Devin Townsend - Z² review
| 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.
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 8 |
| Songwriting: | 6 |
| Originality: | 8 |
| Production: | 8 |
Written by Auntie Sahar | 22.10.2014
Guest review by
BlueMobius
BlueMobius
Rating:
7.1
7.1
|
Rating: 7.1 |
I could go into reviewing the music of Devin Townsend's latest opus, the double-album Z2, but there is something nagging at me about the Ziltoid The Omniscient follow-up, Dark Matters, and its disc one companion, Sky Blue from the Devin Townsend Project. Read more ›› |
Comments
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Comments: 31
Visited by: 409 users
| Hex_Omega Gem Seeker Posts: 1178 |
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| Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5989  |
Written by Hex_Omega on 22.10.2014 at 18:49 Yeah, it already had mellowish moments, but I think Casualties kinda built upon them more, which is why I say I hear some of that in Disc 1. Rain City is totally chill, probably my favorite from the Sky Blue side of things. War Princess was good, but again, just sounds too much like Devy's recent solo work for my liking. I think that was my biggest issue with Dark Matters, I was hoping for a sound more along the lines of By Your Command/Color Your World, which it certainly isn't. I dunno, I think I'm just stuck in Devy's SYL days 
---- I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go. ~ II. VII
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| Hex_Omega Gem Seeker Posts: 1178 |
Written by Auntie Sahar on 22.10.2014 at 18:54 Hm... Somehow Dark Matters reminds me more of Deconstruction than first Ziltoid. And I like Deconstruction very much, probably that's why I'm not disappointed that much. I rather don't understand why it is a double album. Sky Blue is ok but it is nothing new and a bit pointless for me...
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| BloodTears ANA-thema Elite Posts: 11835  |
Che reviewing a prog album. Don't believe anything is what I'm saying  Nah, just joking really.I'm yet to listen to this, so I'll refrain my judgement until then but you were very clear about your points. Kinda intrigued that you say some of it sounds like Casualties Of Cool because I absolutely love it.
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| Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5989 |
Written by Hex_Omega on 22.10.2014 at 19:00 Well like I said, to me it feels a little bit more genuine, more natural. Devin seems to be more comfortable with the more relaxed, melodic side of things these days, that's why the whole Ziltoid 2 disc sounds kind of forced and overbearing to me. It feels more robotic.
---- I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go. ~ II. VII
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| Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5989 |
Written by BloodTears on 22.10.2014 at 19:02 It seems like an Epicloud/Casualties mix, really. Hard to tell sometimes, but I personally hear elements of each
---- I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go. ~ II. VII
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| Zap Posts: 3579  |
Written by Hex_Omega on 22.10.2014 at 19:00 Really? I love Deconstruction, but this sounded more like a heavier, more proggy Epicloud musical to me. Dark Matters that is, haven't listened to disc 1.
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| Hex_Omega Gem Seeker Posts: 1178 |
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| Zap Posts: 3579 |
Written by Hex_Omega on 22.10.2014 at 19:54 Yeah, I get what you mean. Still, this is vastly inferior to Deconstruction for me, I didn't like this album at all. Maybe it'll grow on me, but I doubt it.
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| Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5989 |
Written by Zap on 22.10.2014 at 22:14 Yeah, Deconstruction is probably my favorite of his "Devin Townsend Project" albums, probably because it's the most ridiculous and embracing of his humorous personality I think. I love and prefer Devin when he's pushing that funny agenda, but here with Dark Matters, like I said, it just feels forced and lazy, more slapstick comedy than the silly Hevy Devy we know and love.
---- I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go. ~ II. VII
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| Zap Posts: 3579 |
Written by Auntie Sahar on 23.10.2014 at 00:05 Yeah, completely agreed, you described the problem well in your review. I've found that the focus on the story is a lot bigger here, where the previous album's songs themselves were really good, regardless of the whole concept behind them. Also, I noticed this album doesn't sound as 'spacey,' like the music actually represents the absurd story told in the lyrics. Btw, one of the things I love about Deconstruction is that the whole album builds up and gets heavier and more insane until the title track where it just unleashes the (ridiculous) chaos. (it's also a pretty clever album, listen to the commentary track to find out more)
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| Desert Father Posts: 144  |
Sounds a bit recycled to me, and Dev even went so far to say two nights ago at a guitar clinic that he wasn't feeling it.
---- "Truly, my child, if I were allowed to see my sins, three or four men would not be enough to weep for them." - Abba Dioscorus
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| Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5989 |
Written by Desert Father on 23.10.2014 at 01:09 Yeah see, I knew it without him even having to say it, you can just feel it in the music. The Sky Blue disc feels a lot more like what he actually wants to be doing right now, Dark Matters meanwhile has its highlights, but overall just sounds very dull and unmotivated.
---- I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go. ~ II. VII
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| Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5989 |
Written by Zap on 23.10.2014 at 00:31 Not entirely sure if that's intentional or not, I remember reading somewhere that Devy said the first Ziltoid album was kind of about Ziltoid as an imaginary alien, and this one is more about discovering that he's real and describing some of his journeys. So it could be.
---- I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go. ~ II. VII
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| Desert Father Posts: 144 |
Written by Auntie Sahar on 23.10.2014 at 01:15 Actually he said he was ambivalent towards elements of both, he said the only song he 'felt' on Sky Blue was A New Reign because lots of people were dying at the time and he was trying to put across the Addicted/Epicloud 'think positive' vibe, but then decided fuck it, let's make a 'sadder' song. Personally I just think he's exhausted his heavy repertoire (which is nothing to be ashamed of) and genuinely just wants to do stuff like Casualties. He said the only stuff of his that he's actually listened to recently has been CoC, Ki and Ghost. Hopefully someone might put up the video of the clinic, it was very revealing.
---- "Truly, my child, if I were allowed to see my sins, three or four men would not be enough to weep for them." - Abba Dioscorus
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| Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5989 |
Written by Desert Father on 23.10.2014 at 01:31 All the most mellow/relaxing albums of his solo discog. Understandable then, sounds like he just wants to chill out at this point
---- I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go. ~ II. VII
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| Desert Father Posts: 144 |
Written by deadone on 23.10.2014 at 02:01 Seems like there was a bit of label pressure, they begged him to do something commercial because lots of money was spent on Z2 and the new puppet etc. they were afraid of losing out. And the point about heavy stuff is right on the money I reckon (although I did enjoy Decon), it must be hard having such a reputation for making brilliant crushing records for so long and then deciding to quit. In fact, Ki came about because at the time he thought the mindset he used to get into while making heavy albums was 'toxic' and not a helpful thing (in personal terms). It seems that's no longer the case but I respect him so much for doing what he wants. The most interesting advice he gave was that "even if the stuff you come up with as a writer is stuff you don't like, write it anyway because that's the only way you'll get to something you will like."
---- "Truly, my child, if I were allowed to see my sins, three or four men would not be enough to weep for them." - Abba Dioscorus
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| Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5989 |
Written by deadone on 23.10.2014 at 06:45 This is why I'm really surprised he did a Ziltoid sequel at all, honestly. Like you suggested, he's said before on several occasions that he writes his material on the basis of what he experienced in the past year, so going back to an album he did seven years ago no doubt creates a lot of conflict with that sort of philosophy.
---- I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go. ~ II. VII
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| Desert Father Posts: 144 |
I think it's also an issue of closing the chapter. But I think that the Retinal Circus and the upcoming Ziltoid musical were bad ideas. The former was so preachy and the latter seems totally unnecessary. He hinted that his new manager (who does Opeth, Anathema, Paradise Lost) is pressuring him to do the things that will get him to "Point B", but it seems like he's having to go through Points X, D, 5.3 and O))) to reach that endpoint. By the way, that last one contained a MASSIVE hint.
---- "Truly, my child, if I were allowed to see my sins, three or four men would not be enough to weep for them." - Abba Dioscorus
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| Zap Posts: 3579 |
Written by Desert Father on 23.10.2014 at 11:41 He's doing a drone album? On topic: I agree with most of what's said here. He clearly doesn't wanna do this kind of stuff anymore, and that's fine with me, I enjoyed Casualties a lot more than this actually, probably because he did too. The fact that he's not feeling this Z² makes sense considering he stated earlier that he was going to take a long break again. Quote: That's maybe why making a sequel to ZTO wasn't a good idea.
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| Desert Father Posts: 144 |
Written by Zap on 23.10.2014 at 13:10 Yep, at some point. It's going to be a separate project called "Obviouser".
---- "Truly, my child, if I were allowed to see my sins, three or four men would not be enough to weep for them." - Abba Dioscorus
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| Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5989 |
Written by Desert Father on 23.10.2014 at 13:55 Damn, Devin O))). That sounds butt-fuckingly awesome
---- I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go. ~ II. VII
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| Hex_Omega Gem Seeker Posts: 1178 |
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| Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5989 |
Written by Hex_Omega on 23.10.2014 at 20:39 Because hooded robes and black monoliths are awesome, Sunn O)))!
---- I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go. ~ II. VII
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| Desert Father Posts: 144 |
I reckon it'll end up being new age drone like The Hummer but he did specifically mention Sunn O))) so we'll have to wait I guess.
---- "Truly, my child, if I were allowed to see my sins, three or four men would not be enough to weep for them." - Abba Dioscorus
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| Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5989 |
Written by Desert Father on 24.10.2014 at 00:01 Oh Jesus, I can see it now, here comes O'Malley and Anderson's next collaboration 
---- I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go. ~ II. VII
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| Opethian Posts: 1757  |
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| Darkside Momo Retired Elite Posts: 9089  |
Written by Zap on 23.10.2014 at 13:10 He's already done minimalistic ambiant (The Hummer, anyone), so why not?
---- 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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| Zap Posts: 3579 |
Written by Darkside Momo on 24.10.2014 at 02:20 I'm aware of this, I was just asking.
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| Hex_Omega Gem Seeker Posts: 1178 |
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