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I believe it is impossible not to define Devin Townsend, former colleague of Uncle Steve Vai, as a genius. Yet every time Heavy Devy manages to amaze, to astonish, with every album he makes, with or without Strapping Young Lad, apparently his priority (by the way: their new album, according to Gene Hoglan, should be out this summer!).
And Devin has hit the mark again with the recent "Synchestra": in this new album, he once again manages to skillfully blend a bit of progressive metal with hard and heavy sounds, as evidenced by "The Baby Song". In "Let It Roll", there is an excellent voice-guitar interplay, while the subsequent "Hypergeek" may remind you of the speed and opacity of "Physicist". You must listen to "Triumph", especially for the presence of Heavy Devy's former colleague, Steve Vai, who gifts us with one of his usual fabulous solos. The song duo "Vampolka"/"Vampira" is interesting, where experimentation takes a more pronounced hold, throwing the listener into that cosmic delirium made by Devin Townsend. The same goes for "Gaia", "Notes from Africa", and "Pixillate". The instrumental "Mental Tan" is good, while "Judgement" evokes the style of another masterpiece, "Terria". "A Simple Lullaby" is the track that encapsulates all the variety present in the other tracks; a chaos of about seven minutes, of prayers and fireworks, which concludes with "Sunset", two splendid minutes alternating with a murmur of choirs and keyboard and guitar recalls. There is also a ghost track, "Sunshine and Happiness", strategically placed at the end that will either make you smile or shake your head, a postscript that in Townsend's albums has not been missing for some years now.
Dense, massive, emotional, poetic, yet still accessible. An album to own. A CD that is the sum of ten years of masterpieces from an artist who, in my view, will still give us fans a lot. Little, but surely.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
03 Triumph (07:08)
Calling, it's calling, I can't stay here
...Knowing there's no higher
Going, I've gone for so many years...
...Going makes me tired.
And they said it was this and they said it was that
...And they said it was this and they said.
But it's...
Call for me Jesus, I'm waiting here
Knowing I'm a liar
Knowing I've known more than half my share...
Knowing bade this triumph
...and they said it was this
...and they said it was that
...and they said it was this
...and they said
But it's...
WHAT?!?!
Hooray for Dr. Young
Hooray for earth born and son
Hooray the time time has come...
We vanish once again
One word - Collective
Mankind - CONNECTED
Never gonna to die, we're always gonna live forever... ever... Every day
With my skies of grey. In my fields of green...
I've been all I've been
Only for the ego in me
Hide from the apocalypse around.
04 Babysong (05:30)
Why don't you have a baby?
Why don't you have a child?
Babies are good.
And part of humanity's charm.
Why don't you have a baby?
Babies are you.
And the fatherhood rights all your wrongs
Goodbye baby, Daddy's going away.
Goodbye Daddy... Baby's here to stay
A little baby!
Why don't you have a baby?
Why don't you have a child?
Babies are good.
...and the fatherhood rights all your wrongs
Baby...
Baby...
06 Vampira (03:27)
Night. Folows me when you're gone.
And now... how am I to carry on?
But into the night...
...into the darkness
I must be strong, carry on.
Night, follows me when you leave
And tonight, my mind is under siege
So into the night...
...into the darkness.
Unto the morn, carryig on...
Hate as your co-conspirer
He'll set your soul on fire
Hate, make the flame get higher
Kneel for me know...
VAMPIRA!!!
GO !!!
HEY, HEY !!!
Niht, follows me when you leave
With the sights, and the sounds you'd not believe.
So into the night.
Into the darkness
Untili the morn
Carrying on and on and on...
Hate as your co-conspirer
He'll set your soul on fire
Hate, make the flame get higher
Kneel with me know
VAMPIRA!!!
09 Pixillate (08:17)
You are the rainbow!
You are the sun to my chameleon!
We are the river!
We are the stone!
And you're never alone, while you're feeding the crux of the you.
YOU BRAVE ACCADIAN
Oh, thank you... thank you!!!
PARALIZED, TERRORIZED,
IN MY EYES I'VE ALWAYS FALLEN
END THIS LINE, ENDLESS LIE
ENDLESSLY BUT STILL I'M FALLING
BREAK ME AWAY FROM MY T.
Hold on tight!
Hold on to you!
PARALIZED, TERRORIZED,
IN MY EYES I'VE ALWAYS FALLEN
END THIS LINE, ENDLESS LIE
ENDLESSLY SO PIXILLATE ME
PARALIZED, TERRORIZED,
IN MY EYES I'VE ALWAYS FALLEN
END THIS LINE, ENDLESS LIE
ENDLESS LINES BUT STILL I'VE FALLEN
Break me away from my I
...hold on tight...
It's this HOPE... that gives us
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By il trucido
Synchestra is a fantastic album; it was love at first listen, and it stayed in the player for a good month.
Townsend proves abundantly that he is a genius, a sui generis and eccentric genius.
