great.
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Deconstruction used to be my favorite Devin Townsend album and a contender for my favorite album ever. I still love it, but not quite as much as I used to. It's such a sprawling and complex album and the strength of individual songs suffers a little bit for that, but while songs like Planet Of The Apes or The Mighty Masturbator might not have the most sensical song structures, they make up for it by some really amazing moments scattered throughout. Let's go through just a few. ;)
- The electronic intro to Praise The Lowered that lulls you into a false sense of serenity before the "SMOKE THAT FUCKING WEED" drop
- The "tungsten body, glowing mind" section on Planet Of The Apes
- Sticking with Planet Of The Apes, the "I'm sorry baby, I'm sworn to miles and miles of love" section near the end is absolutely beautiful, even with the constant double-bass going on. It's simple, but carries so much emotion somehow.
- The outro of Sumeria, enough said.
- The drop at the beginning of The Mighty Masturbator is one of the biggest fucking things I've ever heard. :metal
- The whole rave section of The Mighty Masturbator is awesome (though I wish the electronic drums weren't so limp). The riff combined with the "GIVE IT UP, YOUR WORLD" chant is insanely catchy, and the increasing intensity of the "we praise God / ourselves / Satan" sections are awesome.
- The way The Mighty Masturbator ends with the "aaaameeeeeennnnn" is so hilariously stupid and goofy that I can't help but crack a smile whenever I hear it. You can even hear the choir laughing at the end. :lol
- Less a specific moment but the sheer chaos of Pandemic has grown a lot on me over the years, especially the bit right before Floor first comes in. I admire how, at this point in the album, the intensity is just so much higher than it was when the album began.
- The whole finale of the title track. The bright strings and the incredibly passionate vocals combined with the insanely fast drumming is a pretty transcendental experience.
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Ive struggled to find enjoyment from this album. It's just too much for me. I haven't listened to it in years though. Juular and Planet of the Apes are pretty awesome from the Retinal Circus, but neither are highlights from the live album for me.
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This was a nice comeback after Addicted which I didn't quite dig. There's some humor on Deconstruction that maybe goes too far into cringe territory for me but musically the album slaps pretty hard.
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I often do not dig Devin's crazy and more extreme metal, so much of Deconstruction is a miss for me. He usually straddles the line to where he can make a really metal song still sound melodic, but that is not the case with a few songs here. I love Juular and TMM, and I love parts of the title track (GOOD LORD, IT'S A CHEESEBURGER!!), but this just isn't an album I reach for anymore. Devin just has so many albums now, most of which I prefer to this one.
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Forgot to include these in the writeup, but its definitely worth watching the Making of videos for Deconstruction.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_AGVF5YuSPIPzF2LBK7xkZEudutr8C22
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I often do not dig Devin's crazy and more extreme metal, so much of Deconstruction is a miss for me. He usually straddles the line to where he can make a really metal song still sound melodic, but that is not the case with a few songs here. I love Juular and TMM, and I love parts of the title track (GOOD LORD, IT'S A CHEESEBURGER!!), but this just isn't an album I reach for anymore. Devin just has so many albums now, most of which I prefer to this one.
I've had the opposite experience. The further away we get from Deconstruction, and the more albums he's released since then, the more this sticks out as an extraordinary piece of his discography. I've grown to appreciate it a ton since release.
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Ive not kept up with posting here for a few weeks, but am catching up with a load of the albums to get my ranking down. Were hitting the peak Devin era here now.
I did already relisten to Ki earlier in the week. I enjoy it, but find the heaviness tease fest to get in the way of me truly loving it. Its a nice one to revisit regularly, but if Im doing this era its all about Addicted and Deconstruction.
Talking of these two, as others have said, Addicted is close to my favourite Devy album and just such an incredibly fun ride. Deconstruction is a way more densely challenging listen. After listening on and off for nearly 10 years, I still dont feel I fully appreciate it.
If I can finish up revisiting all these albums today, Ill post an updated album ranking :tup
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I often do not dig Devin's crazy and more extreme metal, so much of Deconstruction is a miss for me. He usually straddles the line to where he can make a really metal song still sound melodic, but that is not the case with a few songs here. I love Juular and TMM, and I love parts of the title track (GOOD LORD, IT'S A CHEESEBURGER!!), but this just isn't an album I reach for anymore. Devin just has so many albums now, most of which I prefer to this one.
This is me, though I'm probably due to revisit this sometime soon. Maybe before the DT show later this month.
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While I admire the achievement of Deconstruction, it's probably my least played of all Dev's albums. It may be a masterpiece, but it's not a listenable one. There's some good stuff on it, it's just all a little too much in one go.
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I love this album so much. It took me a long time to digest and get into, but once it clicked, it clicked.
It's tough to listen to in one listen, but I love the songs. I think he once called it controlled chaos and that seems quite accurate.
I love the subject matters of songs like Mighty Masterbator and Deconstruction from a psychological lense.
Also while I didn't know he had intended a link to the Divine Comedy, I did catch a few lines from Inferno being put in there and didn't get why. Not that I mind, a ton of my new album is directly inspired lyrically by The Divine Comedy.
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While I admire the achievement of Deconstruction, it's probably my least played of all Dev's albums. It may be a masterpiece, but it's not a listenable one. There's some good stuff on it, it's just all a little too much in one go.
I tried listening to this again last week but it doesn't work for me.
There are loads of good bits (Juular, for example) but it's a sprawling platter that isn't any kind of fun to listen to, sad to say. Its the start of a slump for me, tbh.
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Remember that time Dev sold his spatula on eBay for $112.50 (https://metalinjection.net/news/pay-100-devin-townsends-spatula)
(https://i.imgur.com/nELby5h.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/YUnyeYN.jpg)
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So I finished catching up with relistening up to where we are at now
1. Addicted!
2. Accelerated Evolution
3. Terria
4. Ocean Machine
5. Ziltoid the Omniscient
6. Infinity
7. Synchestra
8. Deconstruction
9. Ki
10. Alien
11. Physicist
12. City
13. Christeen + 4 Demos
14. Strapping Young Lad
15. Heavy As a Really Heavy Thing
16. The New Black
17. Sex and Religion
18. No Sleep 'till Bedtime
19. Ass Sordid Demos II
20. Ass Sordid Demos I
21. Punky Brόster
22. Ancient
23. The Hummer
24. Devlab
25. IR8 Vs. Sexoturica
This era of Devin's work is so good. After this point he still has some great albums but starts to repeat himself to a degree.
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Yeah, Deconstruction isn't for me. I had high anticipation but hearing it on release day was a huge letdown. I've tried and tried time and again but that record doesn't get any better.
I don't mind heavy and I don't mind chaos in music, but what's missing here are songs with substance. Nothing makes me want to listen to it again.
So power to all who hold it in high regard but this is a low point in Devy's discography for me.
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The Devin Townsend Project - Ghost
Released June 20, 2011
(https://i.imgur.com/rRJNSkT.jpg) (https://i.imgur.com/nEl2uMb.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/NG0fiDr.jpg)
Tracklisting:
1. Fly
2. Heart Baby
3. Feather
4. Kawaii
5. Ghost
6. Blackberry
7. Monsoon
8. Dark Matters
9. Texada
10. Seams
11. Infinite Ocean
12. As You Were
Bonus Tracks:
13. Radial Highway (iTunes Bonus Track)
Personnel:
Devin Townsend - Guitar, Bass, Vocals, Keyboards, Banjo
Kat Epple - Flutes, Woodwinds
Mike St. Jean - Drums
Dave Young - Keyboards, Mandolin
Katrina Natale - Vocals
The fourth album from the DTP is Ghost. The DTP was originally meant to be a trilogy, but Dev had the idea for a fourth album that explored a side of music that he had never shown before: New Age. He had been a fan of new age and meditational music since his youth, and two of his past albums(Ki and Synchestra) were named after new age albums. Dev considered the titles Reconstruction and Rain Songs before settling on the name Ghost.
As stated in the Deconstruction writeup, Ghost was recorded before Deconstruction, as Dev wanted to do something mellow before diving into the chaos of Deconstruction. Dev once again recorded this album at the Factory and at his home studio. Dev plays guitar, bass, banjo, and keyboards, Mike St. Jean played drums, and Dave Young played keyboards. A lot of the songs were recorded as live takes, with Dev teaching Mike the songs in the studio and recording them as soon as he got them down. Dev reached out to flautist Kat Epple to play on the album. Kat had been a part of a new age duo called Emerald Web, who Dev was a fan of. Dev sent her the songs and she recorded her parts at her home studio. Katrina Natale sang the female vocals.
Feather was the only single from Ghost. An edited version of the song was included on a 7 single called The Calm and the Storm, along with Juular.
Kawaii is Japanese for Cute. A music video was made for it (More of a Slideshow
)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1GpPgIO3L0
The melody of the title track came from a song Dev heard some people singing in a park.
Monsoon is an improv jam between Dev, Dave and Mike. Dev sent the song to Kat Epple and she improvised over it.
Dark Matters contains a reading from a book about infinity. The song shares its name with a future Dev album, but as far as I know their connection ends there.
As You Were ends with the same riff from A Monday, the first song on Ki. Bringing this four-album series full circle.
Some videos of the making of Ghost
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_AGVF5YuSPKaNAsLAJjPPJY9LR58H-wO
Ghost was released June 20, 2011, the same day as Deconstruction. Theres a lot less to unpack with Ghost as opposed to Deconstruction. Its also nowhere near as referential as Deconstruction. Its a simple, soothing album. One of my favorites. Im sure plenty of people will find this album to be nothing more than boring background music. Something to help you fall asleep. But I find it to be one of the most enjoyable and rewarding albums in all of Devs catalog.
The Devin Townsend Project - Ghost 2
(https://i.imgur.com/yZbUN9N.jpg)
Tracklisting:
1. Radial Highway
2. Drench
3. Mend
4. Fall
5. Watch You
6. Saloon
7. Perspective
8. Coming Home
9. Moonshine
Ghost 2 is comprised of leftover material from Ghost that was deemed too dark and didnt fit the vibe. It was meant to be released as a bonus disc for Ghost, but the label told Dev to wait, as they were already releasing two albums at once. He revisited the material in 2012 and didnt connect with it, so he ultimately scrapped the album.
Most of these songs have been released, and some of this material would end up on the bonus disc for Casualties or Cool. Dev insisted in the commentary for that disc that Ghost 2 will be released eventually, but I doubt it, honestly.
Radial Highway was an iTunes bonus track and also included in the Contain Us box set. The song is a hybrid of Bad Devil, and Radar Love by Golden Earring. Sean Verault plays the slide guitar.
Drench was originally posted on Dev's SoundCloud in 2011
https://soundcloud.com/ghostdt/drench
Mend was included on a USB drive given to VIP attendees of the By a Thread shows. The song is composed by Dev, but is played by Jeff Schmidt.
Fall was posted on MackieGears SoundCloud. It used to be available for download, but not anymore.
https://on.soundcloud.com/fSFcm9t22VM7gbxC8
Watch You is included in Contain Us. It contains a callback to Stand from Deconstruction.
Saloon has never been released as an official studio version, but Dev has played it live at pretty much every acoustic show from this era, and the song does appear on the Unplugged album.
Coming Home has also never been released. Dev has been working on this song for close to 30 years. He played it live once at an acoustic show in Perth, Australia, but no footage has ever surfaced. A snippet of the song can be heard 12 seconds into this video.
https://youtu.be/d3vLMBmdQNk
Moonshine was also included on the By a Thread VIP USB drive.
Drench, Mend, Perspective, and Moonshine were all included on the bonus disc for Casualties of Cool.
Unplugged
Released August 9, 2011
(https://i.imgur.com/s3ekH2o.jpg)
Tracklisting:
1. Coast (Acoustic)
2. Terminal (Acoustic)
3. Funeral (Acoustic)
4. Fall (Acoustic)
5. Saloon (Acoustic)
6. Lady Helen (Acoustic)
7. Radial Highway (Acoustic)
8. Kawaii (Acoustic)
9. Ih-Ah! (Acoustic)
Unplugged is a solo acoustic EP recorded by Dev in the summer of 2011 and sold at some acoustic shows Dev played in the UK. It contains primarily material from the DTP albums, as well as a new arrangement of Funeral, from Ocean Machine.
Full album: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTyp6fHcYKY
Posted this one early because I felt like it. It's a beautiful day here in RVA, perfect day to listen to an album like this.
Beware the hidden ghost, hidden somewhere in this post.
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Ghost and that unplugged album are one of my favorite releases from Devin. I haven't checked out any of the ghost 2 stuff
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Ghost is a really nice album and is pretty much the only album that makes sense to play directly after Deconstruction. :lol Fly and Feather are my highlights. Seams is also really underrated. I like how meditative the last three songs on this album are. I imagine most of the album taking place around sunset, and the end of Texada / the start of Seams is when it finally sets.
Having heard most of the songs on Ghost 2, I agree with Devin that it wouldn't have been a very engaging listen. The best two songs from it ended up on Contain Us (Radial Highway and Watch You), and they're both awesome.
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I've only really listened to this album while laying in bed to go to sleep. It's not music for my typical enjoyment and it's been even longer than Deconstruction since I've given it a listen.
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I have to be in just the right mood to enjoy all of Ghost, but it is an incredible album, that is for sure. And I can always go for Feather, the title track, Blackberry and Texada, all of which I collectively view as the standouts.
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The only thing incredible about this album is how boring it is. :biggrin:
I know a lot of people really like Ghost and the playing on it is nice and it's an interesting contrast to Deconstruction and it's cool the hear Devy's mellower side. But for me it's just interchangeable background music.
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The only thing incredible about this album is how boring it is. :biggrin:
I know a lot of people really like Ghost and the playing on it is nice and it's an interesting contrast to Deconstruction and it's cool the hear Devy's mellower side. But for me it's just interchangeable background music.
Just wait 'til we get to Snuggles... :lol
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Yall are gonna love his new project :P
Dreampeace (https://youtu.be/2MFEM-sp6FY)
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Yall are gonna love his new project :P
Dreampeace (https://youtu.be/2MFEM-sp6FY)
:lol yeah based on my recent comments, not for me, but I did subscribe because he asked for the support.
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The only thing incredible about this album is how boring it is. :biggrin:
I know a lot of people really like Ghost and the playing on it is nice and it's an interesting contrast to Deconstruction and it's cool the hear Devy's mellower side. But for me it's just interchangeable background music.
Just wait 'til we get to Snuggles... :lol
Got about halfway through that one. :D
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Guess Ill keep the thread moving since Ghost doesnt seem to be peoples thing. :lol
Got a couple more updates planned for June, after that Im gonna take a break for a few weeks.
Next update coming tomorrow.
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Dont have much to say about it but I love Ghost. Its not the best in the project but when its the right vibe its one of my favorite albums to listen to.
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Guess Ill keep the thread moving since Ghost doesnt seem to be peoples thing. :lol
Other than me everybody seems to like it. :D
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I like Ghost. Im just rarely in the mood for it. Its a specific mood.
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Ghost was the first of Devin's albums that I heard all the way through. Before this, I had only ever heard his name in relation to Strapping Young Lad, which I wasn't interested in. I wasn't expecting Ghost at all, I had no idea he made music like that. I fell in love with it immediately, and it's still one of my favorites of his. None of his other ambient stuff has captured the same magic that Ghost has, in my opinion, except Casualties if that counts as ambient.
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Ghost is great. Love the chill atmosphere and it's a great night time album when you want to wind down.
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Want to like Ghost but have yet to manage it. Sooooooooooo dull. Sounds like of those CDs that used to be stocked alongside the thunderstorm and waves noises in garden centres to me.
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Sounds like of those CDs that used to be stocked alongside the thunderstorm and waves noises in garden centres to me.
Dev might take that as a compliment actually
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I used to play Ghost every once in a while while my students did their homework. Not the whole album, usually just Fly or something else relaxing. It's definitely a mood, and it when you're ready for it, it just lets you soar.
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I LOVE Ghost. It's beautiful, relaxing, ambient music. It relaxes me and does exactly what it's supposed to. It's not what I come to Devin Townsend for, true, but it's still one of my more listened to of his albums, albeit for different reasons. It's like Jackie Brown - it doesn't mean it's a bad movie just because it's not filled with the cartoonish violence we expect from Tarantino.
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It's definitely not a bad album, just doesn't work for me.
(Jackie Brown works for me just fine. 🙂)
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Ghost is nice for what it is, but it's not what I want from Dev.
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Next update coming tomorrow.
(https://i.imgur.com/HmmPQKh.png)
Next one coming Sunday or Monday or whenever I feel like it. Needed a bit more work.
In the meantime, here's a site where you guys can buy some thread
https://www.wawak.com/thread/thread-by-brand/gutermann/
ya get it? buy thread? because the next album is called by a thread? ya get it?
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The Devin Townsend Project - By a Thread: Live in London 2011
Recorded November 10-13, 2011
Released June 18, 2012
(https://i.imgur.com/P9XRbnp.jpg)
Dev had 2 end goals for the DTP:
1. Play all four albums live.
2. Release a box set compiling all four albums.
In November of 2011, he played a series of four concerts in London playing all four DTP albums. The first 3 shows were played at the University of London Union and the 4th was played at Union Chapel. Each night had a different lineup of musicians, with Dev and Dave Young being the only ones to play all four nights. These concerts were recorded and released as By a Thread - Live in London 2011.
Night 1 - Ki
November 10, 2011
(https://i.imgur.com/HI1Abi6.jpg)
1. A Monday (Live)
2. Coast (Live)
3. Disruptr (Live)
4. Gato (Live)
5. Terminal (Live)
6. Heavens End (Live)
7. Aint Never Gonna Win (Live)
8. Winter (Live)
9. Trainfire (Live)
10. Lady Helen (Live)
11. Ki (Live)
12. Quiet Riot (Live)
13. Demon League (Live)
Encore:
14. Coast (Take 2) [Live]
15. Synchronicity Freaks (Live)
16. Deep Peace (Live)
Personnel:
Devin Townsend - Guitar, Vocals
Dave Young - Guitar, Keyboards
Brian Waddell - Bass (Disruptr, Heavens End, Synchronicity Freaks, Deep Peace)
Mike Young - Bass (Gato, Ki, Quiet Riot)
Jean Savoie - Bass (Coast, Terminal, Aint Never Gonna Win, Winter, Trainfire, Lady Helen)
Ryan Van Poederooyen - Drums (Disruptr, Heavens End, Synchronicity Freaks, Deep Peace)
Dirk Verbeuren - Drums (Gato, Trainfire, Ki)
Mike St. Jean - Drums (Coast, Terminal, Aint Never Gonna Win, Winter, Lady Helen)
Kat Epple - Flutes, Woodwinds (Terminal, Aint Never Gonna Win, Winter)
Full concert: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtmBTLy-tJI
Slide show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1izARIVGPE
Night 1 featured a rotating cast of drummers and bassists from the next three nights. Chι Dorval and Duris Maxwell, who both played on the Ki album, are absent from this performance. The way Dev speaks about Duris Maxwell during the recording sessions for Ki makes it sound like it was just another gig for him, and he didnt connect with the material. Dev likely asked him to play at this show, but it didnt happen for whatever reason. Dev couldnt afford to fly Chι out, but she only sings on two songs anyway. Dev sings her section of Trainfire. Kat Epple, the flautist from Ghost, plays on a few songs.
Dev started singing too early on Coast, and decided to redo the song as the first encore, intending to swap out the original take for the redo for the eventual live album. However, he ended up leaving in the original take. I dont know if the redo of Coast took the place of another song meant for the encore. The other two encores were Synchronicity Freaks and Deep Peace.
Night 2 - Addicted
November 11, 2011
(https://i.imgur.com/85wJ68L.jpg)
1. Addicted (Live)
2. Universe in a Ball (Live)
3. Bend It Like Bender (Live)
4. Supercrush (Live)
5. Hyperdrive (Live)
6. Resolve! (Live)
7. Ih-Ah! (Live)
8. The Way Home (Live)
9. Numbered! (Live)
10. Awake!! (Live)
Encore:
11. Pixilate (Live)
12. Life (Live)
13. Kingdom (Live)
Personnel:
Devin Townsend - Guitar, Vocals
Dave Young - Guitar
Mark Cimino - Guitar
Anneke Van Giersbergen - Vocals
Brian Beav Waddell - Bass
Ryan Van Poederooyen - Drums
Full concert unfortunately not on YouTube, but theres a few songs available: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_AGVF5YuSPLZdvLuiBBKRFsiof3jsfnZ
Ih-Ah rehearsal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_e8VeDWVN8
Night 2 featured the same lineup as the album, with the addition of Dave Young as a third guitarist. Anneke sings on Ih-Ah instead of Susanne Richter, who sang on the album. The encores were Pixillate, Life, and Kingdom. I thought Pixillate was a strange choice at first, as it doesnt really fit the vibe of Addicted, but then I heard Anneke sing it and realized it was a perfect choice. If you actually read these writeups all the way through, reply with your favorite Batman actor.
Night 3 - Deconstruction
November 12, 2011
(https://i.imgur.com/XKPL1JH.jpg)
1. Praise the Lowered (Live)
2. Stand (Live)
3. Juular (Live)
4. Planet of the Apes (Live)
5. Sumeria (Live)
6. The Mighty Masturbator (Live)
7. Pandemic (Live)
8. Deconstruction (Live)
9. Poltergeist (Live)
Encore:
10. Fake Punk (Live)
11. Wallet Chain (Live)
12. Metal Dilemma (Live)
Personnel:
Devin Townsend - Guitar, Vocals
Dave Young - Guitar
Mike Young - Bass
Dirk Verbeuren - Drums
April Jayne Amos, Caroline Campbell, Josh Bevan, Luke Holmes - Choir
Rehearsal: https://youtu.be/jfgaAZBkDJU
Full concert: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkNvkD6E08E
Soundcheck: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2L2Xam3rg0o&t=276s
Slide show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wVkWQmT4fk
Night 3 has Dirk Verbeuren on drums, and brothers Mike and Dave Young on bass and guitar respectively. The band is joined by a four piece choir. None of the guest vocalists from the album are present for this recording. Dev sings some of them, and the rest are played via backing tracks. During the show, Ziltoid announced that he was running for President of the Universe. Ziltoid is the greatest guitar player who ever lived, but he was disqualified from the race due to the fact that he is a nerd. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFryjdvZaRI
The encore featured the triumphant and/or dreaded return of Punky Bruster. A rocky performance of 3 songs, but a fun way to end the night.
Night 4 - Ghost
November 13, 2011
(https://i.imgur.com/dAKx5gx.jpg)
1. Fly (Live)
2. Heart Baby (Live)
3. Saloon (Live)
4. Feather (Live)
5. Kawaii (Live)
6. Ghost (Live)
7. Blackberry (Live)
8. Monsoon (Live)
9. Texada (Live)
10. Seams (Live)
11. Infinite Ocean (Live)
12. As You Were (Live)
Encore:
13. Fall (Live)
14. Radial Highway (Live)
15. Watch You (Live)
Personnel:
Devin Townsend - Guitar, Vocals
Dave Young - Keyboards, Mandolin
Chrys Johnson - Guitar
Jean Savoie - Bass
Mike St. Jean - Drums
Kat Epple - Flutes, Woodwinds, Vocals
Rehearsal: https://youtu.be/NEp9gwNQ7YA
Full concert: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeXdly7KL_E&t=64s
Slide show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zE-aHG12rIc
Show day(Behind the scenes footage): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pFFVzvy5Ew
The 4th and final night features the main lineup from the Ghost album; Dev, Dave, Mike, and Kat. But with the addition of Jean Savoie on bass and Chrys Johnson as a second guitarist. Kat Epple also sings the female vocals instead of Kat Natale. Unlike the other shows, this one was recorded at Union Chapel, which I think is a much more fitting venue for this album. Saloon, a song meant for Ghost 2, was played between Heart Baby and Feather. The encore is 3 more songs meant for Ghost 2.
(https://i.imgur.com/eanJgso.jpg)
By a Thread was released June 18, 2012, as a 5 CD / 4 DVD box set limited to 5,000 copies. CDs 1-4 contain the main sets of each night, and CD 5 combines all of the encores from the shows on one disc. Demon League, from Night 1, is included on the encore disc instead of the main disc for that show.
The 4 DVDs contain the full sets, including the encores, as well as some bonus features:
- Audio commentary by Dev for each night.
- A music video for a song from each album: Coast, Bend It Like Bender, Juular, and Kawaii
- A slide show with photos from each night
- Behind the scenes videos
- An interview with Dev
This box set is hard to find nowadays, though it does pop up occasionally on eBay or Discogs. Good luck finding one for under $300.
55 songs over 4 nights (56 counting the redo of Coast). That is no small feat. By a Thread isnt a perfect performance, and the title reflects that. The band is hanging on By a Thread. Any one of these shows could have gone off the rails at any time. But what we get is a pretty stellar performance across the board. This would be the only time a lot of these songs were played live.
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By a Thread is one of my favorite DVD boxsets of all time. Probably a top 5. Amazing what Devy pulled off here. :metal
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I got By a Thread back when it was released because I was having a Devin phase around that time, but I actually kinda fell off the wagon when he released Epicloud. For years I've had By a Thread staring me in the face in my bookshelf and I used to think "I'm not sure why I splurged for this item considering it's something only the big fans should have" but since I got back into Devin earlier this year, I'm happy to own this.
Overall it's great to have these songs performed live, some of them he hasn't really had in his rotation at all outside of this event and that makes it cool.
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By A Thread happened around the time I really got into Devin. For me, this is the defining moment where I became a fan. Getting to hear how these songs sound live and with the way he presented these shows is nothing short of amazing.
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As I mentioned earlier, Deconstruction and Ghost didn't connect with me, so I wasn't really interested in this, when it was released. But I wouldn't mind hearing it now.
And as I was writing this I thought, look if it's on spotify and yes, it is. So I will probably give it a try when I find the time.
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Love the 4 gigs but all I can think is rehearsals must have been a real pain lol.
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Ah, the beginning of London getting all the cool Devin concerts.
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I think I was strapped for cash at the time which is why I didn't get it, but I sure I wish I had gotten the By a Thread box set. It is impossible to find now for a decent price. Not that I listen or watch much live stuff anymore, but it would still be nice to own.
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I saw one on eBay recently but didnt bother cuz I figured it would end up selling for ~$300
It ended up selling for $30
:censored
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My favourite Batman actor is still Adam West.
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Classic choice, I respect that :tup
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I saw one on eBay recently but didnt bother cuz I figured it would end up selling for ~$300
It ended up selling for $30
:censored
wtf :lol
Sucks the Addicted concert isn't on youtube anymore, it used to be and I'd watch it a lot. That version of Pixelate is incredible.
I think it's a bit odd to go through all the work of making these 4 concerts to just limit it to 5000 units. Maybe one day they'll get a re-release so I can buy it.
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I saw one on eBay recently but didnt bother cuz I figured it would end up selling for ~$300
It ended up selling for $30
:censored
Yes. I won it! LOL
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Ben Affleck. Yep, I said it.
Sorry for being a broken record, but:
The Deep Peace version from Night 1 is basically what changed my tune about Devin (all I knew before that was SYL and his album with Vai, and let's be nice and just leave it at "they didn't connect with me".)
The Addicted! night brings me so much joy. Anneke is a treasure; she nails the vocals all the way through, her enthusiasm is infectious, she's a pleasure to look at, and I think she brings out the best in Devin.
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I saw one on eBay recently but didnt bother cuz I figured it would end up selling for ~$300
It ended up selling for $30
:censored
Yes. I won it! LOL
Are you serious :lol Lucky dog.
Ben Affleck. Yep, I said it.
Interesting choice. I dont love any of the movies with him as Batman, but I thought his portrayal was fine.
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Bale.
Its a nice set to have.
Between the original 4, Contain Us, and this set, i had enough of this phase for a while. Ill always support Dev, but it was starting to feel a bit like being fleeced. Was more than happy when Epicloud came along.
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Bale is a good choice. I rewatched The Dark Knight Trilogy recently. Batman Begins and The Dark Knight still hold up. The Dark Knight Rises is still a mess.
Next update Thursday.
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Come on! We all know the real answer is Clooney!
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Has someone mentioned Michael Keaton? If not, he gets my vote.
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Come on! We all know the real answer is Clooney!
Bat nipples be damned, I didnt hate his Batman. The movie was a hot cold mess though.
Has someone mentioned Michael Keaton? If not, he gets my vote.
Probably my personal favorite
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The Devin Townsend Project - Contain Us
Released December 9, 2011
(https://i.imgur.com/XPxV68O.jpg)
Contain Us is a 6 CD / 2 DVD box set that collects the 4 DTP albums, plus unreleased songs and demos, and various videos and live performances.
The title comes from a lyric in the song Juno, and it also shares a name with a song from the Tree of the Sun / Blastula demos from 1995.
CD 1 - Ki
CD 2 - Addicted
CD 3 - Deconstruction (Remastered)
CD 4 - Ghost (Remastered)
CD 5 - Stuff That Was Almost Stuff
Tracklisting:
1. Synchronicity Freaks
2. OM
3. Catwalk (Fucker Rework)
4. Juno
5. Ho Krll
6. Radial Highway
7. Watch You
8. Traestorz
9. Sticks and Stones
STWAS is comprised of material that didnt make it onto the 4 DTP albums.
Full album: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZE7npzPrY0&t=4s
Synchronicity Freaks is a bonus track from Ki. Originally available for download along with two other jams from those sessions. One of the first songs he wrote for the DTP.
OM is a partial redo of the song from the Christeen EP. Intended for Addicted, but Dev couldnt find way to fit it into the record.
Catwalk is an instrumental rework of the SYL song Fucker from album The New Black. Century Media asked Dev for an instrumental version of the song for a video game.
Juno was meant for Addicted. Its about how Dev feels like an alien in the music industry of his own country. This has gone on to be a frequently requested fan favorite song, but it has never been played live. Dev doesnt seem to care for it much and says he phoned in the lyrics.
Ho Krll was an iTunes exclusive bonus track for Deconstruction. It was originally meant for Ziltoid the Omniscient. The title came from an alien conspiracy theory that Dev read about.
Radial Highway and Watch You were intended for Ghost 2, which was scrapped. Radial Highway was an iTunes exclusive bonus track for Ghost.
Traestorz is an electronic piece that turned into the rave section of The Mighty Masturbator.
Sticks and Stones is a jam from the Ki sessions.
CD 6 - Stuff That Was Stuff Before It Was Stuff
Tracklisting:
1. Coast (Demo)
2. Disruptr (Demo)
3. Gato Negro (Demo)
4. Addicted (Demo)
5. Numbered (Demo)
6. Timmy (Awake! Demo)
7. Stand (Demo)
8. Juular (Demo)
9. Brown Man (Demo)
10. Pandemic (Demo)
11. Madd At My Dadd (Terrorizer Demo)
12. Flies (Fly Demo)
13. Call Management (Demo)
14. Freedom (Kawaii Demo)
15. Two Turntables and a Mike St. Jean (Kitchen Aid Mix)
STWSBIWS is demo versions of various DTP songs, as well as a few extra songs that never made it onto albums.
Full album: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHCdt30JBto
Brown Man is an outtake from Deconstruction.
Call Management is an outtake from Ki.
Two Turntables and a Mike St. Jean is a hip-hop song about Mike St. Jean recorded by Dev and Dirk Verbeuren. Unfortunately the rap game wasnt ready for a middle class white Canadian rapper and his Belgian sidekick. If you read this update all the way through, reply with your favorite hot dog topping.
DVD 1 - Stuff For Your Eyes
A DVD containing music videos and live footage
- Tuska Open Air Metal Festival 2010
1. Supercrush
2. Numbered
3. Deadhead
4. Seventh Wave
5. Life
This is 5 of the 10 songs played at this show. Its missing Addicted, Truth, OM, Gaia, and Earth Day.
The full video of these five songs used to be on YouTube. Can only find a few songs now.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_AGVF5YuSPI23dN1n3riTHTYmDx85EHm
- NAMM 2011 Show (Video)
1. Coast
2. Terminal
3. Saloon
4. Fall
5. Fly
6. Ih-Ah
This is a live performance from a different live version of the DTP at NAMM 2011, comprised of:
Devin Townsend - Guitar, Vocals
Dave Young - Keyboards
Mike St. Jean - Drums
Jean Savoie - Bass
Kat Epple - Flutes, Vocals
Full video: https://youtu.be/V2umn_Wkv4I
Feather / Saloon, taken from another performance at NAMM 2011: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vub3V8JBIyI
Some photos from these shows: https://photos.tomcouture.com/p311854139
- Music Videos:
Coast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_T-LM3VYpE
Bend It Like Bender!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Xr83DFlzjU
Supercrush!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtNs1QdMYO0
Juular: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-DKs0qfdEk
DVD 2 - Stuff for the Holes in Your Head (Except Your Mouth)
The second DVD is a data disc.
- NAMM 2011 (Audio)
- Audio Commentary for Ki, Addicted, Deconstruction, and Ghost
- Live in the USA 2010 EP
1. Supercrush
2. Kingdom
3. Truth
4. OM
5. By Your Command
- Song stems for Bend It Like Bender! And Juular
- Various Videos from Devs YouTube Channel
- Deep Thoughts Videos
These used to all be available on YouTube. Now I can only find 2 of them.
Infinity: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEluwUIK5pU
Wise: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVLJRk70l-U
Missing: Hot Sex, Tacos, Ectoplasm, Reaction, Balls
Bonus 10 Vinyl
(https://i.imgur.com/Ph9R6Je.jpg)
Side A - Dinosaurs
Side B - A Ziltoidian Rapture
The Deluxe Edition of Contain Us came with a 10 vinyl which has 2 more previously unreleased songs.
Dinosaurs is a demo that was intended for Addicted. The song features Anneke on vocals. I think this is one of Devs most underrated songs. No one talks about it (no pun intended), probably because no one knows about it. Dev considered revisiting this song for Z2, and although it didnt end up on that album, Ive always thought the song War Princess had a similar vibe.
A Ziltoidian Rapture is Ziltoid ranting over the orchestra tracks from Deconstruction. At the end he sings Juular. Ziltoid is the greatest guitar player ever to have lived.
Neither song is available on streaming.
https://youtu.be/TgaW-U7nbz0
Contain Us was released December 9, 2011. Along with the CDs and DVDs it also comes with a hardcover book with tons of photos from 2008-11. Like By a Thread, only 5,000 copies were made, but Contain Us doesnt seem to be quite as rare as By a Thread. Prices vary on used copies. I snagged one on eBay recently for $100 (No bonus vinyl :(), but Ive seen them go for much higher.
With By a Thread and Contain Us, the DTP was over. Future Dev albums would just be released under his name, and his next project was to be a sequel to the Ziltoid album.
At least that was the original plan.
Taking a break from this thread for a few weeks, maybe a month.
Thanks for following along so far! :tup
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Mustard
I had no idea that 10 existed. I got CU on release and prolly skipped the deluxe cause I have zero interest in vinyl.
Its a great set. A really nice book.
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I was really surprised at the time that Devin didn't give a co-writing credit to Golden Earring for Radial Highway, as it totally sounds like a re-work of Radar Love.
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Please try to contain your excitement
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I recently bought a CD on eBay containing a ton of photos and scans of magazine interviews Dev did from the early Vai years up to 2004. A lot of cool stuff in here.
https://imgur.com/gallery/DwUsHUW
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Thanks for posting that
Remember: Telescopes are gay
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Guest Appearances and Other Stuff 4 (2009-2012)
Guest Appearances:
Agua de Annique - In Your Room (2009)
Dev co-wrote the song Just Fine with Anneke van Giersbergen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPIvsmFZfjQ
Various Artists - Guitars That Ate My Brain (2009)
Guitars That Ate My Brain is a compilation put together by Magna Carta records. Dev contributed the song Nerd Alert, which is just a wankfest with no real substance.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lMd5iuzDQc
Various Artists - Sin-atra (2011)
Dev sings New York, New York on this compilation of metal covers of Frank Sinatra songs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vwJHHBIYyQ
Gojira - Sea Shepherd EP (2011 - Scrapped)
In return for Joe Duplantier singing on Deconstruction, Dev sang on the Gojira song Of Blood and Salt. Intended for an EP entitled Sea Shepherd, which was eventually scrapped. The song also features a solo from Meshuggah guitarist Fredrik Thordendal
Studio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWDdDm-Vu8Y
Live: https://youtu.be/UxazFhQ60N8
Bent Sea - Noistalgia (2011)
In return for Dirk Verbeuren drumming on Deconstruction, Dev played bass on an album from his grindcore side project Bent Sea.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLr3ViTcgePdi9kdBNwzFD-DMJlceQvMMq
Ihsahn - Eremita (2012)
In return for Ihsahn singing on Deconstruction, Dev sang on the song Introspection from his 2012 album Eremita.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dD1i7XNkwuA
Pitch Black Forecast - Burning in Water
Drowning in Flame (2012)
Yet another side project from Gene Hoglan. Dev plays guitar and sings backup vocals on the song Open Letter to God.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBYVojjMPrM
Production:
Sights & Sounds - Monolith (2009)
Dev produced this album by Canadian post-hardcore band Sights and Sounds at his own studio, the Dev-Estate. He hired Mike St. Jean as a studio engineer, which is how they first met. This would be Devs last time producing another band for a while.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVQ1zWQbWLk1EKVQr6kobRcAuXfphcT5t
Mixing:
Contrive - The Internal Dialogue (2009)
https://www.youtube.com/@CONTRIVEOFFICIAL/videos
August Burns Red - Constellations (2009)
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDB1E46D6BB026852
Inhale Exhale - Bury Me Alive (2009)
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvUDa3J6FMbs1_LtxzzY9x4IeldrUUNKZ
Rammstein - Ich tu dir weh (2010)
Dev remixed this Rammstein song
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKWUBZZT3wg
Thread will resume in a couple of weeks.
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Intended for an EP entitled Sea Shepherd, which was eventually scrapped.
More like lost forever. :lol
That Ihsahn song is good, too.
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Thanks for posting that
Remember: Telescopes are gay
Reading this reminds me: When are you talking about Meatballs?
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;)
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Aaaaaaaaand we're back!
The Devin Townsend Project - Epicloud
Released September 18, 2012
(https://i.imgur.com/sRxKeQU.jpg)
Tracklisting:
1. Effervescent!
2. True North
3. Lucky Animals
4. Liberation
5. Where We Belong
6. Save Our Now
7. Kingdom
8. Divine
9. Grace
10. More!
11. Lessons
12. Hold On
13. Angel
Bonus Tracks
14. Epicloud (Vinyl Bonus Track)
15. Cry Forever (iTunes Bonus Track)
16. Take My Ego (iTunes Bonus Track)
Personnel:
Devin Townsend - Guitar, Vocals, Keyboards
Anneke Van Giersbergen - Vocals
Dave Young - Guitar, Keyboards
Brian Beav Wadell - Bass
Ryan Van Poederooyen - Drums
Additional Personnel:
The Marcus Mosely Chorale - Choir
Dev planned to start working on a sequel to the Ziltoid album once the DTP was over. However, whenever he sat down to write for that album, he would end up writing songs that didnt fit with the vibe he was aiming for. He eventually realized there was another album in him that was revealing itself, and chose to get it out of his system before working on another Ziltoid album.
Epicloud was originally meant to be a solo album, but he decided to make it a continuation of the DTP, with the same lineup as the live version of the band, plus Anneke Van Giersbergen. The drums were recorded at Kingdom Studio in Perth, and the rest of the album was done at Armoury Studios in Vancouver. Epicloud also features the Marcus Mosely Chorale, a choir from Vancouver.
(https://i.imgur.com/dYcpQvA.jpg)
Lucky Animals has a callback to the SYL song Monument, from The New Black.
Dev asked fans to submit videos of themselves dancing with their pets for a collaborative music video for Lucky Animals. However, his own video of him dancing became much more popular.
Devs video: https://youtu.be/UvmIByrcwAQ
Official music video: https://youtu.be/m8YuqlnVX0o
Save Our Now is based on the song Island by Pendulum.
Kingdom is a re-record of the song from Physicist. Dev chose to redo the song because he was never happy with how that album turned out, and the song had become a live staple since he started touring again.
The main riff to Grace was going to be the riff from the outro to By Your Command (Pound Pound Pound Ye Push Ye Push
), but Ryan came up with a different rhythm that was used instead.
The iTunes version of the album came with 2 bonus tracks.
Cry Forever is a pretty straightforward heavy song
Take My Ego is an Anneke centric song inspired by The Power of Love by Jennifer Rush. A really underrated gem.
The title track was only included on the vinyl edition of the album.
https://youtu.be/-s4oTFMaha4
Dev recorded a track by track commentary/listening party that was posted to YouTube. The video is no longer available, but I have the commentary if anyone wants to hear it.
Some videos of the making of Epicloud:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_AGVF5YuSPIlwkb412fwsSGNC02le7pO
Epicloud was released September 18, 2012. The album is a mixed bag in the best way. Its got a little bit of all sides of his music, sans the ambient/experimental side heard on Devlab and The Hummer. You could think of Epicloud as a culmination of the the original 4 DTP albums. You have the rock, pop, metal, and the softer sides of his music all in one cohesive album. Even with the variety of sounds on the album, Epicloud is Dev at his most accessible. I always recommend this album to newcomers as the best starting point.
At the time of its release, Dev was adamant that Epicloud was not indicative of where his music would go in the future. It was just something he needed to get out of his system on the way to the next record. But given the success and popularity of Epicloud, the record label would pressure him to do another album in this vein later on.
The deluxe edition came with a second disc, cleverly titled
Epiclouder
(https://i.imgur.com/mBpT5OJ.jpg)
Tracklisting:
1. Believe
2. Happy Birthday
3. Quietus
4. Heatwave
5. Love Tonight
6. The Mind Wasp
7. Woah No!
8. Love and Marriage
9. Socialization
10. Little Pig
Epiclouder is comprised of demos and outtakes that didnt make it on to the main album.
Dev's demos still sound fleshed out and well produced, and there's some real gems on here.
This bonus disc isn't available on YouTube or Streaming, but according to the banner on the InsideOut Youtube channel (https://www.youtube.com/@insideoutmusic) it's being released in some form on 7/28/23. Maybe it'll finally be added to streaming.
The Retinal Circus
Recorded October 27, 2012 at The Roundhouse, London
Released September 30, 2013
(https://i.imgur.com/peQeJ6i.jpg)
Tracklisting:
1. Effervescent! / True North (Live)
2. Lucky Animals (Live)
3. Planet of the Apes (Live)
4. Truth (Live)
5. War (Live)
6. Soul Driven (Live)
7. Planet Smasher (Live)
8. Babysong (Live)
9. Vampolka (Live)
10. Vampira (Live)
11. Addicted (Live)
12. Color Your World
13. The Greys (Live)
14. Hyperdrive (Live)
15. Ih-Ah! (Live)
16. Where We Belong (Live)
17. Detox (Live)
18. Bend It Like Bender! (Live)
19. Life (Live)
20. Kingdom (Live)
21. Juular (Live)
22. Love? (Live)
23. Colonial Boy (Live)
24. Grace (Live)
25. Little Pig (Live)
Personnel:
Devin Townsend - Guitar, Vocals
Anneke Van Giersbergen - Vocals
Dave Young - Guitar
Brian Beav Wadell - Bass
Ryan Van Poederooyen - Drums
Additional Personnel:
Jed Simon - Guitar (Detox, Love?)
Dom Lawson - Vocals (Planet Smasher)
Steve Vai - Narration
After the By A Thread concerts in 2011, Dev announced another special concert, The Retinal Circus, which would take place a year later at the Roundhouse in London. This show was presented as a kind of a musical, with actors playing out a loose story while the band played. The story was narrated by Steve Vai.
The band was joined by Anneke Van Giersbergen and a choir. The setlist featured songs across Devs catalog, and even included 2 Strapping Young Lad songs: Love? and Detox. Former SYL guitarist Jed Simon joined the band for both songs. Dom Lawson, a music journalist, sings on Planet Smasher.
Playlist containing most of the show:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1TB2XzzE9-k5WCEzm1sfltP1u6IWFfAh
Behind the scenes documentary
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uM0FYg1RgUM
(https://i.imgur.com/jrzTHrw.jpg)
This picture just makes me chuckle
(https://i.imgur.com/uiwlsa0.jpg)
A USB drive containing 2 demos and 2 videos was given to VIP attendees
1. Buddah Bidet (Demo)
2. Little Pig (Demo from Epiclouder)
3. VIP Greeting (Video)
4. Peavey Info (Video)
Buddha Bidet is an electropop song only available on this USB drive.
Or, on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oX1i7WDzpsY
Fun fact: In the middle of typing this, a snake got in my house. I got him out, but am clueless as to how he got in.
It's been a fun night.
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I really like Epicloud, it's an enjoyable record. But it's another one of his records, that just didn't have much staying power for me. I almost never have the urge to listen to this record.
Those Epiclouder tracks are more like bonus tracks, they surely aren't rough demos, they are completely fleshed out songs, there's really no clear distinction in sound and production to the main tracks. And some of those songs are better than some of those on Epicloud.
The Retinal Circus: I only have the audio cd, and I think this has to be watched and not only listened to, to fully experience the spectacle. Audio only is nice but makes me wonder, how much is really live and how much is backing tapes or touched up after in the studio. And I'm not particularly fond of the setlist.
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Epicloud as a whole for me is a mixed bag but Kingdom enough is worth the price of admission.
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Epicloud is great, and still his best album since the four DTP albums. Yeah, it's very accessible and streamlined, but the songs are just really damn good. Angel in particular is amazing.
My dad has gone on-record saying that this is the best album of the 21st century, in his opinion. :lol
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Epicloud was my first Devin album, after I had gotten the Retinal Circus on Blu-Ray from watching it on youtube and discovering Devin. I'm familiar with Heatwave and Little Pig, but nothing else from the Epiclouder. Probably worth checking out.
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Its a weird one. I always enjoy it but rarely go back to it.
Not a fan of the drum production though.
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Take My Ego, Happy Birthday, and Love and Marriage are among the best songs he has ever done. All three are underrated gems.
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The live version of Detox on the Retinal Circus is so :metal
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Didnt love retinal circus. Its not bad but the mix sounds too sterile and hes adding in soooo many prerecorded layers that I cant tell whats live after a while. Stage show is fun but way too busy.
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The Retinal Circus: I only have the audio cd, and I think this has to be watched and not only listened to, to fully experience the spectacle. Audio only is nice but makes me wonder, how much is really live and how much is backing tapes or touched up after in the studio. And I'm not particularly fond of the setlist.
Yeah, the biggest fault of The Retinal Circus is that the audio doesn't sound live, at all. I wonder why he did that. His latest live album sounds so live and raw, it's fantastic from a live sound perspective and sadly for Retinal, it's the exact opposite. It sounds fine, typical Devy wall of sound, but just sounds like an album, not live.
Although I love how theres some slight differences, with Anneke doing the breakdown vocals on Lucky Animals instead of Devin. But still, her part doesn't sound live. Maybe there's studio magic being done on the live recordings, but really, it all sounds like it was recorded in a studio.
As for the setlist, sure I would choose some different songs, but I think it's pretty solid and reflective of his career at that time. Also since he tried to make a loose story about it all, he probably chose songs that could fit that.
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I just want to pop in and say Quietus is a hidden gem on the Epicloud bonus disc.
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The B-sides I like are Quietus, Heatwave, The Mind Wasp, and Take My Ego. I don't think I'd swap out any songs from the main album for them, though.
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Epicloud is a stunning album
apart from the turd that is Lucky Animals. That thing fouled up plenty of setlists in that decade. I could never work up any enthusiasm for it. A buzzkill.
Its a 9/10 record for me. Some awesome tunes, and Anneke was never as vital!
Retinal was a great night out. Me and my mate were happy to watch the spectacle from near the back, until Jed came on. That was the cue to get down the front and go mental.
For me, the big boxset is just a terrific souvenir-I dont listen to it often, but what a package!
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I enjoy the video for Lucky Animals more than the song itself, and I would be remiss if I didnt spotlight it in this thread
https://youtu.be/UvmIByrcwAQ
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I enjoy the video for Lucky Animals more than the song itself, and I would be remiss if I didnt spotlight it in this thread
https://youtu.be/UvmIByrcwAQ
Ah yes, this video. I mean, Devin is a Canadian national treasure, so...
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Epicloud is a stunning album
apart from the turd that is Lucky Animals. That thing fouled up plenty of setlists in that decade. I could never work up any enthusiasm for it. A buzzkill.
I like Lucky Animals and I like it in the flow of the album. It's not stellar, but it's a quick, fun song.
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Epicloud is a stunning album
apart from the turd that is Lucky Animals. That thing fouled up plenty of setlists in that decade. I could never work up any enthusiasm for it. A buzzkill.
I like Lucky Animals and I like it in the flow of the album. It's not stellar, but it's a quick, fun song.
I think thats my problem. ( Apart from it being musically pretty basic) I dont like fun/comedy songs.
Im a miserable fuck.
But, I find the rest of the album sooooo uplifting.
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Next update coming next week. Its a cool one. :millahhhh
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Epicloud is a stunning album
apart from the turd that is Lucky Animals. That thing fouled up plenty of setlists in that decade. I could never work up any enthusiasm for it. A buzzkill.
I like Lucky Animals and I like it in the flow of the album. It's not stellar, but it's a quick, fun song.
Yeah, it's nothing special, but it's a fine fun song.
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Lucky Animals is fun. True North has always felt like the weakest on the album to me - it's got a great first minute or so and then the rest of the song just meanders without any idea of where to go. Intentionally representing the "where do we go from here?" line, perhaps? :lol
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Agreed. For a long time, I would skip True North and Lucky Animals and go straight to Liberation right after Effervescent.
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I love Epicloud, it's a great album, and I love Lucky Animals. The Retinal Circus DVD is loads of fun.
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Epicloud is such a weird album to me. I know True North and Lucky Animals should be songs I don't care much for, but in the context of the album, I find them unskippable.
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The name Retinal Circus should be telling in how that show was.
It's a grand spectical I did not expect much of it to be live. It's entirely almost backing tracks to go along with the presentatiin of the stage show.
It's weird honestly, how to present a stage show, things need to be in sync and for nothing to go wrong, bands seem to utilize backing tracks...
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I think Epicloud has held up really well over the years and and feels more essential to the catalog now than when it first came out (especially with Townsend essentially marketing it as a filler album before the Ziltoid project). I really enjoy how little pieces of each DTP album show up here, especially when you add in some of the bonus disc tracks. The product ends up fully encapsulating Devins style and I end up going back to it frequently if I want some Devin but am not gravitating toward one particular style. The albums flow is also really solid, you just get the impression of a prolific writer being at the top of their game. It definitely feels like you hear Addicted the most out of all the albums, but its cool to hear him blending that poppy metal sound with other stuff and developing on what he was doing up to that point. Its too bad that he was pushed into repeating that direction for several albums after because this is the last time it sounded fresh and interesting IMO.
I also think Epicloud has his strongest bonus disc (Casualties comes close). It feels the most like its own album and also greatly expands the albums sonic palette. Songs like Quietus and Heatwave are pretty unique compared to the main disc.
I agree that the album really gets going with Liberation, but Lucky Animals and True North are nice complements to each other and kick off the album well. Couple tracks have stood the test of time as Top 10 Devin: Save Our Now, this version of Kingdom, Liberation. Great album.
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Epicloud is definitely a great album, possibly my favorite Devin album since 2011 (or since the original 4 DTP albums). It is neck and neck with the cool album to be featured next.
It is a crime that Take My Ego was relegated to being a bonus track and is talked about so little. Awesome song, and Anneke's voice soars like mad. No weak spots on the proper album, and there are some amazing highs (Save Our Now, Grace).
The Retinal Circus might have a lot of backing tracks, but it is still my favorite Devin concert video. It's all kinds of fun to watch, and you can tell Devin and everyone with him had a blast. Closing with Little Pig was brilliant, and I always opt for that version over the -louder version.
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Love Epicloud. Usually put it above Addicted.
True North's intro transitions are incredible. Save Our Now and Kingdom might be the best two-shot of his career. Grace is beautiful gospel metal with a thundering rhythm. Angel is lovely. So is Divine.
I usually never heard the bonus discs as it's too much for me to take in but will definitely look out for this one given the comments about it.
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Save Our Now is amazing off the strength alone of the intro. Once it kicks in and we get Anneke's wordless vocals, it feels like her voice is floating above the clouds. Incredible.
Although not sure what he was thinking when doing the indexing, as the opening moments of Save Our Now are still at the end of Liberation. If you start Save Our Now on the CD, it feels like the first part of the song is missing. I fixed it in Audacity for my mp3s in iTunes. :tup :tup
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I think you mean Where We Belong, not Liberation ;)
Speaking of Kingdom, I wonder why he never made a music video for it. Seems like an obvious choice with it being a fan favorite.
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I think you mean Where We Belong, not Liberation ;)
Oops, good catch! :tup :tup
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Who's ready to crack open a cool one?
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For the best album that Devin has made and likely will ever make? Bring it on! :metal
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Casualties of Cool - Casualties of Cool
Released May 14, 2014
(https://i.imgur.com/ccfrHaq.jpg)
Tracklisting:
1. Daddy
2. Mountaintop
3. Flight
4. The Code
5. Moon
6. Pier
7. Ether
8. Hejda
9. Forgive Me
10. Broken
11. Bones
12. Deathscope
13. The Field
14. The Bridge
15. Pure
Personnel:
Devin Townsend - Guitar, Bass, Vocals, Keyboards
Chι Aimee Dorval - Vocals, Guitar
Morgan Εgren - Drums
Additional Personnel:
Kat Epple - Flutes, Woodwinds
Jψrgen Munkeby - Saxophone
Dave Young - Keyboards
Mike St. Jean - Drums
Jeff Schmidt - Bass (Mend)
The Sεngkraft Chamber Choir - Choir
Casualties of Cool began similarly to Ki. After recording Deconstruction, Dev would jam late at night with an old Telecaster and a Fender amp, and wrote a bunch of folky/country/americana influenced songs. He started to piece these songs together into an album, and contacted Chι Aimee Dorval, the female vocalist from Ki, to see if shed be interested in collaborating. The two spent the next couple of years sending demos back and forth to each other, and basically wrote the album over email. Dev enlisted Morgan Εgren as the drummer, at the recommendation of Mathias Eklundh. The name Casualties of Cool came from an essay Dev read about people who pretend to be something theyre not for fear of being seen as peculiar, calling them Casualties of Cool. Casualties was originally intended to be the 6th and final DTP album, but became its own separate thing.
Casualties was recorded at the individual musicians home studios. Kat Epple, the flautist from Ghost, plays on a few songs. Jψrgen Munkeby, from the band Shining, plays a sax solo on Moon. The album also features the Sεngkraft Chamber Choir, most notably on the albums climax, The Bridge. Dev mixed the album with Mattias Eklundh at ToonTrack studios in Umeε, Sweden.
(https://i.imgur.com/ifOXzfM.jpg)
Casualties is a concept album. Its about a space traveler who is lured to a moon. There, he finds a radio which plays a womans voice. The voice guides him on a journey across the moon. Eventually the radio dies. The traveler finds a phonograph which plays one last message from the woman, revealing that the moon is a living thing that lures in travelers and eats them. The dusty surface of the moon is the bones of past victims. The traveler builds a bridge from the bones and escapes the moon.
Dev describes the sound of Casualties as Haunted Johnny Cash songs, but that really only applies to a handful of songs. Theres a backbone of americana/folk/country to it (classic country, not the hick-hop BS of modern country), but the album is soaked in reverb and has Devs typical layered production style that separates it from other music in that vein.
Music videos were made for Mountaintop and Flight
Mountaintop: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5b7oMdmZm4
Flight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muNLqPPTuDQ
The Sεngkraft Chamber Choir recording The Bridge: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umAwTXIC3g8
Casualties of Cool was released May 14, 2014. It was originally released independently through HevyDevy Records, and crowdfunded using the website Pledgemusic. Their goal was reached in just five hours, and by the end of the fundraiser they had earned 544% of their original goal. All the extra funds went towards future Dev projects. The album was released as a CD, a download, and a deluxe edition box set. The box set was limited to 350 copies, and came with the 2 disc version of the album, a bone-shaped USB stick containing more bonus content, a pair of sunglasses, a wooden comb, a lyric book, and a certificate of authenticity, all housed in a wooden box. The album was re-released in 2016 by InsideOut as a 3-disc version, including a live DVD of the band.
(https://i.imgur.com/iTPeIJo.jpg)
Casualties is perhaps the most unique sounding album in Devs catalog. I cant think of another album by him or anyone else that sounds like this. Its a very gray sounding album and I have to be in the right mood to listen to it. At times, it's been one of my favorites. Top 5. But in revisiting it for this writeup, I didn't enjoy it as much as I have in the past.
Both Chι and Morgan were part of Devs band during the Empath tour, and Forgive Me was played on the American leg of that tour.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98e4WQOi-vo
Dev and Chι have been working on a second album on and off for years now, possibly titled Whiskey Peach. Dev shared some demos on a Twitch stream.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2GF-k-V_yU
Casualties of Cooler
(aka Pretty Much Ghost 2)
(https://i.imgur.com/5yyTNUZ.jpg)
Tracklisting:
1. Ghost Wives
2. Drained
3. Dig for Gold
4. Dead Eyes
5. Drench
6. Mend
7. Where Youve Been
8. Gone is Gone
9. Fight
10. Glass World
11. Aquarius
12. Perspective
13. Moonshine
Disc 2 is comprised of songs written for the project but didnt fit the vibe or story of the main album, as well as some songs intended for Ghost 2. Like most of Devs bonus discs, these songs are well produced, and I think of this as the second half of the album rather than a collection of demos.
Drench, Mend, Perspective, and Moonshine were all meant for Ghost 2. Another Ghost 2 song, Radial Highway, was redone with Chι on vocals but it was left off the album. Dev says in the commentary for this disc that Ghost 2 will be released eventually, but I doubt it.
Gone is Gone was meant to be on the main album, after Forgive Me, but was left off due to manufacturing concerns of putting too much music on the disc.
Fight is a demo version of Flight with Dev on lead vocals instead of Chι and an alternate ending.
Dev also redid Traveling Salesman, a bonus track from the Ziltoid album, but left it out.
The box set came with a bone-shaped USB drive containing more bonus content
Bone USB
(https://i.imgur.com/JamP6UW.jpg)
1. Cold Feet
2. Thing
3. Forgive Me (Alternate Sequence)
4. Gone is Gone (Alternate Sequence)
5. Broken (Alternate Sequence)
6. Bones (Alternate Sequence)
7. Disc 1 Commentary
8. Disc 2 Commentary
Cold Feet and Thing are two additional leftover songs. Neither song is available on streaming.
Cold Feet: https://youtu.be/fM055NmfDoU
Nice song, probably left off because theres already a lot of songs in this vein between both discs.
Thing: https://youtu.be/LUI-knNUgrk
As the kids say, this song goes hard. No surprise why it was left off though.
As previously stated, Gone Is Gone was originally meant for the main tracklisting, but was left out. The Bone USB came with alternate mixes of 4 songs so that you could place Gone Is Gone into the tracklisting in your digital library if you want to.
Both commentaries used to be available on YouTube, now only the one for Disc 2 is available. As usual, if you want to hear these commentaries, shoot me a DM.
Disc 2 Commentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycdb_PzIgHk&t=1s
The Bone USB was available on its own from Devs Omerch store, but not anymore.
Live at Union Chapel
Recorded September 4, 2014
(https://i.imgur.com/mfzTzO6.jpg)
(my own poorly made artwork)
Tracklisting:
1. Daddy (Live)
2. The Code (Live)
3. Mountaintop (Live)
4. Flight (Live)
5. Ether (Live)
6. Moon / Pier (Live)
7. Bones (Live)
8. Forgive Me (Live)
9. Jam (Live)
10. The Field (Live)
11. Deathscope (Live)
12. Gone is Gone (Live)
13. The Bridge (Live)
Personnel:
Devin Townsend - Guitar, Vocals
Chι Aimee Dorval - Vocals, Guitar
Morgan Εgren - Drums
Jean Savoie - Bass
Dave Young - Keyboards
Mike St. Jean - Keyboards
Mike Carrigan - Guitar
Casualties has only played live (publicly) 4 times; 3 times in 2014 and once in 2016. The 2016 re-release of the album came with a live DVD of the bands performance at Union Chapel in London. Solid performance, especially considering this was only the second time the band had played live. They play most of the Casualties album, with some extended jamming here and there. Dev quotes the solo from Johnny Cashs Folsom Prison Blues in the song Daddy. The bassline on the song Jam is from Inner City Blues by Marvin Gaye.
The DVD also has an interview with Dev and Chι.
Full concert: https://youtu.be/GxuwGr6Iz0Q
Interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ISV_ebexrk
Some other live stuff from the band
Dunlop Sessions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTW0Uf-34BA
Live at Warwick/Framus (Audio Only): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agSFajjkLPw
And a little bonus: Chι's cover of SYL's Almost Again
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTsSg95mFCU
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It's hard for me to think of revisiting this now as I don't really think of this as a summer album, but it's definitely one of my favorite Devin albums. I just love the vibe, the flow and running order is flawless, and both Devin and Che sound wonderful.
Not like this is a surprise, but the bonus disc is almost as good as the proper album! Perspective alone is a monumental achievement within the scope of Devin's discography.
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Casualties Of Cool is really good, and definitely the best of the three albums (counting Z2 as two different ones) he put out in 2014. I don't listen to alt-country so I don't really know how unique it is within the genre, but there aren't any other albums in my library that sound quite like it. The closest would probably be Ki - while this doesn't have any of the heavy elements that album has, they both capture that nocturnal, stripped-back atmosphere incredibly well.
Chι is the best vocalist Devin has worked with (extensively) in my opinion, and this album shows why. Her delivery is just packed with so much emotion and personality, especially on songs like Fly, Bones, and The Field. Those are songs that I couldn't imagine Devin singing on and them being anywhere near as good.
The one sour spot on this album for me is The Bridge. I get the intention behind it, but it just does not fit the sound of the other songs and kills the album's vibe at the very end. And the YOLO chants... why. :lol The weak ending and a bit of a bloated runtime prevent this album from reaching the top tiers of Devin's discography for me, but it's close, and I'm really hoping we see the next Casualties Of Cool album sooner rather than later.
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It's just not a style of music I enjoy, but I didn't know they did that concert. Just put it on. :yarr
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Big fan of Casualties of Cool. Like with Epicloud, it really felt like Devin was at a creative peak during this time. Between the 4 DTP albums, Casualties, and Epicloud, it felt like he could do no wrong. Unfortunately, in retrospect, I feel like this is the last great album he's made. I didn't realize that he was actually working on a sequel until watching that twitch stream clip. The material sounds great and I hope something comes out of it. I would probably be more interested in that than anything else he could potentially put together at this stage.
Disc two of Casualties definitely flows well and feels cohesive like an album, it feels more Ghost than Casualties which makes sense since a lot of it is Ghost 2. There is definitely a feeling of leftover material and it meanders a bit more than the main disc. Still cool to have and I love Devin's bonus discs in general. I still think it would be neat to hear a proper Ghost 2 some day though, just another album in that style would be awesome.
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Casualties of Cool is one of my absolute favorite Devin albums. It's one of those rare albums I can put on for anyone and they'll immediately like it, no matter who they are. Che's work on this is incredible. Can't wait for Casualties 2.
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Listened to Casualties of Cool last night whilst doing yoga. Safe to say, it was great music for such an activity.
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On the next episode of the The DTDT, we learn that sequels are often disappointing. Tune in next Monday.
In other news, I finally got my hands on a copy of By a Thread :metal
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I wish I could hear what you guys hear. All I hear is a relaxed country record that surely is unique in style for Devin but I think theres lot of music out there that sounds similar.
But anyway, its not bad but I dont find it exciting either. Whenever I listen to it I tend to zone out after a couple of songs. Nothing really grabs me and it works better as background music during other activities.
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Here are my pictures of the Casualties of Cool boxset that I waited a long time for, and it was definitely worth the wait and amount I pledged.
(https://i.ibb.co/wCQ4k37/20171103-145944-HDR-Film3.jpg)
(https://i.ibb.co/CP55c8Q/20171103-150136-HDR-Film3.jpg)
(https://i.ibb.co/JcNgGzG/20171103-150142-HDR-Film3.jpg)
(https://i.ibb.co/6F8JHF6/20171103-150158-HDR-Film3.jpg)
(https://i.ibb.co/CthVtWD/20171103-150208-HDR-Film3.jpg)
(https://i.ibb.co/gVghbXK/20171103-150259-HDR-Film3.jpg)
The hilarious part is that he forgot to number my certificate, so I don't know what number mine is out of the 350. If I could meet Devin at DreamSonic, and If I had access to my boxset, I would definitely have taken it to have him number it. :lol
I really love this album. It's name fits the style a lot. I don't mind listening to any genre, and I enjoy how this has a laid back country style vibe going on.
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Thats one cool box :tup
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Thats one cool box :tup
Yea dude, I really want that comb/sunglasses combo.
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Lemme catch up on this:
Epicloud - I think this is a well-written, catchy album that worked really well as the follow-up to the 4 DTP albums. I agree that it is a good album for a Devy newb to start with. Nothing super-crazy out there or really drawn out, just an album that flows nicely with good hooks. I think Lucky Animals is solid, don't get the hate for that one. Everything is solid, but a few standouts would have to be Save Our Now, Grace, Divine, the re-recorded version of Kingdom, and the beautiful closer, Angel. Epiclouder has some great stuff on it too, but I agree that I am not sure I would switch anything off the main album to fit something from Epiclouder in.
Casualties of Cool - I was definitely interested when I heard about this project, as I happen to also enjoy alt-country/Americana stuff. It doesn't disappoint, and has quite a unique vibe. It's one of those records that I have to be in a certain mood to listen to, it has a winter, outdoor around a fire feel for me. It is definitely interesting to hear Devin's take on the genre, and hearing elements of his usual production style seep into this record as well. I love the Ghost 2 stuff on disc 2 as well.
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real talk
is Spectacular Captain Spectaculars last name, or is it just a title
is his real name something like Greg Spectacular
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real talk
is Spectacular Captain Spectaculars last name, or is just a title
is his real name something like Greg Spectacular
I'm pretty sure his name is actually Greg :lol
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Anybody want some coffee?2
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Coffee squared? Sounds dangerous.
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Epiclouder is out on streaming platforms now. Will give it a blast this week.
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The Devin Townsend Project - Z²
Released October 27, 2014
(https://i.imgur.com/iVdXlKH.jpg)
Dev first talked about doing a sequel to Ziltoid the Omniscient in 2009. This album, titled Z², was meant to be his next album after the conclusion of the first 4 DTP albums. Other projects like Epicloud and Casualties of Cool got in the way, and he wanted to get those albums out of his system first. Over time his interest in Z² started to wane, and at one point it seemed like the sequel was abandoned, with him saying that humor and metal doesnt really work. At some point he came around to the idea and put together an album.
A DOUBLE album.
Disc 1: Sky Blue
Disc 2: Dark Matters
Despite it being a double album and collectively called Z², Dark Matters is the only disc that has anything to do with Ziltoid. Sky Blue is not a concept album and is not connected to the story in any way.
Both discs were recorded in LA and at Devs home studio, and they both have the same main lineup of the DTP plus Anneke, as well as the new addition of Mike St. Jean as the keyboardist for the band.
(https://i.imgur.com/54mbLy3.jpg)
Dev invited fans to sing on the album as the Universal Choir. He sent out snippets of sections of 3 songs from the album (Z², Dimension Z, and Before We Die) and asked fans to submit recordings of themselves singing, and all the submissions were combined into one giant choir.
Original Snippets: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfoBg_YyhfE
Universal Choir: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yk-tMqV_0X0
Complete list of everyone who contributed: https://web.archive.org/web/20220118011602/http://universalchoir.insideoutmusic.com/
Some videos of the making of Z²
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_AGVF5YuSPK9V1patknhRlAC6_TV_QoR
Z² was released on October 27th, 2014. Shortly before it's release, Dev chose to remix and alter some songs on both discs. But by that point, the original mix had already gone out to reviewers. The new mix is what you'll hear on the CD, streaming, and iTunes, but the original mix leaked a couple of weeks before the official release. There's several differences between the official and leaked versions that I'll go over.
Sky Blue
(https://i.imgur.com/3PzIUgX.jpg)
Tracklisting:
1. Rejoice
2. Fallout
3. Midnight Sun
4. A New Reign
5. Universal Flame
6. Warrior
7. Sky Blue
8. Silent Militia
9. Rain City
10. Forever
11. Before We Die
12. The Ones Who Love
Personnel:
Devin Townsend - Guitar, Vocals, Keyboards
Dave Young - Guitars, Keyboards
Brian Beav Waddell - Bass
Ryan Van Poederooyen - Drums
Mike St. Jean - Keyboards
Anneke Van Giersbergen - Vocals
Additional Personnel:
Universal Choir
When Dev showed Z² to the record label, they werent sure what to make of it. After the success of Epicloud, they wanted another album in that vein. Dev and the label reached a compromise, and Z² would be a double album, with the first disc being another Epicloud-style album, and the second disc being the Ziltoid sequel.
Theres not a whole lot to say about Sky Blue. Its yet another album of accessible Dev material, just like Epicloud and Addicted before it. When Z² came out, I spent much more time with Dark Matters than Sky Blue. I initially wrote Sky Blue off as just an inferior attempt to redo Epicloud. But as my opinion of Dark Matters has worsened over time, my opinion on Sky Blue has only gone up. I think this is by far the better disc on this album, and a really underrated album overall. Not Devs best, and certainly not his best in this style, but still solid.
Some highlights for me are Fallout, Universal Flame, Rain City, and Forever.
A New Reign was remixed by Dev for his Quarantine Project in 2020.
The title track is inspired by DJ Got Us Fallin in Love by Usher
Silent Militia is inspired by You Spin Me Round (Like a Record) by Dead or Alive.
Rain City has a callback to Bastard, from Ocean Machine.
The leaked version of Sky Blue has a few differences from the official version. Some big, some little.
The biggest difference is on Fallout. Anneke sings the lead vocals on the official version, but Dev sings on the leaked version.
Look, Anneke is great. But I prefer Devs version by a lot. The DTP played it live a few times with Dev on vocals, and he clearly struggled with it.
Leaked version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBFhgNa9NoY
Live with Dev on Vocals: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVICIEPJzoM
The official version of Warrior starts with a child saying Im a warrior!. This is absent on the leaked version.
The leaked version of Silent Militia has an instrumental intro, but the official version begins with a version the chorus.
Theres some other slight differences here and there, like slightly longer or totally different transitions between songs, but the ones listed are the major ones. My personal version of Sky Blue in my digital library is a combination of my preferred versions from the leak and official release.
Dark Matters
(https://i.imgur.com/o9HECNC.jpg)
Tracklisting:
1. Z²
2. From Sleep Awake
3. Ziltoidian Empire
4. War Princess
5. Deathray
6. March of the Poozers
7. Wandering Eye
8. Earth
9. Ziltoid Goes Home
10. Through the Wormhole*
11. Dimension Z
* - Omitted from the Raw Version of the album
Personnel:
Devin Townsend - Guitar, Vocals, Keyboards
Dave Young - Guitars, Keyboards
Brian Beav Waddell - Bass
Ryan Van Poederooyen - Drums
Mike St. Jean - Keyboards
Anneke Van Giersbergen - Vocals
Additional Personnel:
Bill Courage - Narrator
Universal Choir
Dominique Lenore Persi - Vocals (Blattaria, the War Princess)
Chris Jericho - Vocals (Captain Spectacular)
Mark Cimino - Vocals (Poozer)
Chris Levitt - Vocals (Planet Smasher)
Dark Matters is a sequel to the first Ziltoid album. I say sequel because its not really a direct continuation of Z1. You can understand the story of DM without having heard Z1. Musically, DM is similar to Z1. The significant difference being that theres a full band and a real drummer this time around. Despite it being a sequel, theres no reprises of any musical themes or lyrics from Z1.
DM is much more dialogue-focused than Z1. The story is narrated by voice actor Bill Courage, and features characters played by Chris Jericho (Yes, THAT Chris Jericho), Dominique Lenore Persi (Vocalist of Stolen Babies), and Mark Cimino (Guitarist from Addicted).
Dev uploaded 3 episodes of ZTV to YouTube. These videos act as a prelude to Dark Matters.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_AGVF5YuSPJW__e7WCncTkctFsF8pDxf
Dev also did a series of radio shows as Ziltoid for Team Rock Radio playing a variety of music, from Katy Perry to Gorguts. I have all of these shows saved if anybody wants to hear them.
(https://i.imgur.com/s6NatMt.jpg)
Lets get into the story of Dark Matters
The end of Z1 revealed that the events of the album were nothing more than the daydream of a barista. Dark Matters reveals that Ziltoid is in fact real, and has become a celebrity on Earth. Ziltoid has stolen a Poozer: A creature from the planet Titan and child of Blattaria, the War Princess. The Poozer escapes Ziltoid and returns to Blattaria and informs her about Ziltoid and his obsession with coffee. She gathers an army of Poozers and launches an invasion of Earth to convert the humans into Poozers and steal all of their coffee. Ziltoid is blamed for the attack, but Captain Spectacular strikes a deal with him. In exchange for his freedom, Ziltoid summons the Planet Smasher to fight back against Blattaria. The counterattack doesnt go as planned. Captain Spectacular is killed, but not before revealing that he and Ziltoid are half-brothers. Ziltoid begins to sing, enraging the Planet Smasher, who opens up a wormhole which sucks in Blattaria and Ziltioid. The war is over, the humans are free, and all of mankind sings a song to celebrate their victory. Meanwhile, far away from Earth, Ziltoid and Blattaria have been transported to a moon made of bones and dust (sound familiar?).
Did you get all of that? Now that thats out of the way, lets get real
To quote Ultimetalhead in his writeup of this album in the original thread:
Man, what happened here?
Sequels are often disappointing, and Dark Matters is no exception. For as long as Dev had been talking about this album, I think we all expected something
better? I mean, what is this even about? Z1 was about Dev reckoning with his past and personifying a side of his personality he couldnt ignore. DM is just a cheesy sci-fi story. Thats all well and good, but if theres some deeper meaning, its lost on me. You can tell that Devs heart wasnt in this album, and it only serves to fulfill an arbitrary obligation. But an obligation to whom? Z1 didnt need a sequel, the label wasnt asking for one, and I dont think fans were clamoring for one were either. So what was the purpose of this album? You could ask that same question about Z1, but at least theres an answer to that question. Dark Matters just exists
because.
I remember enjoying DM a lot when it first came out, but my opinion on it has gone down significantly over time. It came out in October of 2014, right after I moved out and started college. Z² dominated my cars CD player for the next 2 months. As much as I dont care for Dark Matters, its undoubtedly part of the soundtrack to that period of my life. Revisiting the album for this writeup, its undeniable how much weaker this is compared to the rest of his catalog.
Dark Matters isnt 100% bad. The production and performances are all great,
Theres some highlights here, like Ziltoidian Empire, Earth, and Ziltoid Goes Home.
But theres plenty of clunkers, too.
War Princess is too repetitive.
Deathray might be the most throwaway song Dev has ever written.
March of the Poozers is ok, and it was a live staple for a long time, but I dont ever need to hear it again.
Wandering Eye seems out of place.
Dimension Z wants to be a triumphant ending, but it feels unearned.
Dev considered redoing the songs Death (from Physicist) and Dinosaurs (from Contain Us) for Dark Matters, but decided not to.
War Princess is the first time (and only time to my knowledge) that Dev has used an 8 string guitar, tuned CGCGCGCE. Thats low.
Dev said he wrote the heaviest thing hes ever written for Dark Matters, but it didnt make it onto the album. Its unknown what that song is or if it ended up on a future album.
The clocks in the beginning of the title track are taken from Pier, from Casualties of Cool.
The 3-disc version of Z² came with a Raw version of Dark Matters with all dialogue and narration removed. Through the Wormhole was left off of this version as it consists entirely of dialogue and narration.
As for the leaked vs official versions of Dark Matters, Ive only ever noticed one difference.
Theres a line of narration in the title track at 2:52 that was removed from the official version.
Z². Zed Squared. Episode 2. When we last met Ziltoid, it was thought he was merely a figment of our fertile imaginations. As it turns out, he is VERY real. Welcome.
The Devin Townsend Project - Live at Loud Park 2013
Recorded October 19, 2013
(https://i.imgur.com/EaoKmzU.jpg)
Tracklisting:
1. Truth
2. Regulator
3. Christeen
4. Kingdom
5. Liberation
6. War
7. Juular
8. Grace
Personnel:
Devin Townsend - Guitar, Vocals
Dave Young - Guitars
Brian Beav Waddell - Bass
Ryan Van Poederooyen - Drums
The Japanese version of Z² came with a DVD of the DTPs performance at Loud Park in Japan in 2013. Not much to say about this. The only reason Im mentioning it is because I said I was covering EVERYTHING.
Dev says in his biography that his popularity in Japan has declined significantly over the years, and he hasnt played in the country since 2017.
Full show: https://youtu.be/xVX5TbQNtDw
The Devin Townsend Project - Ziltoid: Live at the Royal Albert Hall
Recorded April 13, 2015 at the Royal Albert Hall, London
Released November 13, 2015
(https://i.imgur.com/uZbwx0n.jpg)
Tracklisting:
Set 1 - Dark Matters:
1. Z² (Live)
2. From Sleep Awake (Live)
3. Ziltoidian Empire (Live)
4. War Princess (Live)
5. Deathray (Live)
6. March of the Poozers (Live)
7. Wandering Eye (Live)
8. Earth (Live)
9. Ziltoid Goes Home (Live)
10. Through the Wormhole (Live)
11. Dimension Z (Live)
Set 2 - By Request:
12. Namaste (Live)
13. Night (Live)
14. Deadhead (Live)
15. Earth Day (Live)
16. Christeen (Live)
17. Supercrush! (Live)
18. Kingdom (Live)
19. Lucky Animals (Live)
20. Heatwave (Live)
21. Funeral (Live)
22. Bastard (Live)
23. The Death of Music (Live)
24. Universal Flame (Live)
Personnel:
Devin Townsend - Guitar, Vocals
Dave Young - Guitars
Brian Beav Waddell - Bass, Banjo
Mike St. Jean - Keyboards
Ryan Van Poederooyen - Drums
Dominique Lenore Persi - Vocals (War Princess)
Jean Savoie - Bass (Heatwave)
The DTP played a special show at the Royal Albert Hall in April of 2015. The first set was a performance of Dark Matters in its entirety, followed by a By Request set. Fans voted for the songs they wanted played via a Facebook poll. This show was preceded by a warmup show with the same setlist at the O2 Academy in Bournemouth 2 days prior.
The band was joined by Dominique Lenore Persi, who plays the War Princess, as well as an 8-piece choir and many costumed performers. Jean Savoie (bassist from Ki and the live Casualties of Cool band) plays bass on Heatwave while Beav plays banjo.
Dark Matters is much better in a live setting, but I still find the album underwhelming. Its a fun watch regardless, and one of the highlights for me is the song Earth. Just watch Ryan during that song. Dude is a criminally underrated drummer.
The real standout here is the By Request set. Youve got your mainstays like Deadhead, Supercrush, and Kingdom. As well as some great rarities like Namaste and Earth Day. But the highlight of this set is the Ocean Machine trilogy of Funeral, Bastard, and The Death Music. Incredible set.
The show ended with Universal Flame, a Sky Blue song requested by Devs son, who also joined him onstage.
Full Show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbFvDfoSFdc&t=1395s
The Future of Ziltoid
The end of Dark Matters certainly sets up a potential Z3, but I wouldnt expect it any time soon. In one of his Twitch streams Dev showed a folder of demos labeled Z3, and he says he would like Samus Paulichelli (one of the drummers on Empath) to play on the album if it ever does happen.
At one point there was a Ziltoid video game in development, along with an EP of the soundtrack for the game, but that was shelved because Dev lost interest.
(https://i.imgur.com/SNtfzOC.jpg)(https://i.imgur.com/DCvzvWZ.jpg)
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Z2 is the only album of his that I haven't listened to yet. Been meaning to get around to it but the friends I know who are huge fans say it's really bad and I think that has put me off.
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The leaked version of Warrior starts with a child saying Im a warrior!. This is absent on the official version.
Pretty sure this is backwards, the CD definitely has that clip at the beginning. At least mine does. :P
Also, War Princess is a clunker? No fuckin' way. I'm not super into Dark Matters either but that's a clear highlight, along with Poozers and Ziltoidian Empire.
Z2 is the only album of his that I haven't listened to yet. Been meaning to get around to it but the friends I know who are huge fans say it's really bad and I think that has put me off.
It's really not. It's in the weaker half of his discography for sure, but there's quite a few albums I'd rank underneath it. The biggest problem with it is that it just feels kinda uninspired and redundant. You're also getting what is effectively two entirely different albums in one, so even if you dislike Dark Matters you might appreciate Sky Blue, or vice versa.
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The leaked version of Warrior starts with a child saying Im a warrior!. This is absent on the official version.
Pretty sure this is backwards, the CD definitely has that clip at the beginning. At least mine does. :P
You are correct! Fixed.
Also, War Princess is a clunker? No fuckin' way. I'm not super into Dark Matters either but that's a clear highlight
You are incorrect :P
I kid, to each their own. I lose interest after like the 5th "Part of me". Cool riff, and Dominique has a great voice, but that song is just waaaaaay too repetitive.
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It's really not. It's in the weaker half of his discography for sure, but there's quite a few albums I'd rank underneath it. The biggest problem with it is that it just feels kinda uninspired and redundant. You're also getting what is effectively two entirely different albums in one, so even if you dislike Dark Matters you might appreciate Sky Blue, or vice versa.
I will still check it out at some point because if nothing else, finishing off the discography and it's bothering me having 1 studio album i haven't heard. :lol But yeah I think my main concerns with it were:
1. not a huge fan of Ziltoid (the original album) - it's decent but not in the top half of Devy albums for me.
2. so a sequel to that album is not very exciting off the bat and you combine that with;
3. friends who might be bigger Devy fans and bigger fans of Ziltoid saying it's his worst album and pretty rough,
4. Devy himself apparently shitting on it a bit
5. and the length of it
But yeah i will give it a shot but when people with opinions you trust tell you one of the discs is terrible and the other is mediocre at best, that doesn't get the hype flowing. I think also just from my perspective, I really like Transcendence a lot and Empath is one of his best albums IMO. Lightwork was also great. I guess I'm just not hyped going into this but it's like a band aid i have to rip off. :lol
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Z2 - Dark Matters I pretty much loved this on release but it hasn't aged well at all and now I'm not sure I could get through the whole thing.
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IDK what people were expecting with Z2. Even before it came out it seemed kinda obvious that he was procrastinating on it and was only really keeping the door open to it because he knew the fans wanted it. Dark Matters is probably his weakest album and the only one that to me sounds like he's really phoning it in. The story borders on nonsensical and yet it drives the album even more than the original Ziltoid did. ZTO at least had songs like Hyperdrive, Solar Winds, or The Greys which diverged from the plot for some really cool songs. With Dark Matters it feels like interesting music isn't a focus at all.
The ironic thing is that the album that was born out of record label pressure ended up being the more interesting and inspired album, and based on what proceeded and followed it probably closer to the album Devin actually wanted to make. There are things about Sky Blue that I don't like. It does feel like a more mild version of Epicloud (an already pretty mild album) and there are a couple songs where it feels like he's repeating himself (Midnight Sun, Warrior, Silent Militia jump to mind). But on the other hand, some songs like the title track, Rain City, and Fallout are up there with the best material from the DTP era. My biggest issue with the album is that it can be tonally pretty bland. The guitars are kinda low in the mix and the drums are pushed to the background a bit in terms of the parts being played. It loses the playfulness of an Addicted or an Epicloud. At a certain point though I'm being nitpicky as I actually do really enjoy the album for the most part.
At this point it is definitely starting to feel like Devin is spinning his wheels a bit. Dark Matters was a big letdown and while Sky Blue had a lot of good qualities it was the first time in awhile that a new Devin album felt like "just another Devin album." Epicloud really punctuated the DTP thing, but now it was starting to feel like he was continuing a particular sound/style more because it was working for him commercially (I use that term VERY loosely). The fact that the record label essentially asked for Sky Blue kinda proves that, and then later on when he dissolved DTP there was an impression that he was only keeping it together because it was a source of income for members of the band/crew. I'm glad he's moved on to other things now, although it doesn't really feel like he's totally found his footing post DTP yet. I'm hoping that the anticipated break from touring is going to lead us to another DTP style creative renaissance.
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Casualties of Cool is very cool - but a long record that I absolutely have to be in the mood for. When I am, I'm very very impressed with it. For me, it takes a back seat on the discog, tho, purely because it's a pretty quiet record, and I generally want my Dev bigger than that.
Never heard much of Z2. Neither albums grabbed me when they came out and I've never been interested in going back.
Epicloud was the real diamond in the meh for me around these years. After the initial gold of Ki and Addicted. Dev put out a lot of material and little of it was hitting my marks. I'm still really in that place.
Empath is another island of greatness but that's for later, obvs. With Dev it's just a case of when he creates another wonderful thing of course, not if...
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Just to correct a minor error. The OM trilogy were first performed live a couple of days prior to the RAH show at a warmup gig in Boscombe.
It was great.
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Did not know that! Ill fix that, thanks.
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Never really connected with the Ziltoid thing, frankly. Seemed dumb when I got exposed to it. I don't know if there's a larger point to it or not, but it just seems silly to me. Some good music in there, but it's obscured by, well, the silliness.
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Not a fan of Z2 as others have stated. I'm honestly baffled to why he even devoted a special show and live recording to performing the entire thing. Who asked for that? :lol I do have the blu ray and it is overall pretty good in terms of quality, but the Z2 set is a slog to watch. I've only done it once. The second set is fantastic though. It looks like the same backing choir as the Retinal Circus which is cool, but like that "live" album, this one also hardly sounds live. Definitely worth owning if you enjoy his live shows though.
Personally, I enjoy Deathray. March of the Poozers is not as good as it's live attention but it's definitely one of the better tracks. Ziltoid Goes Home is a fun one too. I actually kind of lump Z2 more into more of Deconstruction similarity to my disliking of it, as I really enjoy the original Z album.
Sky Blue is pretty good though. Not on the level of Epicloud, but it certainly feels like it's little sister. I just don't find it as consistent of an album, but there's some great tracks on it. I never hear anyone talk about the title track, but Sky Blue the song is one of my favorites from Devin. I'm also glad his son wanted to hear Universal Flame as I'm not sure how that hasn't become a live staple. It's just an amazing song to me. Fun personal fact, I first listened to this album on a business trip to Amsterdam, it was my off day and my first time ever exploring the city on my own. I had my headphones in, a J, and the album. Listened to it like 4 times in a row walking around exploring the city. It was a typical dutch day, raining and cloudy. Songs like Rain CIty, A New Reign, and Midnight Sun (none of which I'd name as favorites from the album) for whatever reason, really bring back the feeling of that day when I hear those songs and for that, I am thankful fo rthe album. I'm sure others have similar feelings from music based on a time/place in your life. Also a huge fan of Before We Die which didn't click until years later.
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Never really connected with the Ziltoid thing, frankly. Seemed dumb when I got exposed to it. I don't know if there's a larger point to it or not, but it just seems silly to me. Some good music in there, but it's obscured by, well, the silliness.
I'm the same. If it were a neat, lean EP I think I'd feel very differently about it.
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I'm agree with you Stads. I just don't vibe with Devin's silliness with it. Some thing like Tenacious D is a lot more ny speed.
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Never really connected with the Ziltoid thing, frankly. Seemed dumb when I got exposed to it. I don't know if there's a larger point to it or not, but it just seems silly to me. Some good music in there, but it's obscured by, well, the silliness.
The first album is silly but the silliness is icing to a cake of metaphors to his personal struggles and introspection.
The second album is silly because he seems to want to make his kids laugh.
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To those that dont care for the silliness, I get it. I would recommend the Raw version of Dark Matters with all the dialogue removed if you can find it. Some of the music is still pretty great even if the story is dumb.
Edit: Found it https://youtu.be/oN1N5jq4lvM
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Sky Blue is like a lesser version of Epicloud and as that record didn't really grab me, Sky Blue didn't either.
I love Z1, one of Devy's best records imo. And the silliness doesn't bother me, because it's done in a good way and is sometimes really funny. Then came Z2 and the question is: why? Z1 doesn't need a sequel just like Operation Mindcrime didn't need a sequel. The music isn't that good and now the silliness is just silly in an almost annoying way.
Two more records that show that Devy's music and my tastes are growing further apart.
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Which is Devins best live blu-ray? After seeing him live at Dreamsonic, he was pretty impressive and I have to get one of his live releases. Also, what are his must have studio albums? I allready ordered Lightwork..
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For essential albums, it depends on who you ask.
I always recommend Epicloud to newcomers as the best starting point. Its got a little bit of all the sides of his music.
Ocean Machine is my personal favorite, but might not be the best album for a newcomer.
Transcendence is another one Ive been digging lately. Its good if you want the more accessible side of Dev but a bit more progressive.
Accelerated Evolution is a good mix of accessible, heavy, and proggy stuff.
Im sure others will disagree with my choices :lol
As for his Blu-Rays/DVDs, keep in mind that a lot of them are out of print go for a high price in the used market.
Your options are:
By a Thread - 4 albums played in full over 4 nights. Hard to find, and expensive.
The Retinal Circus - A setlist spanning his career(up to the that point).
Ziltoid Live at the Royal Albert Hall - The underwhelming album Dark Matters played in full, followed by a By Request set featuring plenty of essential Dev material.
Ocean Machine Live in Plovdiv - Another great By Request set featuring an orchestra, followed by a performance of (IMO) his best album, Ocean Machine.
Order of Magnitude - His most recent live album. Featuring plenty of material from Empath, which I havent covered yet. Very fun show with and a great setlist.
I would suggest either The Retinal Circus or Order of Magnitude.
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The Retinal Circus is more of a spectacle, but if you want something that focuses on the musicians more, Order Of Magnitude is quite good. Retinal Circus has a lot of backing tracks whereas Order Of Magnitude has pretty much none.
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I would suggest either The Retinal Circus or Order of Magnitude.
This for a live concert DVD.
For the album, I'd say Epicloud (it has the newer version of Kingdom which he played on Dreamsonic). Personally, I wouldn't start on Lightworks even though he played two songs on Dreamsonic and it's his newest. I just think it's not his best album, although it has really grown on me the last couple months.
Addicted, Ocean Machine, and Accelerated Evolution would be my next recommendations.
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It's interesting because Epicloud is one of his weaker albums for me. If you want something from classic Devy (think his Images/Awake/Scenes) I think Ocean Machine, Terria and Accelerated Evolution all hit that spot. But there's great newer albums as well, Addicted is fairly easily accessible, I would say Empath is one of his strongest albums (and fairly recent) and kinda sums up the many sounds of Devin. It also has a 23 minute prog epic that owns bones which might be a draw for some prog fans.
Overall I would say most of his discography is really strong though and it's hard to really take a wrong step unless you accidentally end up with one of his weird ambient soundscape albums like Devlab or Hummer as your first full album. Think you can just sort of read a bit about the albums and get a feel for if this might be the pie slice of his sound that you want more of.
In terms of live releases I think the one where he does all of Ocean Machine is pretty darn fantastic, possibly his best.
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Awesome, thanks for all the suggestions. I can't believe I've turned a blind eye or should I say deaf ears to Devin for all these years. I'm glad I started listening to some of his stuff on YouTube before I seen him live at Dreamsonic this summer. I can honestly say thank you to Dream Theater for opening my mind to Devin world. I can also tell he's a super cool dude by listening to his interviews. He's a great musician with a sense of humor and doesn't take himself too seriously. That even shows onstage.. 😄
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:metal I'm glad to see he won over someone at Dreamsonic
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On the next episode of the DTDT, we turn the page and chill out.
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:metal I'm glad to see he won over someone at Dreamsonic
Absolutely! :metal
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Awesome, thanks for all the suggestions. I can't believe I've turned a blind eye or should I say deaf ears to Devin for all these years. I'm glad I started listening to some of his stuff on YouTube before I seen him live at Dreamsonic this summer. I can honestly say thank you to Dream Theater for opening my mind to Devin world. I can also tell he's a super cool dude by listening to his interviews. He's a great musician with a sense of humor and doesn't take himself too seriously. That even shows onstage.. 😄
I can't recommend an album but this live performance is what got me interested.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rB3jB__ruXM&t=899s
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Mini update today...
Only Half There
Released October 2016
(https://i.imgur.com/hYnhM1q.png)
but Metro, this is a discography thread. why are we talking about a book?
Because its my thread, shut up.
Only Half There is Devs autobiography, released in 2016 through Rocket 88 Books. It covers his life from the beginning up to the Z2 era.
The book came in two editions: The Classic Edition and The Signature Edition
(https://i.imgur.com/DKWqANC.jpg)
The Classic Edition includes the book, and an acoustic EP titled Iceland.
The Signature Edition includes the book, the Iceland EP, as well as a cassette compilation of old demos titled Ancient, which was previously discussed way back in the first Chapter (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=58218.msg2976581#msg2976581) of this thread.
The Signature Edition also includes some doodles done by Dev.
(https://i.imgur.com/vV8Tx1H.jpg)
Those who preordered the Signature Edition of the book got their names printed in the book. My name is in there, if you know where to look.
The Signature Edition has long since sold out, but the Classic Edition book is still available in eBook format and in paperback and also comes with a download of the Iceland EP
https://us.rocket88books.com//collections/only-half-there
Iceland
(https://i.imgur.com/ZJMUckx.jpg)
Tracklisting:
1. Start
2. Let it Roll
3. Solar Winds
4. Ih-Ah
5. Funeral
6. Deadhead
7. Sister
8. End
Full EP: https://soundcloud.com/monolithzeroband/iceland-ep-devin-townsend
Iceland is a solo acoustic EP recorded by Dev at Sundlaugin Studio in Iceland, Sigur Rσs' home studio.
Theres a couple repeats from the Unplugged album in 2011, but Iceland is mostly different material. I think Iceland overall sounds better than Unplugged. The reverb is a lot more subtle, and the guitar sounds better since Dev miced it instead of using a DI.
Theres a really raw version of Deadhead here that I love, and this is probably my favorite version of Ih-Ah.
(https://i.imgur.com/06KkxZp.jpg)
On the next episode of the DTDT, we get over it, we say goodbye, and we move on.
Tune in next Monday.
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I have actually wanted to read his book, I just ordered it through your link. Thank you for sharing and the reminder.
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No problem! Its a great read, and its been a great resource for these writeups. Especially the eBook version with the Search function.
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No problem! Its a great read, and its been a great resource for these writeups. Especially the eBook version with the Search function.
I got in too late on the Signature edition, but I did get the regular edition. It is indeed a great read. Very insightful.
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Awesome, thanks for all the suggestions. I can't believe I've turned a blind eye or should I say deaf ears to Devin for all these years. I'm glad I started listening to some of his stuff on YouTube before I seen him live at Dreamsonic this summer. I can honestly say thank you to Dream Theater for opening my mind to Devin world. I can also tell he's a super cool dude by listening to his interviews. He's a great musician with a sense of humor and doesn't take himself too seriously. That even shows onstage.. 😄
I can't recommend an album but this live performance is what got me interested.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rB3jB__ruXM&t=899s
Wow, I watched and that is way cool! :tup
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I always find it strange to release a biography when you're "only half there". But I think I might try this one.
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On Z2:
Dark Matters - So I actually really dig this album. I was pretty pumped for it when it was announced, and I loved it when I first picked it up. Yes it's a cheesy sci-fi story, and at points the narration is kinda clunky, but I genuinely like this. In saying that, I do like the first Ziltoid album better though. It would have been cool to do a reprise or a throwback to something musically from the first one to connect them in a way, but ah well. Ziltodian Empire, March of the Poozers, Earth, and Ziltoid Goes Home are the ones I really enjoy, but this is one of those albums where you have to be ready to listen to the whole piece.
The Royal Albert Hall set is fun, and I like the second set, but it would've been cool if they played both Ziltoid albums as the 2 sets. That would be quite the spectacle.
Sky Blue - Not bad for what it is, but definitely not anywhere near as good as Epicloud. Fallout is an awesome song, with either Devin or Anneke singing it. Midnight Sun is great and has Terria vibes. The title track and Rain City are excellent too. The rest is kinda hit or miss.
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Picked up Lightwork today. I ordered it through the local record store, and the store owner wanted to hear it since he's never heard of Devin Townsend. He ended up loving it and he blasted disc 1&2 in his store. In the meantime some of his customers asked what he was playing and are now ordering this album. I kind of needed to get going, but I didn't want to deprive him of listening to the whole thing.
So it's been a great Devy day up here in Port Angeles Washington.. 🐙
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Picked up Lightwork today. I ordered it through the local record store, and the store owner wanted to hear it since he's never heard of Devin Townsend. He ended up loving it and he blasted disc 1&2 in his store. In the meantime some of his customers asked what he was playing and are now ordering this album. I kind of needed to get going, but I didn't want to deprive him of listening to the whole thing.
So it's been a great Devy day up here in Port Angeles Washington.. 🐙
Woah, you have a local record store? And you weren't the only customer there? :lol
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Picked up Lightwork today. I ordered it through the local record store, and the store owner wanted to hear it since he's never heard of Devin Townsend. He ended up loving it and he blasted disc 1&2 in his store. In the meantime some of his customers asked what he was playing and are now ordering this album. I kind of needed to get going, but I didn't want to deprive him of listening to the whole thing.
So it's been a great Devy day up here in Port Angeles Washington.. 🐙
Woah, you have a local record store? And you weren't the only customer there? :lol
...and in Port Angeles of all places. That's where my wife is from :lol
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Picked up Lightwork today. I ordered it through the local record store, and the store owner wanted to hear it since he's never heard of Devin Townsend. He ended up loving it and he blasted disc 1&2 in his store. In the meantime some of his customers asked what he was playing and are now ordering this album. I kind of needed to get going, but I didn't want to deprive him of listening to the whole thing.
So it's been a great Devy day up here in Port Angeles Washington.. 🐙
Woah, you have a local record store? And you weren't the only customer there? :lol
...and in Port Angeles of all places. That's where my wife is from :lol
Wow, that's cool! It's a small world and I'm surprised anyone besides me in DT forums knows about PA. I live in Sequim myself, which is the next small city over.
And yes, the local record store (Coog's) is still alive amazingly. Everybody there seemed to appreciate Devy's "Lightwork" today. :coolio
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The Devin Townsend Project - Transcendence
Released September 9, 2016
(https://i.imgur.com/luvCTrM.jpg)
Tracklisting:
1. Truth
2. Stormbending
3. Failure
4. Secret Sciences
5. Higher
6. Stars
7. Transcendence
8. Offer Your Light
9. From the Heart
10. Transdermal Celebration
Japanese Bonus Tracks:
11. Sophies Boobies
12. Young Gods
13. Wolves
Personnel:
Devin Townsend - Guitar, Vocals
Dave Young - Guitar
Brian Beav Waddell - Bass
Ryan Van Poederooyen - Drums
Mike St. Jean - Keyboards
Additional Personnel:
Anneke Van Giersbergen - Vocals
Chι Aimee Dorval - Vocals (Lexus)
Tigers in a Tank - Backup Vocals
After the Royal Albert Hall show, Dev planned on a taking another hiatus from writing, recording, and touring for a year. However, he changed his mind, and in 2015 started writing the next DTP album: Transcendence. Transcendence is different from past DTP albums in that its a group effort this time around. The rest of the band was very involved in the writing process as opposed to Dev just coming in with completed songs. Dave Young describes the album as very much Devin songs, but with a little extra Project flavor. The theme of Transcendence is, according to Dev, Getting over myself
The album was written in the DTPs rehearsal space and recorded at The Armoury studios in Vancouver. Anneke Van Giersbergen once again sings on the album, and Dev also recorded a 6-piece choir, the Tigers in a Tank, at The Farm Studios. Adam Nolly Getgood (ex-Periphery) co-produced/mixed the album with Dev.
(https://i.imgur.com/Zba8NDe.jpg)
Mike Zimmer, a friend of the band, shot a documentary of the making of the album.
NOTE: The playlist is backwards sdrawkcab si tsilyalp ehT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQTlvovdaEs&list=PLpA5ThqzxTYWoNFLutNNiwNlBdzyAuxy_
Truth is a re-record of the song from Infinity. Much like the redo of Kingdom, Truth had become a live staple and Dev wanted to do an updated version of it.
A music video was made for Stormbending
https://youtu.be/YhcoLO8vZZU
Stars was written and demoed during a livestream for ToonTrack.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Bxzr9n_HK8
Offer Your Light was meant for Sky Blue.
From the Heart is based on Baba Hanuman, by Krishna Das.
Transdermal Celebration is a cover of a Ween song from their album Quebec, which just turned 20.
Ween is the greatest band of all time and I will not acknowledge any differing opinions.
(https://i.imgur.com/L512Mld.png)
This list from the writing sessions shows some songs that didnt make it on the album.
Blowdozer and Knuckledragger were likely renamed.
Time is possibly Time Overload, from the bonus disc.
A song called Starchasm appears on the Puzzle, though I doubt its the same song intended for Transcendence. Starchasm, Pt.2 appears on Nightwork, the bonus disc for Lightwork. I think this is probably closer to what was meant for Transcendence.
Gump appears on the bonus disc.
Total Collapse would show up on Tests of Manhood, the bonus disc for Empath.
The Occupation was originally going to close the album. Dev describes this song as very grim and foreboding, and ultimately left it out. It remains unreleased.
The Japanese edition of the album came with 3 additional bonus tracks.
Sophies Boobies is an excerpt from one of the Ziltoid Radio broadcasts.
Young Gods is Dev rambling over some electronic music.
Wolves is a demo that has a callback to Ziltoid Goes Home, from Z².
Transcendence was released September 9, 2016. Some consider this album to be yet another attempt at redoing Epicloud, like Sky Blue was. I dont see it that way. In revisiting this album, think Transcendence holds up well on its own, and is by far the best DTP album since the original 4. I love the production and atmosphere of this album, and I think a big part of that is due to Nolly. This album just sounds massive, and Ryans drums have never sounded better.
Transcendence is not without its flaws, theres some clunkers here like Stars. Having watched the livestream when it aired, it was cool to witness Devs creative process in real time, but Stars as a completed song is just ok. I think it should have been on the bonus disc.
Ive never thought much of the title track. Theres nothing truly bad about it, but theres nothing special about it either, and I never listen to it unless Im listening to the full album.
I really like the cover of Transdermal Celebration, but in hindsight, its an odd note to end the DTP on.
Zimmer also went on tour with the band and filmed daily tour vlogs on the road. Definitely worth a watch.
NOTE: Once again, the playlist is backwards sdrawkcab si tsilyalp eht ,niaga ecnO
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpA5ThqzxTYX-RrY2NjqWVty7CbpSfCjS
You can spot me at a meet and greet in one of these videos, if you know where to look.
Heres a picture from that meet and greet.
(https://i.imgur.com/m8aUY7I.jpg)
Here's a cool little bonus. In 2017, Dev played at the Starmus Festival (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSHj8sTnrac) with Steve Vai, Grace Potter, Derek Sherinian, and Nuno Bettencourt.
Here and Now (From Sex and Religion) (https://youtu.be/YS0EY20ktH8)
Supercrush (https://youtu.be/CaakJkFkFBY)
Get the Funk Out (Extreme cover) (https://youtu.be/XlnPlR6nabc)
Holding Patterns
(https://i.imgur.com/sFlBaeI.jpg)
Tracklisting:
1. Gump
2. Celestial Signals
3. Support the Cause
4. Into the Sun
5. Time Overload
6. Lexus
7. Farther On
8. Victim
9. Monkey Mind
10. Canucklehead
11. Loud
Transcendence comes with yet another bonus disc of various demos and outtake, titled Holding Patterns
Gump was meant for the main album, but Dev decided to leave it out. The sample in the beginning is from the Making Of documentary.
Celestial Signals was revisited for his 2022 album, Lightwork.
Lexus features Chι Aimee Dorval, from Casualties of Cool.
Victim is a redo of the song from Physicist.
Canucklehead is based on Travelin Band by Creedence Clearwater Revival.
Loud was meant for Sky Blue.
The Devin Townsend Project - Ocean Machine: Live at the Ancient Roman Theatre Plovdiv
Recorded September 22, 2017 at the Ancient Roman Theatre Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Released July 6, 2018
(https://i.imgur.com/Yb5gRVE.jpg)
Tracklisting:
By Request:
1. Truth (Live)
2. Stormbending (Live)
3. OM (Live)
4. Failure (Live)
5. By Your Command (Live)
6. Gaia (Live)
7. Deadhead (Live)
8. Canada (Live)
9. Bad Devil (Live)
10. Higher (Live)
11. A Simple Lullaby (Live)
12. Deep Peace (Live)
Ocean Machine:
1. Seventh Wave (Live)
2. Life (Live)
3. Night (Live)
4. Hide Nowhere (Live)
5. Sister (Live)
6. 3 A.M. (Live)
7. Voices in the Fan (Live)
8. Greetings (Live)
9. Regulator (Live)
10. Funeral (Live)
11. Bastard (Live)
12. The Death of Music (Live)
13. Thing Beyond Things (Live)
Personnel:
Devin Townsend - Guitar, Vocals
Dave Young - Guitar
Brian Beav Waddell - Bass (By Request Set)
Mike St. Jean - Keyboards
Ryan Van Poederooyen - Drums
John Harder - Bass (Ocean Machine Set)
Orchestra and Choir of State Opera Plovdiv - Orchestra, Choir (By Request Set)
In late 2016, Dev announced a special show at the Roman Theatre Philippopolis in Plovdiv, Bulgaria celebrating the 25th anniversary of Ocean Machine in September 2017. The band played 2 sets; a By Request set with an Orchestra, and Ocean Machine in full without the orchestra.
John Squid Harder, who played bass on Ocean Machine and Punky Brόster, reached out to Dev after the show was announced and asked to play bass during the Ocean Machine set. John has MS, and played sitting down for the show. Marty Chapman, the drummer on Ocean Machine, passed away in 2014. The tombstone on the left side of the cover art says RIP Jesse, referring to a childhood friend of Devs who was killed in a fight over a hat. This event inspired the song Funeral.
This album was meant to be called ERAS, but due to a mix up, that title instead went to a series of vinyl box sets comprised of Devs past albums. (Not covering that in this thread :P)
(Why didnt they just call this PlovDev? Its right there.)
This is another excellent live album. The By Request has plenty of deep cuts, like OM, Gaia, Canada, and A Simple Lullaby. One of my favorite moments is seeing the orchestra watch in amazement as the DTP plays the outro to By Your Command. My biggest complaint is the mix. The drums are way too loud and drown out the other instruments.
The Ocean Machine set is great too, and its nice to have an updated version of this album, as a remaster is impossible. Would have been awesome to have the orchestra during this set.
Reflecting the Chaos, a behind the scenes documentary
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UttJS1xXoZM&list=PL0v1KRwun7397WJAhbNq5AwuYcLFIn1DW&index=22
The End of the DTP
Dev announced on January 31, 2018, that he was putting the DTP on hiatus to focus on other projects he had been putting off over the years. He also announced he was working on 4 different albums. Never say never, but even though this was announced as a hiatus, I think its unlikely that the DTP comes back.
Ryan and Beav went on to start a new band, Imonolith, along with Jed Simon and Byron Stroud from SYL. Over time, Jed, Byron, and Beav all left the band. Imonolith is still active with Ryan on drums
Beav has since retired from being a professional musician and now owns a sushi restaurant in Vancouver with Ted Kamizato, another childhood friend of Dev who played bass on Devs teenage demos on the Ancient cassette.
Dave Young is mainly a session musician nowadays, and has a production company with his brother, Mike.
Mike St. Jean works as a stage lighting designer for bands like TesseracT, and still works with Dev frequently.
As we bid the DTP a fond farewell, let's rank the albums.
1. Ki
2. Ghost
3. Deconstruction
4. Transcendence
5. Epicloud
6. Addicted
7. Sky Blue
8. Actually getting sucked into a wormhole for real and getting stuck on a distant moon.
9. Dark Matters
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I didn't get to hear Transcendence until quite recently but I must say it's a really great album. I don't like it quite as much as Empath for example but I do like it a fair bit more than a lot of the albums he did just before.
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Transcendence starts off fantastic but really peters out in the second half for me. It's also his only album where there's a few songs on the bonus disk that I think should have replaced songs on the actual record - I'd take Gump, Into The Sun, or Farther On over Stars or Offer Your Light any day. Still, there's some real highlights here, especially Stormbending and Secret Sciences.
It's funny you mention the drum mixing because holy shit are the drums loud on this album. :lol You can still hear the other instruments fine, but the way the drums are mixed makes them feel like the lead instrument in spots (especially on Failure) where I don't think that was intentional.
Rankings:
Addicted
Deconstruction
Epicloud
Ki
Ghost
Transcendence
Sky Blue
Dark Matters
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I'm surprised to hear anyone say that Sky Blue sounds like Epicloud, and even more that Transcendence does. I love Sky Blue, but to me it's more of a straight-ahead mainstream rock album (in Devy's signature style, of course), and while it doesn't quite work, and isn't up among his best stuff, when I'm in the mood for it I love it. But it sounds nothing like Epicloud.
Trancendence has some good stuff on it, but also some right clunkers. Failure and Higher are two of my all-time favourite of Dev's songs, but the album just doesn't sustain it's length.
Impossible to rank the DTP albums because it depends what mood I'm in. Today would be:
Epicloud
Addicted!
Ghost
Transcendence
Sky Blue
Ki
Deconstruction
Tomorrow will be some different order entirely.
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Transcendence is probably a better overall album than Sky Blue in terms of consistency, but Sky Blue has the higher ups.
The album release times with my first time seeing Dev live, at ProgPower with Anneke (the only time they performed together in the US). Absolutely epic concert that included a very rare performance of Offer Your Light which is a top track from Transcendence for me. Also he opened with a cover of Summer of 69 with altered lyrics to relate to the DTP. And of course a beautiful performance of Angel. That night I went from enjoying his music, to being a really big fan of Devin.
If I had to rank them...
Addicted!
Epicloud
Transcendence
Sky Blue
Ki
Dark Matters
Deconstruction
Ghost
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Transcendence is a pretty solid album, definitely a step up from Z2 (both discs) and it shows that the album is more of a collaborative effort. It feels much more like a band effort musically than Z2 or Epicloud did. I don't think the three albums sound similar necessarily, but they're all kind of in this proggy pop metal vein, though Transcendence leans way more into the progressive. It always surprised me that Stars made the main album. Wasn't that a last minute decision? I feel like I remember it getting added to the tracklisting after the album was announced and that it was initially going to be on the bonus disc. Not sure how that happened, it's pure bonus disc quality and a significant step down from the rest of the album.
As for everything else, the opening set of Truth into Stormbending into Failure is one of the strongest opening runs he's had. Just a really great flow of songs that covers a pretty wide range without sounding disjointed. The redo of Truth is an improvement. I also really like Secret Sciences and Offer Your Light.
Overall Transcendence is a solid album but I don't find myself going back to it a whole lot. When Devin announced the end of DTP it felt like the right time. It seemed like he wasn't really saying anything new with the DTP music and, again, Casualties of Cool felt so refreshing compared to what the DTP was doing. This album is a good way to cap off that era of his music and I was happy to see him moving on to other things.
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There are some bits of Transcendence I like but its never grabbed me, unfortunately. Another forgettable one for me.
I quite like Stars, mind you. And Offer Your Light. But it's not an album I have any urge to revisit.
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I don't dislike Stars. It's not a great song by any means, but I'm not a hater of it. I do wonder if the "making the song live" has something to do with why people don't like it, like maybe it ended up being rushed or didn't get the proper personal love from Devin? I never actually watched the making of it.
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I don't dislike Stars. It's not a great song by any means, but I'm not a hater of it. I do wonder if the "making the song live" has something to do with why people don't like it, like maybe it ended up being rushed or didn't get the proper personal love from Devin? I never actually watched the making of it.
It definitely did for me. When a song is the result of being written in an hour or whatever it was, it feels less heartfelt, and Dev was always about heartfelt. It's not a bad song, I just feel nothing from it.
Listened to most of Transcendence on the way to work this morning (and will listen to the rest on the way home later). It's not bad! Production is a big step-up from the last few albums. Like the instrumentation a lot more. There's definitely some great stuff, but most of it doesn't stick with me. I enjoy it while I listen to it, but then it tends to leave my memory quickly. I will say, it does have a lot more of an old-school Devin feel than any of the other stuff he's done in the last 10-15 years at least.
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I decided to start with Devins most recent album and will work my way backwards. I only own Lightwork so far and I love it! Disc 1 is solid the whole way with perhaps the exception of the techno sounding song, but it's well done. The song Lightworker has one of the best choruses I've heard in a long time from any band. Powerful live!
Disc two has it's moments. I dig track 1 (I don't have the song names memorized yet) with the heaviness and the Steve Vai guitar solo. The rest of the cd has a lot of Devin curveballs so you don't know what to expect. Fun!
I'll buy Emphath next, unless I'm missing something?
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I don't dislike Stars. It's not a great song by any means, but I'm not a hater of it. I do wonder if the "making the song live" has something to do with why people don't like it, like maybe it ended up being rushed or didn't get the proper personal love from Devin? I never actually watched the making of it.
It definitely did for me. When a song is the result of being written in an hour or whatever it was, it feels less heartfelt, and Dev was always about heartfelt.
ah yes, "From The Heart" also from Transcendence
also, another personal note, I didn't know Transdermal Celebration was a Ween cover (never really got into Ween) until like a year or so ago :lol I do think it's a bit odd to end the album with a cover, but it actually works, like if you were like me and didn't know any better, it felt fitting. While From the Heart could also have ended the albun, the final track kind of feels like an encore put still has a good closer vibe to it. I enjoy it.
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I decided to start with Devins most recent album and will work my way backwards. I only own Lightwork so far and I love it! Disc 1 is solid the whole way with perhaps the exception of the techno sounding song, but it's well done.
Dimensions?
I normally would not suggest Empath as one of the first albums of his to check out, as it's so compositionally all-over-the-place. It took a lot of listens before it grew on me. But if you really enjoyed Lightwork you might be good with it, as I had similar thoughts toward that album initially!
There's also The Puzzle / Snuggles inbetween Empath and Lightwork, but that one's even more weird. :lol It has a very different sound than his other stuff and definitely isn't one of his best, in my opinion.
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I decided to start with Devins most recent album and will work my way backwards. I only own Lightwork so far and I love it! Disc 1 is solid the whole way with perhaps the exception of the techno sounding song, but it's well done.
Dimensions?
I normally would not suggest Empath as one of the first albums of his to check out, as it's so compositionally all-over-the-place. It took a lot of listens before it grew on me. But if you really enjoyed Lightwork you might be good with it, as I had similar thoughts toward that album initially!
Wondering if Dimensions too. That song is a bit whacky but it totally won me over with his live performance of it on Dreamsonic.
I also would not recommend Empath so early, but if you are digging both discs of Lightwork, sounds like you may be up to the task of digging into Empath. Go for it I say since it sounds like you are committed to going backwards. It certainly has a bunch of awesome songs. I don't hate the album, I would just rank it lower than a lot of the other albums you'll have to check out and sadly the epic closer still has not connected with me.
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I love Transcendence, and it ends the DTP era on a high note for me. It's got a lot of catchy, hooky stuff like Epicloud, but the songs are longer and proggier than that record. Not that proggier is necessarily better, but I like that most of the songs stretch out a bit, and there are some nice guitar leads here. The production on Transcendence is some of Devin's best, and I think Ryan saved some of his best drumming work for the final DTP album. I would say the title track is probably the most average song here, but I still like it. The first 5 tracks are the best of the album, but the back half is solid too. Higher is my favorite track here and one of my favorite Devin songs overall. I saw them on this tour (my 2nd time seeing Devin), and they closed the show with Higher, which was epic! I enjoy Stars too, and I'm not a huge Ween fan but the cover is great. I would put this record at or near the top of the DTP albums. This is probably the one that I revisit the most of the DTP era. I will give it some good thought before I post a ranking of all the DTP stuff.
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I like the Transcendence title track, though it's not as good as anything from the start of the album to Higher. But it's still the best song on the album after Higher, which kinda demonstrates by biggest problem with the album. :P
I want to like From The Heart more, as it does have some really good parts, but it drags too much for me and the vocals for the "chorus" (are they an actual language or just gibberish?) kinda annoy me.
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I might rank Transcendence the song as my least favorite as well. And I also do agree the back end isn't as good, but Offer Your Light is probably my favorite track on the album so it kind of saves the back half for me.
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I decided to start with Devins most recent album and will work my way backwards. I only own Lightwork so far and I love it! Disc 1 is solid the whole way with perhaps the exception of the techno sounding song, but it's well done.
Dimensions?
I normally would not suggest Empath as one of the first albums of his to check out, as it's so compositionally all-over-the-place. It took a lot of listens before it grew on me. But if you really enjoyed Lightwork you might be good with it, as I had similar thoughts toward that album initially!
Yes it is Dimensions. I'm not into techno, but that song is well done for what it is. The rest of Lightwork was easy for me to take in. Devin definitely knows what he's doing in the studio, and he kills it live! 💫💪
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On the next episode of the DTDT...
(https://i.imgur.com/2hCOxNI.jpg)
The next one's taking longer to write, so maybe not Monday.
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Got the Empath Live in America Devolution album yesterday - well worth the money!
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I don't dislike Stars. It's not a great song by any means, but I'm not a hater of it. I do wonder if the "making the song live" has something to do with why people don't like it, like maybe it ended up being rushed or didn't get the proper personal love from Devin? I never actually watched the making of it.
By the time the album dropped I was burnt out on it.
The behind the scenes look at the creative process was good, but the end result was 2nd disc m quality at best.
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Empath
Released March 29, 2019
(https://i.imgur.com/OhTvmPI.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/2DlTPlD.jpg)
Tracklisting:
1. Castaway
2. Genesis
3. Spirits Will Collide
4. Evermore
5. Sprite
6. Hear Me
7. Why?
8. Borderlands
9. Requiem
10. Singularity
a. Adrift
b. I Am I
c. There Be Monsters
d. Curious Gods
e. Silicon Scientists
f. Here Comes the Sun!
Personnel:
Devin Townsend - Guitar, Vocals, Bass, Keyboards
Mike Keneally - Guitar, Keyboards
Nathan Navarro - Bass
Morgan Εgren - Drums (Genesis, Sprite, Why?, Borderlands, Curious Gods, Empath, Summer)
Anup Sastry - Drums (Genesis, Spirits Will Collide, Evermore, Borderlands, I Am I, Silicon Scientists, Here Comes the Sun!, King, The Waiting Kind)
Samus Paulicelli - Drums (Genesis, Hear Me, There Be Monsters, Gulag, Middle Aged Man, Total Collapse)
Additional Personnel:
Elektra Womens Choir, Anneke Van Giersbergen, Chι Aimee Dorval, Chad Kroeger, Reyne Townsend, Josefa Torres, Elliot Degagnιs - Additional Vocals
Steve Vai - Guitar Solo (Here Comes the Sun)
Sean Verault - Pedal Steel
Ron Getgood - Spoken word (Sprite)
The Lords of Sound - Orchestra
Along with announcing the end of the DTP in early 2018, Dev announced he was working on 4 albums. The first of those albums is Empath. Empath was first mentioned in 2017, and was intended to be the next DTP album after Transcendence. Dev had written over 30 demos of various styles, and was struggling to find a cohesive vision for the next album. While on vacation after completing Transcendence, he had a dream of an island where horrible monsters and beautiful creatures coexisted. This vision served as the inspiration for Empath; All of the aspects of his music coexisting in one album. Empath, while not a concept album, is an album about confronting and overcoming uncertainty and learning from it. Dev calls Empath his midlife crisis album, and he invested $170,000 of his own money into it.
(https://i.imgur.com/UTTdEYw.jpg)
How to describe the sound of Empath
Its a mixed bag, kinda like Epicloud was, but not as poppy or accessible. Its got a variety of sounds. Proggy, heavy, soft, poppy, theatrical, jazzy, etc. Its a dense record with so much going on at any time, but rarely to the point where its overwhelming. Theres plenty of chaos, but also plenty of breathing room.
Dev met Mike Keneally (Frank Zappa, Steve Vai, etc.) at a Joe Satriani show and asked him to be the second guitarist and co-producer on the album. Nathan Navarro, a session musician/YouTuber, plays bass on the album. Dev hired 3 different drummers for Empath, each with their own strengths:
- Morgan Εgren (Casualties of Cool, Kaipa), for the lighter/jazzier/improvy stuff.
- Anup Sastry (Monuments, Skyharbor, Intervals), for the heavy/proggy/straightforward stuff.
- Samus Paulicelli (YouTube, Decrepit Birth), for the blast-beaty stuff.
The songs feature different combinations of the drummers. Sometimes having just one or two, or all three.
Empath was recorded at a few different studios, mainly Monnow Valley Studios in Wales, The Armoury in Vancouver, and Devs home studio. Adam Nolly Getgood once again co-produced/engineered/mixed the album with Dev. Anneke Van Giersbergen and Chι Aimee Dorval both sing on the album, along with the Elektra Womens Choir, from Vancouver.
The Making of Empath Documentary: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpA5ThqzxTYVRhlbd-cpv2hXtO90u6yQU
Samus Recording Drums: https://youtu.be/qbxkid3yjfs
(https://i.imgur.com/DA78NgL.jpg)
Music videos were made for several songs
Castaway / Genesis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1n7uvokARQ4
Spirits Will Collide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdHJurX0yVA
Evermore: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zIxPUPWVq8
Sprite: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cw0agwyPbg
Why?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fT-uWOVP5q0
Genesis acts as a kind of Overture for the album. It doesnt contain themes from the rest of the album, but it does showcase some of the same musical styles present on the album.
Nate Navarro bass playthrough of Genesis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pHtkbfCIO0
Spirits Will Collide is a more straightforward song that wouldnt sound out of place on any the last few DTP albums. The point of this song at this point in the tracklisting was to assure the audience that, while things are gonna get weird from here on out, everythings gonna be Ok. The song is very much inspired by the Enya song Only Time.
Anup Sastry drum playthrough of Evermore: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACVfETpeE1U
Nate Navarro bass playthrough of Evermore: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWIsw_EOgug
The story in the intro to Sprite is spoken by Nollys father Ron Getgood. This story has shown up in 2 other Dev songs: In the Rainy Season, from HAARHT, and Fluke, from Terria.
Morgan Εgren drum playthrough of Sprite: https://youtu.be/GjlDDNDQbCc
Hear Me is the most chaotic thing Dev has written since Deconstruction, and features backup vocals from Chad Kroeger, from Nickelback. I remember people making a big fuss over this back when it was first announced, because its cool to hate Nickelback. Lets just remember that this is a Dev album featuring Chad Kroeger. Not the other way around. Chads voice isnt that prevalent anyway, and it blends in with the choir. You can kinda hear him during the Ill keep mourning
section.
Samus Paulicelli drum playthrough of Hear Me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQaETtF_dzQ
Hear Me is rather appropriately followed by Why?, a very light and theatrical, almost Disney-esque song featuring orchestration.
Requiem serves as a prelude to Singularity, and has a callback to Stormbending, from Transcendence.
After poking fun at the idea of Progressive Metal epics with The Mighty Masturbator, Dev finally gives us one in earnest with the 23-minute Singularity. This song, IMO, might be Devs magnum opus.
Anup Sastry playthrough of the final section of Singularity: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kb935JynuhQ
People often compare Dev to Frank Zappa. Im not much of a Zappa guy, but to me that bit at 13:56 of Singularity is the closest Dev has ever come to sounding like Zappa.
The only song that comes close to being a clunker is Spirits Will Collide. Its not a bad song, its just weaker than everything else here.
Track by Track breakdown by Dev: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_AGVF5YuSPIV6SqlUgrO0lINRlEbizuL
(https://i.imgur.com/a8nkNc8.png)
Look at this photograph. This list from the studio shows some songs that didnt make it onto the record.
King, Total Collapse, Gulag, Empath, and Summer appear on the bonus disc, Tests of Manhood.
Coffee might be this little snippet (https://s3.amazonaws.com/devintownsend/Dev+Loves+The+Coffee.mp3), from the Creative Academy songwriting course he taught
https://music-business-college.teachable.com/p/dt-creative-academy
Call of the Void and Children of God would end up on Lightwork.
Starchasm would end up on Nightwork, the bonus disc for Lightwork.
Empath was released March 29, 2019. I love this album a lot. Transcendence was great, but it and Z2 showed that the DTP was running out of things to say and was holding Dev back. Devs music had ceased to surprise me. Empath is the creative return to form I wanted from Dev. Its up to you whether ending the DTP was the right call or not. Given that this was originally going to be the next DTP album, I have to wonder what it would have sounded like with that lineup. All due respect to the guys in the DTP, but I imagine that version would have been a lot more simplified and not nearly as gratifying. Regardless, I think Dev got the perfect people for this album, and made one of the best albums of his career.
Tests of Manhood
(https://i.imgur.com/aI4F0tV.jpg)
Tracklisting:
1. The Contrarian
2. King
3. The Waiting Kind
4. Empath
5. Methuselah
6. This Is Your Life
7. Gulag
8. Middle Aged Man
9. Total Collapse
10. Summer
Well would look at that, ANOTHER bonus disc of songs that didnt make it on the album. As with all of Devs bonus discs, the songs are fleshed out and well-produced, and these songs feature some of the musicians from the main disc. I dont have much to say about this. All of these songs are solid. Summer in particular is one of my favorites.
This is Your Life reminds me of Happy Xmas (War is Over) by John Lennon.
King features vocals from Dev's son, Reyne.
Anup Sastry drum playthrough of The Waiting Kind: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZ2fXb_vlYY
Samus Paulicelli drum playthrough of Gulag: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0y3v1YGoQfY
Total Collapse was written during the Transcendence sessions. has a callback to the chorus of Ziltoid Goes Home. This is the third song to use that chorus.
The Empath Tour meant to be at least 4 Volumes with different themes and lineups, all with the eventual goal of playing Empath in its entirety.
Volume 1 - First an acoustic solo tour, followed by a full band tour playing a variety of music.
Volume 2 - Would have had a rotating cast of musicians, and focused more on his heavier music.
Volume 3 - Not metal, featuring some Ghost material. - Dev
Volume 4 - Empath in full, presumably.
Unfortunately due to the Pandemic, only the first volume of the tour happened.
There are three separate live albums from the first Volume of the Empath Tour. Like I said way back in the beginning, my goal is to present Devs music in chronological order. One of these albums isnt even 2 weeks old yet, but were talking about it now.
Acoustically Inclined: Live in Leeds
Recorded April 27, 2019
Released March 19, 2021
(https://i.imgur.com/YMAkz51.jpg)
Tracklisting:
1. Intro
2. Let it Roll
3. Funeral
4. Deadhead
5. Ih-Ah
6. Love?
7. Hyperdrive
8. Terminal
9. Coast
10. Solar Winds
11. Thing Beyond Things
The first part of the Empath tour was a solo acoustic tour of Europe, North America, and Australia. Dev would play some songs and answer questions from the audience.
Acoustically Inclined was filmed and recorded in Leeds, and the video was originally included as part of the Ultimate Edition of Empath, released in 2020. A CD release came out in 2021 as the first installment of the Devolution series (More on that later). This album features most of the acoustic set, and the songs are the usual suspects from Devs acoustic shows. Deadhead features part of Stand, from Deconstruction (Or maybe its the Stand reprise from Watch You. Take your pick).
Order of Magnitude: Empath Live, Volume 1
Recorded December 12, 2019 at the Roundhouse in London
Released October 23, 2020
(https://i.imgur.com/s8MYc6S.jpg)
Tracklisting:
1. Borderlands
2. Evermore
3. War
4. Sprite
5. Gigpig Jam
6. Coast
7. Gato
8. Heavens End
9. Aint Never Gonna Win
10. Deadhead
11. Why?
12. Lucky Animals
13. Castaway / Genesis
14. Spirits Will Collide
15. Disco Inferno
16. Kingdom
Personnel:
Devin Townsend - Guitar, Vocals
Mike Keneally - Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals
Chι Aimee Dorval - Vocals, Guitar
Nathan Navarro - Bass
Morgan Εgren - Drums
Marcus Reuter - Touch Guitar
Diego Tejeida - Keyboards, Bartender
Arabella Packford, Samantha Preis, Anne Preis - Backing Vocals
Dev put together a completely new live band for the first Volume of the Empath Tour. This lineup features Mike Keneally, Nate Navarro, Chι, and Morgan Εgren, all of whom played on Empath, as well as Marcus Reuter (Stick Men, The Crimson ProjeKct), Diego Tejeida (ex-Haken, Temic), and a three-piece female choir. Part of the goal in using such a big band was to limit the use of backing tracks. Im just gonna say it, this the best live band Dev has ever had. The DTP was great, but its nice to hear some fresh new takes on some of these songs.
Order of Magnitude was recorded at the next to last stop of the 2019 European tour at the Roundhouse in London. It has the same setlist as every other show from the tour, which includes a block of songs from Ki, possibly because this was the albums 10th anniversary. Ki is my second favorite Dev album, and I think the versions here are the best versions of these songs. The "Gigpig" is a small trap drum set Morgan plays during Coast and the preceding jam. The Empath songs all sounds great. This version of Spirits Will Collide is stripped down, featuring just Dev, Chι, and the backup singers. The band also played a very fun cover of Disco Inferno by The Trammps.
Behind the Scenes Documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87OiifFuyX4
Empath: Live in America
Intro / Evermore recorded February 26, 2020
Everything else recorded March 1, 2020
Released August 4, 2023
(https://i.imgur.com/obP35ng.jpg)
Tracklisting:
1. Intro / Evermore
2. Supercrush
3. March of the Poozers
4. Why?
5. Hyperdrive
6. Fuck Around Section
7. Ih-Ah
8. Gigpig Jam
9. Forgive Me
10. Love?
11. Kingdom
Personnel:
Devin Townsend - Guitar, Vocals
Mike Keneally - Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals
Chι Aimee Dorval - Vocals, Guitar
Nathan Navarro - Bass
Morgan Εgren - Drums
Diego Tejeida - Keyboards
Empath: Live in America was recorded during the ill-fated 2020 North American Leg of the Empath Tour. It was released in 2023 as the 3rd installment in the Devolution series. It features most of the band from Order of Magnitude. Dev unfortunately couldnt afford to bring the full band on this leg of the tour, so Marcus Reuter and the 3 backup singers were left out. Live in America is a great showcase of how laid back these shows were. Even if a lot of these songs have been played countless times, the new lineup breathes new life into them. These shows were the first time Dev played setlists that truly spanned his whole career. Youve got his solo work, DTP, DTB, SYL, and CoC all in one show. Fuck Around Section has teases of Earth Day and Sprite, two songs that the band hadnt fully learned.
I saw Dev at the Atlanta show on this tour, and also did the VIP meet and greet. I gave him my old ZILTOID license plate.
Full show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWbKjZYrCh4
My footage: https://youtu.be/uozAkkrhrjY
(https://i.imgur.com/q7yD4zk.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/PIKacED.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/9Z6yh1w.jpg)
They gave out signed setlists as part of the VIP, but this was NOT the setlist the band played that night. Dev signed mine twice for some reason :lol
This has been hanging on my wall for 3 years now and I just now noticed that Supercrush is on there twice.
The NA Leg was cancelled halfway through due to the pandemic. The remaining shows were first rescheduled and eventually cancelled altogether. Dev has moved on with his career since then, and it's unlikely he'll resurrect the Empath Tour.
Taking a another break before the final stretch of this thread. Thanks for reading, hopefully you read the whole thing, and be good to each other.
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Really digging Lightwork. It's very diverse and the overall sound is pleasant to the ears. It's a fun album to drive to, but make sure the bass EQ is backed off some. There are times when there's a deep bass "BOOM" effect like in the movies. The break section in Lightworker has like four of those hits, and some other songs too. It sounds cool on speakers that can handle it but it could blow low wattage speakers if not careful.
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Thats great. Not to be a buzzkill, but how about you save your thoughts for when we get to Lightwork in this thread ;)
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Or just post in the regular Devin Townsend thread! https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=42639.0
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Ah, Empath. The only album in recent memory that I basically hated at first then I eventually grew to love. I had to dig up my first posts about it in the other thread, and here they are :lol
Well. Uh... that was... an album.
First impressions after one listen: it's a mess. Disjointed, incredibly goofy-sounding, and very lacking in terms of memorable hooks, riffs, or melodies. And this is coming from someone who thinks Deconstruction is his best album. It feels like on each song he just sat down to write it, and never stopped until he literally could not fit in any more weird transitions, silly sound effects, and brief musical detours that come out of nowhere and don't add anything to the song.
Hear Me was pretty good.
After repeated listens my opinion has changed from "it's a mess" to "it's decent".
A lot of the problems from my first listen are still there, but there's also a good amount of qualities that were initially overshadowed by the overwhelming goofiness.
Okay this album might actually be amazing. I can't stop listening to it.
Devin you fucking madman how the fuck did you do this.
To give 03/28/2019 Buddy some credit, the album is kind of a mess. But that's also kinda the point. It really is every sound Devin has ever covered coexisting on a single album - you can pick out pretty much any album in his discography and find at least a short snippit on this album that sounds like a callback to it. It's very dense, not very accessible to newcomers, and not particularly concerned with being palatable on a first listen. But it's one of his most rewarding albums if you dedicate some time to it, and my personal favorite of his since Epicloud. Hear Me is one hell of a song and it was awesome to hear metal Devin in full-force again. That drum playthrough that Samus did is super entertaining to watch, too. Borderlands is probably my favorite song from the album though. What a weird, catchy, beautiful song.
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Empath has been my go-to Dev album since it clicked for me. Took a while, though. I had become mainly disinterested since I found Ghost and Decon dissatisfying a few years earlier. Epicloud was an island of delight in a big lake of meh for me by this point, so didn't give Empath much attention until a few months after it was released.
Once I was in the mood for Dev again, though, and it settled in,
, boom!
Sprite is the only track I don't love. Hear Me and Why are an incredible double-shot and Singularity is a monster. Have had a couple of beautiful experiences whilst running to it. Beautiful.
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Empath is in consideration for his best album for me. Don't really have any issues with any of the songs, I love the variety of the album and I think it fuses together his different genres in a perfect way. Just going from Hear Me to Why? is a perfect example. Two top tier songs in his discography, on the same album, back to back, yet they could not be any more different. I also think Singularity is not only his best prog epic (though there aren't THAT many) but also one of my favorite prog epics in recent memory. Overall it's such a joy to listen to and I can't say enough positive things about it. I also think it just sounds really great.
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I HATED Empath when I first heard it.
It's white noise, unlistenable.
I gave it a few more chances before throwing it out, just to see if I could hear what I was missing and to assure myself it actually was as bad as I thought.
It's insane, utterly bonkers, noisy, melodic, beautifully crafted, hugely moving.
It's one of the best albums I've ever heard in my life.
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I've only listened to the whole album once I think and I enjoyed it.
I'll give it another spin soon. This thread is a great reminder to revisit his stuff.
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I like Empath because it has a really good collection of songs, but for me, Singularity has just never clicked and being an epic track, it kind of makes the album not be so great as a whole for me.
I've been a big fan of Genesis since it was released as a single. I'm kind of shocked Spirits Will Collide wasn't played on the DreamSonic tour. I kind of thought that was one of Devin's biggest hits in the last few years.
I got to see both legs of the Volume 1 tour.
Devin toured the US opening for Avatar and I got to see him do the acoustic set at my local ballroom. He was so good that night. He was just so funny not just between the songs, but during them. I guess being a one man show, you just have full control to stop mid song and make a joke. Here's a song I recorded from that show:
Devin Townsend - Why? LIVE (Acoustic) @ Starland Ballroom Sayreville New Jersey 5/18/19 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zd9F3Vx_Vs)
I was then fortunate enough to see the next leg of Devin headlining with the full band. I got to see the show twice right before covid shut it all down. It sucks the US didn't get the full experience that Europe got, but for the Brooklyn show, the girls were in the house to do Spirits Will Collide and Disco INferno. I also met Che that night and she asked me to take a picture of her and her father together. After the Philly show a couple days later I hung outside afterwards and was able to meet him again. Here's a song I recorded from the Philly show:
Devin Townsend - Hyperdrive LIVE @ Theatre of Living Arts Philadelphia PA 3/3/2020 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Je_mRmrAU4)
Order of Magnitude is an awesome live album too. I may prefer the Retinal Circus because of how ridiculous the entire stage show is, but OoM is the better raw live concert. It sounds really good and it actually sounds live. The blu-ray is also good watch to see them perform these songs. It looked like a fun time on stage as well. I havent bought the newest live album. My understanding is it's mostly taken from the Boston show. If he had used the Brooklyn/Philly shows, I probably would have it by now.
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I hadn't realized Live In America was mostly taken from the show I went to (the setlist is out of order / missing some songs compared to the full show). Might have to listen to it because of that. It was a fantastic show.
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I hadn't realized Live In America was mostly taken from the show I went to (the setlist is out of order / missing some songs compared to the full show). Might have to listen to it because of that. It was a fantastic show.
I haven't seen it advertised but I think I got that info from a reddit post about it.
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Empath was the next step in Devy's music and what I once liked about it growing further apart.
All of you raving about how good it is makes me curious what I'm missing. Will probably give it another try when I'm in the mood, which I might not be for some time.
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I would have to give Empath another chance. I listened to it once and thought it was a bit too all over the place for me, but it clearly needs a lot more digestion.
I always thought the Zappa comparisons were funny because, speaking as a mega fan of both, they're really not similar at all. Devin has even said that he isn't really that big a fan of Zappa or his style of humor. It makes sense, they have very different approaches to music and I think the comparisons pretty much end at them both being prolific artists and both having elements of humor in their music. So I was kinda surprised to see Mike Keneally in the lineup for Empath, and even more surprised when they covered a Zappa piece on the tour. I do think that, whether consciously or not, some of the melody writing and orchestration on Empath is a little Zappa-ish, similar weird rhythms and angular sounding melodies. It's the first time I was consciously reminded of Frank while listening to Devin.
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Some of the swirling, sampled voice parts in the mid section Singularity are VERY Zappa.
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I always compared Devin to a metal version of Zappa. And it's not that they sound similar or do a similar style exactly, it's more because the both made very "odd" (I'll call it, I don't know how else to) music that was intricate and different and yeah, did include humor. Mike Keneally joining in the recent years just made me feel my feeling was pretty spot on. He also fits really well. Definitely felt like those two had a great chemistry on the Dreamsonic tour, more noticeable to me than the Empath tour.
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This next update is pretty sick.
Too soon?
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This next update is pretty sick.
Too soon?
:metal
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Quarantine
The pandemic and that whole era of history is still pretty fresh in our minds, so no need to delve too much into that.
The North American leg of the Empath tour was cancelled halfway through due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Dev stayed busy throughout 2020-21 by working on a couple new albums, and releasing a plethora of other content.
Quarantine Project
(https://i.imgur.com/SG5GBoR.png)
The Quarantine Project is a series of primarily song demos Dev posted to YouTube. Some of these songs would show up on Lightwork, or its bonus disc, Nightwork.
Full playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNCH5YNXTKtCysoEMgBHXSRuDzT0k2__f
1. Quarantine
Demo of Sober, from Nightwork.
2. ZTV Rough Tests
Original version of ZTV that was scrapped and reshot.
3. We Like to Party
Cover of the song by the Vengaboys. Features Chι and Anneke.
4. Good Morning
Features Kat Epple, flautist from Ghost.
5. Stampys Blaster
Shows up on Nightwork.
6. Honeybunch
Demo featuring Chι. More on this when we get to Lightwork
7. The Vengabuds
Collaborative dance video for We Like to Party.
8. Call of the Void
Demo of the song from Lightwork.
9. Heavy Factions
Demo of Factions, from Nightwork.
10. A Newer Reign
Remix of the song from Sky Blue.
11. Casualties live at Framus
Audio only performance of Daddy and The Code.
12. The Mandonnas - Monnow Valley Jam
Improv jam by Dev, Mike Keneally, Nate Navarro, and Morgan Εgren.
13. Precious Sardine
Demo of the song from Nightwork.
14. Equinox
Demo of the song from Lightwork.
Devin Townsend Podcast
(https://i.imgur.com/7K3arY2.jpg)
Dev started a podcast where he goes though his discography and talks about how each album came to be, and what was going on in his life during that time. It covers his discography from Ocean Machine to Epicloud. The podcast originally ran from April 2020 to January 2022. Dev took a break for a long time to work on The Puzzle and Lightwork. He announced the return of the podcast in late 2023. Instead of continuing to talk about his past albums, he's changed gears and made it about his creative process as well as interviewing people from his circle, like Steve Vai and Tosin Abasi.
These podcasts have been an essential source of info for these write-ups, but theyre not without issues. As the series goes on, Dev starts talking about The Puzzle album more and more, sometimes more than the album thats the topic of the episode. He redid the Deconstruction and Ghost episodes entirely because the original episodes spent WAAAAY too much time on The Puzzle.
Having relistened to all of the episodes for this thread, sometimes multiple times, I dont ever need to hear them again, but I still recommend them to anyone who wants to hear Devs story straight from the man himself, instead of some dude on an internet forum.
Episodes:
1. Ocean Machine
2. City
3. Infinity
4. Physicist
5. Terria
6. Accelerated Evolution & Strapping Young Lad
7. Alien
8. Synchestra, The Hummer, Devlab
9. The New Black
10. Ziltoid the Omniscient
11. Ki
12. Addicted
13. Deconstruction
14. Ghost
15. Random Brain Zaps
16. Deconstruction Redo
17. Ghost Redo
18. NFTs! Good or bad? Devin discusses with A7Xs Matt Shadows
19. Synesthesia
20. Steve Vai
21. Tosin Abasi
22. Joe Satriani
23. Mike Keneally
24. Blindboy Boatclub
There are some episodes that I do recommend skipping:
Episodes 13 &14 - Deconstruction and Ghost
He spends way too much time talking about The Puzzle. If thats what you wanna hear, go for it. But if you want to hear about Deconstruction and Ghost, just listen to the redos. Episodes 16 & 17
Episode 15 - Random Brain Zaps
I listened to this again in hopes that there might be some interesting nugget(s) of information for this thread. There were not. If you really wanna listen to Dev ramble aimlessly for an hour, knock yourself out. Otherwise, skip this one.
Episode 18 - NFTs! Good or bad? Devin discusses with A7Xs Matt Shadows
NFTs are dumb, and Im glad the fad seems to be on its way out. Im glad Dev never jumped on the NFT train. If this was just a regular interview, or just the two of them chatting, Id recommend it. But for what it is, Id say avoid this one.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpA5ThqzxTYX3hbSyAVsxu8c9tb68-krF
Twitch
Twitch: https://m.twitch.tv/devin_townsend/videos?filter=all
Archive of past streams: https://www.youtube.com/@devintownsendtwitcharchive9382/videos
Dev started streaming on Twitch in 2020. Hed stream himself working on demos, mixing songs, playing requests from the chat, or just chatting with the audience.
One time he played some video game where you play as a moose. I remember getting the notification for that stream at like 2am and watching it. It felt like a fever dream.
Moose Game (No sound until 6:00): https://youtu.be/RBIb7XxlhU8
Quarantine Concert Series
Dev hosted a series of concert streams of him playing to backing tracks at his home studio. These were broadcast on the website StageIt.
(https://i.imgur.com/q2IaF0q.png)
Quarantine Concert 1 - 4/18/20: Benefit for Vancouver Hospital Foundation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSmHwC7Mjcg
Setlist:
1. Kingdom
2. Juular
3. Supercrush!
4. Love?
5. Why?
6. Deadhead
7. Ih-Ah!
8. Vampira
Quarantine Concert 2 - 4/25/20: NHS
https://youtu.be/Qv4RqR0ud2g
Setlist:
1. Storm
2. Hyperdrive
3. Almost Again
4. Stormbending
5. ZTO
6. March of the Poozers
7. Bastard
8. Genesis
9. Kingdom
Quarantine Concert 3 - 5/2/20: NSUH
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWFcOhCnkA4
Setlist:
1. Spirits Will Collide
2. Aftermath
3. By Your Command
4. Deep Peace
5. The Greys
6. Detox
7. Frogs R Nice
8. Life
Quarantine Concert 4 - Empath Live, Vol.2: By Request
Streamed September 5, 2020
(https://i.imgur.com/fKzEf28.jpg)
Setlist:
1. Velvet Kevorkian
2. All Hail the New Flesh
3. By Your Command
4. Almost Again
5. Juular
6. March of the Poozers
7. Supercrush!
8. Hyperdrive
9. Stormbending
10. Deadhead
11. Aftermath
12. Love?
13. Spirits Will Collide
14. Kingdom
15. Detox
Personnel:
Devin Townsend - Guitar, Vocals
Wes Hauch - Guitar
Liam Wilson - Bass
Samus Paulicelli - Drums
This stream was meant to be a replacement for the cancelled Empath, Vol. 2 tour and various festival appearances that would have happened in 2020. The band features Wes Hauch (ex-Faceless), Liam Wilson (ex-Dillinger Escape Plan), and Samus Paulicelli (One of the drummers from Empath). Dev and the band recorded themselves individually playing in front of a green screen, and the footage was edited together to look like they were playing together in Space. This concert was later released as the second installment of the Devolution Series. The setlist features mostly staples, as well as the return of several SYL songs.
Quarantine Concert 5 - Devins Crappy Halloween Party: Rarities by Request
Streamed October 31, 2020
(https://i.imgur.com/9oCLfM4.png)
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZNcoG49UXz1couaAsvq5uQt-RgiTmPWm
Setlist:
1. Depth Charge
2. Triumph
3. Noisy Pink Bubbles
4. Nobodys Here
5. Awake!!
6. Pixillate
7. Suicide
8. Mountain
9. Planet Rain
10. Skeksis
11. Vampolka
12. Vampira
Personnel:
Devin Townsend - Guitar, Vocals
Steve Vai - Guitar Solos (Triumph)
Anneke Van Giersbergen - Vocals (Awake!!, Pixillate)
Gene Hoglan - Drums (Skeksis, Vampira)
This show was comprised of rarities that fans requested on social media. Dev was joined (via green screen) by Steve Vai, Anneke Van Giersbergen, and oh my fucking god its Gene Hoglan.
This show has an amazing setlist
but unfortunately StageIt couldnt handle the stream, and it lagged and skipped constantly for everybody watching. Im really hoping he releases this show as part of the Devolution Series.
Quarantine Concert 6 - Devins Christmas Party
Streamed December 23, 2020
(https://i.imgur.com/4GfhvZD.jpg)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpjMLXA7rzo
Setlist:
1. White Christmas
2. Puff, the Magic Dragon
3. Free Bird
4. Wonderwall
5. Love Shaq
6. Silent Night
7. Let it Roll
8. Ih-Ah
9. Funeral
10. Solar Winds
11. Sister
12. Divine
13. Love?
14. Why?
15. Bring Him Home
16. Deadhead
17. Hyperdrive
18. Terminal
19. Spirits Will Collide
20. Life
Very chill Christmas show. The first 6 songs are short snippets of covers that fans requested on Twitter.
Dev also recorded a cover of Silent Night
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVV4Q5Q6RRg
Album Livestreams
Dev announced another series of livestreams of him playing all of his solo albums in their entirety. So far hes only done two.
Ocean Machine
Streamed May 1, 2021 from The Farm Studios
(https://i.imgur.com/joSUcOU.jpg)
Dev played a snippet of the song Ocean Machines, which was originally intended for the album but left out.
https://youtu.be/fxr2Us4nxHY
Infinity
Streamed February 2, 2022 from Shoreline Studios
(https://i.imgur.com/E53Q9SP.png)
Most of the songs from the Christeen EP were incorporated into the tracklisting. Only Love-Load was left out (thank fuck).
https://youtu.be/JsPAgPECf8w
Terria
Dev announced that Terria would be the next album in this series instead of Physicist. Who knows when/if this will ever happen.
Devolution Series
The Devolution series is a series of live albums started in 2021. To date, only 3 have been released.
#1 - Acoustically Inclined in Leeds
Previously discussed.
(https://i.imgur.com/YMAkz51.jpg)
#2 - Galactic Quarantine
See Quarantine Concert #4
(https://i.imgur.com/fh1Ccvj.jpg)
#3 - Empath: Live in America
Previously Discussed.
(https://i.imgur.com/obP35ng.jpg)
Guitar Improvisations
Dev released 3 ambient guitar improvisations. Not much to say about these.
#1
Released May 31, 2020
(https://i.imgur.com/weGQ8tW.jpg)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLSm4HZasMk
#2
Released June 14, 2020
(https://i.imgur.com/rsYCWx8.jpg)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsBgUbE1aYc
#3
Released July 14, 2020
(https://i.imgur.com/ZY3wgvb.jpg)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFbvsGO8mxc
BBC CBeebies Colours Soundtrack
Premiered March 21, 2021
(https://i.imgur.com/5YUbQjy.png)
Tracklisting:
1. Red
2. Blue
3. Yellow
4. Green
5. Orange
6. Purple
7. Rainbow
8. Black
9. White
10. Pink
11. Grey
12. Brown
13. Silver
14. Gold
Dev wrote the music for all 14 episodes of this BBC childrens show which teaches kids about different colors.
Thats right. The man responsible for songs like Happy Camper, Oh My Fucking God, Shitstorm, and The Mighty Masturbator wrote the music for a kids show.
The soundtrack hasnt been released on its own, but you can watch all of the episodes on the BBC website. If youre not in the UK, youll need a VPN to watch them. Theyre for British eyes only.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000tpcm/colours-series-1-1-red
The soundtrack is very light and cheery background music, the kind of stuff youd expect for a documentary made for children, but is still undeniably Dev.
Blue is based on the song Summer from Tests of Manhood.
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Really enjoyed the Devin podcast while it was in full swing. Was a bright moment in what was otherwise a pretty dark and scary time. Hope he brings it back someday.
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Honeybunch slaps and I'm hoping it successfully shows up on an album eventually.
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Guest Appearances and Other Stuff 5 (2013-2021)
Guest Appearances:
Revolution Harmony - We Are (2013)
Dev played a guitar solo on this song featuring Serj Tankian (SOAD), and Ihsahn (Emperor) for a project called Revolution Harmony. Despite the talent involved, this song kinda sucks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ojg4vEDGjs
ReVamp - Wild Card (2013)
ReVamp features Floor Janson, who sang on Pandemic from Deconstruction. Dev sings on the song The Anatomy of a Nervous Breakdown: Neurasthenia.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXUjlIsUZvI
Morgan Εgren - Batterie Deluxe (2015)
Solo album by Morgan Εgren, the drummer from Casualties of Cool. Dev co-wrote the song F Flies with Morgan and Fredrik Thordendal.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvMrUJZiSS4
Haunted Shores - Viscera EP (2015)
Haunted Shores is a side project from Misha Mansoor and Mark Holcomb, from Periphery. Dev sings on the song Feed the Wolf.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jflibOae6lk
Shelter Dogs - Take Me Home (2015)
Shelter Dogs is a project by Mark Cimino, the second guitarist on Addicted and longtime friend of Dev. Dev plays bass on the album and contributed some vocals here and there. He also co-wrote the song Past Be Gone.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_lR1-3qz0qV4miMQkeVVWPuYjeMluXhlfI
(https://i.imgur.com/1dzm8Ac.jpg)
Steve Vai - Modern Primitive (2016)
Dev sings on the song The Lost Chord
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UIzIotw5Xw
Decades of Destruction - Various Artists (2016)
A covers compilation included with issue #288 of Metal Hammer magazine. Dev sings on a cover of Accepts Fast as a Shark, also featuring Wolf Hoffmann from Accept and Fredrik Thordendal from Meshuggah.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g03wnRFj9D0
Thomas Giles - Velcro Kid (2016)
Solo album from Thomas Giles, the singer of Between the Buried and Me. Dev sings on the song Gazer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZosU8aVSjOk
Comeback Kid - Outsider (2017)
Dev sings on the song Absolute.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vG7QvlGLMpg
Mutation - III: Dark Black (2017)
Mutation is an industrial side project by Ginger Wildheart, from The Wildhearts. Dev is credited with composition, and various instruments on the album.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXLP7nvFXjo
Pendulum - The Reworks (2018)
Dev remixed the song Crush
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZMkxR1e5yg
Jason Bieler and the Baron von Bielski Orchestra - Songs for the Apocalypse (An Auditory Excursion of Whimsical Delirium) [2021]
Dev plays a guitar solo on the song Bring Out Your Dead
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHalXckrjDc
All India Radio - Afterworld (2021)
Dev sings on Sula Guin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBLDd5jGDvs
Sepultura - SepulQuarta (2021)
Dev sings and plays guitar on a redo of the Sepultura song Mask, recorded in Quarantine.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ufNMdaU73E
Me and That Man - New Man, New Songs, Same Shit Vol. 2 (2021)
Me and That Man is a solo project by Behemoth frontman Adam Nergal Darski. Dev sings on the song Goodbye, along with Alissa White-Gluz (Arch Enemy)
https://youtu.be/6nahDENBLDw
Production:
Misery Signals - Ultraviolet (2020)
Dev co-produced/engineered this album and contributed backup vocals.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWBAinm2sYBgPqod1OHXQTRoH3sXbBRc6
Mixing:
Intronaut - The Direction of Last Things (2015)
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjMUBDsDWypFEGWSQZurW8j2QRW8ExL0_
Process - Structural Fatigue (2018)
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nIFBd2EW1jcu1wdy5oFbBIxmj72ihCBj0
Four Stroke Baron - Classics (2021)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAjN9CKWWFM&pp=ygUaZm91ciBzdHJva2UgYmFyb24gY2xhc3NpY3M%3D
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The Puzzle
Released December 3, 2021
(https://i.imgur.com/fBcaF8o.jpg)
Tracklisting:
1. Chromatic Ridge
2. Life is But a Dream
3. Lucky Lung
4. Kittenhead
5. Shark in the Ice
6. Devil in the Details
7. Hammerhead Sugarplum
8. Me and the Moon
9. Anxiety in Pyjamas
10. The Yugas
11. Albert Hall
12. StarChasm
13. Perfect Owl
14. Maybe Over the Void
15. Light Year Whale
16. FrogFlowers
17. Mother
18. Southern Sky Geometry
19. The Puzzle
20. Monuments of Glitch
Personnel:
I am not typing all of this out (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Puzzle_/_Snuggles#Personnel)
The Puzzle is Devs pandemic album. Its his way of making sense of that whole era and the chaos of the year 2020. The Puzzle was originally intended as a 4th part of the Guitar Improvisation series, but evolved into something more. Dev would write a section of music, send it off to various friends and musicians, and ask them to solo over it, compose something on top of it, or just do whatever. Dev pieced these bits and pieces of music together from many different sources into The Puzzle. Its a wash of various ideas and melodies and riffs and whatnot that collide and morph, and sometimes they stick around and develop and sometimes theyre gone before they really get started. The best comparison for this album is Devlab, though Id say The Puzzle is certainly much more palatable and accessible than Devlab (still cant finish that one). Dev described Devlab as a soundtrack to a dream, and I think that description is also very fitting for the Puzzle.
The Puzzle was originally going to be a surprise release in late 2020, but Dev changed his mind and continued working on the album for another year, and it expanded into two albums.
The Making of The Puzzle Documentary, definitely worth a watch: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_AGVF5YuSPKfwp-jPsUzNACIIbb_atWr
Theres some slight nods and references to his other work. Theres a melody from Lightworker in the title track, and a quote from Precious Sardine in Monuments of Glitch. Starchasm contains bits and pieces of Starchasm Pt.2, from Nightwork.
Snuggles (Beautiful Dream)
Released December 3, 2021
(https://i.imgur.com/Ztz7NVF.jpg)
Tracklisting:
1. Beyond Measure
2. Blue Dot
3. Drifting and Dreaming
4. Sundance
5. Minds Are Changing
6. The Ocean
7. Distant, Elegant
8. Replikiss
9. I Agree
10. Tryst
11. Sunset Rump
12. The Option
Snuggles is an ambient album that serves as a cool down from the Puzzle. It started as a project called Thank You. The closest comparison to Snuggles is Ghost, but unlike Ghost, Snuggles isnt really a song-oriented album. Its a wash of ideas and ambience and reverb. Not a lot to say about this one. Its a much easier listen than Puzzle, and it's nice for what it is.
(https://i.imgur.com/WeoneTl.png)
The Puzzle and Snuggles were released together on December 3, 2021 as a 2-disc digipack.
Some might listen to The Puzzle and just call it random nonsense, and I really cant argue with that. I like The Puzzle a lot, but I know Im in the minority.
Snuggles is OK, but I dont revisit it very often.
The Puzzle/Snuggles comes with an accompanying movie. The first part of the movie is set to some of the music from the Puzzle and shows Dev waking up and going about his day while living in quarantine. The real life footage is intercut with some CGI footage that looks like Fantasia mixed with The Matrix. At one point Dev makes a banana smoothie and takes a bath while fully clothed. The second part of the movie is just a visualizer for Snuggles.
Full movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvvUqwr_J5g&t=8s
The limited edition deluxe box set came with both albums in Stereo and 5.1 Surround, as well as multiple different work in progress versions of both albums showing how they evolved as Dev wrote them. The box set also included a graphic novel, a written novel Inattentive Subtype written by Devs sister Merridith, a stuffed animal, some figurines, and a built-in screen which would play the Puzzle movie.
Boxset unboxing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_jPECR0Y9I
DreamPeace
DreamPeace was also born from the 3 Guitar Improvisations Dev recorded and released in 2020. In early 2022, he released an album on Bandcamp called Dreampiece, which was basically a 4th Guitar Improvisation. In July of 2023, he started a new Youtube channel called DreamPeace, which is a home for his ambient guitar work. Including the original Dreampiece (now retitled Snow Day), he has released 7 ambient albums so far, and plans on releasing more. When he does, this post will be updated with the newer installments instead of making a new post.
https://www.youtube.com/@dream_peace
Dawn Shifter
(https://i.imgur.com/BgBnPZX.jpg)
https://youtu.be/gDGSXt1KSYM
Tracklisting:
1. Silent Resignation
2. Twilight Sensation
3. Jarrah
4. Kalina
5. Morning Prayer
6. Mind the Door
7. Listen Through the Clouds
8. Taquanee
9. Fill the Baskets
10. Let Go, Let God
Pond Skimmer
(https://i.imgur.com/ef6J7cR.jpg)
https://youtu.be/MGOamyqg718
Tracklisting:
1. Dragonflies
2. Puff 2
3. Building a Deck
4. Summer Sauna
5. No Choice But to Submit
6. New Friends, Old Issue
7. Fishing Note
8. Its All So Strange
9. Dusk
Sky Gods
(https://i.imgur.com/yD9cXO6.jpg)
https://youtu.be/Bnkd6DexMjw
Tracklisting:
1. Aakifa
2. With Our Soul
3. A Thousand Suns
4. Bayan
5. Towards the Moon
6. In the Silence
7. Answered
8. Never Going Home
9. Only Vibrations
10. Aalaa
Snow Day
(Aka Dreampiece)
(https://i.imgur.com/lMyUf0V.jpg)
https://youtu.be/mtKEES3_VQk
Tracklisting:
1. I Remember This Path
2. She Knows Me
3. White Earth
4. Deafened to Chaos
5. Yindi Depths
6. Silent Surrender
Space Oyster
(https://i.imgur.com/rOFyiVi.jpg)
https://youtu.be/dZG_TefcQHY
Tracklisting:
1. Cosmic Drifts
2. Quiet Morning
3. Be With Me
4. Fear No Solace
5. Deep Field
6. To Be With Her
7. Nebula
8. All is in the Echo
9. Space Oyster
Tryptophan
(https://i.imgur.com/s3Rgtjc.jpg)
https://youtu.be/ZxvOBr05bS4
Tracklisting:
1. Sudden Sparks
2. Reflecting Our Time
3. To a Good Night
4. Mysterious Waves
5. Dusts and Chasms
6. The Night is an Alley
7. For Your Health
8. Syllables of Soft
9. Torrid Balm
Beautiful Day
(aka Snuggles)
(https://i.imgur.com/3mEGkFP.jpg)
https://youtu.be/9QJcPfFi3ls
Tracklisting:
1. Beyond Measure
2. Blue Dot
3. Drifting and Dreaming
4. Sundance
5. Minds Are Changing
6. The Ocean
7. Distant, Elegant
8. Replikiss
9. I Agree
10. Tryst
11. Sunset Rump
12. The Option
What do you want me to say about these? Its ambient music. If youre into that, check these albums out. If you like one, you like all of them. If youre not into that, these wont change your mind.
Its background music, and thats A-OK with me. As someone with tinnitus, its nice to put something on that drowns out the noise, other than my usual method of keeping a loud ass fan running 24/7 in my room.
Take care of your hearing, folks. Wear earplugs at concerts. Thats the end of my PSA.
Alright folks, one more to go. Lets finish this!
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I'm going to check those Dreampeace albums out today. I love ambient music.
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God damn is he busy. Is he trying to beat Buckethead or something?
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The last update is my least interested of the whole series. I just can't get into any of this stuff that I've listened to. Granted, I've hardly listened because the stuff I sampled was not for me and clearly there's way more than what I tested, but I think it's safe to say, this era of music from Devin doesn't interest me. The dreamspace stuff is cool though for those who enjoy it. I think it's great that he's able to make the stuff that works for him and those who enjoy it.
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Generally, I have no need for most of the releases in this update. Listened to about 10 minutes of Puzzle when it was released but it's not for me. Love that Dev has such artistic freedom. Selfishly, I hope it doesn't dilute his urges to create coherent albums of songs from time to time, and I'm still waiting for the next Empath that connects with me.
Just to contradict myself, Dreampeace I do plan to revisit a little bit. When I tasted it a few weeks back when it was put on Spotify, I could see a potential place for it. It's very background but in a good way. I often fancy some quiet sound but not to actively listen to. Something like Ghost is a little too songy for me to ignore and I don't like it.
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This update leaves me puzzled.
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Snuggles/Puzzle is a challenge. Incoherent.
Like others, I really respect Devs artistic freedom, and Ill buy anything he puts out. Hes one of my favourite artists, and is soooo generous with his work
But, I dont listen to the Puzzle etc Worthy concept, but the end result is hard work.
The ambient stuff is ok, if a little
repetitive is the wrong word because its all improv, but the soundscapes are very similar. I put it on instead of whale music when Im giving massages.
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The Puzzle is alright. Its biggest problem for me is how ADHD its composition style is - some songs can't seem to let a good riff or melody go on for more than a few seconds without immediately undercutting it with a hard transition into silence or something totally unrelated. Monuments Of Glitch probably being the biggest offender there. That said, I do really like the stretch of the album from Perfect Owl to the title track, where the album chills out and goes through plenty of gentle, atmospheric, and sometimes pretty melancholy passages. It's all quite beautiful and I wish more of the album was in that vibe.
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This update leaves me puzzled.
The next one will be lighter. Maybe that'll work for you.
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Lightwork
Released November 4, 2022
(https://i.imgur.com/qA3JW5n.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/AOCtyMR.jpg)
Tracklisting:
1. Moonpeople
2. Lightworker
3. Equinox
4. Call of the Void
5. Heartbreaker
6. Dimensions
7. Celestial Signals
8. Heavy Burden
9. Vacation
10. Children of God
Personnel:
Devin Townsend - Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Keyboards
Darby Todd - Drums
Additional Personnel:
The Elektra Womens Choir, Anneke van Giersbergen, Chι Aimee Dorval, Alan Khosa, Tanya Ghosh, Elizabeth Zharoff, Tia Rose Mayfield, Brian Diamond - Additional Vocals
Morgan Εgren - Drums
Federico Paulovich - Drums
Diego Tejeida - Keyboards
Nathan Navarro - Bass
Jonas Hellborg - Bass
Hutch Hutchinson - Bass
Joy Lapps - Steel Drums
Mike Keneally - Guitar Solo (Dimensions)
Steve Vai - Guitar (Starchasm, Pt.2)
Lightwork is another album that came about in the Pandemic. Lightwork serves as a counterpart to The Puzzle. Whereas The Puzzle/Snuggles was more about living with the chaos and uncertainty of the Pandemic, Lightwork is about staying positive in spite of that chaos and uncertainty. Dev wanted to make an album that was lighter and more accessible. Despite that intention, dont think of this record as another attempt at redoing Epicloud. Lightwork has its own vibe and purpose and (IMO) holds up on its own.
Garth GGGarth Richardson, a producer who has worked with many different artists (http://www.gggarth.com/discography/), co-produced the album with Dev. Dev wanted this album to be more streamlined than and straightforward than past works, so Garths role was to rein Dev in when the songs would go too off course. The album was recorded at a few studios in the Vancouver area: The Armoury, The Warehouse, The Farm, Lighthouse Studios, and Devs home studio. Dev plays most of the instruments. Brooks Wackerman (Avenged Sevenfold, ex-Bad Religion) was originally going to play drums, but that fell through at some point. Darby Todd (The Darkness, Gary Moore, Robert Plant) instead plays most of the drums on the album, with additional drums by Morgan Εgren and Federico Paulovich. Lightwork also features many frequent collaborators of Dev, including Steve Vai, Anneke, and most of the Empath Vol.1 band.
(https://i.imgur.com/Df6uC8V.png)
Music videos were made for 4 songs:
Moonpeople: https://youtu.be/D-kl_I8E0kA
Lightworker: https://youtu.be/-udemfZRJrI
Call of the Void: https://youtu.be/SpBO0RbLKJ0
Heartbreaker: https://youtu.be/G6cNd3dCVFY
Lightworker is a tribute to spiritual teacher Ram Dass.
Equinox and Call of the Void were both part of the Quarantine Project as demos.
Call of the Void and Children of God were in consideration for Empath.
Honeybunch, also from the Quarantine Project, was meant to be on Lightwork instead of Heartbreaker. Honeybunch contains a recreated sample of Hiya Barbie, from the song Barbie Girl by Aqua. However, even though Dev recreated the sample instead of using the original recording, he still faced licensing issues with the song and had to replace it with Heartbreaker, which was originally meant for the bonus disc. Honeybunch also would have featured Niles Rodgers on guitar.
Celestial Signals was originally a demo from Holding Patterns, the bonus disc for Transcendence.
Track by Track breakdown by Dev: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_AGVF5YuSPLtjVhckTspwx70uxPCWjA6
Lightwork was released November 4, 2022. Its taken me a while to get into this album. I didnt think much of it when it first came out, but its grown on me quite a bit in the past year. Its far from his best, but certainly not his worst. Its nowhere near as chaotic or eclectic as Empath was. Its exactly what he wanted to make: an accessible, easy listening album. The notable exception is the proggy Heartbreaker. But otherwise, mission accomplished. I dont think of Lightwork as the next step in Devs musical evolution, like Empath was, because it really doesnt do anything new. At least not by Devs standards. Lightwork exists as a reaction to a period of time. Its fine for what it is, and I consider it a great album that acts as a stepping stone on the way to Devs next big project. Whatever that may be.
Nightwork
(https://i.imgur.com/vtqUVkM.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/i8T5jjs.jpg)
Tracklisting:
1. Starchasm, Pt.2
2. Stampys Blaster
3. Factions
4. Yogi
5. Precious Sardine
6. Hope is in the World
7. Children of Dog
8. Sober
9. Boogus
10. Carry Me Home
Nightwork is the bonus disc for Lightwork. As per usual, it contains songs written for the album that didnt make it on the main disc.
Starchasm, Pt.2 was written back during Transcendence. Chopped up bits and pieces of it were used in the song Starchasm, from the Puzzle.
Stampys Blaster, Factions, Precious Sardine, and Sober were all part of the Quarantine Project.
Children of Dog is a demo of Children of God from the main disc.
Carry Me Home is NOT Coming Home, the missing song from Ghost 2.
Prior to the licensing issue with Honeybunch on the main disc, Nightwork had a different tracklisting:
1. Heartbreaker
2. Yogi Hamberder
3. Hope is in the World
4. Children of God Extendodrama
5. Sober
6. Boogus
7. Stampy's Blaster
8. Heavy Factions
9. Ziltoid Likes to Party
10. Starchasm, Pt.2
11. Precious Sardine
12. Carry Me Home
Ziltoid Likes to Party is Dev's cover of We Like to Party (The Vengabus) by the Vengaboys, previously part of the Quarantine Project.
Thus ends our story. This is the end.
.or is it? ;) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfVsfOSbJY0)
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I'm guessing the next update will be about the half dozen or so future projects Devin has teased over the last few years, like The Moth, Casualties 2, etc? :corn
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Lightwork is pretty great. It's not top tier Devin but it's definitely good enough to not make it feel like a disappointment or anything IMO.
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I need to check these two albums out. As a side note I love the artwork of both lightwork and nightwork
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So far, so great.
Thanks for doing this thread- Ive learned a lot about the side-projects and odd releases.
Cheers
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I feel similar to Metro in that Lightwork didn't click with me when it was released. I gave it a bunch of listens and just kind of put it to the side. But then a few months ago, since Devin was touring the US with Dream THeater, I gave it some more listens and things started to click. I'd say it's still probably on the bottom half of his albums for my tastes, but there's some good stuff on here. I loved the live performance of Dimensions. I wish he did Celestial Signals live though, that was my favorite from the album. Lightworker was an interesting song to open his set with, but it's pretty solid.
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Another Devin record that I don't really care about. It's not bad but I just can't connect with it.
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A bit late!
Re-listened to Empath a week or so ago (minus the bonus tracks). I found myself really loving it, minus Evermore, which was meh. It felt like he finally knew how to channel his happiness and positivity in a way that made the most sense for him. Great album.
Listened to Lightworks for the first time a few days ago. It was fine. I enjoyed it as I listened to it, but I didn't remember anything after. A bit samey at times, but overall I enjoyed it.
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I wish he did Celestial Signals live though, that was my favorite from the album. Lightworker was an interesting song to open his set with, but it's pretty solid.
Celestial Signals is a excellent track! I love the dynamics of the guitar during the verses with the single notes bouncing back and forth. Then that strong chorus and epic keyboard anthem! I would have loved to heard that live.
However, Lightworker was the perfect song to start off the set. I was enamored by the larger than life vibe that song put out and with such clarity. After the AAL set, then Devin comes out opening with Lightworker. I was like, OH WOW the concert is on and we're in for a treat! Definitely a top tier Dev song. 💥💫
The song Heartbreaker has YES written all over it, and so does Heavy Burden. That's a good thing! Vacation is a nice relaxing song with a bit of a McCartney vibe perhaps?
Children of God could have been more epic. Still a good song but I think the producer may have talked him into staying with a theme throughout. A bit repetitive yet catchy.. Call of the Void, Moonpeople, and Lightworker would be great for radio airplay, actually most of disc one now that I think about. I love disc 2, but I can see why it is separate from the official album.
Lightwork is more than a great listen, I love it all!
This is my first Devin album that I own. Now I'm gonna go backwards through his catalog.
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Now I'm gonna go backwards through his catalog.
Interesting strategy but I respect it :tup
Don't let The Puzzle scare you off
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Now I'm gonna go backwards through his catalog.
Interesting strategy but I respect it :tup
Don't let The Puzzle scare you off
Or Empath for that matter. :lol
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Etc.
With all the bonus discs Dev has done over the years of stuff that didnt make it onto albums, it seemed fitting to have a bonus update of stuff that didnt make didnt make it into the rest of the thread.
These are projects and whatnot that came up in my research that were never released, never happened, havent happened yet, or otherwise. This one is mainly for the diehard fans.
Cuntry Brόster
A country-themed spin off of Punky Brόster. This was mentioned by Dev as a joke on his forum. Not a real possibility, but fun to think about. I imagine a story similar to Punky Brόster, but this time Cryptic Coroner would have pissed off some rednecks at a honky tonk bar and become a country band. The more I think about this, the more I want it to happen.
Hell
First mentioned in 1996. Described as an ambient, drum oriented collaboration with Dave Lombardo and ex-Sepultura drummer Igor Cavalera. Dev would have contributed some programming and sampling. This project never materialized.
Filthy Young Impalors
(https://i.imgur.com/R265MDJ.gif)
Dev recorded a project with Jason Newsted and drummer Carl Coletti in 1996 called Filthy Young Impalors. Some sources refer to this as "Mighty Young Imaplers". This project remains in the Chophouse Records vault, like Tree of the Sun and Blastula. One song, Whiff, was available on the Chophouse Website.
The Meat Shall Inherit The Earth (Millennium Anxiety)
First mentioned in 1996. A song recorded for a Zappa compilation album with various Frank Zappa alumni. Described as experimental and ambient. This song and compilation were never released, to my knowledge.
Gunt
An abandoned SYL side project. A demo from the project, Hedrhoid, is a bonus track on the remaster of City.
Worlds
Mentioned in a Japanese interview in 1999.
https://youtu.be/qXregOyzvPg?t=914
The description makes me think it may have eventually become Devlab.
Kermit
Mentioned in 2003. A side project with Dan Kearley, one of his engineer friends. This project never materialized.
Temperamental
First mentioned in 2003. A book described as a collection of random thoughts from the last 5-6 years. We ended up getting plenty of that in Only Half There.
Use Your Delusion
A Heavy metal puppet show he planned on putting together with friends like Chris Valagao, from Zimmers Hole. Probably evolved into Ziltoid.
Scrapped DTB live album/DVD
Meant to be filmed during the Synchestra tour. The idea was scrapped and instead they recorded the Safe Zone DVD.
Meatball
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_441wv4FKm4
Previously uploaded to Devs YouTube channel. Removed at some point for whatever reason. This video was included in the Contain Us box set along with all his other YouTube videos up to that point.
Obviouser
First mentioned in 2009. Described as Creepy, bass-focused music with an Icelandic choir. I asked him about this at a meet and greet in 2014 and he said he was trying not to commit to too many projects at once, but that it would happen one day, and it will be heavy. He hasn't mentioned it in years. This project has either been abandoned, or evolved into something else.
Garden Music
First mentioned in 2014. An ambient album meant to be a counterpart to The Moth. Call of the Void was intended for this project. Parts of this project became Lightwork and Snuggles.
Song recorded with mainstream rock producers
In 2014, Dev wrote a song with a team of producers who have worked with artists like Nickelback, Daughtry, and various American Idol winners. Dev ended up hating the song, and he refuses to release it.
Untitled Electronic Album
Mentioned on Twitter and in some interviews. Nothing else is known about it.
The Moth
(https://i.imgur.com/jVk1qj4.jpg)
Dev first mentioned The Moth in 2015. The Moth is a symphony, described as a fucking absurd musical about cocks and vaginas and death". Dev has said he doesnt want to record the Moth like hes recorded orchestras in the past, where theyve had little time to prepare or just sightread the music. He wants to have an orchestra rehearse this music for months before recording it. Dev says he needs $10 million to do The Moth the way he wants, and hes met with Sony and a venture capitalist to help fund this project, but apparently neither party was interested. Shocker.
Dev says that after this current tour cycle, he will take an extended break from touring to focus on this and other projects. Unless another album comes up (which always happens), this will probably be Devs next major project, said to be coming in 2025.
He shared some demos in a Twitch stream.
https://youtu.be/wUiqugYy8QY
Thank You
(https://i.imgur.com/6sBrk8k.jpeg)
First mentioned in 2017 along with the announcement of Empath. Described as a mellow album. Sober, from Nightwork, was written for this project. He shared a snippet of artwork for the project on his Instagram. Dev said in a Twitch stream that this project evolved into Snuggles and DreamPeace.
Project with Mike Εkerfeldt and other vocalists
First mentioned in 2017. A band comprised of lead vocalists put together by Mikael Εkerfeldt from Opeth. A fun idea that has yet to materialize. Dev presumably would have played bass. Mikael mentions he also got a vocalist, a keyboardist, and a drummer on board as well. Anyones guess as to who that could be, I suspect Tobias Forge (Ghost), Einar Solberg (Leprous) and Brann Dailor (Mastodon).
Theres also been talk of a project with Mikael Εkerfeldt, Dev, Mike Portnoy, and Steven Wilson, though I seriously doubt that project would ever happen. Too many cooks, too many different visions, and too many different work ethics.
Axolotl
Another project mentioned on Twitter. Described as Alien pop music. This description makes me think of songs like Frogs R Nice (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D48aDiNt27k), Precious Sardine, and Honeybunch. Dev has revisited this project in 2024, and Morgan Εgren has recorded drums for it.
Powernerd
A project that started in late 2023 as Dev was working on The Moth. He describes it as simple but heavy music, and compared it to Epicloud. Darby Todd will be the drummer on this album.
The End. (For Now)
Thats all, folks! For now anyway. Devs always working on something new, so Im sure it wont be long before I have something new to write about.
This thread has been fun. A lot of work, but fun.
35,000+ words.
36 chapters.
Nearly 80 releases.
Probably too many commas.
I also might put together a "Beginner's Guide to Dev", if that's something anyone cares about. Maybe one of those flowchart things too, if I can figure out to make one.
Only thing left to do is rank everything. Im only gonna do the main albums.
1. Ocean Machine
2. Ki
3. Empath
4. Terria
5. Ghost
6. Deconstruction
7. Epicloud
8. Addicted
9. Accelerated Evolution
10. City
11. Infinity
12. Casualties of Cool
13. Alien
14. Transcendence
15. Synchestra
16. Sky Blue
17. Lightwork
18. Ziltoid the Omniscient
19. SYL
20. Cooked on Phonics
21. The Puzzle
22. The New Black
23. Dark Matters
24. Physicist
25. The Hummer
26. Snuggles
27. Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing
28. Devlab
Thanks to everybody who read this thread and kept up along the way. Yall are awesome. I hope you enjoyed it, and more than anything I hope you learned something. Ive thought about doing another one of these threads for another band, but that wont happen for at least another year.
Class dismissed.
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Thanks for doing this thread, man. Good fun!
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Thanks for hosting this! I always enjoyed reading the updates.
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What an awesome ride this thread was! Thanks for doing it!
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Thanks so much for doing this, really enjoyed reading through everything! Twice now this thread has inspired me to go back to the very early stuff (and the Podcast) and it's really heightened my appreciation of Dev and his work. Still so much I haven't explored though. Looking forward to the next release - hopefully it involves that $10M for the Moth.
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Thanks for doing this, an incredible amount of detail
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Thanks so much for hosting this dude. I stop posting actively about half way through but I was always following along. Next time a Devy kick rolls around for me Ill probably scan back through here to check out some of the stuff Ive never heard/seen before.
The real highlights were all the rare bits you posted, whether recordings, live performances or interviews. Really well put together dude, cheers.
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Thanks for this thread!
It was really fun reading about all of Devy's projects and hearing your thoughts and the thoughts of all the others who participated.
PS: And you finally included Meatballs :metal :biggrin: One of the most random and wtf song/video I found randomly on youtube some years ago.
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As a 25+ year Devin fan Im amazed at how much of this Ive never heard of. Great job, Metro!
My top 3 (all of which are incredibly consistent from start to finish)-
Terria- one of my favorite albums of the decade; highlight is the mind-boggling end of Tiny Tears.
Ocean Machine- highlight is the moving end of Funeral.
Accelerated Evolution- highlight is the middle of Traveler.
Great thread!