"If you can appreciate 'City' for anything other than its brutality then you will be able to appreciate Ocean Machine" says the musical genious Devin Townsend.
Incredible. That really is the only word I can think of to describe this record. Everything about it: singing, songwriting, production and playing...all incredible. This release wasn't just good for Devin, but rather good for music as a business because it raised the bar. This is, in my opinion, the single best example of how a record should sound as a whole. Nothing scattered, nothing out of place or seemingly odd that might make you think "now if it weren't for that part right there, this album would be perfect." This is the album that got me hooked on HevyDevy, and even though I have played it countless times for more than a year, it still remains one of my top 3 favorite albums of all time. To my ears, the album is literally perfect...
Basically, this album was created by Devin Townsend (the brainchild behind Strapping Young Lad) in an attempt to capture what the ocean would sound like if it were put to music. Taking years to write and produce with more trouble than most people would go to for an album, Devin, being the perfectionist that he is, continued the arduous task and the result is nothing short of amazing. From its poetic opening to disturbing closing, listeners are thrown into a different world. This album captures the heart and mind and simultaniously taps into every human emotion one could feel: love, happiness, solitude, lonliness, anger, confusion, total bliss and everything inbetween. The songs are so emotionally heavy, they, on certain occasions have moved me to tears.
The music itself is fairly slow with a few mid tempo songs, yet the album still retains a certain "heaviness" that doesn't puncture the delicate "HevyDevy/DevyMetal" trademark. Songs are layered with beautiful, thick, synthasizers and peppered with dazzling bits of keyboards that trace the entire record with beauty. The singing is perfect, as Devin really shines by displaying his versatility as a vocalist. For those who thought he was one-dimensional by only screaming his brains out with SYL, you are really in for a treat. The man can sing. Oh, can he sing indeed (but you already knew that because you have the Steve Vai album "Sex and Religion" where Dev was hand picked by Mr. Vai to be the vocalist
) Everything from screams, to whispers, to classic tenor and falsetto vocals are found on the album. Devin even treats us with a fabulous belt in the 12 minute epic "The Death of Music." Believe me when I say he sounds absolutely fantastic doing all of it.
I could go on forever talking about this album. After a few listens, I'm sure any of you readers would be able to as well. Everytime you listen you find something new. Little things that make you wonder "how and why would anyone even think or want to include that extra note or tiny keyboard in this song?" Like I mentioned before, the layering is only surpassed by one of his other masterpiece albums (Infinity). Having so many sounds working together without drowning each other out, yet blending in perfectly is beyond words.
I recommend this album to anyone with an open mind who is willing to try something different. Something refreshing. This is, in my opinion, truly and honestly, one of the greatest albums of all time (yet ironically not even his best album in my opinion) and deserves the attention and apprasial I have given it. The best part is...Devin Townsend wrote the entire album, music and lyrics, devoid of any help. Just like he did with SYL, and just like he has done and continues to do with every album he makes. A true musical genius and a one man machine of passion and vision. Hands down, the most talented musician of our time.
5/5
Incredible. That really is the only word I can think of to describe this record. Everything about it: singing, songwriting, production and playing...all incredible. This release wasn't just good for Devin, but rather good for music as a business because it raised the bar. This is, in my opinion, the single best example of how a record should sound as a whole. Nothing scattered, nothing out of place or seemingly odd that might make you think "now if it weren't for that part right there, this album would be perfect." This is the album that got me hooked on HevyDevy, and even though I have played it countless times for more than a year, it still remains one of my top 3 favorite albums of all time. To my ears, the album is literally perfect...
Basically, this album was created by Devin Townsend (the brainchild behind Strapping Young Lad) in an attempt to capture what the ocean would sound like if it were put to music. Taking years to write and produce with more trouble than most people would go to for an album, Devin, being the perfectionist that he is, continued the arduous task and the result is nothing short of amazing. From its poetic opening to disturbing closing, listeners are thrown into a different world. This album captures the heart and mind and simultaniously taps into every human emotion one could feel: love, happiness, solitude, lonliness, anger, confusion, total bliss and everything inbetween. The songs are so emotionally heavy, they, on certain occasions have moved me to tears.
The music itself is fairly slow with a few mid tempo songs, yet the album still retains a certain "heaviness" that doesn't puncture the delicate "HevyDevy/DevyMetal" trademark. Songs are layered with beautiful, thick, synthasizers and peppered with dazzling bits of keyboards that trace the entire record with beauty. The singing is perfect, as Devin really shines by displaying his versatility as a vocalist. For those who thought he was one-dimensional by only screaming his brains out with SYL, you are really in for a treat. The man can sing. Oh, can he sing indeed (but you already knew that because you have the Steve Vai album "Sex and Religion" where Dev was hand picked by Mr. Vai to be the vocalist
) Everything from screams, to whispers, to classic tenor and falsetto vocals are found on the album. Devin even treats us with a fabulous belt in the 12 minute epic "The Death of Music." Believe me when I say he sounds absolutely fantastic doing all of it. I could go on forever talking about this album. After a few listens, I'm sure any of you readers would be able to as well. Everytime you listen you find something new. Little things that make you wonder "how and why would anyone even think or want to include that extra note or tiny keyboard in this song?" Like I mentioned before, the layering is only surpassed by one of his other masterpiece albums (Infinity). Having so many sounds working together without drowning each other out, yet blending in perfectly is beyond words.
I recommend this album to anyone with an open mind who is willing to try something different. Something refreshing. This is, in my opinion, truly and honestly, one of the greatest albums of all time (yet ironically not even his best album in my opinion) and deserves the attention and apprasial I have given it. The best part is...Devin Townsend wrote the entire album, music and lyrics, devoid of any help. Just like he did with SYL, and just like he has done and continues to do with every album he makes. A true musical genius and a one man machine of passion and vision. Hands down, the most talented musician of our time.
5/5
