You'll notice that at the start i was trying to describe stuff ... but i just feel like typing "look, it's sh!t hot, give it a couple of listens" lol
Yeah, I'll be perfectly honest, I'm not sure if Devin has it in him to top Epicloud. Granted, if that's his high point, it's not like he's done bad work since, but this is a kind of "once in a lifetime" pinnacle. I'm quite happy to be proven wrong though!
I can't say Epicloud is as awesome as Terria or Addicted, but it is probably not far behind on my list of favorite Devin albums.
Epiclouder I am going to include this as, although it is demos, it actually stands up very well to the actual album. Included in the two cd sets of this album.
Believe An acoustic guitar and an ambient synth with Devin singing in sweet Devin style, rather than monster Devin style. Nice track.
Happy Birthday Anneke leads us into this track with that beautiful voice of hers. Another acoustic guitar with an ambient backing.
Quietus A nice little guitar riff leads us into this one. It sounds somewhat like it could have been on Ki. I enjoy layed back Devin, I think it suits him well. This track sounds like a fully produced Devin version could have been quite sinister.
"Happy Birthday" is one of those songs that, if I'm in the right mood, will just devastate me. Not really sure what it is about the thing because it's delivered pretty straight and, lyrics aside, doesn't sound particularly vulnerable, but it does manage to whack me in the solar plexus from time to time.
Heatwave Great song with a sort of rockabilly feel about it. It could so easily have been a good charting song.
Love Tonight A more typical DTP song here and again a very good one. As I said, this album could quite easily have stood on its own two feet.
The Mind Wasp Starts off with a really cool bass. I like the way this starts out fairly sparse. Certainly it fills out in spots. At some points it could almost be a leftover from deconstruction.
"Heatwave" and "Love Tonight" are another pair of highlights from the "bonus disc." Honestly, for demos, these songs kick the crap out of many writers' finished products...
Woah No Starting with a fairly zappaesque flourish, we move into a grinding metal song, with a screamy vocal. This track works well, but is probably my least favourite on the albums.
Love And Marriage Nice little track. I understand why it was left off the album, but it is still a good listen. Again it sounds like it could have come off Ki.
Socialization Starting with one of Devin's guitar nice little guitar melodies we then move into a chaotic rush. This track has a bit of everything in it and is a good listen.
Little Pig Great little song. It starts as an acoustic track and moves its way into almost a full gospel track. Well worth a listen.
I always thought Little Pig was pretty good, but then it went to amazing status once I saw him use it as the last encore at the Retinal Circus show. That is the one Devin song where I always listen to the live version.
Easy song and album guide Devin Townsend, Who? Devin Townsend Album thread Ocean Machine: Biomech 1997 - Devin Townsend Album thread track 1 Seventh wave Devin Townsend Album thread track 2 Life Devin Townsend Album thread track 3 Night Devin Townsend Album thread track 4 Hide nowhere Devin Townsend Album thread track 5 Sister Devin Townsend Album thread track 6 3AM Devin Townsend Album thread track 7 Voices in the fan Devin Townsend Album thread track 8 Greetings Devin Townsend Album thread track 9 Regulator Devin Townsend Album thread track 10 Funeral Devin Townsend Album thread track 11 Bastard Devin Townsend Album thread track 12 The death of music Devin Townsend Album thread Funeral/Bastard/The death of music live 2015 Devin Townsend Album thread track 13 Things beyond things Devin Townsend Album thread Infinity 1998 - Devin Townsend Album thread track 1 Truth Devin Townsend Album thread track 2 Christeen Devin Townsend Album thread track 4 Bad devil Devin Townsend Album thread track 5 War Devin Townsend Album thread track 6 Soul driven (Cadillac) Devin Townsend Album thread track 7 Ants Devin Townsend Album thread track 8 (Wild) Colonial boy Devin Townsend Album thread track 9 (Life is all) Dynamics Devin Townsend Album thread track 10 Unity Devin Townsend Album thread track 11 Noisy pink bubbles Devin Townsend Album thread The Physicist 2000 - Devin Townsend Album thread track 1 Namaste Devin Townsend Album thread track 2 Victim Devin Townsend Album thread track 3 Material Devin Townsend Album thread track 4 Kingdom Devin Townsend Album thread track 5 Death Devin Townsend Album thread track 6 Devoid Devin Townsend Album thread track 7 The Complex Devin Townsend Album thread track 8 Irish Maiden Devin Townsend Album thread track 9 Jupiter Devin Townsend Album thread track 10 Planet Rain Devin Townsend Album thread track 11 Forgotten Devin Townsend Album thread Terria 2001 - Devin Townsend Album thread Full Album (for clean run through) Devin Townsend Album thread track 1 Olives Devin Townsend Album thread track 2 Mountain Devin Townsend Album thread track 3 Earth Day Devin Townsend Album thread track 4 Deep Peace Devin Townsend Album thread track 5 Canada Devin Townsend Album thread track 6 Down and under Devin Townsend Album thread track 7 The Fluke Devin Townsend Album thread track 8 Nobody's here Devin Townsend Album thread track 9 Tiny tears Devin Townsend Album thread track 10 Stagnant Devin Townsend Album thread Hidden track - 11 - Humble Devin Townsend Album thread Limited bonus track - 12 - Universal Devin Townsend Album thread Accelerated Evolution 2003 - Devin Townsend Album thread track 1 Depth charge Devin Townsend Album thread track 2 Storm Devin Townsend Album thread track 3 Random Analysis Devin Townsend Album thread track 4 Deadhead Devin Townsend Album thread track 5 Suicide Devin Townsend Album thread track 6 Traveler Devin Townsend Album thread track 7 Away Devin Townsend Album thread track 8 Sunday afternoon Devin Townsend Album thread track 9 Slow me down Devin Townsend Album thread Devlab 2004 - Devin Townsend Album thread Devlab pts 1-10 Devin Townsend Album thread Synchestra 2006 - Devin Townsend Album thread track 1 Let It Roll Devin Townsend Album thread track 2 Hypergeek Devin Townsend Album thread track 3 Triumph Devin Townsend Album thread track 4 Baby Song Devin Townsend Album thread track 5 Vampolka Devin Townsend Album thread track 6 Vampira Devin Townsend Album thread track 7 Mental Tan Devin Townsend Album thread track 8 Gaia Devin Townsend Album thread track 9 Pixelate Devin Townsend Album thread track 10 Judgement Devin Townsend Album thread track 11 A Simple Lullaby Devin Townsend Album thread track 12 Sunset Devin Townsend Album thread track 13 Notes From Africa Devin Townsend Album thread track 14 Sunshine And Happiness (hidden track) Devin Townsend Album thread The Hummer 2006 - Devin Townsend Album thread The Hummer Album Devin Townsend Album thread Ziltoid The Omniscient 2007 - Devin Townsend Album thread track 1 ZTO Devin Townsend Album thread track 2 By Your Command Devin Townsend Album thread By your Command live at Plovdiv Devin Townsend Album thread track 3 Ziltoidia Attaxx Devin Townsend Album thread track 4 Solar Winds Devin Townsend Album thread track 5 Hyperdrive Devin Townsend Album thread Hyperdrive live by a thread 2011 Devin Townsend Album thread Hyperdrive live the retinal circus tour Devin Townsend Album thread track 6 N9 Devin Townsend Album thread track 7 Planet Smasher Devin Townsend Album thread track 8 Omnidimensional Creator Devin Townsend Album thread track 9 Color your World Devin Townsend Album thread track 10 The Greys Devin Townsend Album thread track 11 Tall Latte Devin Townsend Album thread Devin interview 2009 (part 1) Devin Townsend Album thread Ki 2009 - Devin Townsend Album thread track 1 A Monday Devin Townsend Album thread track 2 Coast Devin Townsend Album thread track 3 Disruptr Devin Townsend Album thread track 4 Gato Devin Townsend Album thread track 5 Terminal Devin Townsend Album thread track 6 Heaven Send Devin Townsend Album thread track 7 Ain't Never Gonna Win Devin Townsend Album thread track 8 Winter Devin Townsend Album thread track 9 Train Fire Devin Townsend Album thread track 10 Lady Helen Devin Townsend Album thread track 11 Ki Devin Townsend Album thread track 12 Quiet Riot Devin Townsend Album thread track 13 Demon League Devin Townsend Album thread Addicted 2009 - Devin Townsend Album thread track 1 Addicted Devin Townsend Album thread track 2 Universe In A Ball Devin Townsend Album thread track 3 Bend It Like Bender Devin Townsend Album thread Bend It Like Bender live 2012 Devin Townsend Album thread track 4 Supercrush Devin Townsend Album thread Supercrush live 2011 Devin Townsend Album thread track 5 Hyperdrive Devin Townsend Album thread track 6 Resolve Devin Townsend Album thread track 7 Ih Ah Devin Townsend Album thread Ih Ah live 2012 Devin Townsend Album thread track 8 The Way Home Devin Townsend Album thread track 9 Numbered Devin Townsend Album thread track 10 Awake!!! Devin Townsend Album thread Deconstruction 2011 - Devin Townsend Album thread track 1 Praise The Lowered Devin Townsend Album thread track 2 Stand Devin Townsend Album thread track 3 Juular Devin Townsend Album thread track 4 Planet Of The Apes Devin Townsend Album thread track 5 Sumeria Devin Townsend Album thread track 6 The Mighty M@$t@bator Devin Townsend Album thread track 7 Pandemic Devin Townsend Album thread track 8 Deconstruction Devin Townsend Album thread track 9 Poltergeist Devin Townsend Album thread Ghost 2011 - Devin Townsend Album thread track 1 Fly Devin Townsend Album thread track 2 Heart Baby Devin Townsend Album thread track 3 Feather Devin Townsend Album thread track 4 Kaiwaii Devin Townsend Album thread track 5 Ghost Devin Townsend Album thread track 6 Blackberry Devin Townsend Album thread track 7 Monsoon Devin Townsend Album thread track 8 Dark Matters Devin Townsend Album thread track 9 Texada Devin Townsend Album thread track 10 Seams Devin Townsend Album thread track 11 Infinite Ocean Devin Townsend Album thread track 12 As You Were Devin Townsend Album thread Epicloud 2012 - Devin Townsend Album thread track 1 Effervescent track 2 True North Devin Townsend Album thread track 3 Lucky Animals Devin Townsend Album thread track 4 Liberation Devin Townsend Album thread track 5 Where We Belong Devin Townsend Album thread track 6 Save Out Now Devin Townsend Album thread track 7 Kingdom Devin Townsend Album thread track 8 Divine Devin Townsend Album thread track 9 Grace Devin Townsend Album thread track 10 More Devin Townsend Album thread track 11 Lessons track 12 Hold On Devin Townsend Album thread track 13 Angel Devin Townsend Album thread Epiclouder track 1 Believe Devin Townsend Album thread track 2 Happy Birthday Devin Townsend Album thread track 3 Quietus Devin Townsend Album thread track 4 Heatwave Devin Townsend Album thread Heatwave live - Devin Townsend Album thread track 5 Love Tonight Devin Townsend Album thread track 6 Mind Wasp Devin Townsend Album thread track 7 Woah No Devin Townsend Album thread track 8 Love and Marriage Devin Townsend Album thread track 9 Socialization Devin Townsend Album thread track 10 Little Pig Devin Townsend Album thread Casualties of Cool 2014 - Devin Townsend Album thread track 1 Daddy Devin Townsend Album thread track 2 Mountaintop Devin Townsend Album thread track 3 Flight Devin Townsend Album thread track 4 The Code Devin Townsend Album thread track 5 Moon Devin Townsend Album thread track 6 Pier Devin Townsend Album thread track 7 Ether Devin Townsend Album thread track 8 Hejda Devin Townsend Album thread track 9 Forgive Me Devin Townsend Album thread track 10 Broken Devin Townsend Album thread track 11 Bones Devin Townsend Album thread track 12 Deathscope Devin Townsend Album thread track 13 The Field Devin Townsend Album thread track 14 Pure Devin Townsend Album thread From Ass Sordid Demos - Man - Devin Townsend Album thread Ocean Machine Live In Plovdiv - Devin Townsend Album thread Devin Townsend Album thread
Z² Studio album by Devin Townsend and Devin Townsend Project Released October 27, 2014 Recorded May 2014 Genre Progressive metal, industrial metal, progressive rock, experimental rock, new-age Length 117:00 Label HevyDevy Producer Devin Townsend Devin Townsend chronology Casualties of Cool (2014) Z² (2014) Transcendence (2016) Devin Townsend Project chronology Epicloud (2012) Z² (2014) Transcendence (2016) Sky Blue Dark Matters Z² (short for Ziltoid 2; pronounced "zed squared" or alternately "zee two"[5]) is a double album by Canadian musician Devin Townsend and his musical project Devin Townsend Project,[6] released on October 27, 2014.[7] It consists of two albums released together: the sixth album in the Devin Townsend Project series, Sky Blue, and Dark Matters, a solo concept album acting as a sequel to Townsend's 2007 album Ziltoid the Omniscient.[6][8] The main theme of Dark Mattersis, according to Townsend, "Ziltoid against the world".[6] Z² has been a long-running project, with Townsend announcing it in 2009.[9] Later he stated that he "may have just written the heaviest thing he's ever done" for the album.[10] Townsend also mentioned there is a surprising lack of Ziltoid himself appearing on the album, and that it "will be interesting to see how it all pans out". The project took its first steps on August 24, 2013, when a London-based radio station TeamRock Radio aired the first one-hour episode of Ziltoid Radio, a satirical radio show hosted solely by Ziltoid.[11] Later, Townsend stated that "Z Radio is just one little element of the Z² project".[12]After several Ziltoid Radio episodes aired, Townsend said he found the project hard to schedule and work with amidst touring and writing,[13][14] because he doesn't want to just "phone it in", and "it takes a lot of effort" to keep the content with tongue-in-cheek humour entertaining.[15][16] A total of seven Ziltoid Radio episodes aired between August 2013 and January 2014, and since then there has been no discussion or activity considering the series or its affiliation with the Z²project. The episodes have since been removed from TeamRock Radio's website. Townsend has also discussed a "ZTV" or "Ziltoid TV", being a part of the Z² project and preceding the album.[17][18][19] In October 2013, Townsend said that he had "more ideas than time", but that it was "almost time to start demoing" the album.[20] Later Townsend stated that since June 2013 he had written ideas for over 70 songs,[21] and revealed that the album was "taking shape".[22] Townsend also stated he was going to finish the whole project in two years.[23] In February 2014, Townsend announced the recording process of Z² started on May 2, 2014, in Los Angeles,[22][24] and also revealed that the project will include the Ziltoid TV program and a live show, with a "big graphic novel comic" and a documentary.[24] On February 26, 2014, Townsend posted that Z² will be a double album, with disc one being the main album and disc two featuring Devin Townsend Project material.[25] According to Townsend, the album's theme will be "Ziltoid against the world".[25] Townsend revealed his intention of adding audience-participated choir tracks on both discs.[26] The Z² show took place at the Royal Albert Hall on April 13, 2015, after which Townsend stated his intent to take at least a year-long hiatus from recording and touring.[27][28][29] However, by February 2016, work had begun on the next DTP record, Transcendence.[30] Z² won the Juno Award for Metal/Hard Music Album of the Year at the 2015 Juno Awards.[31] Z² is released in three different editions. The basic jewel case edition includes both albums on CD. The limited digipak edition features expanded artwork, both albums on CD and a bonus CD featuring Dark Matters without its dialogue. The vinyl edition features a double gatefold package in a slipcase, including the two albums on four records. The vinyl edition also includes both albums on CD.[32] The Japanese limited edition of the album features a "Loud Park" concert on a bonus DVD, recorded in Saitama, Japan, in October 2013.[33] Devin Townsend – vocals, guitars, keyboards, programming Dave Young – guitars, keyboards Brian Waddell – bass Ryan Van Poederooyen – drums Mike St-Jean – keyboards, programming Morgan Ågren – additional percussion Kat Epple – flute Anneke van Giersbergen – vocals Chris Jericho – vocals (as "Captain Spectacular") Dominique Lenore Persi – vocals (as "War Princess") Mark Cimino – vocals (as "Poozer") Chris Devitt – vocals (as "Planet Smasher") Bill Courage – narrator[41] Marina Bennett – additional voices Adyson King - voices on "Warrior" Maria Werner & Jazz-A-Fire (Jasmin Kramer) - voices on "Z²" (as "excited women on Earth") Randy Slaugh – orchestrations, string arranging Florian Magnus Maier – orchestrations Eric Severinson – choir and orchestra conducting, additional voices Prague Philharmonic Orchestra – orchestra The audience at Utrecht Tivoli, August 5, 2014 – backing vocals on "Z²" and "March of the Poozers" Universal Choir – additional vocals on "Before We Die", "Z²" and "Dimension Z" ------------------------------------------ What we have here is two great albums, packaged together. I'm unsure as to why they were packaged together but it works well, if you only want one Devin disc in the car, you get two styles to choose from. Sky Blue is an excellent collection of songs in the styling we have become used to over the last couple of DTP albums. Dark Matters is one that seems to split the Devin fans up somewhat. It is essentially a movie soundtrack feel. Think Jeff Wayne's War Of The Worlds, with a narrator and a story line and there is a strong leaning towards the music. In some instances the vocals seem to get a fairly low mix and the focus seems to be on the music. There is a choir of sorts singing a lot of the vocals. I am actually very fond of this particular album. What do you think of this set? Do you think they should have separated the albums? Give us your opinions
Rejoice This is a great opener. A great melody sung over some rockin' chords by Anneke. A very modern rock song sound and feel about it. I think this track works really well.
Fallout Sung by Anneke, this is another great rock song and the bar is set for this album. I think this album tends to get hidden behind the over the top Dark Matters, but essentially Sky Blue is a brilliant DTP album, that may be more recognised as such if it had been purely a separate release.
