Project Description
DEVIN TOWNSEND
‘Empath’
(Album Review)
Reviewer: Anne-Laure Marie
.
Writing about Devin Townsend’s latest release feels somewhat surreal. Having closely followed him for more than 10 years his music has had a particular impact on me and my life, and nearly 3 years after Transcendence and one year after the announcement of the DTP hiatus this album was somewhat painfully and scarily awaited. Devin Townsend is one of those artists who embodies the quality of wanting to be fully genuine in his music and each of his albums (either under the DTP or his own name) has a noticeable different taste, either in genre, music style or level of production, so curiosity and excitement levels were high when I received the album.
Over the last year more than ever in his entire career, Devin has mentioned this process he is going through and the importance of being able to deliver music based on where he is at and what he aspires to be (or not to be). This album took over a year of writing and production, and is the final result of a journey of self-research. And it is such a gem it has not been an easy task to put into words.
The album starts with track Castaway, an invitation to close your eyes and lie down under a tree on the beach, and be ready to embark on a musical journey when the chorus starts chanting. Then Genesis suddenly kicks off and the tone of the album is set. Musically it is so rich it is hard to focus entirely your attention on one element and yet your attention is fully there. You are easily left speechless : this album sounds like usual Devin Townsend, not so much of a big surprise in that sense, and yet, it doesn’t. Where does the difference lie ? The album incorporates sounds found on his more recent releases, including Ziltoid although not long enough to be able to think this album makes it identical to them. The album also incorporates sounds familiar to your ear, not because they are found on another Devin Townsend album but because you would tend to find them in a different context. It reminded me of the old Walt Disney classics and fantasy movies such as The Lord Of The Rings. Devin has used The Elektra Women’s Choir and The Lords Of The Sounds (Orchestra from Kiev, Ukraine) at their highest competence to throw your adult self on a fabulous journey inviting you to take your inner younger self with you. Mesh all of that psychedelically and you have Empath.
.
.
Lyrically… you are invited into Devin’s process. It is very personal and internal. Empath is definitely not an album, more than any other, where you can wrap your head around it over a few listens, and I find it hard, almost unfair, having to write a review only after a few days of listening. But here we are. If you are a great fan of the artist I would suggest to take your first listen very gently and easy, have your expectations but let yourself open to the artist’s process and personal journey and try to see where he is trying to take you. Listen to it over and over again, take the time, hear it, drink it, sleep it, breathe it, absorb carefully each single word. In the end you will find yourself listening to it intensively and even shed some tears. It is pure and it will be hard to detach yourself from the beauty of it.
On a personal note, my favourite tracks are Castaway, Genesis, Spirits Will Collide, Requiem and Singularity (the most beautiful climax one will ever have).
Empath will be released on the 29th March 2019, be ready. I can’t wait for all of you to listen, hopefully endlessly, to this album. To fully embrace the beauty of it, please visit Devin Townsend‘s Vimeo and/or YouTube to watch the 6 short episodes documentary on the album recording process.
Connect with DEVIN TOWNSEND
Facebook Instagram Twitter Website
.
.
.