DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT: GHOST

It wasn't all that long ago when one of my favorite bands released two albums on top of each other that were almost complete opposites when Opeth gave us Deliverance and Damnation. Eight years later, another one of my favorites does practically the same thing and my reaction is no different now as it was when Opeth did it. Many consider it progressive when a band attempts to push out its borders, but I find that there is a cost.

I fell in love with Devin Townsend with Terria, Synchestra and Ziltoid the Omniscient (my favorite). Now with Deconstruction and Ghost, Mr. Townsend leaves behind his normally balanced approach to music by giving us entire albums on the extreme edge of his repertoire. This particular review concerns Ghost, which entirely consists of Townsend's ethereal and ambient styles of music.

Soothing? Yes. Pretty? Yes. What I want in a Devin Townsend album? Not even close. This is the Mamma Bear side of Townsend which just feels too soft and tepid for my taste. While I would agree that there are redeeming prog elements contained in this piece of music, I would never consider this essential nor would I recommend it. (If reading this review put you to sleep, then I have captured the essence of Ghost.)