Sorry, for the slight delay between posts....little things like work and life got in the way. Since the last post one of the true music artists that exists today released two albums. Devin Townsend, whose biggest claim to fame was as the frontman for Strapping Young Lad and as producer of albums by Lamb of God and Soilwork, has a body of solo work that is unmatched in its variety. For the life of me I can't think of a more eclectic musician. It's hard to believe that his output is created from the same brain. Prior to 2006, I was only aware of his work with Strapping Young Lad, a band that was cool to see live occasionally and had a song or two that I really liked. While I enjoyed them, they still blended into the extreme metal genre without standing out too much. Then I saw him open for Opeth under his "Devin Townsend Band" moniker promoting the release of his then newest release "Synchestra"...I was blown away.
Now, even if those samples aren't you're cup of tea, bear with me. After getting Synchestra I delved into Townsend's other solo releases. His solo projects have been released under a variety of different names(the most recent being a 4 album grouping released under the name The Devin Townsend Project). I was stunned that he had made his name by something other than his solo efforts. From mellow relaxing numbers to the most extreme metal possible with bits of jazz, bluegrass, and polka mixed in for good measure all touched with a stroke of genius and Townsend's bizarre sense of humor there's no other artist that he can be compared against. His work is truly unique. Sure, he's ripping off old blues chords, but he's ripping them off in ways no one else has.
That's a few of my favorites of his back catalog. Of his older releases, Terria and Accelerated Evolution are my personal picks as his best while I still feel Synchestra is his overwhelming masterpiece. His latest effort is an epic 4 cd "collection". 4 separate albums, two released in 2009 and two released just last week that display Townsend's full creative drive and scope. There are also two "mellow" albums and two "heavy" albums. Though, one is much heavier than the other. Each of the albums featuring each own set of guest musicians. 2009 saw the release of Ki and Addicted. Ki was the first of the mellow releases that actually features its share of heaviness, while Addicted is billed as a heavy release, but it actually showcases almost a danceable metal sound.
The two releases from 2011 were Deconstruction and Ghost. Deconstruction was promoted as the strangest and heaviest of the project, while Ghost may be the softest output of Townsend's career. With the releases being so new, I'm still in the process of digesting them...but his work remains as nutty, zany, and talented as ever on the heavy side and hauntingly beautiful during it's calmer moments.
Rest assured, that even the many samples above barely skim the surface of the man's eclectic work. For example, I didn't even preview any of his concept album about a coffee drinking alien guitar hero. Ziltoid the Omniscient. Nor did I highlight his time as lead vocalist for guitar legend Steve Vai. Simply put his creative output is too vast for a single post, but it's worth your time to explore. Within his work are a variety tastes that won't appeal to all palettes, but there is so much wonderful music that it justifies the few missteps that may not appeal to you.
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