THE DEVIN TOWNSEND BAND: SYNCHESTRA

"Synchestra" is an album which takes time for one to discover, and I'm still exploring all the fine and subtle details of the album. Devin Townsend has succeeded with this album as he makes you think of the music, the layers, the lyrics everything about the album is a gradual experience. I must admit that a very short time ago I really did not like this album, but one day when I ventured another listen I discovered its charm.

The album seems to get heavier as it progresses. The opener "Let it Roll" is a nice acoustic song with a strong melody and vocals from Devin Townsend. The next song "Hypergeek" which begins with an up tempo acoustic section with birds chirping in the background and frogs croaking. It then without warning turns into a very heavy song with the original melody still present. This one song best characterises the album as it modulates in sound somewhat. However the second half of the album is very heavy and can get very tedious at times depending on one's mood. None the less the album is a great listen and can be very rewarding.

1. Let It Roll (4/5) 2. Hypergeek (4/5) 3. Triumph (4/5) 4. The Baby Song (3.5/5) 5. Vampolka (3.5/5) 6. Vampira (3.5/5) 7. Mental Tan (3/5) 8. Gaia (4/5) 9. Pixillate (3/5) 10. Judgement (3/5) 11. A Simple Lullaby (3/5) 12. Sunset (3/5) 13. Notes From Africa (3/5) 14. Sunshine And Happiness [Secret Track] (4/5) Total = 48.5 divided by 14 (number of songs) = 3.464 = 3 stars Good, but non-essential

Overall a great album, and although I'm giving it three stars I really believe it is a sensational album. The limited edition of the album comes with a DVD with lots of special features and some live songs with lots of head banging. The packaging is also different, and impression. There is also a special surprise at the end of the album which any Devin Townsend fan would enjoy. For this reason I highly recommend the limited edition to fans of him. For everyone else, it may not be pretty to start with but I assure you it grows.