Here at Born Again Nihilist, we're big fans of rock stars that embrace the loonier side of life, whether it be The Cramps plying their wares to a group of mental patients or Mastodon as cartoon snacks rocking out in Aqua Teen Hunger Force.And it has to be said it's hard to find someone who embraces the craziness of the world of rock and roll better than Canadian uber-producer/guitarist/singer/top bloke/ringleader/ of various heavy metal circuses , not least the feral heaviness of Strapping Young Lad and The Devin Townsend Project, who are currently on their way to Europe to pummel our ears with their trademark prog-metal brilliance.So to celebrate, we 've compiled a short list of some of the maddest and best moments from everyone's favourite headcase.Enjoy . . .
1. 'Vampira'
Proof that you can write a bad ass, old school heavy metal tune, AND get away with ripping the piss out of the genre's more, how shall we put this, less subtle proponents, 'Vampira' as a video is three and a half minutes of Townsend and his skeletal minions cavorting ,dancing and leering like some E-Number afflicted trick and treaters, and in the process making one of the best 'bad ' videos of all time.
2.'Deep Thoughts'
A series of 'motivational speaker' style promos made to promote the brilliant 'Addicted' collection, each of these videos, averaging about 15 seconds each, are the equivalent to getting slapped in the face with one of those bizarre religious pamphlets you find on the bus,and are pretty much indicative of the fucked up atmosphere and sense of sonic exploration of the fantastic 'Addicted'.
3.'Stop Clapping'
x
Because to be quite frank, it's rude.Especially at a rock festival.
4.Any Devin Townsend interview
Articulate,funny ,warm , and ever so slightly demented,, as well as endearingly humble, here the man himself gets a chance to speak, and in general comes off not as the mad metal professor of lore, but instead a s a guy you'd not balk at sharing a quiet pint with.Julia Hardy , who conducted this interview, recently commented on the video that Devin was "THE nicest guy in metal" .
5. 'Ziltoid The Omniscient'
In a career with a musical output that could be described in places as 'wilfully eclectic' , and in others 'batshit mental', it 's a struggle sometimes to pinpoint just one moment in the man's illustrious canon of musical madness that is well and truly jumping the shark, but 'Ziltoid' , a coffee-loving alien who will stop at nothing to find the universe's best cup of coffee, may just be it.Essentially a concept album about an invasion by the diminutive , caffeine addicted cosmic terrorist, it may be one of the silliest metal albums ever, helped in no small part( and this is typical of Townsend's work) , that while tongue may be firmly in cheek, there is never an iota of compromise with the music, and this is as brutal and compelling musically as anything DT has ever done.Bonkers.
Not content with bringing us the best in tech and prog metal with releases from bands like Aliases and Uneven Structure, it seems that Brit uber-label Basick Records have added biology loving noise loons Blotted Science to their already formidable roster.Given their previous record of nurturing some of the most idiosyncratic metal talent around, it'll be with an eager eye us nihilists watch the Basick homepage over the next few months.Listen below for unhinged lunacy of the best kind . . .
OK, so the name doesn't suggest what you're gonna get so I'll flesh it out. Keith Merrow is one of the best Tech Metal players going. A studio musician, he's something of a YouTube hero in the tech circles but, hype aside, his music is whopper! He made two self-produced EPs before releasing his first full length record on January 1st this year, 'Awaken the Stone King'. The first two records are mostly tech riff flare and groove, whereas with Stone King he goes for a more atmospheric vibe. Here's a taste from the second release, 'The Arrival':
