The Devin Townsend Band - Accelerated Evolution

[Rodrigo]

THE DEVIN TOWNSEND BAND - ACCELERATED EVOLUTION
Inside Out Music America - 2003

By Rodrigo Escandon

To this day I have not really understood what the big deal about Devin Townsend's albums without the Strapping Young Lad name attached to it are. It seems to put in the minority thinking this way because most everyone just go gaga over his solo albums. But I am still searching to find what that "big deal" is because with Accelerated Evolution I haven't found it. To me Devin is SYL and that's it and that may be the biggest problem and bias I have with this album and his previous albums.

Accelerated Evolution can be simply described as heavy metal pop. The songs are not heavy enough but they are not too soft either, they are right down the middle but the commercial appeal can't be ignored. Yet, I wanted songs to get heavier, faster and meaner. I wanted Devin to stop singing so melodic and to yell more. He does at times, "Storm" is one example but it was just not enough for me.

I knew from the start that I wasn't going to get another SYL album in the same year and I gave it a fair shot but I just came out indifferent to the music. I don't really hate it but I don't like it either. Call me crazy, call me nuts, call me a fool but that's just the way I feel about this album.

Inside Out Music America Website
Devin Townsend Official Website

 

[Pitiless Wanderer]

you dont even have a clue as to what his intentions are with his music, so please dont review his albums in the future. thanks.

 

[changso]

This review describes my exact thoughts about the album...nothing more to add.

 

[RabidWarfare]

I liked Terria and Ocean Machine much better. But AE is alright.

 

[all4dametal]

Ae is my 2nd favourite Devy album with Ocean Machine being #1 !

 

[Nico16]

I wonder why you write stuff like "you wanted the songs to get meaner, faster, etc..." in your review. Devin recorded this album at the same time he recorded the new Strapping Album. IT WAS HIS INTENTION to make one heavy and one soft album.

I don't know how your brain works, but I'm sure you would be the only one on the whole planet if you believed that Devin could record two SYL albums at the same time. That thought alone is ridiculous. Even if he wanted to - no label would give him the money for this.

And BTW: I think Accelerated Evolution is the best Devin release to date ...and I'm someone who's totally into heavy stuff (I'm one of the few who adore the Physicist album...)

 

[all4dametal]

I totally agree with you Nico 16 ....It was Devy's intention to write a heavy album with Strapping and a commercial - rock - metal album with DTB. The review is a pile of crap now that I read it again. I just wish peope who review albums at least know some background on the artist before they go slammin' the music. Devy said a million times that he wanted to write an album like AE in interviews and he did ! Great album, can't wait for the next !

 

[all4dametal]

Oh yeah....another thing to add. Devin has always been partial to his solo albums. He wrote the latest SYL record for the guy's in the band, he did'nt even want to do it. Devin has said that many times in interviews. Why do you think there are more Solo records than SYL records ? Why do you think he actually got a whole new band together to just play his solo material ? I think the bottom line is ....Strapping is nothing without the Devy name attached to it and his solo stuff, he is simply being himself and showing his wide array of influences from album to album. That's what makes this guy so unique, cuz he can shit out metal for SYL anytime (not to take anything away from SYL, they rule too) but you can tell there is a ton of emotion in solo albums and he feels at home with it.

To end this post......No, Devy did'nt write another SYL record, he wrote a solo album that shows a different side of himself and his influences. I think that's way cooler than putting out another SYL record. Imagine if all his solo work was like SYL......AAARRRGGGGHHH ! Thanks Dev for putting out these awesome pieces of work. Your solo records rule along with SYL !

 

[OpethMurders]

I got this album after reading a gushing review over it in a magazine. I was sort of dissapointed, these songs are all midtempo lovey metal. It has it's moments, but is a hard listen all the way through.

 

[OceanbarD]

comparing SYL with DTB , wtf ? someone should nevermind to do some reviews.