Just thought I'd look up some reviews of older Dev albums... just to see what kind of ratings they got.

The thing is, I noticed that whenever DTB or solo Dev is reviewed or mentioned, they always refer to DT stuff almost like it's a side project to the main band Strapping Young Lad. Now I know that commercially this may be the perception - it was my perception around the time of City/OM - but surely if the reviewers did their research, they'd realise that the number of DTB albums is in fact greater than the number of SYL albums.

Even though all the reviews are positive, I think it's doing a disservice to the quality of the DTB material to define it purely as some kind of off-the-wall prog-dabbling novelty that Dev does on the side. I maybe reading too much into it, but it explains why I know plenty of people who know SYL, but so few of them know the DTB (except for when I inform them of course!). It's as though beauty in music only makes sense to some metallers if it's in the form of a token female vocalist/bassist...

Sadly, I'm almost certain that this will happen with Synchestra too, and people reading the reviews will say "Ugh! Tuba?! That's not metal " and ignore what would almost certainly be a revelation in their musical tastes.

I'm pretty sure I can see where Dev's coming from in his journal now - Hate pays the bills, love nourishes the soul. It may not be a cool thing to say, but it's refreshing and I like it, and I'm glad I'm part of this miniture rock revolution.

I may be way off on this one (I am pretty tired writing this) but I hope I'm making a reasonable point. If Dev's heart lies in the DTB, and there's actually more of that stuff out there than SYL, isn't it about time DTB took it's rightful, and (at least) equal position alongside Strapping Young Lad in the minds of the metal masses?

On a personal level (so don't flame me for this), but I think DTB/solo stuff has been of a far more consistent quality than SYL anyway. Maybe because it represents a more free-flowing aspect to Dev's personality. Whatever the reason, up against each other, and based on the time at which they were released, I'd have to say....

1) HAARHT is okay

2) OM Vs City... the perfect balance of light and dark

3) Infinity, Physicist, Terria......
.... and AE Vs SYL? Well it is four against one! Also SYL isn't the strongest Strapping release.

4)Alien Vs Synchestra... will it be the next perfect equilibrium between good and evil? I guess we'll have to wait and see!

My point is that across the board SO FAR... Dev's "main" band is almost certainly not SYL!!! This doesn't mean I want SYL dead and long live the DTB or anything, just that I think it's about time this other side of his music was recognised for what it is and not always reviewed in terms of it's associations with SYL.

And again just my opinion, but I think it proves how one-dimensional metal can be that DTB isn't huge!!

Yea its strange that SYL are the most succesful and exposed of the 2 bands. As you said Dev has always said that his heart lies within his solo work. I think the reason his solo stuff hasn't taken off is because people dismiss it as just a side-project....when it clearly isnt. The way Dev talks about SYL sometimes its as if he isnt really that into it as much as he should be, he just does it because people seem to like it and it pays the bills...but his solo work is his real, and most sincere work....hmmm....

But we all know one thing: In 10 years, there will be only DTB.

In 10 years Dev will be a cult-musician and will probably concentrate on DTB music, because I don't see him continue SYL for that long. Until that time, we'll probably have a couple of other SYL albums but, as time passes by, DTB's music will continue to gain power and diversity.

I don't know if many of you realise that but Prog music fans are trying to appropriate DTB's music to themselves. The prog side of DTB is a lot more original than the aggressivity of the last SYL albums, this is why I believe that the future of Dev's music lies in DTB...and that pleases me much

[Blazingmonga]

Interesting post Marshall Bravestar, and I dont think you are far off at all.

It is strange that SYL is the more popular entity even though it is the far less productive, but popularity is never fair.

I think that at the moment the two sides to Devin are an equilibrium of sorts...but that doesnt mean one can't be more important/popular/awesome than the other. Perhaps both sides need the other to be whatever it is that they are. It doesnt have to make sense (and neither do I!).

I remember after City came out, there was word that Devin wouldn't make any more SYL albums. Fortunately this turned out not to be true, but it just shows you that you never can tell. The muse may appear at any time, in any form and you may follow it to anywhere.

If Devin is happy making music the way he is then I am sure we will all be happy to hear it, whatever form it may take.

On a related note, I think that this 'equilibrium' is becoming more complicated. It is no longer simply Dev Solo (or DTB) vs SYL. I dont think we can call Devlab a DTB album, and neither will we call The Hummer (if it ever surfaces). This makes 3 people in the relationship!

Devin vs DTB vs SYL....!?!?

I think we should let our ears do the talking....(wow, that really makes no sense!)

-David

I think the difference in popularity may also be down to the record label each band are on. As SYL is on Century Media (right?) i would guess it gets far more exposure than the DTB on HevyDevy just down to the size and clout each label has.

More exposure for the DTB would definately help i reckon.

I think that SYL is also that bit more commercially viable....DT/DTB is a lot harder to market...a lot of people listen to it and are not sure exactly what it is/what to make of it, which for me, is the same quality which makes it so great. As much as I love SYL, DT/DTB is where it's really at for me, nothing on this earth excites me as much.

Plus, I'm kind of glad it's not so big, there isn't such a commercial pressure on it, which if things grow in popularity, tends to become more important

Plus, I'm kind of glad it's not so big, there isn't such a commercial pressure on it, which if things grow in popularity, tends to become more important

I suppose that is a good point. It's doubtful the masses would ever tolerate the esoteric nature of Devin's output.

Plus I agree with Blazingmonga, now that there's a third element in the Devin mix, it's possible things may become even more sporadic. The noise/ambient side may even stop being website only stuff if he feels its valid. There are plenty of labels putting out far less creative experimental stuff than Devlab so in an underground sense even that's commercially viable.

I agree with you lot. SYL is straight heavy while DTB is a hybrid, a heavy lullaby, an angry love song, a paradox. Have you noticed under the bar code on all of Devins solo records (OM, Infinity, AE and Terria) the inscription "File under metal"? As if in itself the material doesn't 100% qualify as metal and we need this clarification. SYL is more straight in this aspect and thus more immediately recognisable to larger masses. That's also what interviewers concentrate on and DTB gets mentioned as "something this bands (SYL) singer ALSO does besides what this interview here concentrates on". Plus there's a fact that SYL are currently touring much more than DTB and are getting more exposure.

I see it like this: Devin's musical niche is metal (hence "File under metal" tags). Within Dev's opus the most metal is SYL followed by DTB folowed by enfants terribles Eko, DevLab, The Hummer and that's how metal community categorizes and recognizes Dev's work. Within the music world in general it would be a paradox that SYL is MORE commercial than DTB, but not if we narrow the field to metal. So what you pointed out is kind of a structural necessity, something we notice and recognize but can't do much about. It can't pay Dev's bills, but it allows him to pay them with a smile on his face, haha.

The way Dev talks about SYL sometimes its as if he isnt really that into it as much as he should be, he just does it because people seem to like it and it pays the bills...but his solo work is his real, and most sincere work....hmmm....

Oh no. I don't think that it can be put that way. When Dev needs to be into Strapping, then he is. For example, during the making and after the release of Alien, he was quite excited about it. If he wouldn't have been into it at the time, I doubt he would have been capable of creating such a beast at all. I know, you didn't say this and you used the word "sometimes". But to me it seems that after having done the Strapping thing for a while (writing and recording the album, then promoting it with interviews and mainly touring), Dev starts getting a little tired of it and heads for a different direction. And that's the time when he finds his satisfaction in writing music for the DTB. And this also works vice versa.

I always had this impression, and since the Dev said of himself that he a) gets bored very quickly and that he finds b) the whole metal thing, going "RRRAAAAAAAAARRR!" quite exciting for some time, but then gets tired of it after doing it constantly for months, I'm sure that I'm not that wrong.

That's why I think it's so great that the Dev nowadays does both, the DTB and Strapping. The difference between them - and the fact that both combined represent all those emotions one person can feel - is what seems to keep the whole thing exciting for him. As someone who writes music, produces music and performs music. After having done one thing, his enthusiasm is even greater when he starts a new project, which represents a refreshing change from what he's then been used to. It's certainly a challenge, but I feel that this is exactly what Devin loves about it.

Both represent certain parts of "the human being called Devin Townsend". After this year's success of Alien he seems to make more money with Strapping (although I'm so tired of reading that SYL is the only thing that pays the bills, or that it's even just meant to pay the bills - he didn't starve when he did any SYL records for six years, right?), but every record Devin released so far holds so many special moments, they all are "real". They all are special to me. Those who take the time to listen to the Devin Townsend and the SYL records know that none of them is a side project. Each album represents this amazing artist at a different time, no matter how his musical ways of expressing his feelings may differ.

Great post, Chris. Well done. (And, I might add, one of the longest you've ever written!)

Great post, Chris. Well done. (And, I might add, one of the longest you've ever written!)

Yea nice post. You put it very nicely.

I get the feeling Devin likes it the way it is. (I could be very wrong, it happens alot), but it's just that the less people that like you the more free you can be. The more people that like you the more pressure there is to create people that people like. It's like SYL is big commercially, and so if they suddenly make a really different album a huge amount of people won't be happy with it, in that way there is pressure to make music not just for yourself, but making it in a way you know people won't hate. DTB on the other hand has more freedom because if they make a really different album the group is small enough and so into it that we will probally like it, or even if we don't it doesn't have a huge impact on the artist, so this leaves them to be more free and create exactly what they want to create and hope that people like it once it's done, theres not really any pressure to write something they know people will like. Again I could be completly wrong, but thats kinda the way I'd feel if I was in the Dev's position.

funny, i always thought of SYL as a side project. either way, i really wouldn't consider syl being "big"

It could also be a case of younger fans who may absolutely love DTB, could also feel that "They dont Want to be Heard listenning to that... Coz Devin sounds like he's singing about love?"

the Younger (usually the ones who turn music up so loud that everyone has to listen to it) Are very worried about "looking metal"; they need nose rings and steel caps, and if the guy says love, or babe/baby then its not metal anough for them to blast their neighbourhood down with.

Sadly the music world aims at kids. mainly youth download songs, so reviews and promos on the web will be more likely be about these "AARRGGGHHH RROOOAAARRR FUUUCK SHITTT S>Y>L" style stuff, coz that is how the kids wanna be seen.

but we all no that they go home and listen to terria on headphones....

[JuZ]

I've always enjoyed the whole build it up/smash it down nature of Dev's work. It's a good analogy for life really, and I love that duality, in his lyrics in particular. Unabashed love and introspection on the one hand, and anger, hatred and a picking-apart of all things good, bad and indifferent on the other.

We're all complicated fuckers like that... capable of completely conflicting emotions and opinions. We're just the lucky ones that know this bloke called Devin that is so good at wrapping it all up in some shiny music.