4. Devin Townsend Project - Ki
As beautiful an introduction to a four-album project as one can get. Those four notes say so much, even though it's probably the most simple part of the entire series. A calm start, followed by a building intensity that never really lets loose until the third song, and even then it's less of an explosion than anyone expects. This album is a mass of ebb and flow. Right when it seems like all hell's about to break loose, everything calms down and you're left wanting the release. This would seem annoying to pretty much any listener, but for fans who understand the concept, this album can be extremely powerful. When put into context with the rest of the project, it makes perfect sense. By the album's most chaotic moment (the climax of the title track, arguably one of the most incredible musical moments ever committed to recording), the satisfaction from the first quarter of the journey is so strong that it feels like it could have ended right there. However, it has 2 more songs left to calm down before the real heaviness kicks in with the second album. This is a truly amazing piece of music that won't be loved by everyone, but the people who do enjoy it will enjoy it until the end of time.
Recommended tracks: Everything
3. Strapping Young Lad - City
Every time I think about this album, I start drooling. If you ever want a collection of nine songs that will fuck your mind into brain-flavored pudding, this is the album to go to. From the opening clicks of Velvet Kevorkian to the ending grind of Spirituality, this album is a trip through the mind of a deranged, borderline homicidal maniac. The lyrics and overall concept of the album almost sounds a bit emo (big on the whole "nobody can fuck with me, I'm forging my own path, and if you don't like it, fuck you" attitude), but it's told with such ferocity that it evokes an image. This image isn't of a young Scottish emo straightening his hair, but of a late teen sitting in his room, reflecting on all the bullshit he's had to wade through. Bullshit that most people would never have to endure: drugs, people who always seem stupider than you and can't grasp that fact, everyone telling you what to do and how to act. I completely understand Devin's frame of mind with this album, and finding someone else who thinks the same way is just...comforting. This album is pretty much the only reason I made it through high school. Now that we've covered half of the reason why I adore this album, let's look at the actual music. This is the second most intense album I've ever heard. Even at what would seem like the heaviest moment (The chorus of Oh My Fucking God), it gets even heavier. It's a complete auditory assault from the beginning to the end. Barely controlled, fitting perfectly with the lyrical theme of losing control. This album completely changed my life, and I will forever hold it in high regard.
Recommended tracks: All Hail The New Flesh, Oh My Fucking God, Detox, Home Nucleonics, AAA
Topic: Top 50 Albums: The UMH Experience (Read 65477 times)
