Strapping Young Lad "City" (1997)

With their first step a machination of musical extremity was haphazardly birthed and with the next it was mastered. Strapping Young Lad's and Devin's debut album Heavy As A Really Heavy Thing was an embryonic folly, glowing in the light of retrospection and with this next stride Devin Townsend recruits old time band mates Jed Simon and Byron Stroud alongside Metal veteran, beastly drummer and essential component of the SYL chaos, Gene Hoglan. Their first effort as a cohesive unit was defined as "the heaviest record of all time". Despite many bands attempts to further extremify Metal aesthetics, none have brought with it the pure ecstasy of a truly emphatic emotional experience. In my opinion, the heaviest album claim still holds up to this day.

Opening with Velvet Kevorkian and All Hail The New Flesh, City quickly establishes its grandiose sense of self exaggeration and drastic emotional need. With the wobbling of dense electronic noises between Dev screams of intent, the thick wall of sound aesthetic makes itself known before the song kicks in with an absolutely punishing flurry of sound that Dev emerges from with a triumphant roar. Gleams of colorful light burst and tidal grooves erupt from guitars, crushing riffs through punishing distortions. The song elevates these aspects with Devin soaring his stunning voice high above as the music peaks into the heavens before collapsing from above into more over the top sonic guitar grooves. Its all stunning but the pure emotion in the voice of our Canadian genius is something never to be forgotten.

"Well gentlemen, a great amount of money has been invested into this project and we can't allow it fail". We have heard soaring melodic beauty dancing through duality with the primitive powers of groove and with Oh My Fucking God we descend into the madness of the latter. Dev takes all the extreme ideas of Death, Thrash Metal and Grindcore and throws them in the trash can, unleashing his trump card. Led by spurts of maniacal, schizophrenic screaming over hyperactive fretwork we are swiftly led to the mid track mania of over bloated industrial noise dispensing itself into every crevasse of space as all the instruments ramp up into a tornado of utter madness. Through the insanity Dev's nutty, deranged "la la lala" singing just peaks the madness with a cherry on top of this frothing cake of non-directional fury.

The madness isn't over yet! Detox returns to the opening formula of vocally led melodic soaring as Dev cries for his wishes of sleep. Bouncing back and forth with jugular grooves the song hides a trick up its sleeve as when you think it can't get any better he unleashes a rip roaring, pop sensible power chord riff that peaks another sense of emotional purity emanating through the vocal chords. Its a gracious moment. Home Nucleonics sounds like a race of a cliff. More berserk guitar riffs rival up against the unrelenting feet of the beast Hoglan. The song fires through its arsenal of neck snapping riffs like a drill, whilst smothered itself willingly in industrial dissonance.

With its finest of extremities unleashed, the rest of the runtime gets to mature in various directions. AAA dials back the over the top nature, teasing it with its build up of suspense, letting the band show the building blocks of their sound. Great riffs, stunning screams, still with a dense web of electronic noise and powerful drumming, it draws that line it the sand to prove both the music and aesthetic at play is brilliance. Underneath The Waves has a more traditional metallic tone at first but Dev once again fires up the sparks with his neurotic, demented singing that swiftly ramps up the musical energy to the SYL elevation. The synths get more involved in the wall of sound here, a fitting tone to passionate screams from a tiring soul.

Room 429 is the track to make a separation from all heard before. A theatrical approach is taken by the group to create a circus of distant dread that lets some less exhausting ideas flourish. It does sound like the perfect stage for Dev to unleash his humor but fortunately he steers from any cheese. City closes with Spirituality, a slow morphing of atmosphere that sounds like a Post-Metal approach to the wielding density of this Industrial soundscape. Slow chugging stomps of guitars march through apocalyptic soundscapes of warfare as electronic synths let off like missile strikes. A couple of minutes in the song attempts to turn pace with vocals and sludgy grooves. It slowly builds, unable to unleash as the steady march confines it to being a sign off song. Its a really fantastic note to end a remarkable record on.

My passion and enthusiasm for this record is obvious. I only hope a reader could find this connection too. Of the best of the best, City has held up over the years as an unending source of adrenaline release and deep emotional resonance. Its such a dense sounding record that its masterful manipulation of sound waves has me forever engaged with that textural space between all the obvious. There is so much going on it can sound fresh with every listen. Devin Townsend is an utter genius and even under the guise of over the top Metal extremity can he make it truly meaningful. All that's left to be said is Strapping Young Lad rocks my hairy anus!

Rating: 10/10

Strapping Young Lad "Heavy As A Really Heavy Thing" (1995)

At the time it was musical genius Devin Townsend first solo release under the Strapping Young Lad moniker that would go on to become a fully functioning band by their sophomore album City. I'm astonished as to how far Strapping Young Lad has slipped from my mind, its been over a decade ago since I last binged on them. Its understandable how this embryonic sounding debut has drifted the furthest but Ive had a fantastic time rediscovering these oldies and the calamity of good and bad it is.

Reading into its backstory as the first Dev album, I discovered that it was born out of frustration with working for the likes of other musicians, Steve Vai and The Wildhearts. Devin wanted to write his own music and only Century Media would offer him a five album deal on the condition of making extreme music. The result is this mesmerizing, botched brew of angular ideas that would fail to capture anyone's attention, barely selling any units before future releases would bring retroactive attention to it.

Heavy As A Really Heavy Thing has all the hallmarks of an SYL record. An over the top wall of sound aesthetic. Stomping, slamming, brutal chugging guitars. Fierce and frantic screams, coupled manic roars and the occasional soaring of Devs clean range. Frequently synths wail in to further the thickness. Its a fusion of Death, Thrash and Industrial that has got all the right ingredients but its preparation and cooking is a botched brew. Its hard to praise at its surface but given a few spins there is plenty that's enjoyable and many familiar riffs, lyrics and moments reworked for later songs.

The production is sloppy and chaotic at best, the wall of sound comes together not through craft or design. Its slapped together with deliberate volume wars that more often that not find some haphazard cohesion. Distortion guitars often falter into choppy thuds of sound that loose sense of notation and become like a percussive instrument. Its mostly the ideas that lay themselves bare. When the guitars, drums or screams are being extremified its all to obvious. A majority of these moments tend to not lead anywhere but further into a sprawl of chaotic ideas. It even extending to a cheesy 80s synth beat on Cod Metal King but most his ideas will be heard with far greater execution on following projects.

These criticisms were more apparent at first glance but if you try to love something you often find reasons. Given how much I adore Devin's music it was all to easy to hear the links with whats to come. For a first timer tuning in it will be a much harder task. I'm a sucker for these songs, there is objective criticism all over yet through it I always hear something worthy of charm. Perhaps Drizzlehell is an exception. I really don't get along with that one. Otherwise its all fun, it has a mood, persona and strange vibrations that occasionally descend one into maniacal listening.

Favorite Tracks: SYL, In The Rainy Season, Happy Camper, Critic, Filler

Rating: 7/10

Strapping Young Lad "Alien" (2005)

Brainchild of musical genius Devin Townsend and emotional vent for his negativity and aggression, SYL stands alone as a vessel of extremity that other bands simply can't come close to. He is known as Hevy Devy with good reason, this is his domain where heavy goes above and beyond the sonic expectations of the time. His groundbreaking record City still holds up today and deserves its merit as one of the heaviest records of all time. Pioneering a modernized wall of sound production for Metal music, Devin has not just peaked the aesthetic approach but his unique personality and niche for composition emanates through the music. It puts him into that unchallenged place in the hearts of listeners. Alien is the only other SYL record to give City a run for its money and births one of Metal's best ever songs with a truly epic fusion of sing along hooks and monstrous grooves on Love.

Alien is a sonic experience, a whirlwind of fire and fury channeled through rhythmic grooves, exaggerated in the calamity of instruments howling together. If Dev has a partner in crime its Gene Hoglan. His distinctly jolting playing from behind the drum kit reinforces every strike and rhythm with endless flashes of dexterous rolls, hammering out maddening intricate patterns from atypical beats. He is a perfect complement to Devin's wall of sound approach, as its dirty crunching distortion guitars slam up against pounding baselines and a haze of industrial electronic sounds buried in the loudness. Its all propelled onward by slick pedals thumping in more electricity to the overflowing mess. I'm in awe of Hoglans machine like drumming.

The songwriting is prodigal. There is tandem between aesthetic and music, both extreme in nature, which can easily leave a record lopsided but the frustration and passion in Dev's immediate roars and blunt language, cries of "I hate myself" and the shrieking "fuck you" of Shitstorm mirrors all the emotional immediacy. Right as his scream burns every ounce of feeling, a sonic flood of high pitched synths fill the space as its the textural experience ascends. The path these songs take are sublime, fast turns through soaring heights into dizzying plummets cohesively following a narrative while bringing about an arsenal of unique riffs. When its applied in a more palatable sense with a formulaic song structure and a catchy hook you get the brilliance of Love.

With clattering drums,a scattering of subtle industrial noises and cutting synths the guitar plays a very centralized roll as the instrument pulling it all together. At times thick distortions play power chord arrangements but most impressively is the ramping up of production to extrapolate dense, gurgling chugs from palm muted picked grooves. In time with the guitars direction it can take on Djent like tones as Dev throws in obnoxious riffs that relish in the simplistic pleasures of absurd, over emphasized bends and open string chugs. Its a true head banging delight as its stamina charges through fields of unrelenting madness over and over again.

Alien kicks of with a racket. Front loading its most absurd, attention grabbing songs to then lead us though a more melodic pass for lack of a better word with Love and Shine. We Ride goes all out crazy with a battering of hard grinding riffs to unleash an unusual solo, clearly taking a different approach to the lead guitar that grows into the song. Then Possessions hits another climax with Devin deploying stunning infectious sections and continually upping the anti on them. In those two songs I feel like we hear more of the Dev you might expect on a solo project, except the music is extremified. Two Weeks give us a breather with a gorgeous, exotic and peaceful instrumental, it breaks the flow and the last two songs step in directions that don't quite come full circle.

With every listen I feel like its the type of record that needs to go out with a bang. There is no denying how utterly fantastic this record is and I am humbled to spoiled by rediscovering it. SYL will always be a favorite but with such a sea of music to drown in its amazing how much time can pass distant from music that's truly riveting. Strapping Young Lad where a huge deal growing up and I feel it is only right to do the rounds on their back catalog and cover a couple of records I never quite got to grips with. Looking forward to it. Can never get enough of the genius Devin Townsend!

Favorite Tracks: Skeksis, Shitstorm, Love, Shine, Possessions, Two Weaks

Rating: 9.5/10

Beyond Creation "Algorythm" (2018)

Although I was mostly unimpressed by their last effort Earthbound Evolution, the Canadian Technical Death Metal outfit always deserve a look in after their impressive arrival onto the scene with the viral Omnipresent single. Since its release Ive listened to Algorythm over and over, soaking the deep web of music and coming to the realization that its greatness lies where it deviates from the bands own normality. It has some unusual compositions buried between the walls of music both brutal in aesthetic and dexterity. By letting the Progressive side to their sound flourish, Beyond Creation have forged some fantastically engaging music at times.

One of the first and most obvious new avenues they engage with comes on the third track Surface's Echos. It opens with lavish, reverberated eight string acoustic tones akin to Animals As Leaders and Plini. The opening distortion riff even mimics the use of unusual fretting sound with rhythmic sequences. Its a small moment but its comes around again in the following track. There are other paths the music takes that feels inherently different and it usual comes about in climactic melodic as the unrelenting knitting of instruments finds its respite, unleashing smooth atmospheres and scenic moments that lead the music away from the pummeling grind.

Its a breath of fresh air released against a flow of dizzying musicianship that crams whirling drums, slippery high end baselines and dexterous guitar riffs into almost every moment it can. Its a dense wall of sound that can be picked apart thanks to the marvels of modern production and the band truly embrace the clarity given to them. Three interchanging guitars and the monstrous drumming of Boucher endows the songs with a depth you'll be picking apart for quite some time. Unfortunately on the vocal front this record is dull. Girard takes a singular dimensional approach, blasts of guttural belly aches sound at home when backed by blast beats but in the musics expansive moments the screams sound sour. Its a firm drawback.

They go all out with their compositions but for all the technical marvel of seasoned musicianship it is nothing without direction. Many of these songs are lengthy and with that time they tie the foray of loaded blast beat laden grinds into progressive epics, usually spurred on by the eruption of a scaling lead guitar, opening the song to its next elevation. Its where the record shines, and the more they embrace this over the tropes of the genre, the better the music is. Luckily the balance is pretty steady and so the whole thing plays with a frequent shifting in intensity where one can fist pump with the methodical brutality and still embrace its bigger sense of self.

Favorite Tracks: Ethereal Kingdom, Algorythm, In Adversity

Rating: 7/10

Front Line Assembly "Warmech" (2018)

Fun fact, on my way to a Plini gig I arrived at the wrong venue. These Canadian Industrial veterans were playing there, I wouldn't of minded watching them too. Its been many years since I last checked in with FLA. I remember them as having the classic synthetic, Electronic, Gothic leaning Industrial sound which I grew to love through the likes of Frank Klepacki. In the 90s they flirted with Industrial Metal after Ministry laid the path, just before its commercial peak with Antichrist Superstar in 96.

Being out of the loop, I was unaware that Warmech was the soundtrack to an RTS game called AirMech Wastelands on Steam. That might explain why this record wasn't what I expected. The Industrial sounds I anticipated linger beyond a solid core of modern Electronic and EDM styles that aim to build atmospheres with music that's not in your face yet rich with synthetic instruments coercing an environmental approach that draws in the meditative vibe VGM requires to let the player drift in and out of focus from the soundtrack. At seventy three minutes its a long listening stretch clearly, better suited to its intended purpose of semi-distracted gaming sessions.

Considering these are old, experienced minds at work I did not expect to hear the sub wobbles and drops of Dubstep working angles on the music. Their seasoned selves showed as the drops refrain from being overly bombastic and obnoxious, resulting in a crafty execution of trendy techniques. With hard thudding kick and snare grooves the songs often cruise into EDM territory with some faster percussive loops leaning towards Drumstep. Like with Metal, Electronic music can so easily blur many lines and show influences. Whatever may be on display its composition holds onto that craft for detailed arrangements of instruments and industrial sounds that give the atmosphere conjured a depth of field. Better yet this detail extends into the musics progression as the songs make shifts and breaks with animated sequences of sound that often play like machines firing up their gears and getting into transitional motion.

Across its seventy plus minutes a healthy amount of variety unfolds however it does suffer a little when exclusively in focus, slow tempos and drawn out melodies show a desire to not be intrusive. The best way to enjoy these songs is when focused on a task, then it becomes meditative and helps one focus while creating vivid soundscapes. As a result of that tone its most ambitious melodies and epic synth chords get pushed back in the musics attention as that and a lack of vocals never try to steal the show from the game it was made for. If not for the soundtrack some adjustments and vocals could of made this a great traditional record too.

Rating: 6/10

Drake "More Life" (2017)

Canadian rapper Drake is arguably one of the biggest names in the modern scene and given the old guards distaste for him I never actually listened to the guy until Youtube's autoplay feature spun a few tracks. I like his style, its easy and inviting, with him being from my generation you can hear strong influences from the likes of Kanye West and Eminem in his approach to the craft. This newest release was possibly an odd place to start, the better lyrical themes revolve around a man who's climbed to the top and is now mystified to the pressures and contradictions of those heights, as he says you get praise on the way up and when you reach the summit everyone takes aim.

After four albums "More Life" is classified as a playlist, it even says "A playlist by October Firm" which I find odd given the lack of flow the album has. There are three or so different themes and ideas colliding here on a lengthy release that amasses eighty one minutes without a sense of direction. Between a collection of more "traditional" tracks Drake dives into swooning soulful vibes on tracks like "Passionfruit" as some subtle auto tune singing plays sweetly into a summery, jazzy laid back instrumentals fit for relaxing in the sun. Breaking up the pace, the inclusion of English Grime rappers like Giggs and Skepta sets a contrasting tone for another theme that takes hold, the "badman" raps, acting mean and menacing on the beat, dropping laughable rhymes like "batman! dun-nu-nut neh-neh".

The album opens with Nai Palm of Kaiyote Hiatus singing, a sample lift from their latest record, slightly confusing as it doesn't provide much of a link for the banging "Free Smoke" to roll of from. After a dark badman track with Giggs the album rolls into a groove with a string of indulgent songs boasting some Jazz, Downtempo and Dance influences to blur the Hip Hop lines as Drake flexes with tuneful sung raps. As the flow is broken up we get a track from Travis Scott, who's Rodeo album has massively grown n me. In his typical style we get what feels like a leftover beat, an insentient flute melody loops all the way through as excessive reverbs and auto-tuned vocals drone on. A cringey "skirt skirt" slang cries out in such a cliche way for these sometimes tiresome trap songs. Its a low point in that album that track to track goes all over the place.

"Teenage Fever" was surprising track, moody, slow and introspective vibes are pulled together for a fantastic chorus lifting lyrics from the Jenifer Lopez song "If I Had Your Love". Its a diabolical Pop song from the naughties that I never thought I would enjoy, even in this abstract way. After this point the music slowly winds down with spacious tracks that don't stir much of a reaction. The best of the record comes when it detours from the traditional "Hip Hop" song conventions. Drake's lyrics are also engaging when hes not singing, the perspectives on the turn of success speak loud and his engaging style leads you on a clear path through his thoughts. Its been a reasonable introduction in which the talent is visible but the arrangement of this record and inability to focus in a direction often dispels the mood some tracks muster leaving the impression of an hastily assembled collection of songs.

Favorite Tracks: Free Smoke, Passionfruit, Get It Together, Madiba Riddim, Blem, Sacrifices, Teenage Fever

Rating: 6/10

Delerium "Semantic Spaces" (1994)

Id not heard of Delerium before receiving this recommendation, however I had heard the Tiesto remix of their famous "Silence" Trance song. I'm also familiar with Front Line Assembly a Canadian Industrial group who flirted with Metal on their most commercially successful venture "Millennium" released the same year. Bill Leeb and Rhys Fulber of the band formed this side project in 1987, a year after FLA, and released a prolific seven full lengths before this release, which is one of three in the year of ninety four. Its a lengthy record of steady moving electronic pieces tinging on ambience and encompassing a eastern, worldly cultural influences, very much reflective of the times.

With an arsenal of synthetic instruments the two line the back bone of these songs with layers of smooth flowing electronics, light and short wanderings of shimmering melodies, a few select sections of composition interwoven to form a dense music current that runs the course of these lengthy tracks. They are steady, smooth, calming and conjure a mellow atmosphere that's slightly juxtaposed to the actual level of instrumental activity. Looping percussive samples and bold, plump baselines hold the repetitions firmly in place, gluing the instruments together as they set the stage.

The magic happens in the forefront, this thick spine of instrumentation goes through the motions, expanding, contracting, coming and going with the flow of the music. Its the airy synths, feminine vocals, soft pianos and lead synths that inspire direction and determine the path the songs take. Some distinct cultural sounds come to this stage, eastern flutes and Gregorian chants sung by monks and choirs give the record an ethnic root that contrasts its electronic and modern persona.

With a firmly nineties electronic sound one can hear all sorts of influences from Trip Hop, to Dub, Trance, Downtempo, House and all between. Its a melting pot of that eras sound and it comes together seamlessly. There's little to criticize, the music is inspired and creates quite the setting for thought and indulgence however its not particularly thrilling. The smooth and easy flow often stagnates in places as the songs strength beyond the seven minute mark with not much more than a repeat of a previous segment. I may return to this one again, It feels like the sort of record you could grow to adore if it were in the background of some game, slowly drilling itself deep into your mind.

Favorite Track: Metaphor
Rating: 6/10

Austra "Future Politics" (2017)

Perfect timing! Right as I'm catching up with Austra's first two records, "Feel It Break" and "Olympia" the Canadian trio release their third full length after a four year gap. Not much about the bands sound has developed, even singer Stelmanis gives a routine performance of powerful vibratos between strong yet soft and moving vocal lines. If only wrapped in a touch more reverb, her voice will still win me over every time. "Future Politics" has its charm but only in doses. The bass and percussion has the most notable progression, deeper textural sub synths and thumping bass kicks are frequently occurring as a stylistic backbone, reminiscent of House and Dance, driving an interesting tone that works well. Moving away from the organic approach of "Olympia" the sequenced drum kits find there moment on the prominently House tracks, but feel a bit lifeless on the quieter songs.

The track listing feels split, in one instance they find an easy chemistry with these Dance numbers, steady beats with a thudding drive for easy synth sounds to glide over. The dominant theme of simplicity charms in this setting but the lack of depth in the melodies leaves the record feeling sparse on its other half, a set of quieter tunes breaking up the flow. Most the songs are comprised of short, repetitive melodies and short sounds arranged to a consistently 4/4 beat. Its often Stelmanis who comes to the rescue, making a great hook on the title track and captivating with pillow soft whisper like vocals on the dreamy "Beyond A Mortal". Ultimately she masks some of the underwhelming instrumentals, a pleasant but not riveting album from a band who I believe can to far more interesting places than this.

Favorite Tracks: Future Politics, Utopia, Beyond A Mortal

Rating: 5/10

Austra "Olympia" (2013)

Following up on the Canadian trio's darker leaning debut "Feel It Break", we arrive two years later at "Olympia", a measured refinement of style that steers the ship to a slightly brighter, broader appeal, while still retaining the core of their identity. Its a fitting follow up, no leaps, tricks or wild cards in store, just another collection of short songs where the synths lighten up in tone and dazzle with chirpier, friendly melodies.

Even though the instrumentals are rich with layers of complimenting melodies and a memorable tunes, it is singer Stelmanis who once again becomes the focal point of the emotional narrative, crowning the songs with her infectious hooks that hit with magnitude as a sublime energy and character resonates through her empowering vibrato. She carries on where the last record left off and bar a few sharper ideas its a predictable performance, one that's unsurprisingly indulgent as the melodies flow around her swooning vocal lines.

The biggest progression felt is the instrumentals, tuned for a brighter ear the record feels a little looser and organic in reflection of "Feel It Break". The drums especially, including bongo arrangements and less electronic kits. With a lighter pallet of sounds the band often resonate short Neoclassical melodies over pulsating dance baselines. Soft strings, flutes and plucked strings illuminate these cohesive moments of indifferent styles that otherwise sound odd on paper. Its very much a more obvious extension of what came before it.

"Olympia" is a strong record, however the bands approach to songwriting limits what feels like an obvious potential for them to do much grander music. Short, verse, chorus song structures and a lack of theatrical progression leave the songs contained within the walls of repetition that doesn't expand on the magic of Stelmanis' voice. The last album had a stand out track "The Beast" where convention gave way to inspiration and that is what I was hoping for more of. Even where potential feels disappointing this record is fantastic and very enjoyable, one I'll return to often.

Favorite Tracks: Painful Likes, Home, Reconcile

Rating; 7/10

Austra "Feel It Break" (2011)

The ambiguous, symbolic, dark symetrical album cover may conjure impressions of an artsy Black Metal project but alas, no stretch of extremity is to be found here other than its sheer wonder. Austra are a Canadian Electronic Art Pop trio illuminated by the dazzling vocals of Katie Stelmanis who's voice resonates on a deeply emotional level. Her singing is strong in presence, consistent in tone and dazzles with a stunning vibrato, executed with mesmerizing precision in speed and evolution as it expands its ferocity with mechanical precision. She steals the show but the instrumentals are of merit too.

Forming the rhythm section, programmed drums take on a measured position between more organic samples and sturdy dance kits. The base kicks thud and the hi hats are a little less intrusive, setting the tone for atmospheric Synthpop with a sturdy backbone. Around it layers of moog synths and baselines come in and out of focus with temperament for the power of each melody, not trying to constantly output sound and allowing the songs the expand and contract, which they do, however it is always Stelmanis's voice that takes the limelight as the various melodies play of her lead.

With a deliberate and balanced sound it remains rather consistent in tone and structure, nothing too adventurous emerges from the formula and the songs go through the motions in typical formats with a great selection of drum kits and playful melodies to compliment. Short sweet and repetitive, the tracks consist of melodies in tuneful arrangements that make for easy digestion. Its poppy but artistic and its mood despite a bright exterior feels as if something more sinister may be over the horizon.

For me the album grows stronger as it progresses, the song "Loose It" has a very pop friendly vocal hook and sweet charm about it but as progression takes place the flow seems to loosen up a little. More indifference is to be found in aesthetics and melody as the music starts to resonate emotionally. There are moments where her voice is "enhanced" for lack of better word when reverbs give it a different edge and she delivers some breath taking singing on "The Choke" and more so on "The Beast" which sees the album out on a chilling high with goosebumps and all as she hits the most powerful notes of the record over a troublesome piano.

A great debut record that really highlights the beauty of Stelmanis's voice and its fair to say this will be one of my go to records for a long time. I have to thank my friend Lord Lovidicus for introducing it to me. I should also mention that Fever Ray came to mind in my first few listens. Although distinctly different in style and tone I can't help but think the band would be fans of her work. Loving this one, looking forward to picking up their second release and anticipating a third for 2017!

Favorite Tracks: Beat And The Pulse, Spellwork, The Choke, The Noise, The Beast

Rating: 8/10

Navie D "Hyper Light In The Key Of D" (2016)

Often eliminating the percussion section and stripping back the layers of composition, Canadian producer Navie D chooses a striking change of pace for his full length debut. The ambiguous, alien sentiment of his striking synth driven style finds itself stricken from the mold of Hip Hop beats into an ambient, atmospheric piece resonating in mood and tone. In this change of pace a lot more convention is found in the often small set of instruments that grace us with intuitive minimalism.

 With a low density of sound, singular noises glance past one another over the rumble of distant buzz saws, fostering an atmosphere spacious, distant and ambiguous by design. With token instruments and a keen ear for volume, reverb and all things to further the desolation, a rather stark and lifeless feeling emerges from the small set of synths that hold these songs together. With no crescendos, progressive builds or moments of climax we very much step into the abyss for a brief glimpse at the beyond as lingering glimmers of melody forge the moment with a handful of notes.

In a fair few moments the album musters up a whirl of rhythmic energy where a buzzing rattle inspires the mechanical, percussive march of electronic dissonance on "The Hanged Man". A subdued pace has the striking of anvils and clanking of ratchets keep tempo with an industrial menace on "The Emperor". Half of the tracks here find mechanical tempos, devoid of groove and intent on atmosphere. They bounce back and forth between the minimal tracks which bare little resemblance to melody and tune.

It ends up being a somewhat impressive record that could pass you by if you fail to give it your attention. Already flirting with the void its alien synths, unsettling noises and eerie vibe may become background noise if your focus is consumed. Its lack of event or immediacy may leave you with little impact or memorability but in a way it feels as if the place we visit is intended to be forgotten. A change of pace that isn't fresh or original but well executed. My favorite moment is the end, "Credits" which for a brief moment leaves us with a whiff of melody and fading sentiment.

Favorite Tracks: Home, The Hierophant, Credits

Rating: 6/10

Blank Banshee "MEGA" (2016)

The striking simplicity of the album cover alone is what sparked my curiosity and drew me in for a listen. Initially the oddity of sparse drum patterns and unusual sampling arrangement seemed like a reinvention of ideas, music from a different perspective. With each listen Ive grown increasingly disappointed with the lack of connection to the aesthetic journey this record goes on. At thirty three minutes it amounts to not much more than an assortment of ideas the yield little imagination for narrative or direction as a seemingly unstructured set of noises vibe with one another at the edge of reality. It certainly has a vibe, a feeling but my interpretation of the unfolding sounds amounted to no emotional stimulus. With only one or two raises of the eye brown its been a fruitless listening experience.

Its music of cosmetics, with an interesting identity of pleasant ambiguity. Everything revolves around the web of samples that shuffle around the beat of each track. The kicks, snares, rattles of cymbals and reverb soaked claps are sparing and minimal, providing a moderate tempo for all sorts of chopped and pitch shifted sounds to wage in on the atmosphere. Many snippets and samples resemble known, popular songs, one I identified was Death Grips's "Bass Rattle Stars Out The Sky". They mostly contribute to the mysteriously associative nature of the ongoing sample arrangement.

From that point it would mostly be an exercise of naming and describing the sorts of sound that crop up. For me they all amounted to very little that was emotionally impact-full or even entertaining. Thanks to the decent production it is a pleasant experience to hear the noises past you by as they are mixed together with equilibrium and often a lush dose of reverb and echo. As already stated though nothing arose, although a few moments in the record are more preferable to others it just didn't have much to offer me.

Rating: 3/10

Navie D "Opra EP" (2014)

Following up on the newer "Post EP" record we check out another seventeen minute collection of five tracks that are very much of the same vein, so much so the two roll off one another. "Opra EP" shows the formula was minutely refined with big luminous leads, synths and ghetto whistles sparking the tracks to life with memorable melodies to mark a climactic moment in the tracks trajectory. This is very much the same record without those moments to kick it up a notch from the mediocrity these ambient, ambiguous beats can fall into when they fall from the forefront of attention.

As mentioned these instrumentals are atmospheric, a collage of dissonance where traditional synth instruments are distorted in ambiguity and oddities that give them an organic feeling of disorientation. When giving it a keen ear the instruments fall into place and seem more traditional. Its this leaning to the unusual that gives the record its dark dystopian flavor that revolves around the mid tempo beats that fade in and out of focus. With steady and stuttering Trap hi hats the pace is marked along with screeching, howling synthesizers and samples of operatic voices eerily drifting in from the shadows. Its melodies are subdued and server to not been seen as much which is where I feel the record looses something its follow up has. Progression for this sound is certainly on a positive path and with Navie D having released his full length debut It will be next on my playlist.

Rating: 4/10

Devin Townsend "Transcendence" (2016)

It seems to be a recurring sentiment that an albums first impressions are misleading and once again I found myself disappointed for an album by an artist I have the greatest of respect for, Devin Townsend, musical genius and all round nice guy. Whatever Devin does I will always been in anticipation of, this his seventeenth record? Is no exception, Its hard to keep track of his unrivaled output. It wasn't until I thought I was done that the magic started to emanate and make sense, rather unusual for an artist I know so well. "Transcendence" is as expected another masterclass of the glorious metallic wall of sound, primed with rich glossy synthesizers, lush distortion guitars and Devin's stunning voice merging into an engulfing magnetized musical force.

Another expected marvel of production value perhaps shadowed the music initially, its far more subdued, of the moment and lengthier in its demeanor than usual. "Epicloud" had fifty minutes over thirteen tracks of pop like Metal smashers where as here we have ten tracks spanning sixty five minutes. The lengthy nature of the songs have the absence of more conventional song structures which can be felt where the instruments hold back from rocking into the forefront with a grooving riff or empowering melody. Instead we have a maturer union of instruments that have equal measures of involvement throughout the record. Even when Devin is singing you'll often hear independent synthesizers, baselines and guitar riffs working in tandem, forming a lush wall of musical power. Its most differentiating moments are the guitar solos, inspiring and moving, the mostly reveal there strength and inspiration with each listen never tiring.

The slow journey into this record has made me see the "cheap thrills" side of Devin's music, perhaps as a hangover from the bombastic, nauseating thrill rides of Strapping Young Lad, Devin's always had a touch of humor in the power of the riff and momentous absurdity of over emphasis. "Transcendence" has next to none of this and in a much maturer frame of mind Devin has crafted some stunning songs which hold over the glorious feeling of epic stature through the records rich, dense aesthetic and the steady craft of layered instrumentation.

Opening with the re-recorded "Truth" from his second solo record "Infinity" the album doesn't start for me until "Stormbending", an atmospheric thunder of dexterous guitar riffs and triumphant climaxing. "Truth" is a brilliant song and a few re-records have made there way onto recent records but as an opener it feels odd being so familiar with it. To be fair, as great as it sounds the original still does the song justice. In an attempted not to babble on for too long, its a very matured and seasoned record, dense and layered with plenty to digest. Every aspect of its production and recording is an eargasmic treat, the music just took me a little longer but I can't see myself putting this one down anytime soon, it will grow even more on me I'm sure of it!

Favorite Songs: Stormbending, Higher, Transcendence, Offer Your Light

Rating: 8/10

Despised Icon "Beast" (2016)

News of this bands return wasn't the most exciting story id heard this year but it was certainly unexpected for the Canadian Quebec "Technical Deathcore" outfit to announce their reunion. They were a short lived group who released two albums in the prime of the scenes popularity and split rather abruptly, ending their steady rise. Id barely touched their records since seeing them live a few times and to be fair I hadn't really missed them, Despised Icon were a fair shade better than most of the generic sounding bands at the time, however their "Technical" edge doesn't separate them from a tired sound and their reunion is as if a day hadn't passed by. At first it sounded like one element had been dropped but by track five, "Bad Vibes", it drops in almost instinctively. The track sets itself up perfectly with a low djenty timed chug from the guitars and in true Despised Icon fashion drops the ridiculous bree squee vocals that sound more comical than anything else. Fortunately they are not frequent on the record, certainly not awful but a vocal style I care less for with time.

The record as a whole doesn't leap out with any remarkable tracks and tends to scurry its way through a blur of tight timely riffing that shuffles back and forth, switching and changing up with all sorts of mini guitar riffs between large groovy or heavy moments, chaperoned by mechanical, dizzying drumming. It blasts and chops away with little fluidity or transition, hammering on and in the instant the guitars adjust they follow with another volley of earth shaking rattling. The bass guitar is a mere extension of the rhythm and the vocal are harsh, blunt and monotone screams with enough texture for reason but often dispelling screeching over the dense, slightly fuzzy guitar tone.

The record rarely brakes from brutality and is spliced in two with the interlude track "Dedicated To Extinction". A short, dark and foreboding symphonic peace that sticks out like a sore thumb. It had me scrambling to my playlist, trying to find why it had skipped ahead from the "Beast" record. The only merit I can give is the records production, aside from the vocals its a very well rounded record with a lot of warm and well mixed tones for each of the instruments that can withstand the blitz of the drumming. That's what made a rather hollow record enjoyable for me, its listen-ability. Sure there are good riffs, breakdowns but no sense of theme or something grander than a collection of riffs emerges. "I am my biggest threat" a lyric that jumped out as a poor rewording of "I am my own worst enemy".

Rating: 3/10

Navie D "Post EP" (2016)

Hailing from Toronto Canada, Navie D is a producer with a distinct, and to my ears, fresh take on Hip Hop instrumentals. "Post EP" is his second release and one with a consistent feel through the five tracks. It rolls at a slower pace with an emphasis on atmosphere and a less bombastic, more industrial take on percussion. The drum loops are programmed with a modern touch, shuffling hi hats show a subtle Trap influence but mostly the beats accommodate the surrounding music made of ambiguous sounds in a state of organic transformation. Its layered and stacked with minute details that blur the distinction between melody and rhythm as these songs progress to let singular moments of melody shine from within the dissonant shell.

Its an excellent execution of composition that has all sorts of creepy and eerie sounds drifting into the fold. You'll hear dogs barking, human voices malformed and chopped into the songs soundscape and on "NYC" a barrage of ghostly vocals pitch shifted, shuffled and thrown at the listener in a dizzying state. Some instruments and percussive noises have such an add tone I wouldn't be surprised to learn there were more voices at work in the mix. Its what gives this otherwise meaty and industrial construct an eerily organic and human vibe.

On paper it would seem like a dark and twisted experience but all that's at work is held on the lighter side of ambiguity. One feels like the observer of a strange curiosity unfolding without threat or worry. In between these peculiar unravelings moments of life occur as each track has its moment where an instrument can burst into life and illuminate the atmosphere with synthetic toned instruments playing bold melodies where the songs are normally devoid of something as distinct. On "Junkyard King" it takes the form of a ghetto whistle that manages to be as charming without playing a G-Funk vibe.

This short record really impressed me but it does make me wonder if a rapper could bring something more to it. Because the instrumentals are so distinct they are exciting and fresh but at the same time these instrumentals feel like they set the tone and leave a lot of room for something else to take the forefront. Either way this was a great listening experience.

Favorite Track: Junkyard King

Rating: 6/10

Beyond Creation "Earthborn Evolution" (2014)

Canadian Death Metal outfit "Beyond Creation" from Montreal are back with another healthy serving of their tightly performed, squeaky clean technical onslaught of growling gutturals, crunchy guitars, fancy leads and tactical drumming. They caught my attention with a viral video of their song "Omnipresent", standing aside from other bands for two distinct reasons. Firstly the fretless bass, a bright colorful sound that bounces and slides its way from the background to foreground in a tasteful manor. Secondly the overall aesthetic is crisp and orchestrated with a delightful balance between the instrumentals which compliment one another in a genre that can often be plagued by emphasis on brutal tones. Their debut "The Aura" was an interesting one and I have kept an eye out awaiting a second record, which arrived late last year.

"Earthborn Evolution" is a cautious step forward for the band, working within the same frame they set for their selves as on "The Aura". In terms of production the most notable change is the drums, slightly softer, less of a sharp sting to them, otherwise it could almost be the same record. Musically its a continuation too, not a lot of evolution in style or experimentation, the band play out ten tracks of enjoyable high-octane technical death thats continually frenetic, shifting mercilessly with grindy riffage and shuffling blast beats while the fretless bass dances around between the instrumental onslaught. Constantly rearranging themselves, these songs unfold like a tapestry of ideas being unwound and stitched back together as the guitars and bass dance around one another with complimenting ideas the exhausting drumming narrates with its continual hammering. The guttural vocals come in with force and power over the top of the musical onslaught, they are captured with a textural quality that amplifies the brutality through that texture, as opposed to volume or force. It has a strange effect of leaving these songs feeling complete with or without their presence. When they come in they add a new dimension, but one thats not felt in its absence.

For all thats good and said there is a big negative. Across the 46 minutes of technical bliss there is little that feels memorable. It is pleasant to listen through each song musically unwinding its way through its gorgeous aesthetic, but never does it "strike a nerve" like "Omnipresent" did. There are a few share of unique moments, like the speedy bass fretting on "Theatrical Delirium", but its impact is momentary. After listening through several times it is apparent that for all they do right there is a certain spark needed thats absence can not be disguised. A good record needs to leave you with music you can't get out of you head, and despite being a great listening experience there was nothing here that did it for me on that level.

Rating: 5/10

Kittie "Oracle" (2001)

Born in the prime of the Nu Metal scene, Canadian metallers Kittie gained a lot of attention with their debut album "Spit" and subsequent touring on the Ozzfest festival. Unfortunately the group never continued their commercial success, record sales declined as the interest in Nu Metal faded into the 00s. This, their sophomore release, is a humble record that I like to turn to from time to time. It may not be quite the something "Spit" was, but this record offers some decent Nu Metal with dark aesthetics and that classic dropped guitar sound so characteristic of the genre.

Oracle is a simple, straight forward record that at times borders mediocrity as the group play out some elementary tracks that are flared up by aggressive drumming, engaging vocals and a fair few riffage moments. Morgan Lander's screams are snarly, forcefull, borderline brutal and fulled with anger, she contrasts them with some warm, magnetic clean leads that add a welcome layer of color into what is a pretty black and gray sound. A warm crunchy bass marks its territory underneath distorted guitars that have the classic down tuned and dropped sound that doesn't have much going in the way of characteristics, its a pretty generic sound but its executed well. Holding it together is Mercedes's drumming which doesn't stray to far from comfortable territory but has great chemistry with the guitars and provides another aggressive outlet to their sound. When all these elements combine and Kittie hit the mark, musically its a pleasure, the aesthetics are spot on and Landers voice gives it all a definable flavor and character that keeps me coming back.

Simplicity is a core element here, this isn't music thats trying to do anything grand and bold, its down to earth, fun and unapologetic. The guitars are entry level, offering very little more than dropped single finger power chords and the occasional lead utilizing a few notes that may resemble a melody. Its something Ive seen them criticized for, yet I think it misses this point. A lot can be achieved even if simple in nature, it also serves as great entry level guitar to play along to if you like Metal and want to play it. Good album, great in places, theres also a Pink Floyd cover which fits right in (with an interesting guitar solo), despite not resembling the original much.

Favorite Tracks: In Winter, Severed, Pain, What I Always Wanted, No Name

Rating: 5/10

Down To Erf "Down To Erf" (1998)

In the mood for some chilled out Hip Hop I pulled this gem out from my collection, its an 8 track EP from Canadian group "Down To Erf" consisting of rapper Mathematik and a DJ who's name I am unaware of. There is very little information about the group on the Internet and this would appear to be their only release, one which we could consider a lost classic, however time tells a story. This was once a record I couldn't put down, it was at a time when I was rapidly expanding my discovery of the East Coast, listening to records like "Illmatic" & "Lifestyles Of The Poor And Dangerous". It served as a laid back, jazzier rendition of the classic early 90s sound. After a few years It hasn't quite the spark I remember, some of its flaws are more apparent, but its still a personal favorite, mainly for the jazzy samples and grooving beats.

Rapper Mathematik has a soothing flow, a steady pace delivering technical lyrics delivered in a consistent, yet tame manor. His style is approachable and indulging, easy to follow, and his lyrical ideas are on point, but he falls short in a important places. The calm and steady delivery is continually mechanical, leaving little room for variety, a spontaneous change of flow or any energy, charisma etc. From start to end Math follows the same formula which can often have him falling into the background as his style becomes monotone. His lyrics are clever, and serve a strength he couldn't do without. "When I fight, the weapons are the rhymes I write", "Hip Hop bath, cleansing in the words of Math". There are plenty of clever lines scattered throughout this record. There a pleasure, but the lack of variety and ideas beyond his typical flow held him back from doing something truly great.

The record starts off with an estranged mix of samples coming together with a standard beat that quickly fades out to a sub bass kick that brings in a steady beat accompanied by dreamy bass noise and scattered, distant instrumentation that comes and goes. The tone is set well as Math drops in and lays down the vibe for the album. From track to track choice samples of jazzy pianos, bass and trumpets are arranged with strong drum beats that create a great set of instrumentals that could compliment any rapper. The instrumentals are great, but like Maths flow, they do lack variety. Most tracks follow the formula of dropping the main sample or snare to add variety to the beat, never truly breaking up the track and fusing something different into these songs, but that does not take away from the chemistry the samples and beats achieve. A great, slightly flawed record that is still enjoyable and a choice listen for any 90s Hip Hop fan.

Favorite Tracks: Rhyme Training, To Each His Own, State Of The Art

Rating: 6/10

Devin Townsend Project "Dark Matters" (2014)

Its time to talk about the second half of the new Devin Townsend double album "Z²". In the build up to its release I was much more interested in the "Sky Blue" half, while most media outlets were focused on the return of our beloved coffee addicted alien friend Ziltoid! In 2007 Devin released the first Ziltoid record which mixed his unique blend of Metal with a comedic musical about an alien named Ziltoid who visits earth demanding their finest cup of coffee. The cult popularity of the album has set a high grade for this follow up, which I was expecting to be the less enjoyable half of Z², however I have myself pleasantly humbled by this straight forward and entertaining record.

From start to end this album engaged me with its glorious sound and tongue in cheek humor, combining the two effortlessly. Its no surprise this album has a similar production and aesthetic to Sky Blue, with Devin no longer working on his own the Ziltoid franchise benefits from the additional musicians who give this album much warmth and depth that "Ziltoid The Omniscient" lacked. From song to song the album unfolds its story through entertaining tracks that are exciting, integrating the characters and narratives with a touch of class. There wasn't a moment of filler and the story and music both climax together, ending the album on a high with the outstanding "Dimension Z".

In a nutshell, I felt Dark Matters took "Ziltoid The Omniscient" and stepped it up a notch, better production, no drum machine and more cohesion and consistency from song to song. The story and comedic narrative is obviously an important element, but being a silly tale about a coffee loving extra-terrestrial, this squeal didn't need more than some good laughs and humor to justify its relevance, and it did exactly that. Five years in the making, Devin has delivered a rock solid record of which every moment is satisfying. 

Favorite Songs: From Sleep To Awake, Ziltoid Goes Home, Dimension Z

Rating: 7/10