THE DEVIN TOWNSEND BAND: ACCELERATED EVOLUTION

The incredible levels of "Terria" were difficult to reach again... And this album doesn't make it, well. But it's still a great work, and a really interesting one, like every album this man makes... The style is also different than "Terria" or even the later "Synchestra". This is not a surprise... We are talking about one of the most prolific and unpredictable minds in metal!

"Accelerated Evolution" is more metallic than "Terria", more guitar and riff oriented... The usual layers of keyborads are here, giving the songs the typical panoramic feeling, the famous wall of sound that is the trademark of Devin Townsend, and the production is just brilliant. Everything sounds really cool and clear... But this album has not the ultra fast speed of "Physicist". The mid-tempo is the predominant note here... This album is not as variated as "Ocean Machine" or "Synchestra", and is not so full of details like "Terria". The orientation of the album is clear... It moves between dark mid-tempos and some pop-metal and commercial songs. Because this, the mood of the album is always changing between the dark and melancholic feelings (Depth Charge, Suicide, Deadhead, Away...) and the happyness and good vibrations (Storm, Traveller, Sunday Afternoon, Slow me Down...)

This fact make the album really easy and pleasant to listen... Because its constant changing of feelings, although the style of the album is clear and not too diverse. It's like a two faced album... And fact I wish to talk about are the lyrics... They are not so crazy here, not so bizarre as usual. The Devin Townsend's writing here is understandable, and the histories and feelings of the lyrics are easy to catch... This is strange talking about Devin. But that is not bad... Only different. Some lyrics talk about love, about girls and Tracy, his wife... The usual dark feelings are here, but the sentimental side of Devin appears clearly... Sunday Afternoon is an example. Different... But I find it allright, because although the music is not as touching as "Terria", the lyrics are.

Best songs: in my opinion, the whole album is good... But if I have to choose, I would say that Depth Charge (a really good opening), Storm (commercial, but catching...), Random Analyisis (I love the instrumental section in the middle...), Deadhead (one of the highlight of the album...), Suicide (dark and mind blowing track, in the style of some tracks of "Synchestra" like Pixillate), Away (incredible guitar playing here!) and Traveller (sorry, I love this Rush's style song...) are the best songs of the album. Ok, Sunday Afternoon is also a good track, with another splendid and touching guitar solo... And Slow me Down is a happy ending wich leaves you praying for more... Sorry, I mentioned every track!

Conclusion: not as outstanding like "Terria" or "Synchestra", "Accelerated Evolution" is still a very interesting album... Sometimes great. Maybe the most commercial album Devin has ever made, but it doesn't means is not good, and this fact makes this album special in the career of Devin, and easy to listen to. I think "Accelerated Evolution" is the perfect album to introduce the music of Devin to someone who has not listened his work yet... Because this album is not so complex and hard to listen as usual when we talk about this man. And it doesn't means bad... Only different. And of course, after all, this is a progressive metal album, and every prog-mind wich loves metal will find an excellent album here, sometimes complex and full of details.

My rating: ****

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