DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT: KI

This change of direction of one of my most admired and respected musicians, shooked me strongly... Could this album really had been made by the same man who did masterpieces like "Terria" or "Synchestra", and the same who rocked me out to hell with the powerful Strapping Yound Land releases? I could not believe it...

But after a pair of listenings, I realised that the style of the man was still fully noticeable, but just a bit diminished between the minimalistic and incredibly beautiful guitar solos, behind the new acoustic directions of songs like the fantastic Lady Helen and Terminal, and of course, in the stronger acts like the odd Disrupter, the curious and dark Gato, the rythmic and hypnotic Heaven Send... And the title track, with some guitars and choirs wich brings Ziltoid back to my mind!

Like almost every Townsend effort, we also have new experiments never heard before in his discography, but still completely coherent with his style... If Bad Devil was his reinterpretation of cabaret music, Trainfire is his tribute to the rockabilly style, where he makes a incredible Elvis imitation, building of the most funny and surprising tracks of "Ki", specially its peaceful and dreamy ending... Other experiments like the poppy Quiet Riot don't work so well, while others, like the jazz interlude "Ain't Never Gonna Win..." make us feel that this man has played this kind of music his whole life.

So this bunch of new, old, and unexpected elements make "Ki" the most surprising and diverse Devin Townsend album... And talking about a career so variated and variated, saying this is really much.

Best tracks: except some dull moments like Winter and Quiet Riot, this album has a incredible quality... I specially enjoy Heaven Send, wich is maybe the most catchy Dein Townsend tracks since Earth Day, the precious guitars of Lady Helen, the obscurity of Disrupter and Gato, the funny Trainfire, and Ki, the track wich has the most classic Devin Townsend sound.

Conclusion: different, original, beaufitul, and authentic... "Ki" is another step further of the most incredible prog-metal mind in actual music. An album wich sounds more organic that anything that Townsend did before, having also his best guitar work to date, great vocals, and a lot of memorable tracks. It's a pity that some sections of the albums don't work so well like the rest. This is the fact because I'm not giving this album five stars... Nevertheless, I strongly recommend "Ki" to every prog-lover. Even if you can't hear the previous Devin Townsend albums, or if you don't like metal... Because "Ki" is just different of anything you've heard before.

My rating: ****1/2

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