November 4
InsideOut Music
I’m gonna bypass the introductory formalities regarding Devin Townsend and dive straight into giving my lowdown and (probably insignificant) review of his latest offering – Lightwork
I don’t think that Townsend, in all honesty, needs to release a mature album of sorts because everything he has released in his thirty-year career has been a remarkable, carefully stroked piece of artistic beauty, irrelevant of whatever point of life either he or we find ourselves in. We, as willing, eager fans, admirers and voyeuristic onlookers will praise or condemn, love / loath but passionately digest his musical talents and gifts.
Over these past few weeks, after listening to Lightwork for the umpteenth time, I went back and listened to some of Devin’s older solo material as a reference from a – here to now – perspective. Those being Ocean Machine, Infinity, the Christene EP, Physicist and Addicted, Ziltoid and Transcendence. All milestone releases to be sure, all significant (not leaving aside others) and important periods in his life. I heard and relived with him, years in my life that I have embraced him and walked the path of rejection, heartache, happiness and pure joy, all the while injecting as much Townsend into my earholes as humanly possible!
Going back through those years in weeks, hearing how Townsend has creatively grown and matured is truly remarkable. All the above-mentioned albums and more (the Quadrilogy for ONE) showcase an artist not afraid to creatively throw all caution to the winds and put to tape whatever fluid noises, soundscapes and poignant musical magnificence he seems appropriate to paint in any given year. Yet, as he pointed out during our recent interview (check the artice out here and full audio Dev special here) he previously felt the need to always have to apologise to those of us that are fans of his art. Only recently has he learned and decided within himself to cease having to say “SORRY” to us for being true to his artistic self and integrity.
And whilst Devin should never consider an apology for his musical offerings, what I feel is becoming of him now is that rather than creating something entirely new and/or without comparison, he is beginning to mould all of his recording ideas into some kind of conjoined musical superbeast. Empath and Ziltoid are obvious influential traits that are blindingly obvious standouts throughout Lightwork, but no less is also the Vai / Zappa influences that traipsed through the magnificent Synchestra.
It would be easy to consider this meshing of past releases a copout or laziness on Dev’s part, but think about where his mind and consciousness is at this point in his fifty-year-old life! See The Puzzle and Snuggle as a real bipolar dichotomy yet clarifying waking moment in Townsend’s creative soul now where his marvellous mind is reaching out to strange but relevant impactful sonic and visually beautiful Townsend universes.
The first single from Lightwork – Moonpeople is a cross between Casualties of Cool and the beginning of Empath. A private word between Devin and us to let our guards down, know and embrace Dev of old but take his hand and walk joyously toward new horizons.
The (almost) title track Lightworker and third single release (the final of a trilogy) is another slower, quiet affair where we imagine our lighters in the air swaying with the ocean breeze, as we are sweetly lullabied until the chorus kicks in, a powerful beautifully brutal scream – “Tell me there’s another, Lead me to the Mother, We are all of us, Tell me there’s another, Lean into it Brother, We are all of us” that just opens the album up to a world of new and past wonders courtesy of Dev. A dramatic stadium rock / pantomime anthem setting the scene for what is to come on the album.
Equinox is classic Heavy Devy – it ebbs and flows with distant, subdued choral vocals stunningly accompanied with Che from Casualties. You may have heard this released in demo form a few years ago, but refined now and a crushing power ballad.
Next up is the second single from the album Call Of The Void and the case in point of a considerable number of Dev’s previous musical visions perfectly pressed into more of classic Townsend of old nurtured and present in our needy lives post-pandemic. This is his theme to those who try to force him to apologise and worry about travelling into new and uncharted Townsend territory. We can hear the crowds chanting along with him – “‘Cause when you see the world’s insane reaction, To follow your heart, The worst reaction is to – Freak out, So don’t you, Freak out!”
Heartbreaker is a heavy electro-rock track, containing full orchestral vocals, heavily filled with swirling melodies and reminiscent of Epicloud crossed with Ki, a smattering of Ghost and a lot of Transcendence.
My personal fave track on Lightwork is easily Dimensions. This is Ziltoid meets Synchestra meets Terria. I can only explain it as cryptically as that. Your ears are required for your own POV. Which collides cosmically into Celestial Signals paving a path towards the closing of the Lightwork.
All up, Devin’s latest offering is by no means new ground nor is it past repeats of stunningly crafted slabs of a maniacally calming musical kaleidoscope. It is, plain and simple, another Devin Townsend album, and that is neither a good nor a bad thing. It is Heavy Devy circa 2022 nothing more or less – Take from that what you must!
Devin Townsend‘s – LIGHTWORK is out November 4 courtesy of InsideOut Music
