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 . . .
Low Sonic Drift are a three piece from Glasgow,Scotland , that since forming in 2007 have shared stages with such stoner luminaries as Brant Bjork, Orange Goblin, Stinking Lizaveta, Weedeater and The Abominable Iron Sloth among others.It's an intimidating list, and one that hints at a unit well versed in their craft, which raises expectations considerably for 'Shadows Of The Titan'(on release since 2009, but we all know Nihilist operates under time-lord rules, and picks albums as it chooses from the time stream, not under the scrutiny of your earth laws) .Thankfully, it doesn't disappoint.
Opener 'Sun Doesn't Rise' sets out their stall, an ambitious nine minute epic that begins with some subtle Eastern orchestration and a simple but effective bassline , building over a good two minutes with an array of eerie vocal chants and tribal drumming patterns, and eventually explodes into a galloping stoner rock monster.Straight away, the band's talent as musicians is evident, switching between Lizaveta -esque staccato jazz rock riffing to moments of sheer metallic bombast.'Hyperion' is all High On Fire smoke and bluster, but with an obtuse approach to it's riffing that lifts it beyond a mere Open-E workout, while 'As The Crow Flies' takes a more melodic route,with some clever use of bongos, and a great bit of bass playing from Paul Wilson.Drummer Javaud Habibi acquits himself remarkably, handling the rhythmic shifts of the songs with ease and style.
('Something in Farsi') is a further exploration of the band's world music influences, an instrumental diversion that breaks up the EP nicely, without falling into the trap of being just a token 'eastern moment' with it's complex instrumentation fitting into the context of the band's sound very well.Closer 'Shadows' meanwhile is a wonderful blend of post rock sounds and the band's off the wall sonic approach, and one which bookends the EP nicely.
For the most part then, good stuff, but it's not perfect.Chief offender is the vocals , which sound somewhat strained in places and underproduced in others, and one can't help but feel that some more time could have gone into layering and effects, in particular an extra bit of reverb.Frontman Omar Aborida is clearly capable of composing a catchy vocal line, but the recording here doesn't do him any justice, and at times his voice sits on an irritating flat bed of silence, which sits uneasily among the bands rich compositions.There is also times when the bass could be lowered just a tad in songs, which is no slight against Wilson, or his clear talent, but there are moments on 'As The Crow Flies' when the bottom end becomes somewhat overpowering, to the detriment of Aborida's excellent riffwriting and it sits just a bit too high in the mix for my taste.On the plus side, the drums sound clear and sharp, and by and large the production is competent, and satisfying, even if the mastering can be found lacking at times.
On the whole though , this is a mightily impressive debut, and a remarkable testament to the musicianship and songwriting prowess of these Glaswegian shredders,And it has to be said,that on five tracks here, Low Sonic Drift display more imagination, talent and flair than some bands display their entire careers.If they're this good now,a full length is a mouthwatering prospect.One to watch.
So by now you will have no doubt read the reviews ,seen the Youtube/Facebook arguments, and probably watched an unintentionally hilarious V-log or ten concerning this album, and the 'drastic' shift in sound it marks for Swedish metal legends Opeth, moving away from their metal roots , and almost completely shedding the symphonic death metal of old for newer, more 'mature ' material.Now, for a sizable portion of fans, this has caused some level of consternation, the band accused of 'selling out' , and other such tiresome web babble.
And it is true, on first listening to 'Heritage' one can be taken aback by how much the band have changed tacks since their last outing, the bombast of 'Watershed' and 'Ghost Reveries' being reined in for something more understated, more subtle.But ,as long time fans and followers of the band might note, this isn't the first time the band have strayed away from their trademark extreme sound, indeed ,the band have done this before, and to a much more drastic extent , on 2003's 'Damnation'.So we have been here before, but listening to 'Heritage' a few times through, it becomes evident this is no detour ; indeed, this is the sound of a band completely tearing up their own rule book.But is it any good?
Starting with the delicate piano piece of the title track , 'Heritage' takes up where 'Damnation' and songs like 'Hex Omega' and 'Burden' from the 'Watershed' record left off in exploring the band's love of 70's prog rock sounds.And it has to be said, in terms of first impressions, this one may just be a bit of a headscratcher.Persevere though, and the rewards are there.First single 'The Devil's Orchard', with it's odd, descending riff and bizarre time shifts is a clever and arresting number that showcases, among other things, the band's almost peerless and legendary musicianship.'I Feel The Dark' is stunning in it's use of dynamics, with a fabulous Zeppelin feel in it's folky guitar intro, that at it's halfway point suddenly lapses into a deft blend of angular riffery and yet more unfathomable time signatures, and may be among the best things the band have ever done.'Slither' meanwhile is an old school heavy metal number with a fantastically catchy main riff, with more than a nod to Sabbath and Rainbow in it's boisterous groove.
The second half of the album is more restrained , taking in the cinematic soundscapes of Pink Floyd on the excellent 'Famine' , while 'The Lines In my Hand' indulges in Cream's 'medicine cabinet' but thankfully bypasses their pretentiousness, while the closing two numbers ' Folklore' and 'Marrow Of The Earth' are explorations in seventies prog rock sounds that depending on your tastes will either be a slice of musical nirvana or the sound of a band truly disappearing up their own backsides.
See, while there is nothing particularly wrong with large parts of 'Heritage', and there are indeed flashes of the band's songwriting genius ,at times it can all seem a little bit safe and, it pains me to say , in places stultifyingly dull.Kudos to the band for embracing change , and progressing beyond their typical sound,but to be frank this is nowhere near the band's best work.Part of the problem is this; on every previous album, including the aforementioned 'Damnation' , the band mustered up such a strong sense of atmosphere that it was almost tangible.Here, there is nary of a whiff of that, and instead we are presented with a record that while clever, exceptionally performed and well written, is in places desperately devoid of personality.There is also nothing like the emotional heft or bombast of the band in full flight, and this feels much like an album that is very easy to admire, but in places terribly hard to like.That's not to say of course that 'Heritage' isn't worth your attention, but if you're a newcomer to this band , then perhaps start with 'Blackwater Park' or 'Deliverance' .
Rating:6/10
For fans of : Porcupine Tree, Pink Floyd, King Crimson, Led Zeepelin
Listen to : The Devil's Orchard, Slither, I Feel The Dark
Stephen O Connor
bornagainnihilist@gmail.com
What with the oncoming winter weather, darker , longer evenings, and the fact they have a new album due out in a little over a week, it seems appropriate to take a wander back through Swedish metal legends Opeth 's gleaming back catalogue , and take a look at what may still be one of their finest albums, 'Blackwater Park'. Now, I know what you're thinking, Opeth?Not that underground mate.But there was a time , before Roadrunner Records, festival headlining spots, and Scuzz Tv when these prog kings were a little less recognised in the metal world.Indeed, one can look at 'Blackwater Park' as the beginnings of the band breaking out of the extreme metal underground , and indeed forging their(well deserved) reputation as one of the best bands in the world.
Their fifth album, and their first time working with Porcupine Tree mainman Steven Wilson as a producer, 'Blackwater Park' was, as Eduardo Riviera of Allmusic put it, the band's "coming of age" album, an eight song collection incorporating a dizzying array of styles and moods, everything from harsh symphonic death metal, to folky, psychedelia tinged wanderings, to good old fashioned heavy metal.Opener , and live favourite 'The Leper Affinity' is a monster, all bombastic riffing , and frontman Mikael Akerfeldt's guttural roars, morphing suddenly into Akerfeldt's angelic croon and backed by elegant, elegaic guitar picking.'Bleak' is all blissed out riffing from Peter Lindgren(since departed)that undperins Akerfeldt's grisly lamentations, then at it's mid section ,it tapers off into a section of ghostly beauty, and eventually spazzing out into demented , Emperor style cosmic unease.
'Harvest' follows, a soaring, heartfelt, strongly folk influenced ballad ,that, if Wikipedia is to be believed, Akerfeldt claims to have stolen wholesale from an obscure band called Camel, though knowing the Swedish shredder's penchant for deadpan tomfoolery, especially where the press is concerned , this might be taking the piss.Fourth track 'The Drapery Falls', later released as a single, is , as ex- Kerrang! journo Dom Lawson put it, simply "the best ten minutes of music ever put to tape", and he may just be right.Emotive, heavy, epically structured, it's what all good heavy metal should be, and, on a personal note, when aired at Rock Am Ring 2008 in front of this young blogger, caused a little more than a few tears to be shed, such is the power the song holds over ahem, SOME Opeth fans .. But moving swiftly on. . . .
'Dirge For November' is a masterwork of restrained songwriting and seventies prog sounds that provides a moment of , let's not call it relief, but shelter, before it segues into an extended passage of funereal death metal.'The Funeral Portrait' is one of the band's trademark stompers, with a central riff that Iommi would be proud of.'Patterns In The Ivy' is a short slice of instrumental nirvana, with some delicately pitched piano that provides another moment of respite before the monstrous title track, and it's thunderous swaggering groove brings the album to an earth rattling close, with possibly one of THE BEST FUCKING RIFFS EVER, Akerfeldt and Lindgren showing what a guitar can and should sound like, a growling, menacing beast of a tone that doesn't so much go for the ears as the base of the spine, a primal stimulation of your lizard brain that sits in the cerebellum for weeks . . . .
What makes 'Blackwater Park' such a great album though is a tremendous sense of atmosphere, something Opeth excel at .There is a genuine sense of wintery, shadowy foreboding, and also ethereal beauty to the eight offerings here, a feeling that, even though Blackwater Park as a place might not be the most welcoming place in the world, you'll still want to visit it again and again, digging a little deeper each time.
The band are at present about to release what is, on advance evidence, another masterwork of heavy music in ' Heritage' on September the 20th.Before then though,if you haven't already before now, take a little trip back through this fantastic band's body of work, and revel in the work of what may eventually become known as the most important band of our time.
For fans of ::Emperor, Porcupine Tree, Pink Floyd,Death
Every so often, as a fan of underground stoner/doom/post metal/whatever, an album and a band will come along that make you sit up and mutter to yourself "Fuck me, this is something special".Today my friends, that band is Sleestak , and the album is the sublime, stunning , 'The Fall Of Altrusia', which it is my pleasure to review for you lucky, lucky people.
Hailing from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, not, as far as I'm aware, previously known for it's hotbed of post-metal/prog talent ,but all that may be about to change.Essentially one song, split, Mars Volta style, into seven distinct sonic chapters, 'The Fall Of Altrusia' is one of those albums that can be described, without exaggeration, as a journey, one that traverses so many different moods and musical landscapes , but yet without compromising an iota of cohesiveness or focus, with a fantastically clear production to accentuate the song's understated power and heft.
The band's sound can best be described as a blend of doom/post metal/prog influences, but with enough subtleties to their sonic palette to set them apart from the current horde of downtuned Neurosis worshippers , and give them a sense of something truly unique, and the band incorporate a vast and diverse range of influences,everything from the cold industrial lamentations of Godflesh, to the gloom of post-punk pioneers Joy Division, and via a musical filter that seemingly incorporates everything from Isis to , dare I say it, early Pink Floyd. .Passages of spaced out , ethereal guitar and hauntingly crooned vocals give way to lead -heavy , doom riffs, and segueing back then to gorgeous post-rock lamentations, not a second feeling inessential or wasted.Granted, it may not be an easy journey to make , with sparse vocals and a required certain degree of patience, but by the time the band have ascended to the blissful, melancholy heights of the closing moments of the album , you won't care, and the feeling on completing the album , to anyone with any sense, should be a desire to take this fabulous journey once more.
Of course, 'Altrusia' isn't for everyone.There is some that may find it's cold,desolate atmosphere somewhat overbearing, it's epic instrumentation possibly too minimalist, too unforgiving.But, as a great man, once said :
Fuck em.
This is brave, beautiful stuff, and well deserving of your hard earned cash as anything by any of heavy music's bigger names this year. A truly wonderful work of progressive metal , each new listen reveals new depths to the band's sound, and in this reviewer's humble opinion, 'The Fall Of Altrusia' may just yet be one of the best albums released this year.
Rating:9/10
For fans of : Isis, Godflesh, Pink Floyd, Baroness, Burst
