CHRISTEEN + 4 DEMOS

All of you who love progressive metal so much, why haven't you checked out Devin Townsend yet? Why does he still remain mostly in obscurity in all the metal circles, I can't understand that. If anyone in metal deserves to be call a genius, it's this man. His music is typically some of the loudest and most intense music ever, but I think the difficulty that people have with him is he does lean towards post metal a bit, but not in the traditional way that most people are used to. His music is a wall of sound, even when it is at it's quietest. But it's not just any wall of sound, every sound and instrument is important, but his voice is also a part of that wall of sound and it usually isn't highlighted like vocals usually are, it becomes part of the whole instead of drowning it all out. There is no background here, it's all important in the entire picture.

So, if you are looking for a safe place to start listening to Mr. Townsend's music, this might be the answer. You are not really sacrificing a lot of time to listen to this since the total playing time is only a half hour. Even though these are demos that were originally intended for the album "Infinity", they are still good quality songs and you still get a good idea as to what kind of sound to expect. If nothing else, this EP should at least pique your interest in this artist. If you are willing to invest a little more time than that, then I would suggest the "Terria" album. Either way, you will hear some great material in either album.

The first track here is simply the same track as on the Infinity album. This is, afterall, the single for Christeen. The good thing is, the rest of the tracks are songs that were left off the album, probably because of time constraints. The 4th track is actually a combination of a few songs, in other words they have been combined into one song but it is actually a suite, the last part comprising a great waltz tempo guitar piece complete with an almost operatic alto sounding voice, though it's probably just Devin showing off his crazy vocal range. All of these tracks thus far are of the excellence that you come to expect from Devin Townsend. The last track is more of an Avant Garde piece which isn't quite so typical however. Just as a warning, it is different than what you typically hear. But it is still interesting.

So, in summary, this EP is a short burst of energy. Not the best release, but still a pretty good example of his music. Even though it is an EP, it's still an excellent addition to your prog collection because of the previously unavailable music that is included. All Townsend fans should have this and those wanting to hear a snippet of how he sounds should also check it out. 4 stars.