Now that we’ve had a nice helping of easily-digestible metal tunes with a near-pop mentality, it’s time to delve into the spiritual successor to Terria. One listen of the album, hearing all of the nature sounds and dense, layered nature is all it takes to make the connection. While it’s not nearly as visceral as Terria (much less screaming this time around), it’s no less epic and sprawling. The album all flows as a single piece, with individual songs still carrying their own weight. Not an easy task. Rather than explaining the story and focus of Synchestra myself, I’ll let our special guest, Devin Townsend himself, take the wheel for a minute.
“Promos of the record are gonna start showing up, and therfore leaks will probably start as well. Please don't download it, but if you do hear it...you might as well know the story.
1 let it roll- it's in two parts, but it starts the record in a subtle way. In fact, the first 2 tracks (lir and the beggining of hypergeek) are essentially long intros. Most of the records I do smack you in the face on the first song...the climax of Synchestra is the 11th song, 'A Simple Lullaby'. Synchestra makes you wait for it. The story is about finding certain answers to life questions as a result of going too far, 'be careful what you wish for' and the way that reacts to a sensitive mind. Humility. Let it roll basically says just that, it's a resignation, almost like; 'I blew it...but theres nothing I can do about it now, so let it roll.'
Hypergeek- The intro is the wake up call, roosters and frogs and birds, with the words 'wake up' and 'joy' ending with a conductor that starts the whole thing officially with double kick about a minute in. Hypergeek is actually instrumental, but starts things off with a bit of a bang (it doesn't really let go though...again, it makes you wait.) This is the first scene.
Triumph - a subtle realization. 'one word - collective' there is a sense of relief in letting it roll, an aprehensive joy, things from the past culminating in a genuine present. Vai plays on this song for a reason, peace is made with the past. Brave enough to make a step.
The Baby Song - references to Infinity, as well as a sober alternative to 'Possesions' off of Alien. I'm 33 and this concept is a biggie in my life. This is the only song on the record that is a little 'precious' - it evokes a touch of wierdness, especially when the melody returns at the end in a minor key. It's a heavy Metal Lullaby that is intended to start the questioning again after a re-awakening. A sober part of reality that needs to be addressed at this age.
Vampolka - a polka prelude to Vampira to essentially lighten the mood after the baby song and set the stage for the transition song on the record, Vampira.
Vampira - The single, the attention getter for those who don't have the patience for the whole thing, but as such serves a definite purpose. It's essentially about overdramatizing the negative aspects of life, a real fop-ish 'woe is me' attitude, personifying the dark aspects of the reality of a current situation as an entity named 'Vampira'. A Judas Priest-esque rocker that is supposed to be a comedic version of the syl energy.
'Night...follows me when you're gone, and now...how am I to carry on?'
A parody of that side.
Mental Tan - the second awkening, a mellow soundscape that occurs after the smoke has cleared from Vampira, the only lyrics 'Oh my God I'm one...' this is the transition point on the record from re-awakening into reality and actually finding your place in it. The main melody is a major version of the theme that appears at the end of the song 'Judgement'
Gaia - Concern for the earth, personified with the name Gaia, the feminine energy of a sentient being that we abuse daily. 'Send the message to Gaia, the air is getting thin' Analysis of of selfish existence, and the beggining of a downward spiral of guilt. Being awake in a beautiful, vibrant reality and feeling that on some level you've neglected it all for the sake of things that are ultimately destructive and self absorbed...
Pixillate - A cry to God, Infinity, The Devil, whatever your poison is, to say 'I'M A FUCKING IDIOT, I CAN'T BELIEVE WHAT I'VE DONE, I CAN'T BELIEVE WHAT I'VE STOOD FOR, I DON'T DESERVE ANY OF THIS, I DON'T DESERVE ANY OF IT' A moment of clarity into a fallable human existence, compared to the majesty of nature, all we do is gauche and simple, the song is a lumbering beast that is supposed to beat that message in. the record at this point starts to get more emotionally involved, This song asks the question.
Judgement - The answer comes, 'YES, you ARE a fucking idiot... but thats OK, you're human, and thats where the beauty of humans lie, in their duality...know that you are fallable, and continue with that knowledge and make it work...NOW FUCKING BOW.' the song ends with the minor melody from Mental Tan, and the pulse of Pixillate, Almost like a momentary set up for the climax of the record.
A Simple Lullaby - The celebration...500,000 people, prayers and rejoicing during a PAINFULLY long intro (again, it makes you wait) This song is the celebration, the liberation, and the summary of the questioning. Cannons, Fireworks...you name it.
Sunset - This is where the credits roll, and people collect their bags on the way out of the theatre. A coffee after the dinner. It is a great way to release the energy of the prior songs...it keeps going and subtley builds the tension for the summary song, for the people that choose to stay seated.
Notes From Africa - Summarizes the whole damn thing. References and opposes 'Love?' from Alien, and really hammers the point of the record home, a real solid groove and a VERY STRANGE MELODY that has been in my head since Infinity. Salman Rushdie. It fades out into echoes that put you in a 5 minute jungle scape after the song is over. (we went to an indoor rainforest and taped the sounds of the waterfalls and birds) By this point of the record, I just wanted people to be in a tropical paradise for a few minutes. It's warm and beautiful. Technically, the record is over...
EXCEPT;
Sunshine And Happiness - If you stick around in the jungle for awhile, this song comes in. Whats it supposed to represent? Nothing. If anything, it's just supposed to be the happiest song EVER. To leave you with a smile. Dave played all the guitar, Mike and Beavis do guest vocals, it is supposed to wrap up the record on a note that doesn't take itself to seriously...
'If you say it's up to me to make the call, well I would say SUNSHINE AND HAPPINESS FOR ALL!!!'
If you're reading this on blabbermouth, it wasn't intended for blabbermouth, so giving me shit is like shooting the side of a barn on this one. I just want the fans of the dtb stuff to know this so the record as a whole doesn't come across as an oblique journey up my own ass. I won't talk much about this record I don't think. I'll explain this shit a few times I'm sure, but really...this record closes an era.
There, someone write the screenplay.”
I can’t sum it up better than he did, so why bother trying? This album absolutely flows like a movie. It builds and builds to Pixillate as the major conflict, before stepping back a little bit and finally unleashing the conclusion with A Simple Lullaby. Sunset leaves you feeling peaceful and satisfied, before Notes decides to kick you in the face one more time. It’s all good though, because Sunshine and Happiness is so ludicrously happy that it’s impossible not to crack a smile.
My thoughts on the album are pretty concise: It’s long, a little bloated, and epic. I love listening to it, but sometimes I can’t handle it all at once. I tend to like splitting the album in between Pixillate and Judgement, honestly. Pixillate is a great closer, and Judgement is a pretty solid opener in its own right. I can mostly do without Babysong, though the ending where everything goes crazy is pretty cool. Vampira’s a really cool song, and shines brightly as the only song-like piece on an album full of lengthy compositions.
I hear a lot of flak directed at A Simple Lullaby. It might seem weird after calling this album bloated, but I wouldn’t take a single second out of Lullaby. Yeah, it goes on forever. It’s supposed to. The release when the band launches into that final resolving chord is one of the most primally satisfying moments in any song ever. It’s pure music theory. The brain likes when the dissonance (the V chord before the silence and the drums) is resolved by the consonance (the loud, orgasmic final chord before Sunset). You can hear it coming, you wait and you wait, and then it hits like a meteor. Brilliant writing.
Strangely, despite my praise, I’d probably put this album in the lower tier of Devin’s albums. It’s awesome, but it’s not quite as hard-hitting or emotional as Terria. I love the concept, and it’s basically a precursor to the DTP, but it’s just not as easy to follow, because you have such weird shit like Babysong and Vampolka that kind of disrupt the flow of the story. It starts off so promising with Triumph, that I think it might have been better if it flowed right into Mental Tan and got rid of the middle triumvirate of Babysong/Vampolka/Vampira. It’s not that I hate those songs (I absolutely love Vampira), but they just seem out of place. It would have knocked the album down to a more manageable length too, but hey, it’s not up to me.
Next time, we’ll be meeting a new friend who will be with us in some capacity for the rest of the journey.
Topic: Re: Devin Townsend Discography v. 'Cause there is always time... (Read 52135 times)