DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT: ADDICTED

So here we are, album #2 of metal's maturing wunderkid's new sober project. The first album, Ki, was one of his most experimental albums. On this one, Addicted, Devy just wanted to make music that felt good. Townsend has sent out so many warnings (mainly to metal fans) that this was going to be just bubble gummy pop that you had to know he was secretly hiding something. That something happens to be the best album he's ever made in terms of pure musical pleasure. What I've always loved Devy for is his ability to make beautiful heavy music, something that is amazingly hard to find. On Addicted, he's tapped fully into that muse and the result is, at least for me, pure joy.

This is not Terria 2. It is not nearly as musically or emotionally complex. Instead, it points back to Ocean Machine, but with more insight into production, the world, and songwriting. Despite all that Devin has to offer, he enlists Anneke from the Gathering as a second lead singer, and her voice is an enormous part of why this album is so gorgeous. The songs she sings lead along (a new version of "Hyperdrive" and "Numbered") are highlight tracks, and Devin the engineer manages to merge the very different voices to great effect. Devin's voice (maybe related to the sobriety / no smoking thing) is perhaps the best it has ever been on record. He uses a wide breadth of timbres, but it his clear singing voice that is so amazing here.

The standout track is "Supercrush" which almost brings me to tears. Devy released a video of himself tracking the vocals, and even then you got a sense that the track was good. Here, with the two singers both at their emotionally dripping peaks, the song reveals itself as an immensely powerful piece that earns its name. Certainly, the whole album reverts back to Devy's signature "wall of sound" and as always there is so much going on that the listener can be overwhelmed or at worst distracted. Again, there is video of Devy walking through the ProTools tracks that is just breathtaking. But what is clear is that massive amounts of music are happening on this record that you can barely even hear.

This is not Devin's most ambitious or progressive record. But it has more love and joy than most artists' entire discographies. In an amazing 2009, this is among the best.

Post script...if you don't like Devy, this one is not going to change your mind. It's Devy taking his signature sound and honing it. But if you like his sound, get ready.

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