DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT: EPICLOUD

Devin Townsend is nothing if not prolific. After completing a four album project within a 3 year span, he was working on possibly three different ideas (including Ziltoid 2) at once. But apparently despite his best intentions, happy happy pop metal kept entering his bald noggin'. As part of his new middle age ethic, Townsend decided to just go with it. The result is EPICLOUD, an album that probably does something that Z2 could not. It adds yet another facet to Townsend's immense array of looks into the human condition.

EPICLOUD obviously looks back 3 years to ADDICTED, which was the debut of Townsend's use of ex-Gathering lead siren Anneke Van Giersbergen. That collaboration was a spontaneous experiment that was a rousing success, and the choice to bring her back makes great sense. Indeed, her presence still adds much to EPICLOUD but perhaps the biggest disappointment of the disc is how muted her presence is. In fact, there is nothing here you haven't heard before from Devy. Except something beautiful. Unapologetic happiness.

Ironically, one of the centerpieces of the album is a remake of Kingdom from PHYSICIST. That album saw Devin at one of his darkest, angriest, and least focused parts of his career. And with only a few actual compositional changes, the song goes from anxious freakout to angelic deliverance. The pissed off kid from Strapping Young Lad's CITY is gone. The tripped out manic depressive from ALIEN is gone too. Instead, we have an adult musical genius just figuring out what it means to be happy. Even on ADDICTED, Townsend wasn't quite here yet.

But from the opening choir of "Effervescent" through te camp stomp of "Lucky Animals" do the Space Metal Spiritual "Grace," Townsend is emoting from somewhere new. In many ways, it's just as risky as the monstrous DECONSTRUCTION. But it's alot more easy on the ears. Like that album, I am simply delighting in my end over end first listenings. But like that album also, I suspect there will be about 3 songs that become part of the long term Townsend legacy, and the rest will be fond but perhaps faded memories.

High points: Grace, True North, Kingdom

Low Points: none

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