PlanetMosh Keeping it Metal
On completing my first listen of Devin Townsend’s upcoming release Empath, I find myself at a loss for words. Empath is a genre-bending masterpiece; from start to finish is a chaotic yet utterly blissful masterpiece. I find myself trying to get my head around the writing, recording and even how the hell the mixing process was carried out. It is further testament to Devin and the team he had around him to visualize and ultimately deliver ‘Empath’.
Initially on hearing the news that ‘The Devin Townsend Project’ was disbanding I was anxious as to what effect that would have on the future of Devin’s music. However on learning it was “a strategic way to eliminate the parameters that being in a traditional rock band imposed on him.”, then hearing the result of Devin’s creativity run wild with no restrictions, I was assured as to why he chose to make this move. This enabled him to Aasemble a team of musicians to record the different styles that range from, well literally everything! For example, there were 3 drummers used in recording “Morgan Ågren (Mats And Morgan, Frank Zappa, Fredrik Thordendal) for the improvisational, quiet and jazz portions of the album. Anup Sastry (Monuments, Periphery) for the prog metal pieces, and Samus Paulicelli (Decrepit Birth, Abigail Williams) for the full metal sections.”
I’m not going to do a track by track as it’s an album I really got a lot of joy from sitting and immersing myself in that first start to finish listening session. ‘Empath’ is a treasure that gives the listener so much joy and emotion from start to finish. In all my years of listening to Devin Townsend, what I have always loved is no matter how I’m feeling I can always put on an album of his that will help me through it, and embody a different feeling or emotion. With ‘Empath’ every track is a journey that takes you to so many places musically, and emotionally. It is incredible how Devin has used so many different styles of music that he has visited throughout his career, plus more. Despite all the crazy and glorious tangents, he has created this cohesive album, the mixing must have been a truly monumental task, but it’s been executed perfectly.
In a time where music in general, is too easily labeled as certain genres, or artists being compared to other artists. Devin Townsend has created a stunningly imaginative album that breaks every mould and constraint out there.
Empath is released March 29th by Inside Out Music.
Track-list
1. Castaway (02:30)
2. Genesis (06:05)
3. Spirits Will Collide (04:39)
4. Evermore (05:30)
5. Sprite (06:37)
6. Hear Me (06:30)
7. Why? (04:59)
8. Borderlands (11:02)
9. Requiem (02:46)
10. Singularity (23:32)
1) Adrift
2) I Am I
3) There Be Monsters
4) Curious Gods
5) Silicon Scientists
6) Here Comes The Sun!
- £10.99
