DEVIN TOWNSEND

Addicted is a masterpiece through and through.

Every song just draws you in with its majestic wall of sound. I don't know how this man manages to put together heavily layered albums like this in the short amount of time that he does it. I attempt to make recordings like this and I just can't seem to find the right loops or synthesizer sounds to compliment the song. I struggle to balance out all the levels and frequencies of each track if I'm piling on the layers like Devin does with his songs. There are so many little bits and pieces of sound that you discover in revisiting this record time and time again. The same goes for a number of his records. It's sheer brilliance, in my opinion, the way he makes his albums.

Possibly the most awesome thing about Addicted is that it is literally highly addictive. There's just so much about it that brings me back over and over. The sounds of the instruments are fantastic, the vocal performances are stellar and even bone-chilling at times, the rhythms are fun, the melodies are entertaining, and the flow is seamless. Each song is rock solid. Their structures, or at least the way the songs bleed into each other, don't lend the songs to standing on their own tremendously well... I would say. But that might just be a psychological thing with me though. Because I don't have many urges to listen to just one song from the record. I NEED THE WHOLE THING... every time!

I should note that the drummer, Mr. Ryan van Poederooyen, does add to the excitement of this album is a significant way. And of course the lovely Anneke van Giersbergen makes this album shine in an incredibly special way.

I wish I could put into words the ethereal, cosmic, goosebumpy vibes that I get while listening to this album, but I don't think I can. I think that is something you need to experience yourself. Five Stars without a doubt! This album stands tall and shines even in the brilliant discography of its creator.

I don't regret getting DECONSTRUCTION as my first Devin Townsend album despite the vast amount of music he's done over the years and the prospect that there are potentially better albums out there. It's a nice little introduction to Devin's oddball little world laced with operatic vocals, Meshuggah influenced guitars and quite the sense of humour.

The music is very aggressive, layered and thick. We're very bottom heavy on the guitars and drums in an attempt to blow the bass off your car's stereo, yet the operatic moments and airy keyboards create a high-end contrast to the extreme metal without sounding like there's a middle ground being sacrificed. There is the occasional moment where a perfect fusion is in order, and even a little bit of technical dabbling in the second definable section of ''The Mighty Masturbator''. That epic is something else as it is a hodgepodge of all things over-the-top (Broadway-esque swing, technical prog metal, carnival music, multiple sections, techno interludes), yet it strangely manages to come across as cohesive enough not to lose the listener's attention.

I must say recent adventures with this album have been more fruitful on my end to the point where I am finally coming around to understanding the album's plaudits. Townsend himself adds to the charm of DECONSTRUCTION with his vocal performances fluidly going from comedy hour to agonizing growling without sounding too forced. The music of this is what I would call gleefully chaotic; in spite of the pounding metal, Townsend still finds room for a memorable melody beit a searing vocal line or a simple repetitive chant. It ice-skates through many dynamic and emotional levels at tolerable fluidity; no theme sounds too short or overstayed.

In midst of all of this musical mastery, there is the humourous tone which works in Townsend's favour. I believe Townsend is self-aware of the goofy ideas behind the album when the big showcase number is titled, ''The Mighty Masturbator''. There's still other goofy moments that may not make you fall on the floor laughing, but give a little chuckle in understanding; take the mesmerizing chanting of ''Cheeseburger'' in the title track, or the choir leading off ''Sumeria'', or just the overall contrast of opera vocals and extreme metal, it all works to an extent.

DECONSTRUCTION can run long, and a few tracks can blend into each other sound-wise, but the end result is surprisingly beautiful?for metal, anyway. I must admit that many of the albums' traits would normally annoy me, yet Townsend seems to make over-the-top humour, self-aware prog music and a potpourri of influences really work and really gel. Unless extreme heavy metal isn't your bag of tricks, there's plenty to enjoy on a sesame seed bun.

Devin Townsend's 'Addicted'was an album that I bypassed at the time of release but was drawn back to it after hearing the masterpiece 'Epicloud'. The power of that album was partly due to the incredible vocal performance of Anneke van Giersbergen. As her presence was also on this Devin album it became a point of necessity to hear it. The album opens with a very raucous slammed in your face scream fest on 'Addicted!'. My real attention was grabbed on the next track 'Universe In A Ball!' with its catchy main riff and phrase repeated over and over. It jams into the head in the same way of much of the material on 'Epicloud.' Devin screams his lungs raw again and the riff is entrancing, though simple sitting on the one note. It is the rhythm that transfixes and the drum blastbeats. When the boisterous tunnel of sound settles and allows some softer vocals it becomes more tolerable. This is a very loud album and is perhaps more metal than albums to follow. That is why every song title ends with an exclamation mark; it simply powers out on these metal piledriver tracks.

'Bend It Like Bender!' is one of the best here especially as the riff is infectious and Anneke gets a chance to allow her golden sweet voice to reverberate. I love the blend of metal and her vocals; it is as endearing as 'Epicloud' that I cannot rate more highly. 'Supercrush!' has a skull crushing riff and some terrific harmonies, Anneke is audible over the intricate rhythms, and virtually takes the lead and that makes a break from all the yelling and screams. This is a masterful song and a definitive highlight.

'Hyperdrive!' is divine as it is the same song from the insanely brilliant 'Ziltoid', except this time Anneke takes the central role and she is wonderful here. I love her passion on the familiar lyrics, reinvigorating this classic track. So that's 3 excellent songs in a row after a rather aggressive start. Following next is 'Resolve!', with a killer riff, Anneke and Devin powering out a bombastic melody. They work well off each other and the lyrics have a potent theme as 'I won't resolve to receive what you'll be, the ocean returns to the sea'.

'Ih-Ah!' has an odd title so what will the music sound like one may wonder. What we have is an acoustic opening, soft Devy vox, a very subtle lightweight melody and lyrics about the dangers of love, 'we don't even understand so how can this be wrong' and he cant express any more so just sings 'Ih-Ah, Ih-Ah'; a bit kitsch but the song is a break from the metal mayhem previous.

'The Way Home!' has a hyped up fast driving rhythm and clean measured vocals from Devy. That rhythm is so fast over the slower vocals it has a feel and style all of its own unlike anything I have heard from the mad scientist of metal. 'Numbered!' returns to the huge metal riffs and a very melodic over produced sound that is the way Devin likes it. His vocals are easier on the ears here, some of his best in the high register. The album ends with

'Awake!!' with the extra exclamation mark so it is bound to kick serious butt. It is the longest track at over 9 minutes and features a blistering riff and clean tones from Devin singing very well on this song. Anneke joins him and lifts the atmosphere up a notch and the it gets brutal again with pace and powerhouse vocals.

I would say this is one of the heavier albums of DT especially the opening tracks and the last. It has some variation in the centre and Anneke'svoice is an embellishment that was worth returning to with 'Epicloud'. She is the ex Gathering singer and certainly knows how to power out a song. 'Addicted' is a great album, though not as consistent as some others I have heard. Devin rarely disappoints with his blend of styles and here is no exception. I am glad the album delivered the goods and it certainly features some of Devin's best material. This is an album to savour and leads nicely to the next stint with Anneke that came 3 years later on the superior "Epicloud".

"I love you, I need you, I've always been around you" - get out of my head!

Devin Townsend has some curious albums that include music ranging from breakneck thrash metal blasts to balladic serenity, and his vocals are incredibly diverse, moving from screamo growls to beautiful soft tones and melodies. On this latest album there are moments of Heavy Devy of course but it is mainly permeated with very melodic infectious soft rock songs. Some of these songs jam into the brain and are maddeningly infectious such as 'True North' that haunted me for days; 'I love you, I need you, I've always been around you.' The female vocals are absolutely angelic on this album from the golden tones of Anneke Van Giersbergen she is in fact one of the best things about this album; as she was so on Devin's 'Addicted' album. When she begins singing it is heavenly, and she balances the vocals of Devin masterfully. This is one of Devin's most accessible and enjoyable albums, as he refrains from growls and thrashy music on most songs. There are thrashy numbers though to keep us in touch with his SYL background.

'Effervescent!' opens proceedings with an a cappela harmonised vocals that have a strange religious atmosphere. 'True North' has Annneke jammoing that melody into our heads and then joined by Devin and the heavy distorted guitars; it is definitely one of my favourite tracks. The hypnotic melody and beat is perfect for the album after that odd start. It features repeated phrases such as 'where do we go from here' and some sounds that remind me of past DT albums, especially with that wall of sound generated, a bit like 'Terria' or 'Ziltoid'. It has a majestic soundscape that builds into a variety of melodies, ending with more a cappella.

This is followed by another catchy tune with the heavy guitars and vox of 'Lucky Animals'.
'Animals, animals and we're lucky hanging all around us all'. The hypno melody and rhythms are again guaranteed to lock into the brain. It took me a while to like this but now I look forward to it appearing on each listen.

'Liberation' has a powerhouse riff that grinds along with some odd Bowie like vox and then the aggressive Devy voice drives it along with more repeated phrases, 'one minute away from you.' This is as heavy as the album gets and it absolutely cranks with pounding drums and mega distortion, along with atmospherics.

So far the album is perfect and it moves to 'Where We Belong', an acoustic intro and very soft vocals from Devy, as beautiful as anything on 'Ghost'. The gentle delivery is something that Devy has become known for on his albums, ever since the softer side displayed on 'Synchestra' or songs on 'Ziltoid' such as 'Hyperdrive' or 'The Grays'. The melody is excellent and really grabs hold of the emotions, along with a blazing guitar outro.

'Save Our Now' begins with wonderful guitar chords and drums before the AOR style rhythm locks in and Devy's quieter mood continues to pervade. The sound is pleasant and when Anneke joins in the augmentation of harmonies is absolutely lovely. It is such a pleasant listening experience and a real surprise as I am used to a lot more heaviness from DT.


As if on cue there is a grinding distorted blastbeat on the intro of 'Kingdom', then a thrashy rhythm with some nice keyboard motifs. Devy goes for a high register vibrato on some of his more powerful vocals. This is a diverse detour into heavy rock, and Anneke adds her classy tones overlayed; they are a real force on this album that works with admirable proficiency. The song builds into speedy double kick drums and fiery guitar work, in signature thrash style as heard on songs of the past such as 'Ziltoidia Attax' or 'Earth Day'.

'Kingdom'is raucous but still maintains a strong melody; 'stay with me or play with me' repeated so as to log into the cranium.


'Divine' follows, with dreamy guitars and keyboard ambience. The pretty melody is well executed by Devin in his most romantic mood, 'loving you is the best thing and the worst thing in my life'. The atmosphere is ethereal and haunting with those sweet melodies and ghostly key pads. It is definitely as gentle as Devin gets, and works well to balance out the mayhem previous.

'Grace' has Anneke's crystal vocals echoing across clean guitars and key pads. It has a spacey sound wth crystalline production; astoundingly dreamy, and then extreme metal blasts crash through for the chorus that is one word 'Grace!' I love how Devin screams over the jumpy rhythm and orchestra sections. This track is a mixture of metal and Symphonic nuances. It builds into fast complex riffing and Anneke sounds more like her work on The Gathering. 


'More!' is another very heavy track, belting along with manic guitars revved to the max. The riff is killer and just screams along with loud vocals sung on a high note. It reminds me of the sound on Alice Cooper's 'Brutal Planet'. I love the heaviness that balances out the next tracks so well.

'Lessons' returns to dreamy ambience with acoustics and is followed seamlessly by very gentle vocals that build to a crescendo in the chorus. The song 'Hold On' is a highlight even at this late point in the album; Devy has a magnificent timbre in his voice, such a surprise after the boisterous yelling on past albums. Anneke again adds her voice and it is a dramatic effect, hearing the high and low parts of the melody balancing each other.

'Angel' ends the album release (not counting the bonus CD), and it ends on a wonderful sweet melody, with a majestic soundscape. Anneke and Devy trade off over a killer lead riff. The lead guitar is some of the best on the album, and the ascending and descending notes actually sound like a guitar exercise but it works magnificently. It closes with a choir with religious nuances, and the positive theme of 'everyone into forever, everything a part of me' bookends the album.

Being such a brilliant album I had to get hold of the double disc Deluxe Edition. I was not disappointed as there are some fantastic tracks on the bonus. These are demos but they sound great. 'Believe' is a quiet ballad with Devin's quality vocals and gentle acoustics. 'Happy Birthday' has the gorgeous vox of Anneke over a steady beat; simply sumptuous music. 'Quietus' is a pop song with odd quirky synth effects, sounding a bit like 80s Devo, right down to the twangy guitars. I like this one a lot as it is so different than any other Devin track. It builds to a heavy sound that is abrasive and feels like a new song.

'Heatwave' is just a fun exploration of country rock; not too bad but very much a curio with a truckie theme and some out of place choruses that have a spacey quality. 'Love Tonight' has a bouncy tune and bombastic musicianship and very good vocals. 'The Mind WASP' sounds like an Arabian melody with a tinge of psychedelica and is one of the heaviest demos on offer here. 'Woah No!' has an odd title and is basically a metal blaster with some great keyboards. The harmonised vocals are dreamy balanced over the distortion and some Devin screamo. It is great to hear some more metal in the vein of 'Ziltoid'. 


'Love And Marriage'
is an odd beast that throws in all styles including the kitchen sink of Sepultura growls and a smattering of burps and Anneke reacting to her imaginary husband with that's what she would have expected; it is a lot of fun really to hear them spar off. The odd mixture of pop synth and brash vocals over distorted riffs is Devin at his most experimental. Perhaps this would have worked on the 'Ziltoid' sequel better. 'Socialization' clocks 7:18 and its length flashes by with very heavy fast drums and guitars. The operatic vocals are weird over all this metal sounding more like Galahad or such gladiator metal. The frantic guitar riffs are incredible, as well as a Slayeresque lead break, and a smattering of Mortification style growls, making this definitely the heaviest song on the whole album.
'Little Pig' is last on the slab, and the worst for me meandering along a dull musical scape and over produced vocal layers. With silly bloated lyrics 'I need a Friend'; but that is Townsend having fun in the studio and he will try anything.

If this had been the anticipated 'Ziltoidia 2' it would have been a masterful followup but of course it was not to be and this is still one of the top 3 Townsend albums I have heard. Anneke is a revelation on this album and works well with Devin's screaming and gentler moods. She is always an augmentation to every track and makes this such a compelling experience. Devin is at his best in his structuring and composition of each song. The lyrics hit home perfectly that are positive and have an optimistic edge, and the catchy tunes are surely some of the best he has created over his grand tenure. Some of these songs are unforgettable and it is an absolute stand out album, far superior to his last few, and absolutely buries 'Deconstruction' and 'Ghost'for innovation and diversity. The Phil Spectorish production is crystal clear with a commercial friendly sound, and every musician is clear, especially Devin's Keys, and guitars. It has been a delight to hear such a wonderful uplifting album. It is epic, it is loud, it is one of the great albums of 2012; treat yourself to 'Epicloud'.

I've always been amazed at just how far Devin Townsend can push the limits of the heavy metal genre. A lot of his musical genius seems in part derived from internal conflict; his need for tender being at war with his need for ferocious, so to speak. This originally manifested as the crushingly intense Strapping Young Lad albums set against his often vast-sounding and introspective solo work. Seemingly keen to break his own rules however, Devin Townsend occasionally released something truly oddball, such as the difficult 'Devlab', and the ambient album 'Hummer' (which is secretly just as heavy as most of his metal albums). And then of course, 'Ziltoid the Omniscient', which contained metal heavy enough for a SYL release. Recently, Townsend has sobered up, and his approach to creating has changed slightly. On the DTP albums, we still see the various fractured, conflicted personalities of his music, but in a much more concise format, with each particular aspect of his musical personality poured into four separate albums: the sparse-yet-dense 'Ki', the poppy, saturated 'Addicted', the technical, chaotic 'Deconstruction', and the lush, peaceful, decidedly un-metal 'Ghost'. On 'Epicloud', it seems that Townsend has combined the styles of each of those albums into something that at once recalls his earlier work and stands out as yet another unique endeavor.

What follows is a track-by-track review of 'Epicloud', in which comparisons are drawn between the album and previous Devin Townsend material.

The first two tracks 'Effervescent' and 'True North', seem to come close to sounding like 'Synchestra', but pack a unique punch. 'Lucky Animals' is a poppy metal song that wouldn't sound out of place on 'Addicted' or 'Deconstruction', and contains an interesting line cliche from the SYL song 'Monument'. 'Liberation' also sounds a bit like 'Addicted', but involves a "wall of sound" not-quite-typical of that album. 'Where We Belong', is another misleading song, at first sounding something like 'Ghost', but with a heavy chorus that recalls the finest moments of 'Terria'. 'Save Our Now' is another danceable 'Addicted'-esque track, and while not bad, is not really too remarkable. The next song, 'Kingdom', is probably my favorite on the album, and is a reworked version of a song from 'Physicist' that serves as an excellent centerpiece. After that we have 'Divine', which blends the styles of 'Ghost' and 'Ki', and then 'Grace', sort of an ingenious mashup of 'Stand' and 'Supercrush!'. 'More!' is another excellent song, and recalls both 'Deconstruction' and 'Accelerated Evolution' in awesome and unlikely ways. 'Lessons' is a brief, pleasant instumental that sounds a bit like 'Ki' and a bit like the opening of 'The Mighty Masturbator', but really just sounds like itself. It transitions into 'Hold On', which is tricky to call, and can be likened to 'Where We Belong' in that it has a soft verse that gives way to a massive chorus. The final song 'Angel' brings 'Epicloud' to a rousing close, and sounds distinctly like the album itself, and what's more, distinctly like Devin Townsend.

I give this album four stars (unless you're a Devin Townsend fan, in which case this album is as essential as the very air you breathe).

P.S. Anneke Van Giersbergen is awesome, but you already knew this.

Devin Townsend set out to record 'Ziltoid II', another dark and brooding story about an egomaniac alien running amuck through the universe. He failed. To paraphrase an interview, he went into the studio with something in mind and came out with something entirely different. Well lets all be glad that he did because "Epicloud" is many things throughout the course of the CD, none of which are Ziltoid (though there may be some slight similarities).

Right off the bat we know that something special is on the way by the a cappella leadoff track. "Effervescent" is all that the name suggests. While the choral arrangement of the song could easily and predictably smash into a heavy Devyesque wall of sound, he passes on the easy out and instead continues the uplifting vibe. Anneke Van Giersbergen's crystal clear voice leads the way for a moment into "True North", one of the highlights of the album chock full of riffs, beautiful melodies and a Devin sonic attack.

"Lucky Animals" is one of the more awkward songs on the album. I thought he was saying "Animal Malarkey" (thank you spell checker for the proper spelling of malarkey) the first few times I listened to the song . . . I long for those days. "Where We Belong" shows Devin's voice in a softer setting, and it works really well here. His gravelly tone is perfect for this acoustic ballad.

My song of the year is "Save Our Now". When I heard this song on Spotify, it inspired me to order the CD that night. While the song is not horribly progish, it shows how beautifully Ms. Van Gierbergen's pristine voice can combine with Devin's screams. When she sings "Happy now?" her voice cuts through the clatter demanding the listener's full attention. The keyboards and the vocals in the chorus are, in fact, perfect. The keyboards give all the majesty of a Nightwish epic without the cheese while Anke's voice holds a trancy top over Devin's multiple harmonies. This is a beautiful, dancy tune that could easily top any chart if it was given the chance. It would be a perfect song if only it didn't end so soon.

The downfall of the album though is the excessive clatter that pervades many of the tracks, "Kingdom" more so than the rest. This is a remake of an earlier song of his that I would classify as 'mostly noise'.

With all of that being said, there are some similarities to Ziltoid here, "Save Our Now" is somewhat analogous to "Hyperdrive" and many of the drum and noise sections sound like they'd fit right in with the java loving alien. Unfortunately, it doesn't quite live up to the crazy of the planet smasher.

All in all, this is a pretty good CD, the high points soar while the low points aggravate. I gave this a solid three and a half star rating brought up to a four star on the merits of Annke. "Save Our Now" is truly a game changer in my book and the best song that Devin has recorded (in my not so humble opinion).

9.5/10

Loving you is the best thing and the worst thing in my life...

The Devin Townsend Project represents the culmination of the career of this blessed man. He has offered us many masterpieces, but here is where he has the opportunity to innovate, be eclectic, to be himself. Why stop at Ghost, the fourth project's album? Give us more, Devy! And that's what he does.

If you did not like the madness of Deconstruction and Ghost and Ki's serenity (which is not my case), but likes the accessibility of Addicted (which is my case) then Epicloud is an album for you. I'd say he will be more than that: it is a perfect place to start any individual in the discography of that artist. The thirteen songs in the space of just 50 minutes, but before you say that Devy was sold, I must say, this is a brilliant album.

Indeed Epicloud picks up where Addicted ended. We got to the back of Anneke Van Giersbergen. Do not know her? Let me describe it: it is the best female vocalist of rock I've ever seen! And it's beautiful ... Ah, your smile ... Oh, excuse me, is something of a teenage idiot. But okay, she sings very well, although not as prominent as in Addicted. Anyway its presence here is a treat for me, and how it is complemented with the vocal power of Devy ... About this, I have to say he is still as great as before! Seriously, the guy gives gospel choir, operatic vocals and growls, all in one album! The genius of this man is unprecedented.

Some reviewers pointed out that the problem of this work is that all the songs seem to be on the same level, and initially I even agree with it, but after listening I realized that there are several highlights yes. Epicloud is a new masterpiece, plus an above average job of Mr. Townsend. Keep it up, Devy! His new project is just the crowning of excellent work it has been doing for over fifteen years. 5 stars!

Highlights: Effervescent!, True North, Where We Belong, 
 Kingdom, Divine, Lessons, Hold On, Angel.

'Epicloud' - Devin Townsend Project (8/10)

Although I don't think Devin Townsend's Project series has ever come close to matching the jaw-dropping quality of his masterpiece "Terria", it's exciting to hear the man being so prolific with his art. With five studio albums released over the past three years, it's clear that Devin is enjoying a sense of revitalized spirit and inspiration. Most importantly, Devin now seems to be at the point where he is most open and unrestricted with his musical expression. There's no telling whether he might do a theatrical metal masterwork next, a soothing ambient record or, as is the case here on "Epicloud", a peppy and melodic album to showcase his cheerier side. Although initial reactions may have left me yearning for something more creatively ambitious from the mad scientist of metal, Devin's latest offering has a much longer lasting appeal and charm than the 'pop' label would suggest.

It's obvious that Devin Townsend is picking up on "Epicloud" where he left off on "Addicted", his pop-oriented and danceable chapter in the original four album Project. Although it didn't leave as strong an impression as the atmospheric "Ki" or the balls-out mania of "Deconstruction", I ended up listening to "Addicted" more than the others, if only because it allowed for the enjoyment of Devin's unique style without having to invest the undivided attention necessary for his most adventurous albums. Although "Addicted" was about as poppy and commercial as I could have imagined Devin would go, he seems to up the ante here. The proggy arrangements and signature dense 'wall of sound' production are still here, but the songwriting is an unabashed celebration of everything catchy and fun. Townsend's guitarwork still occasionally brings out the best of his talent, but the focus here is on the vocal side. "Epicloud" has fewer 'standout' tracks than "Addicted", but an overall greater sense of consistency and flow to it. Overall, this is some of the cheeriest Devin's music has ever sounded, possibly rivaled only by the hyperactivity on "Synchestra".

By this point in Townsend's career, a killer, unique sense of production and bombastic atmosphere are pretty much granted. Indeed, "Epicloud" sounds incredibly vast, especially considering that most of these tracks revolve around a familiar verse-chorus structure. Although the mix can get a little overwhelming at the album's loudest moments, it really fits the album's 'epic' approach. Although the larger-than-life instrumentation is sure to impress (especially if you haven't heard anything by Devin before), the real highlight are the vocal performances. Drawing upon his work on "Addicted" once again, Devin continues to enlist the talents of Anneke van Giersbergen (of The Gathering and Ayreon), whose unique and wonderful voice works really well with Devin's quirk. Although Devin's over-the-top and versatile voice has always been a highlight of his music, some of his vocal parts here are out of this world. The undeniable highlight "Kingdom" features possibly the greatest operatic vocals he has ever put to record.

Although the execution here is top-notch, "Epicloud" leaves the impression that only a few songs here really stand out. Among them, the epic "Kingdom" is the one that will stand the test of time, although the sugar-coated "True North" and atmospheric "Save Our Now" also distinguish themselves. Although I wouldn't say it's quite an inevitable by-product of Devin's 'accessible' approach here, many of the songs lack the shock factor to create a memorable impression in their own right. Especially considering that some of the tunes here are jaw dropping, I would have loved to hear an album that manages to hold up that amazing level of quality throughout. Seeing how much Devin has improved the pop metal approach on "Epicloud" over "Addicted" however, it's very possible that we'll hear something even greater from this end of Devin's music in the future. For the present, however, it's doubtful progressive metal has ever been catchier than this.

9/10

Ethereal.

And here we have an example of a mature man hitting a stunning ...

If in Deconstruction Devin was crazy, wild and avant-garde, here in Ghost, his twin brother (both albums were released on the same day), we see quite the opposite. There are no words that do justice to how I feel listening to this magnificent work, because it all comes down to ... peace.

Yes, peace. I never thought that this man, known for his bipolarity, I could evoke a feeling so deep. "Deep Peace" ... the title of this song Devin, one of my favorites of him, sums up my mood with Ghost. Even in Ki he wasn't so serene. In his long (but never boring) 72 minutes it takes you to a long state of meditation and contemplation. No growls, metal, aggressiveness or anything. And I am grateful to Devin through this experience.

In short, this is one of the most rewarding experiences I have had in recent times. Mainly because of the slight disappointment I had with Deconstruction, Ghost only tends to prove the character and eclectic genius of Devin. It's like being in paradise. 5 stars.

7.5/10

Deconstruction is Devin in your typical crazy, but I prefer what came before and after.

In Ki he was soft. In Addicted it was simple and straightforward. Now he is bold, crazy, preposterous, bipolar, funny - a man can gather so many facets within themselves? In the case of Devin Townsend, the answer is yes. There is much he got rid of drink and drugs, but that does not mean that his side "wild" died, and Deconstruction is proof of that. You liked Ziltoid? So will like this.

The problem is: I did not like Ziltoid.

But fortunately Deconstruction feels like an effort to top the alien's album, and that is why I give it a rating of four stars - rounded up. But if compared with ZTO was this album was better as compared to their predecessors Ki and Addicted it pales considerably. Both works reveal facets of Devin while known (Addicted to sent me Biomech and Terria) and new (Ki is the revelation of a mature side on the singer). With this new album he is showing that for which it is well known, but the lack of consistency in some parts and too much aggression and growling of his voice (as well as the guests, which includes Mikael Ã?kerfeldt and Ihsahn) is what I prevents giving a higher rank.

Still, I'm thankful that this man is able to amaze me. Consider: there are orchestral moments here (created in special programs by Devy) that fill well the overall sound. This is evident at the end of Planet of Apes and The Mighty Masturbator (indecent title and lyrics), which I might add are my favorite moments on the album, along with the opening Praise the Lowered (yeah, I have a weakness for battery and electronic effects). Even the concept of the album does not escape the creepiness: where else but an album this guy, you will find the story of a guy who can not eat a hamburger offered by Satan to be vegetarian, even if it means letting you know all the mysteries and secrets of the universe? Crazy, crazy.

At the time of writing this review I'm listening Ghost, and I'm increasingly sure that Deconstruction is the weakest album of the Devin Townsend Project. Yet it is a work that reflects the creative genius of that and that shows how far he can go.