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Devin Townsend - Transcendence



8.2 | 323 votes |
Release date: 9 September 2016
Style: Progressive metal

Owners:

247 have it
31 want it


Disc I [Transcendence]
01. Truth
02. Stormbending
03. Failure
04. Secret Sciences
05. Higher
06. Stars
07. Transcendence
08. Offer Your Light
09. From The Heart
10. Transdermal Celebration [Ween cover]
11. Sophie's Boobies [demo] [Japanese bonus]
12. Young Gods [demo] [Japanese bonus]
13. Wolves [demo] [Japanese bonus]

Disc II [Holding Patterns (Special Edition bonus)]
01. Gump
02. Celestial Signals [demo]
03. Support The Cause [demo]
04. Into The Sun [demo]
05. Time Overload [demo]
06. Lexus [demo]
07. Farther On [demo]
08. Victim [demo]
09. MonkeyMind [demo]
10. Canuckleload [demo]
11. Loud

The Best Progressive Metal Album Of 2016
Featured In "Getting Into: Devin Townsend: Part III: The 2010s"

Additional info
Produced by Devin Townsend. Mixed and engineered by Devin Townsend and Adam Getgood.

Staff review by
ScreamingSteelUS
Rating:
9.2
"Transcendence" is not a big enough word to describe this album. Transcendence is the first true collaboration between Devin and the rest of the Project, featuring songwriting contributions from the stellar cast of musicians that has helped bring Devin's machinations to life over the course of several releases. Not only that, but Transcendence also returns Devin to his throne as a much more personal album than DTP's last few offerings and the strongest musical statement he has made in quite a few years.

Read more ››
published 22.09.2016 | Comments (43)

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Comments: 51   Visited by: 950 users
17.09.2016 - 16:23
Rating: 8
Doge of Venice

Written by tea[m]ster on 17.09.2016 at 15:28

I am not a huge fan of this band. I think I listened to 'Ka' and thought it was alright. Right now I am in song two of Transcendence and it sounds dam good. Reviews say this is like his older stuff. What album sounds similar to this?


I like to think of it as an Addicted Terria Evolution.

That is, Addicted, Terria, and Accelerated Evolution. Probably the three albums, in my mind, that are most similar. I guess there is a bit of Sky Blue in there as well, but that is less 'proggy'.
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17.09.2016 - 20:37
Rating: 9
PatrickBateman

I'm enjoying this quite a lot, better than Z²
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19.09.2016 - 12:40
Rating: 8
BloodTears
ANA-thema
This album sounds so much like Terria that I feel like it's an old album It's so good though because I started listening to Devin with Terria and Accelerated Evolution.

What an unexpected surprise.
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29

Like you could kiss my ass.


My Instagram
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21.09.2016 - 16:18
Rating: 9
Aetherius

Written by BloodTears on 19.09.2016 at 12:40

This album sounds so much like Terria that I feel like it's an old album It's so good though because I started listening to Devin with Terria and Accelerated Evolution.

What an unexpected surprise.



I love Terria I may check this out sooner than I expected lol.
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21.09.2016 - 18:50
Rating: 8
BloodTears
ANA-thema
Written by Aetherius on 21.09.2016 at 16:18

Written by BloodTears on 19.09.2016 at 12:40

This album sounds so much like Terria that I feel like it's an old album It's so good though because I started listening to Devin with Terria and Accelerated Evolution.

What an unexpected surprise.



I love Terria I may check this out sooner than I expected lol.


I think you'll like it then!
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29

Like you could kiss my ass.


My Instagram
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04.10.2016 - 04:40
Apolyon666

I'm well aware of Devin Townsend but just heard pretty much songs in singularity... heard addicted... didn't really like it... heard "destruction" and it was brilliant, funny and gave me an aneurysm at the same time... can anyone recommend an album so I can fully understand this psychopath... I mean that with total respect...
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04.10.2016 - 12:44
Rating: 7
M C Vice
ex-polydactyl
Written by Apolyon666 on 04.10.2016 at 04:40

I'm well aware of Devin Townsend but just heard pretty much songs in singularity... heard addicted... didn't really like it... heard "destruction" and it was brilliant, funny and gave me an aneurysm at the same time... can anyone recommend an album so I can fully understand this psychopath... I mean that with total respect...

Try either Ziltoid The Omniciant or Ocean Machine (particulary the last 3 songs, Funeral, Bastard and The Death Of Music. (live version of all 3 here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oJEBGHCdBQ)
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"Another day, another Doug."
"I'll fight you on one condition. That you lower your nipples."
" 'Tis a lie! Thy backside is whole and ungobbled, thou ungrateful whelp!"
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04.10.2016 - 23:49
Rating: 6
RyanZaneX

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08.10.2016 - 19:37
3rdWorld
China was a neat
Finally something much worse than the latest Opeth. Such an unncessary release. Totally generic uninspired stereotypical DTP sounds and no heart and soul or fun in the songwriting. Go back to your mental illnesses Devin, please.
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09.10.2016 - 06:41
Rating: 7
Ace Frawley
The Spaceman
Written by 3rdWorld on 08.10.2016 at 19:37

Finally something much worse than the latest Opeth. Such an unncessary release. Totally generic uninspired steretypical DTP sounds and no heart and soul or fun in the songwriting. Go back to your mental illnesses Devin, please.


That last sentence is inappropriate and not necessary. Poor form.
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The sun shines over The Fool...
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09.10.2016 - 06:46
3rdWorld
China was a neat
Written by Ace Frawley on 09.10.2016 at 06:41


That last sentence is inappropriate and not necessary. Poor form.

Chill up. Just meant that his songwriting was excellent so much back then with all his mental illnesses.
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15.10.2016 - 02:22
Rating: 8
Doge of Venice

Written by 3rdWorld on 09.10.2016 at 06:46

Written by Ace Frawley on 09.10.2016 at 06:41


That last sentence is inappropriate and not necessary. Poor form.

Chill up. Just meant that his songwriting was excellent so much back then with all his mental illnesses.


Nah, doubt it was that. Was probably the drugs. He's been sober for a decade or so.
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15.10.2016 - 03:35
Darkside Momo
Retired
Written by Doge of Venice on 15.10.2016 at 02:22

Nah, doubt it was that. Was probably the drugs. He's been sober for a decade or so.

I'm sure 3rd World refers to Infinity - and Devin admitted about his delusions and stuff.

Anyway, I have to disagree with 3rd World here. This is Devin at its best since Deconstruction, at the very least. There's nothing plastic in here, it's actually quite a hodgepodge of most of his best works (including Infinity, particularly thanks to this "philosophical" side - the introspective Devin wondering about the meaning of it all. But he matured, and his take on it all is now different - more wise, you could say)
----
My Author's Blog (in French)


"You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you"

"I've lost too many years now
I'm stealing back my soul
I am awake"
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15.10.2016 - 13:29
Rating: 8
Doge of Venice

Written by Darkside Momo on 15.10.2016 at 03:35

Written by Doge of Venice on 15.10.2016 at 02:22

Nah, doubt it was that. Was probably the drugs. He's been sober for a decade or so.

I'm sure 3rd World refers to Infinity - and Devin admitted about his delusions and stuff.

Anyway, I have to disagree with 3rd World here. This is Devin at its best since Deconstruction, at the very least. There's nothing plastic in here, it's actually quite a hodgepodge of most of his best works (including Infinity, particularly thanks to this "philosophical" side - the introspective Devin wondering about the meaning of it all. But he matured, and his take on it all is now different - more wise, you could say)


Oh, I know he had mental illness. I think it was bipolar disorder? Probably explains City at the very least, but I saw an interview where he said he went off the drugs and the meds about 10 years ago and he's been much more stable since then. He felt the drugs kinda exaggerated the disorder, if I remember correctly.

PS I do like this album too. Not as much as Sky Blue, but better than the rest since Addicted or maybe even AE.
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29.10.2016 - 23:36
qlacs
"The Quaker"
I think "Offer Your Light" is the his cheesiest song next to "Bend It Like Bender!" but I can't stop listening to it, it blinks back to the SYL days somehow... damn you Devin
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30.10.2016 - 03:19
Darkside Momo
Retired
Written by qlacs on 29.10.2016 at 23:36

I think "Offer Your Light" is the his cheesiest song next to "Bend It Like Bender!" but I can't stop listening to it, it blinks back to the SYL days somehow... damn you Devin

I find it even more infectiously cheesily awesome than "Bend It Like Bender!"
----
My Author's Blog (in French)


"You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you"

"I've lost too many years now
I'm stealing back my soul
I am awake"
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16.12.2016 - 18:28
Rating: 8
musclassia

One of my favourite efforts by the guy, up with Sky Blue and Terria, think it's a really fine distillation of elements from the likes Terria, Accelerated Evolution, Infinity, Epicloud and more
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28.01.2017 - 08:12
Rating: 9
BehindSpace336

Best album from Devin Townsend since his early days. I was never much of a fan of his newer(2009 and onward) stuff until I heard this album. Gump, Into the Sun, Higher, Time Overload, and Stormbending are all great tracks and the rest are pretty good, too.

Would recommend this album to anyone who likes good music.
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22.05.2022 - 19:53
Taravilyaion

Why are there no separate pages for this artist under the different projects/bands he has?
The music from "The Devin Townsend Band", "Devin Townsend Project" and "Devin Townsend" are all different bands even though they got the exact same founder.
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"The best violence against one is the violence no one ever forgets.."
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31.07.2023 - 15:33
Rating: 9
24emd
Theory Snob
Written by Taravilyaion on 22.05.2022 at 19:53

Why are there no separate pages for this artist under the different projects/bands he has?
The music from "The Devin Townsend Band", "Devin Townsend Project" and "Devin Townsend" are all different bands even though they got the exact same founder.

I find it hard to express how much a separation like that would annoy me haha I guess I like having it all in the same place.
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"I am too stupid to be human, and I lack common sense." - Proverbs 30:2
"Music? Well, it's just entertainment, folks!" - Devin Townsend

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12.12.2023 - 15:44
Rating: 9
24emd
Theory Snob
A near-perfect journey of modern melodic prog - Devin keeps it simple and the whole Project absolutely knock it out of the park with this one. Out of everything with Dev's name on it, this is no. 3.

The production, especially the guitar, is incredible and hits you like a pancake to the face. The drums are incredibly powerful and groovy, and the symphonic compositions have a few moments where they soar over the wall of sound in huge build ups.

Some excellent and surprising choruses throughout too, especially on "Secret Sciences" and "Higher", and the final verse of "Stormbending" is chill-inducing. "Offer Your Light" is nearly a power metal track, and the Ween song works so well that some may not even notice it is a cover. The added ambient seques keep the album's flow steady, and the long closing section of the above-mentioned cover is the perfect way to conclude this masterpiece.

Now for something more specific - at one point in "Higher" the guitarists play a riff in semi-tone harmony, which is a trope common in core and math genres of metal, sometimes tech-death. It is utilised so well here, sparingly in a time of tension, exactly how this kind of effect should be.

Blood good stuff.
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"I am too stupid to be human, and I lack common sense." - Proverbs 30:2
"Music? Well, it's just entertainment, folks!" - Devin Townsend

Best 2024 Albums
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