From Worst To First: Devin Townsend

While waiting for 2019 to truly get going, let us look back at another one of the bands that I have done a discography review on. Well, it is not a band, it is Canadian mad man who seem to be doing whatever the hell he wants, and he does not give a fuck about what anyone thinks about it.

The career of Devin Townsend is one of the most interesting ones you will ever see, a guy who first appeared in the Steve Vai album "Sex & Religion" has gone on to create one of the most influential industrial/thrash bands of all time through pure youthful anger, while also juggling a solo career from the opposite side of the musical stratosphere. Every record he has done has reflected his personality, where he is currently at the long journey of life, making his discography more of a story than anything else. His dedication and unique mind makes him one of the most colorful figures in metal, and it is excitement in the air every time he presents us with a new project. Needless to say, the man is special in so many way, and so is his music.

Devin is also one of the most hard working men in the business, so tackling his discography was no easy feat. From the first Strapping Young Lad record in 1995, the man has released 23 full length albums under 5 different monikers (well, 6 if you count the short lived Ocean Machine), which is a record a year, and this is not including the Steve Vai record, in which he was only an accomplish, or any of his live records, or the "Ass-Sordid" demos. So let us count them down, all 23 of them, and see which is the best and the rest.

23. Devlab

Well... what do I even say about this hunk of junk. "Devlab" should not really be considered as a music album, because it only consists of ambient noises that Devin experimented a lot with. It is a strange experience that will leave you uncomfortable, to the point where you would take any excuse to not listen through it, everything from "I have to take a piss" to "let me take a toothbrush and scrub the living room floor". I guess this was the original intent from Devin, to release something that is way too strange for anyone to handle, and if it was, then I can say he most definitely succeeded... but he could have at least given the tracks individual names at least, that lazy bastard.

22. The Hummer

Just like with "Devlab", "The Hummer" is mostly ambient noise that a normal metal head like me cannot stand, but this record at least feels a little like a music album. It has some production value, it has some structure to it, and there are tiny hints of melody in here. Still, "The Hummer" is a boring ambient record that acts more like a catalyst for the heavier stuff that Devin was doing during that time. Yeah, this is mostly for venting off steam, which is probably why this was not commercially released. This is for the Dev alone, and if you happen to find it enjoying, then good for you.



21. Punky Brüster - Cooked On Phonics

Okay, on to some real music... or maybe not. "Punky Brüster - Cooked On Phonics" is a rather fun concept record, about a black metal band who changes their direction from blackened death metal to pop-punk rock, becoming instant sensations without any dignity left to spare. For a first try, it was obvious to see that Devin had a knack for writing great, comedic concept records. Unfortunately, that is the only good thing I can say, because the record is basically just watered down punk with some comedic lyrics stating how fake it all is. It is obviously what Devin was going for, but that does not make it better.


20. Ghost

Let us put an end to the ambient phase of Devin with "Ghost", one of the four initial albums of the Devin Townsend Project. This album is undeniably the most "normal" music record of the ambient trilogy, and I cannot disagree with the fact that it is a soothing experience, an album that could probably work wonders on a hangover. However, it is still an ambient record, and I am not a guy who likes this much low sounded progress in one place. I want something to happen, I want action, I want some god damn mother flipping metal. All respect to "Ghost", it is a great ambient record, but it is an ambient record nonetheless.


19. Strapping Young Lad

Without a doubt the most faceless record in the Devscography, the self titled Strapping Young Lad record is just like any other SYL effort, a big "holy crap!". However, instead of "Holy crap, this is awesome!", we get "Holy crap, this is lame". Not that this record is not heavy enough to be a true SYL record, it just does not have the impact that the other 4 have. It is just a bunch of forgettable tracks that displayed Devin's lack of interest in the SYL enterprise. With that said, I still love "Force Fed", and still think it is a top 5 song from the band. It's something.



18. Ki

I have never understood the constant praise that "Ki" has gotten over the years. Sure, it might be the ultimate evolution of what Devin wanted to do with his ambient work, and it has its nice moments (most of them include Ché Aimee Dorval), but the album as a whole has never stuck with me. It might be a little too distant for me, trying to be as mysterious as possible, pulling off a lot of progressive elements, losing any sort of structure as a result. Yeah, this is not a record that makes a grand entrance and becomes the talk of the town, but instead hides in the shadows, not doing anything special. Cool Tool-like cover though.


17. Heavy As A Really Heavy Thing

Ahh, the album that started it all, the record that said "What's up fuckers, let's metal!". "Heavy As A Really Heavy Thing" (man, I love that title) is certainly an experience, a jumbled industrial mess of a record that is filled to the brim with groovy rhythms, crunchy riffs, and mad moments that would make anyone mental. It is teenage anger in musical form, and despite its crude production that even trve black metal acts would negate, the music comes off in such an irresistible way. With songs like "S.Y.L", "In The Rainy Season", and most importantly, "Satan's Ice Cream Truck", you simply cannot fail.


16. Casualties of Cool

The (so far) one off project with Ché Aimee Dorval is certainly interesting, an acoustic project with country influences that creates atmospheric music straight from the moon's surface. The chemistry between Dev and Ché is pretty mesmerizing and honest, a collaborative effort of smoothness that is quite exquisite to hear. I was surprised over how much I liked this record, because as you probably know by now, this calm type of music is not really my thing. Yet, the duo managed to draw me in, and keep my interest for longer than I anticipated. I really do hope they will release more from this project in the future, a nice change of pace from time to time.

15. Physicist

The powerhouse "Physicist" was first meant as a collaboration project together with Jason Newsted, but after the rest of Metallica scrapped that idea, Devin just went out and released it himself, in a hurried manor. "Physicist" is not the prettiest album out there, but under the mud lies some great heavy metal that could easily be seen as SYL light. It is a little uneven at times, but it has some fantastic highs like "Namaste" and "Kingdom" that makes the album more than worth it's while. Pretty good for an album that risked to not even see the light of day.



14. Accelerated Evolution
13. Synchestra

Now we enter the most forgotten era of the Dev, the time when he put the word Band at the end of his albums. The Devin Townsend Band was a short lived project that delivered two pretty good records, none of which made any significant impact on Devin's career. They are still both enjoyable, with "Accelerated Evolution" putting some nice speed into those typical song structures only Devin can create, and "Synchestra" putting a more earthly tone to it, like a more symphonic version of "Terria". This duo may not be too much alike, but they do make a nice double feature, meshing well together to really set this project apart. Still though, they just does not have enough interesting material in them to make me wanna pick them up any time soon. At least we have "Vampira" and its wackiness (which is the only reason to why "Synchestra" is ahead of its brother).

12. Z²

To be technical, "Z²" actually contains two albums, so counting this as one entity is a little unfair, but it was released as a double whammy, so it shall be judged as such. "Z²" is easily described as the DTP against Ziltoid, with one half consisting of the high soaring and poppy "Sky Blue, and the other half is a heavy and comedic conceptual sequel to every one's favourite alien lizard. This album is heavy metal's answer to Yin and Yang, both working against and together with each other in a fascinating way. Sure, it is way too big to muster in one go, and there are a bunch of fillers in here, but when the going gets good (like "Fallout", "Silent Militia", "March of The Poozers", and "Ziltoid Goes Home"), it gets extremely good. Indeed.

11. Infinity

This is just insanity in a can, which is pretty telling of the state Devin was in during the recording of "Infinity", a wide ranged album that has a lot of groovy swing to it, you could even dance to some of this madness. It is such a happy album that it can even make such a grim subject as war jolly. Maybe this is an insight of the mind of a mentally insane human being who perceives life in such a euphoric state where no sadness or sorrow exist, except that the brain has completely blocked off those emotions to give its host a false, but happy sight of life. Man, I am overthinking this, it is probably just a fun record.


10. The New Black

For an end to a monumental metal band, this is a strange one, but there is something with "The New Black" that makes me come back to it time and time again. It is probably the fact that it is way too catchy for its own good, going for a surprisingly poppy approach that should not work, but it does. It still has that classic SYL brutality, like the epic crusher "Almost Again" and the Oderus Urungus invaded "Far Beyond Metal", but the overall light nature makes it truly stand out from the rest of the pack, which I guess is a fitting ending for SYL since Devin did not want to continue this band for much longer. It is certainly a spectacular way to go out on.


9. Terria

The most organic of the Devy 23, "Terria" is a celebration to Mother Nature that ends up being one of the most heartfelt records of Devin. There is a ton of slow and epic progressive stuff that crawls under your skin, and it also has enough heavy moments to also bring in the metal fans as well, giving birth to a sound scape that is as unique as Devin himself. This is definitely one of the most beautiful records the man has ever done, and you can hear that a lot of passion has been put through the work. Now if only nature would be this stunning, then maybe I would go out a little bit more. Hmm... let me start up Pokemon Go, see you in a bit.


8. Addicted

Okay, I am back, and my addiction for Devin is still intact, which reminds me, let us talk about "Addicted", which is the start of a fantastic partnership between Devin and Anneke Van Giersbergen. This poppy monstrosity is the catchiest Devin record to date, and maybe his loudest record as well (at least if you believe the song titles), which is possibly putting off some people, but they would miss out on an incredibly fun record that has a lot more quality to it than what you normally hear on your local radio station. Do not like the remake of "Hyperdrive" though, get me back to space god damn it.


7. Alien

If anyone ever ask me "How heavy can heavy metal become?", I will probably just show them "Alien". This record is as massive as you can get, with a sound design that has the density of a solid lead wall and an energy enough to rival the sun. "Alien" could be considered the ultimate SYL record, because how in the hell could they even top this ridiculousness, there is no way that anyone could. Well, the track list could have been a little better, but it is still great enough to force you through this thick layer of screams, riffs, blasts, and chaos. It is truly a shitstorm worth witnessing.



6. Epicloud

All you need to do to understand what type of album "Epicloud" is is to take a peek at the title. This album is truly epic and loud, and everyone involved is completely loving it. Devin, Anneke, the rest of the DTP, and a giant choir puts out a performance of extravagant proportions, drowning out every other sound within your normal ear range. It is a record that some might dislike because it is too over the top, but that is the exact reason to why I love this record, it goes all in with everything it tries to do, from the amazing remake of "Kingdom", the blood pumping speed in "Liberation", or even the more soft and beautiful moments in "Save Our Now" and "Where We Belong". Besides epic and loud, there are two other words that can describe this album perfectly. Effervescent quality!

5. Ziltoid The Omniscient

Well, Ziltoid is probably gonna throw me down to the mining pits for putting his album only at number 5, but there is no denying that "Ziltoid The Omniscient" is just a brilliant album front to back. Sure, it has some plot holes, and there is no human being behind the drums, but with a premise so wacky as an alien who is in the search of the universe's ultimate cup of coffee, it is pretty hard not to get giddy. I also love that all of the music have a distinct space vibe to it, which gets you immersed into the story even more. You feel like you are flying through space in "Hyperdrive", you feel like you are summoning Herman in "Planet Smasher", and you feel the immense realization Ziltoid is going through in "Color Your World". I may not like coffee my self, but I would take a hot cup of Ziltoid any day.

4. Deconstruction

From one crazy concept record to another, "Deconstruction" is just another record that proves Devin has a mind that goes beyond comprehension. Following a man who is searching for all the answers of life and death, "Deconstruction" takes us through hell and back with some fantastic progressive metal that is almost as heavy as SYL's music, expressing a man going through a journey of self insight and complete despair, eventually having to realize that his journey was for nought. With the help from some good friends (Mikal Åkerfeldt, Oderus Urungus, and Jamey Jasta just to name a few), Devin brings us a mad album that flows seamlessly from song to song, creating an incredibly strong and tasty unity that will make your mouth water. Mmmmmm... cheeseburger *drools loudly*.

3. Transcendence

The newest record by the Dev is still one I remember very fondly. It marked the end of the DTP, but did so in the most perfect way, with a record were all of the members were involved in the song writing, creating some sort of Nirvana of a record (not the band kind). It takes the epic nature of the predecessor "Epicloud", and mixes in the sound scape of "Terria", which ends up being a heavenly mix of everything that has led Devin to this point. Okay, it may not have any SYL brutality, any immense progressive moments, or any punk songs about wallets, but everything else is there, and it is all intertwined in such an amazing way. This record truly transcends everything, and it does it with such grace.

2. City

"Oh My Fucking God" indeed, "City" is as metal as metal can get, being incredibly heavy smashing your face in with some of the most crushing sounds you will ever hear. It may not have the massive production that its younger brother "Alien" have, but it makes up for it with a bunch of the most memorable Devin songs ever. We have the all out epic "All Hail The New Flesh", the devastating "Oh My Fucking God", the speed freak "Underneath The Waves", the strange cover of "Room 429", and last, but certainly not least, the galloping beast known as "Detox". This album is complete euphoric madness of the best kind, and it is a surprising grower as well, becoming bigger and bigger every time you take it for a spin. I hear this stupid piece of shit, and I fucking love it.

1. Ocean Machine: Biomech

There are probably a thousand types of Devin Townsend fans out there, coming from just as many backgrounds, and yet they all seem to be unified in the fact that "Ocean Machine: Biomech" is the Canadian's best work. No matter if you got into the mad man through SYL, DTP, or even any of his ambient projects, "Ocean Machine: Biomech" is still the common denominator throughout the fan base. So what is it with this record that makes it so special? Personally, I find it insanely hard to describe through text, this is something that you have to experience yourself. It is a calm and collected album that still has a touch of chaos within, and the flow in this record is just remarkable, rolling on like an ocean wave. Simply put, "Ocean Machine: Biomech" is a magical album, and it kind of sucks that the project Ocean Machine did not last very long, but then maybe this record would not be as special, knowing we could have more like this one. This is prime Devin, this is just the best of the best.

And as a bonus, here are my top 10 Devin Townsend songs, in alphabetical order

Almost Again
A different kind of SYL song, almost a ballad by their standards.

Bastard
10 minutes of pure magic.

Color Your World
An epic finish to Ziltoid's journey.

Detox
Iiiiiiiiiiii got a feeeeeeeeeliiiiiiiiiiing!

Earth Day
Remember to eat your beets, and recycle.

Failure
Oh you can be sure that this is anything but a failure.

Hyperdrive
Space has never felt more lonely.

Kingdom
No matter if it is the "Physicist" or "Epicloud" version, it is full on quality.

Planet of The Apes
This takes us through all seven cycles of hell in 11 minutes, and what a ride it is.

The Death of Music
The chills, oh man the chills.

Stay metal!
Robert "Sharkruisher" Andersson

Devin Townsend Project - Transcendence (2016)

I might be a huge Devin Townsend fan, and I always have high expectations whenever the Canadian releases another record, but my hopes for "Transcendence" were even greater than normal. Why so? Well, let us just call it a hunch after knowing all the hard work Devin had to endure to complete "Z²". So it was not too surprising that Devin would go back to basics, back to the music that felt more natural to him.

It is certainly safe to say that "Transcendence" is a very typical Devin record. It is light, epic, and just as magical as you want it to be. However, to my surprise, this album is not something I have heard before in the DTP format. Sure, it has connections to both "Epicloud" and "Sky Blue", but this album has more in common with the early solo releases, mostly "Infinity" and "Terria". It has that effervescent sound that just resonates with my calmer self so well. It is nothing fancy or anything, it is just that magical mood that Devin is so good at that gives me the chills.

I had a feeling this album would be like this after Devin was on a Toontrack stream, where he laid out the demo of the song "Stars" live. As soon as I heard the main riff of the song, I wrote "that sounds like some "Terria" shit right there" on the chat. That feeling became even stronger when the first single, "Failure", was released. This song is one of the coolest first singles I have heard in a long time. Carrying such simple riffs and structures, but still creating such an amazing mood that makes your mind wander off to some kind of a space like place. And then we have the solo, which is beyond awesome, not only because of how it sounds, but also because Devin is a man that rarely does solos that stand out. Needless to say, this is how you present an album.

But Devin should not get all of the cred (even if it is his project), because the rest of the DTP helped out on the album, giving Devin a helping hand with how the album should sound. The chemistry between Devin and the project has grown stronger for each album, and just watching these guys making this music together is just wonderful. A documentary has been uploading episode on Devin's YouTube page, describing every part of the band and how they all are as persons, which does give us an understanding to just how much Devin care for Ryan, Dave, Mike and Beav. Definitely worthy of a look.

Another contributor is Anneke Van Giersbergen, and she does a nice job as per usual, even if she is used much more sparingly in this record, and to be honest, I am okay with that. We have gotten a lot of Anneke in the DTP discography, almost to the part were it gets kind of tiring and predictable, so even if you like Anneke and her voice, it is very easy now to just go "meh" over her being in yet another DTP album. Devin should seriously consider hiring her full time for her services, making her a permanent part of DTP, if he chooses to include her again.

The strongest trait that the album have is its cohesiveness. Every song are connected to each other, while still having their own personalities that makes them stand out, making "Transcendence" a really colorful album. But when you reach towards the end of the album, you might get a chock, because there is one song that does skew off the rails, not enough to make it misplaced, but just enough to surprise you. The song I am talking about is "Offer Your Light", a fast, synth driven song that is so god damn epic and catchy that is ridiculous. What is even more ridiculous though, is that the song literally sounds like something made by The Unguided, only much better. It is kind of funny that Devin sounds more The Unguided than The Unguided, turning their stale style into something grand and epic.

There are just so many things with "Transcendence" that are so interesting, like the re-worked version of "Truth" from "Infinity", the Ween cover "Transdermal Celebration", or the simple fact that this might be one of the deepest records that Devin has presented us with. The song roster is incredibly strong (even if some of them drag out for some time), and the performance is straight from the heart. You can truly tell that Devin has put his heart and soul into this record, taking his time to get everything right. This is hands down my favourite DTP record to date, and I tip my hat once again to the man with the endless supply of brilliant musical ideas.

Songs worthy of recognition: Failure, Stormbending, Secret Sciences, Stars, Offer Your Light

Rating: 9,5/10 Truths

Live Blu-ray review: Ziltoid Live At The Royal Albert Hall

First off, I would like to declare myself as a poopy head, for bringing you this review waaaaaaay later than I expected. By mistake, I ordered the Blu-Ray version instead of the DVD version, and since I do not have a Blu-Ray player, everything went down the crapper, and I had to search for somebody who could borrow their player, or possibly a PS3. Now that I have found someone who was willing to do just that, let me bring you this review. Enjoy!

In my mind, there are only two good reasons to record a live show. Either it has to be a band's last ever show, or it has to be a show that is with all certainty never going to happen again in a million years. Devin Townsend's "Ziltoid Live At The Royal Albert Hall" is one such show. Devin and his companions in the DTP put together a grand spectacle in London this previous spring, a 2 part show were the band did the entire "Dark Matters" record from "Z²" and a "By Request" set. Even if I think this was a cool idea, I was pissed that London got the glory for this type of show from the Canadian mastermind for the second time in 2 years (He performed "The Retinal Circus" there in 2014). But my love for Devin (and Ziltoid) did overtake the disappointment, and I could only wait for the show to be released on video.

As expected from the Jim Carrey of metal, Devin delivers a fun, goofy, and energetic show in the first half. Not only is the band playing the whole "Dark Matters" album from start to finish, but they are doing so while there is a full theater act going on among the band members. We get to witness a full choir with Ziltoid capes, a massive Poozer, and of course, the main characters of the story, Ziltoid, the War Princess (played by Dominique Lenore Persi), and Captai... wait,  where's Captain Spectacular? Turns out, Chris Jerricho could not be on the show, which means we only get pre recorded video shorts from his role. Frankly, I could not care less. Jerricho is a mediocre entertainer, and his over the top acting on those shorts were atrocious.

The best thing about this set list though is the videos that are played in the back ground, giving another dimension to the visualization of the album. Devin has always been keen on giving the audience a full experience, both for ears and eyes, and he certainly does that. Whether you feel like you are flying in warp speed in "Ziltoid Goes Home" or getting crushed by walking machines in "March of The Poozers", you do get engulfed in the show, even if you sit on the sofa. Man, I can only imagine how it would feel like to be a part of the audience.

Speaking of the audience, they do bring yet another dimension to this spectacle, not only with their cheers, applauds, and their collective Karaoke power in "Dimension Z", but in ways that you will probably only encounter in a Devin Townsend show. I cannot count how many people held their Ziltoid puppets up in the air during this set, and then there are those who are as goofy as Devin. For example, there are two people at the front of the pack wearing Stitch and Pikachu Onepiece's. Complete insanity.

On to set 2, which is a set filled with songs that was requested by the fans. Looking at this 13 song set list, I am super pleased with a lot of these choices, especially the duo "Bastard" and "The Death of Music" from the amazing "Ocean Machine: Biomech". Those two tracks are some of my favourite songs ever by Devin, and to finally see them being performed live makes me grin from ear to ear. Other fine choices includes "Namaste", "Earth Day", and "Kingdom".

However, while I think the "By Request" set is overall really good, there are some songs that makes me scratch my head. First off, "Lucky Animals"... really? You get to choose over 20 years of music and you pick this? Oh well, it is goofy, so I can dig it. Second, I dislike the fact that "Deconstruction" is completely left out here. I would have loved to see them perform "The Mighty Masturbator" (with a short guest appearance from Ziltoid of course). Third, I do not know if this was intentional, but I find it hard to believe that none of the original Ziltoid songs were not among the top. I guess Devin filled his Ziltoid quota in the first set. But it is just like Devin says himself, the two sets are just like "Z²", two sides of the same coin. We have the goofy, fun, theatrical side, and the more professional (but still sort of goofy) side of DTP.

Since I am pretty unfamiliar with Blu-ray, I cannot really compare this disc with others, but I will say this, the quality is crisp, and the sound is freaking awesome. This is definitely a release in which you should experience with a surround sound, blasting at 11. Besides from the show itself, we got some extras as well, such as all three Ziltoid TV episodes, the music video for "March of The Poozers", a time lapse of the stage build in Royal Albert Hall, and a documentary in which Devin explains the world of Ziltoid. Well, actually it is more Devin talking about his career, touring and the Royal Albert Hall show... oh, and Ziltoid of course. There is something with Devin's speaking voice and his choice of words that is hypnotizing and intriguing. I could seriously listen to him talk for hours (but just like everyone else, I would rather hear him sing :) ).

Even if it is not much, the extra material does keep you entertained for another half hour, and it also gives the viewer a chance to wind down after a show that had everything and more. Devin is a man who knows how to create a spectacle that is unique, crazy, and corny, and he keeps finding ways to get the fans involved in his works, showing that he really loves his fans. There are only small things that I can complain on, but as a fan of Devin, and as a fan of Ziltoid, I am as happy as a Ziltoidian child in a Starbucks. A must own for all fans of fun music.

Best: "Bastard" and "The Death of Music"

Worst: Next time, make Sweden the location

Rating: 9,5/10 Ultimate coffee beans

Set 1 - Dark Matters
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

Set 2 - By Request
1. Namaste
2. Night
3. Deadhead
4. Earth Day
5. Christeen
6. Supercrush!
7. Kingdom
8. Lucky Animals
9. Heatwave
10. Funeral
11. Bastard
12. The Death of Music
13. Universal Flame

Devin Townsend Project - Z² (2014) Part 2: Dark Matters

Disc 2 of "Z²" is the official follow up to the fantastic 2007 release "Ziltoid The Omniscient". For those of you who do not remember, that album was a concept album about a green, lizard like alien that started to invade Earth when he was served some fetid coffee, but was stopped when it came out that he was a nerd, and a puppet. In the end, it was all a dream from the mind of a sleepy barista (sorry for the spoiler), so it was easy to assume that we would not see Ziltoid any more, at least not in another album. But here we are now, 7 years after the release of the original, seeing Ziltoid being brought back to life with a new album, a TV show, a radio show, a coming comic book and a huge concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London next year. Who would have seen that coming? Well, maybe the omnidimensional creator.

So what is the story in "Dark Matters"? The story begins where Ziltoid is given a mission by the Ziltoidian Collective to investigate planet Earth to see if it could be the future home for the Ziltoidian race. He is also set to gather more data about a stimulant that the humans consume, but does not know of its hidden powers. And that stimulant is, of course, coffee. To do so, he has become a celebrity to the humans through music and being an alien. After all, he is a 4th dimensional guitar hero. Ziltoid has also made a visit to the planet Titan, where he has come across a race known as the Poozers, small creatures that are children to Blataria, the War Princess (played by Stolen Babies singer Dominique Lenore Persi). After hearing that one of her children were stolen by Ziltoid, she decides to gather her Poozer army, and invade Earth herself and take all of the coffee. Not the story I expected, but it is still interesting, and definitely more well thought out than the story line on the first Ziltoid record.

Now, there are two versions of "Dark Matters" that is available. One CD with dialogues, and one without. Frankly, I prefer the so called raw version because the dialogues are taking up too much space, acting like it is the main show instead of the music. One reason to why the original Ziltoid was so successful is that there was minimal dialogue, and the little dialogue that existed was in between the tracks. In other words, it was the music that was the focal point, which is not the case in "Dark Matters". Even if they take up lots of unnecessary space, the dialogues are telling the story pretty well. I especially like the narrator Bill Courage who gives the album a classic "War of The Worlds" touch. Other voice actors in this album are former wrestler and current Fozzy vocalist Chris Jericho as Captain Spectacular, Mark Cimino as a Poozer, and Chris Devitt as the Planet Smasher, also known as Herman.

"Dark Matters" has a lot of influences from previous Devin Townsend efforts, which does not surprise me one bit. What really surprise me though is that there is not many similarities between this album and the original Ziltoid. The original had that special sound that really fits the alien space theme, while this album feels like "Epicloud" in an astronaut suit. And most of the heavy stuff has more resemblance to "Deconstruction" than "Ziltoid The Omniscient" (there is also some SYL moments in this album). So for those of you who expected a new "Solar Winds", "Color Your World", or "Hyperdrive", you might get dissapointed. The only track that makes you think back to the original Ziltoid record is "Deathray", a song that represents the invasion of Earth. Musically speaking, it may no have much in common with the track "Ziltoidia Attaxx!!!", but the lyrics in the songs are about the same thing, except that it is the Poozers that attack in "Deathray". It is groovy as hell and is one of few songs that has a normal song structure, and it certainly has grown since I first heard it. Definitely one of the better songs in this album, despite its weird lyrics.

There are several other highlights in this album that one must check out. The heavy "Ziltoid Goes Home" blends the classic "City" groove from the SYL age with epic choirs. I did not know that Devin still had it in him to write that kind of music, and I love it. "Ziltoidian Empire" impresses with an irresistible groove that is both weird and humorous, especially when you follow the story line. I can see before me the small Poozer flying through space with the "hede-hede-ya-ah hede-yah" in the background. We also get an amazing performance from Persi in the track "War Princess". I definitely see why Devin chose her to play this role since her vocals fits so well with the War Princess's personality. I also love the apocalyptic "March of The Poozers", the later half of "Earth" and the epic "Dimension Z", the only one out of the three tracks in "Z²" that uses the Universal Choir in the right way.

I can honestly say that "Dark Matters" is the follow up album that Ziltoid deserves. The funny story line has a couple of things that fans of the first Ziltoid record will recognize, but enough new stuff to make it feel new and fresh. The music could have been better structured, but something tells me that this album was not as close to the heart of Devin as "Sky Blue" was. It feels kind of forced, like Devin was pressured to come up with this to please his fans. You do not need to do that Devin, we will still love you as much as the Poozers love the War Princess. Just do what feels good to you, and let the music do the talking.

The final question though is if this is the end of Ziltoid The Omniscient? I am sure that this is the last new musical material we will see him in, but evil aliens always has a way to come back in one way or another. We just have to wait and see, and enjoy the little things around us, like coffee, the sun, and of course, this album.

Songs worthy of recognition: Ziltoid Goes Home, Ziltoidian Empire, March of The Poozers, Dimension Z

Summarization

All in all, "Z²" does not quite live up to my inhumanly high expectations, but that does not mean that Devin bit off more than he could chew. Both albums are great creations and I like the fact that they are so different from each other, like two polar opposites. I simply cannot pick a favourite out of the two because they excel in different ways. "Sky Blue" feels more down to Earth and closer to what Devin wants to do, while "Dark Matters" impress with the funny and interesting concept. Together they create a fantastic double album that is just another proof of Devin's vast musical mind. The man never seems to run out of ideas. The project is not at its final destination yet, but the highlight is now behind us, and all we can do is just enjoy the ride and remember the wonderful music. Next stop, the Royal Albert Hall in London and the Ziltoid musical. Prepare your finest coffee.

Rating: 8,5/10 Earths

Part 1

Devin Townsend Project - Z² (2014) Part 1: Sky Blue

It feels pretty unreal that it has finally happened. After months of waiting and tons of other media that has led up to this moment, Devin Townsend is finally ready to reveal his biggest album project yet. The double album entitled "Z²" has been super hyped ever since it was announced, and I think it is thanks to the fact that the fans really love the green, coffee drinking alien Ziltoid The Omniscient. I can guarantee that the Casualties of Cool crowd funding campaign became so successful because that the left overs was going to be spent in this double album. I do think the funders were interested in how this Casualties of Cool project would turn out, but just the pure thought of a follow up to the critically acclaimed "Ziltoid The Omniscient" just made my, and probably several other's, mouth so moist. However, I do not think many fans expected this album to be a double sandwich, a album that represents a combat between the DTP and Ziltoid.

Since this album is so huge, I want to do the review like this. This first part will focus on the first album, entitled "Sky Blue", which is the DTP part of "Z²", and then I will release a second part tomorrow focusing on the official follow up album to "Ziltoid The Omniscient", entitled "Dark Matters". I will also summarize "Z²" in the second part and give it a proper rating, instead of rating the two albums separately and give "Z²" the middle value of those two ratings. So let's get to it shall we?

Sky Blue

So first out is the DTP part of the double album, and for those who are well aware of what Devin has previously done in this project will recognize the sound instantly. The sound in "Sky Blue" has several similarities with mostly "Epicloud", but also earlier Devin albums like "Terria" and "Synchestra" have their fair share in "Sky Blue". In other words, it is joyful, almost pop like metal Devin is giving us with a lot of choir. We also get to hear Devin's favourite female partner once again, former The Gathering singer Anneke Van Giersbergen, which just feels right since her soft vocals fits so well with this type of music.

Knowing what to come, it feels good that Devin opens up "Z²" with a album that has its feet on Earth. "Sky Blue" has an overall spiritual feeling that has a high memorability factor and contains a virus that gives you the urge to sing along. And it also feels like this is the type of music Devin wants to write, not because it has become a successful sound, but for the reason that he is in the point of his life where he does not want to go bat shit crazy anymore, he just wants to make himself and people around him happy, which is really reflective in the music.

Let us get into one of the highlights in "Sky Blue", the song "Before We Die". It is not the highlight because it is a beautiful song with an amazing epic chorus, it is a highlight since it is one out of three songs in "Z²" that utilizes the Universal Choir project where fans could send in their sound file of them singing a specific part of a song, and then Devin would bake it in to make a humongous and epic choir to spice up "Z²". I really think it is a fantastic idea by Devin, but unfortunately, It is only fully utilized in the "Dark Matters" track "Dimension Z", which is disappointing. Not saying that the choir goes by unnoticed in both "Before We Die" and "Z²", but it does not stand out as much as in "Dimension Z".

The album's strong point is in the middle where four fantastic songs are gathered together like a big joyful lump. "Universal Flame", "Warrior", "Sky Blue" and "Silent Militia" are all great pieces that are among the best tracks in the album, together with "Fallout" and "Before We Die", and they impress with different strength. The title track is a grand piece without sounding big, which really makes the duet between Devin and Anneke sound so much better. "Silent Militia" is probably the angriest song in the album, but it gets you pumped up and is a perfect song to just scream out the words. "Universal Flame" is incredibly catchy, almost at the edge of being repetitive, but the cool persona of Devin stops it from being annoying. Finally, "Warrior" is the song where Anneke gets the most room for her talent, and she uses that room perfectly in this epic track.

Most of the tracks that I have not mentioned are more or less the same thing. Slow songs that are very close to the ambient style that Devin has nudged so many times before, and they are a good edition to the album so the down to Earth feeling really sinks in, but none of the songs are really memorable at all, so it is easy to look past them. I have never been a fan of ambient music and this addition to "Sky Blue" does lower its quality, especially since some of it is totally unnecessary. For example, the last three minutes of "Before We Die" is more or less silence, which is pretty annoying, and the final track in the album, "The Ones Who Love", are just a dumb way to end the album. A total of 5 minutes of material that could have been utilized in a more efficient way.

The first half of "Z²" is a wonderful and spiritual experience, and it will certainly make lots of Devin's fans happy (especially those who recently discovered the Canadian). This "Terria" / "Epicloud" hybrid is interesting and a good gateway to how Devin is as a person now a days. "Sky Blue" is definitely necessary in this double album, because you could lose your sanity if you just got into "Dark Matters" without any spiritual warm up. The easy part is now over, let us all jump into hyperdrive and once again make a visit to Ziltoid The Omniscient.

Songs worthy of recognition: Fallout, Sky Blue, Silent Militia, Before We Die

Part 2

Devin Townsend Project - Epicloud (2012)

What is this? Was not Devin Townsend Project supposed to be a 4 album series? Well it was, but I have not found out why Devin chosed to continue under this name even after the four albums (if any of you know, feel free to inform me in the comment section). Anyhow, "Epicloud" was conceived during a time where Devin felt he was over thinking and over doing things, especially in the work of "Z2", so he had to make a record that was "naked". A simple record that he could make while on autopilot.

This is indeed a simple album. Very few solos, few places for any of the band members to hide, but that does not have to mean that the music is flat. On the contrary, it is just as epic as the title suggest. Devin has surely created some lovely tunes, and together with the gospel choir, the music reaches epic heights that should be impossible to reach. I also like that Devin uses former The Gathering singer Anneke Van Giersbergen as much as he does (that sounds very wrong).

Even though I would say that this is a pop metal album, "Epicloud" has some heavy moments. The two fast songs "Liberation" and "More!" comes with an impressive assault with great riffs and an intensity that is hard to match. Then we also have "Kingdom", which some of you might recall from "Physicist". Compared to the original, I like this version better since it has a cleaner production and it also feels more epic now then what it did on "Physicist". No matter what, I like this song, and I like that Devin wanted to bring it up in a album he does not hate.

Besides from the heavy part, "Epicloud" displays other sides of Devin. The single "Lucky Animals" shows a really silly side of Devin that is almost worthy of being a Monty Python sketch, while the more epic "Save Our Now" feels like a song that could easily go well in the clubs. Then we also have more calmer songs like "Where We Belong" and "Divine". But it is the epicness that stands out in this album, and boy, there is some epic tunes here. And even if most of these songs are cheesy and has lyrics about love, Devin does a great job with the music. For instance, "Grace" is the grandest of the grand with the screaming choir and heavy riffs, while "Hold On" instead relies on Anneke's strong, emotional vocals.

"Epicloud" truly deserves the name that it has been given. Sure, the lyrics are corny and far from perfect, but the pure epicness makes you forget all about that. Devin, Anneke, the choir, everyone makes an amazing effort to make this pop metal album one of the best Devin Townsend records up to date. This album makes you happy, and I can almost guarantee that not even Ebenezer Scrooge could listen through this album without smiling. Effervescent quality!!!

Songs worthy of recognition: Liberation, Lucky Animals, Where We Belong, Save Our Now, Kingdom, Grace

Rating: 9,5/10 Angels

Devin Townsend Project - Ghost (2011)

Another ambient album made by Devin Townsend? Oh, lord Jesus. Well, even if I did not get the very least excited about "Ghost", I was not surprised that Devin would release this album since the Devin Townsend Project was created to show Devin's diverse musical influences. And since he already gone through progressive metal ("Ki"), pop metal ("Addicted") and bone crushing death metal ("Deconstruction"), ambient music was the only thing that Devin had not shown in his new project.

Luckily this album is miles better than his previous ambient efforts ("Devlab" and "The Hummer"), mostly because "Ghost" actually sounds like a music record. There is some singing, some soothing flutes and an overall soft and cosy sound that just makes you wanting to go back to bed and fall asleep. So for those of you who wanted screaming vocals and blistering solos, tough luck.

There is no track that really stands out in this album because "Ghost" feels like a unity. The bonds between the tracks are so strong that it is difficult to tell when the next song starts and ends. I see it as an advantage since these kinds of albums should be experienced in its entirety and not in individual tracks. Of course there are some tracks, like "Heart Baby", "Feather" and "Texada", that are more enjoyable than others, but it is still not an valid excuse of skipping the rest of the songs.

Even if it is Devin's best ambient effort so far, I still cannot help but squirming around while listening to this album. I am not made for listening to this type of music, I am a sucker for metal. It does not mean that I do not enjoy listening to "Ghost", it just means that I would pick "Deconstruction" (who got released the same day as "Ghost") before "Ghost" 24/7, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. No matter what, I like this album, and if I was more into this kind of music, I would probably love it.

This album is a mellow effort that may not be for all fans of Devin, but I still think that everyone should give this record a try since it shows Devin's wide range in musical styles. "Ghost" is a beautiful record that would ease the worst of head aches without any problems. It is not my musical style of choice, but if I can learn to enjoy "Ghost", then so can you.

Songs worthy of recognition: Texada, Heart Baby, Feather

Rating: 6/10 Monsoons

Devin Townsend Project - Deconstruction (2011)

So after going progressive in the first record and going pop metal in the second, what awaited us on the third album by Devin Townsend Project? This time, the crazy Canadian gives us a comedic concept album named "Deconstruction". The album follows a man that wants to find out the true nature of reality. He ends up in hell where he meets the Devil and finds out that the secrets of the universe lies within a cheeseburger. But since our protagonist is vegetarian, he refuses the cheeseburger and admits that his journey was completely pointless.

So yeah, it is another great and hilarious concept made by Devin. But the comedy is not as much apparent as it was on "Punky Brüster - Cooked On Phonics" and "Ziltoid The Omniscient". There are no dialogues between the tracks that explains the story, so you have to go deeper into the lyrics to find the humour and the plot. It is the little things that makes you laugh, like hearing that all bands rip off Meshuggah, Oderus Urungus shouting shit a brick, or even the mentioning of Ziltoid the omniscient. I also get a laugh of the fact that when Devin screams sorrow man in "Planet of The Apes" it sounds like he is screaming Saruman (the evil wizard in The Lord of The Rings for those of you who do not get the joke).

This album is packed with a lot of personnel and guest artists from more or lesser known bands. For instance, we have Oderus Urungus (Gwar), Mikael Åkerfeldt (Opeth), Floor Jansen (ReVamp, Nightwish), Tommy Giles Rogers (Between The Buried And Me), and many more. Hell, we even have an entire orchestra that has helped out with this album. So it comes as no surprise that even with this many guest artists, the quality of the music is at its top. It sounds chaotic from start to finish, but it is still holding up well thanks to the concept and the well constructed structure.

The complete chaos that this album brings makes it the heaviest album Devin has done outside of Strapping Young Lad. Just listen to the chugging blast beats in "Juular" or the incredible speed in "Pandemic". If that does not remind you of SYL, then I do not know what will. But this album also impress us with the big and epic songs. From the slow and technical "Stand", to the diverse "Planet of The Apes", this album brings some of the best epics Devin has ever created. Even "The Mighty Masturbator" sounds good despite the carnival scene around the end of this 16 minute epic. I also have to mention the title track, since it is the main track for the overall concept (and also for its goofiness).

"Deconstruction" is just another proof of why I like to call Devin the Jim Carrey of metal. This is a weird and funny concept, and together with some heavy and progressive music, this album goes down as one of Devin's finest albums. This is the perfect album for those of you who wants to take out your aggressions on, oh I do not know, an ignorant vegetarian hipster who refuses to eat a cheeseburger. I do not know about you guys, but this album gives me a big boner and it is making me hungry. I WANT A CHEESEBURGER!!!

Songs worthy of recognition: Planet of The Apes, Stand, Juular, Pandemic

Rating: 9/10 Poltergeists

Devin Townsend Project - Addicted (2009)

Part two of the Devin Townsend Project is called "Addicted", a album that is the complete opposite to its predecessor "Ki". Instead of progressive ambient metal, we get to experience more uplifting and happy metal that reminds you of the excellent album "Infinity". It also has a slightly different personnel than what "Ki" had. Out with Savoie, Maxwell and Ché, and in with Van Poederooyen, Waddell, Cimino and also the former The Gathering singer Anneke Van Giersbergen. A much needed change since I think the former line-up would not be fitting in this musical style.

This album deserves its name since most of the songs in this album are very catchy and very easily likable. The music itself sounds like a really heavy pop album with a nice mix of both male and female vocals since Anneke does the leads in a couple of songs. It is really hard to frown when you are listening to this album since everything in this album comes from the bright side of life. Not even the heavy and doom like "Numbered!" seems dark.

One of the most famous songs in this album is "Bend It Like Bender!", since it is often played by Devin in concerts. It is a nice groovy song with an interesting chorus, but it is far from my favourite in this album. It is clearly beaten by songs like "Addicted!", "Supercrush!", "Ih-Ah!", "The Way Home!", "Numbered!" and "Awake!!". This is a good example of that "Addicted" is a well diverse album that has a high and even quality all the way through the album

It is very easy to get happy while listening to "Addicted, but there is one song that gets my blood boiling with rage. The song "Hyperdrive!" is a re-recording of the same song from "Ziltoid The Omniscient", and it is really not a bad song, until you compare it with the original. The original was one of my favourite tracks from "Ziltoid The Omniscient" since it simulated the feeling of traveling through space, millions of miles from your loved ones, while the re-recording instead simulates the feeling of going 200 km/h on the highway without any worries in your mind at all. That is not right, it just feels fake and impersonal, and it does not help the fact that Anneke sings the song (which she still does good, but not as emotional as Devin did). So skip this song and listen to the original instead.

I would not like to compare "Ki" and "Addicted" against each other since they are two very different albums, but I would like to point out that this is the ultimate proof of the vast and ever changing mind of Devin Townsend. "Addicted" is intoxicating and would work perfectly as a drug. Even if there is a disappointing re-recording of "Hyperdrive!" in this album, I still would consider "Addicted" as one of the highlights of Devin's career. It does not waste time on daylight and it certainly does not get knocked down.

Songs worthy of recognition: Supercrush!, Ih-Ah!, The Way Home!, Awake!

Rating: 9/10 Hyperdrives

Devin Townsend Project - Ki (2009)

After over two years of intensive song writing and soul searching, Devin Townsend revealed his next step in his music career. A four album series with a band called Devin Townsend Project. This project was created with the goal of clarifying Devin's musical identity, and the first part of this four album series is "Ki" (Ki stands for the Japanese concept of life force), a very progressive album with some blues intentions and, of course, a little mix of Devin's characteristic metal style.

It is mostly a pretty quiet album, so I am forced to turn up my speakers higher than usual. What I eventually hear is some smooth music with very few tempo changes and no solos at all. It is music that I usually do not like, but it is something special with these songs. It could be Devin's perfect vocal performance, or maybe it is the fact that both heavy and light songs gets equally amount of space in this album. I do not know, and I do not care, I am still enjoying the music no matter what it is that is giving the music that extra edge.

I also think that this is an album for almost any fans of music, no matter what you are in too. For those of you who enjoys metal, then I would recommend "Disruptr", "Gato" and "Heaven's End" from this album since they are the two heaviest tracks in the album. They are pretty sluggish, but still keeps an slow, important momentum so the listener does not get completely bored out of its mind. If you are more into country, then I would suggest "Trainfire", a track that chugs on like a steady locomotive. And for you ambient freaks out there, I would believe that "Coast", "Terminal" and "Lady Hellen" should be towards your liking.

So there is plenty of nice songs to chose from, but no one really stands out from this all round even album. I also think that the overall quiet sound is killing it for me. Sure, it brings a fitting mood to the album, but I am a metal head, and I like it loud. As for the other musicians in the album, I do not think they did such big impressions. The female singer Ché Aimee Dorval has some decent moments here and there and the blues drummer Duris Maxwell's style fits well in the album, but "Ki" is overall not an album with blistering musical performances. Instead, it is the simplicity that speaks for itself.

This is without a doubt Devin's most progressive record up to date and it also works as a nice middle point between ambient music and progressive metal. So if you are a fan of either of the two musical styles, then I would recommend you to try out "Ki" since it is a nice, relaxing records with some heavy riffs. A decent start for this new project.

Songs worthy of recognition: Heaven's End, Disruptr, Terminal, Trainfire

Rating: 7/10 Quiet Riots