THE DEVIN TOWNSEND BAND: SYNCHESTRA

few people can really be crowned geniuses. devin could. and synchestra (as much as all his other albums) is here to shout it. probably this is the most "progressive" record of the canadian, it has something really out of every world. there's a little return to the open green spaces of Terria, but also the immensity of Infinity and the power and majesty of Biomech. but the concept this time is a little differetn. this, in the words of dev himself, is a happy album he made to exit from the downward spiral that Alien put him in. it' s his very way to be alive. and you feel this in avery second, from the thoughtlessness of "let it roll" to the ilarity of "vampolka" and "vampiria" and to the incredible positivity of "sunshine and happiness". sound strange to hear the same person who just 8 years ago was screaming "i'm so fucking sick of all you sick stupid people"now singing "one word:collective, mankind connected!". but this devin. and maybe in this album there is one of his best songs ever, the jewel named "Pixillate me", an eight-minute crescendo with melodies that will send shivers all over your body all the time. let's name also the long "triumph" where we find steve vai as a guest for the guitar solo. every song must be named but i won't. i will just tell you once again: if you do not know this genius run to your record store. this comes out in january and is yet without doubt the best album of the year. thanx mr. townsend for another marvellous dream.