Band:	Devin Townsend
Album:	Z²
Style:	Progressive metal
Release date:	October 27, 2014
A review by:	Auntie Sahar

Disc I [Sky Blue]
01. Rejoice
02. Fallout
03. Midnight Sun
04. A New Reign
05. Universal Flame
06. Warrior
07. Sky Blue
08. Silent Militia
09. Rain City
10. Forever
11. Before We Die
12. The Ones Who Love

Disc II [Dark Matters]
01. Z²
02. From Sleep Awake
03. Ziltoidian Empire
04. War Princess
05. Deathray
06. March Of The Poozers
07. Wandering Eye
08. Earth
09. Ziltoid Goes Home
10. Through The Wormhole
11. Dimension Z

Disc III [Dark Matters - Raw]
01. Z²
02. From Sleep Awake
03. Ziltoidian Empire
04. War Princess
05. Deathray
06. March Of The Poozers
07. Wandering Eye
08. Earth
09. Ziltoid Goes Home
10. Dimension Z

Uh oh, Apothecary is reviewing a prog album. Hold onto your undergarments, ladies and gentlemen, it's gonna be a bumpy ride.

We all know Devin Townsend, the redhead skullet rocker turned baldy, purveyor of many things goofy, over the top, and (as of late) relaxing within the metal genre. Z², originally billed as the return of that coffee-loving alien, Ziltoid The Omniscient, is actually a double album, one disc dedicated to some new Devin Townsend Project music, and the other the sequel to the 2007 classic. So how does this curious blend of Hevy Devy's personalities match up? In all honesty it doesn't, really. But perhaps it's not entirely supposed to.

Disc 1, or Sky Blue can be seen as something of a fusion of Devin's past two albums, Epicloud and Casualties Of Cool. If you were down with either of them, then you'll likely find the music here highly enjoyable. Like Epicloud, it is bouncy and riff heavy at points, and like Casualties it takes a more relaxed, floating kind of feel for its majority, which seems to be the territory Devin feels a lot more comfortable sitting in with his work recently. Some tracks are an interesting blend of the two, "Silent Militia" for example starting off as a really great head-bobber, but then going into a brief melodic passage with female vocals towards its middle.

Disc 2, what most people are probably more hyped for, is our long-awaited Ziltoid sequel, Dark Matters. Does it live up to the original? Unfortunately no, but in some respects, the answer to this question would really just depend on what you're looking for. It is definitely not as heavy as Ziltoid 1, and with tracks such as "March Of The Poozers" and "Dimension Z," it's easy to see how some of the influences from Devin's previous solo albums have crept into the mix, especially in regards to the use of choirs, as well as other melodic undertones. Perhaps the biggest annoyance, however, is the narration. With the first Ziltoid album, it really only appeared when it needed to, adding a tongue in cheek humor that helped lead the concept of the album. With Dark Matters, however, it sees a tenfold increase, and quite often feels forced and just downright ridiculous ("Now don't pull any fast ones, Ziltoid! You need to get that weapon of yours down here, there's a lot riding on this trust I've got in you, don't let me down!" / "Aye aye, Captain Poopypants!").

At the end of the day, Z² is, as with any Devin Townsend music, a complex release that is sure to divide fans. Ironically enough, Sky Blue was actually the disc I enjoyed more here, because it feels a lot more genuine, like something Devin actually wants to do, than something he's pushing out of himself on behalf of his fanbase (as what seems to be the case with Disc 2). The Ziltoid sequel is not bad, per se, and there definitely are a few standout tracks on it ("Deathray," "Ziltoid Goes Home"), but if you're looking for a clone of Ziltoid The Omniscient here, you're going to be setting yourself up for disappointment. But hey, all things considered, Devin Townsend has consistently shown himself to be a musician who never does something twice, so we really shouldn't have been expecting anything too similar anyway, riiiiiiight? Right.