As far as the DTP stuff is concerned, "Ki" is my favourite by a long shot. The others don't hit me like that one does.

Best album he's ever written... i have to give that to "Alien". So much emotion in that album, as well as being incredibly executed and produced.

I stopped reading after the first paragraph, as the reviewer did nothing but waffle on about their expectations of a new SYL-esque album.

Get the fuck over SYL Mr Campbell. SYL did. If you're looking for City, it's that black, brooding masterpiece sitting in the corner, ready to rip your face off with its magnificent metallic talons.

I really wish people would stop jerkin City's dick. City is indeed a solid album, but it is not a masterpiece. It has numerous flaws, just like Decon. And I also find it odd people say tracks like "Stand" aren't heavy. So relentlessly trying to pound someone's ear drums into submission IS heavy, but intense emotional buildup to a roaring hooking ISN'T? I seriously wish people would pull their heads of their asses about the "circus metal" thing. Grow a sense of humor, will you?

Rant aside, City is indeed among his best work. I just feel, like Leviathan by Mastodon, it suffers by being hyped so damn much. No record in the 'verse is THAT good and talking about anyone, even great ones, like they are sets up false expectations for new listeners who will hear City and wonder why people act like it is the greatest thing to happen to metal in 97.

One last note: why is it so many don't seem to recognize the humor inherent in SYL? Are there really people who listen to songs like "Spirituality", "AAA" and "OH MY FUCKING GOD" and think, "well that was a well composed, self-serious intense metal album constructed by Devin Townsend, mr self-serious musician from Canada, and crew"? Sorry, but City is every bit as much of a circus metal album as Ziltoid and Deconstruction. Just because it is more noisy and has more fury in its bones, doesn't mean it isn't funny.

^Agreed. Despite its serious tone, it's amusing to see Adidas and McDonald's referenced in the same lyric in Oh My Fucking God as something to not tolerate (hey, he has a point).

City is one of the better things to happen to metal though. As far as 1997 is concerned, I'd quite readily give it that title. There's not an angrier album on the entire planet.

I feel weird for liking SYL better than City.

i just read the metalreview.com link for deconstruction, and i can actually see where the reviewers were coming from because when i listened to the album first time i thought it was a bloated mess of shite. however, as is often the case with these things, after each listen it got more and more into my head to the point i'm at now where i just love it.

i often find that albums which aren't the most immediate turn out to be the most rewarding, and there's just so much going on with deconstruction there's no way it could be properly reviewed after one or ten listens. regarding the concept and story behind it, i dunno, i just listen to things and i like them.

is it his best album? i haven't a clue. my opinion on which one is the best changes all the time. it's mood dependent for me.

at the moment i'm hoping this epicloud thing comes along, because if the supposed demo from it that i've heard is anything to go by, it'll be right up my street. after sixty listens!

That's a good point that some of the best music is challenging to the listener, and can take dozens of repeat listenings before it truly sinks in and can be appreciated. And on the other hand, a simple, immediately likeable pop song can also quickly grow tiring. And on of the cool things about the Devster is that he can do both ends of the spectrum. Some of his things that seem poppy (poppy, not poopy) on the surface have several layers of texture to pick up on, and hold up to numerous listenings.

[JuZ]

I stopped reading after the first paragraph, as the reviewer did nothing but waffle on about their expectations of a new SYL-esque album.

Get the fuck over SYL Mr Campbell. SYL did. If you're looking for City, it's that black, brooding masterpiece sitting in the corner, ready to rip your face off with its magnificent metallic talons.

I really wish people would stop jerkin City's dick. City is indeed a solid album, but it is not a masterpiece. It has numerous flaws, just like Decon. And I also find it odd people say tracks like "Stand" aren't heavy. So relentlessly trying to pound someone's ear drums into submission IS heavy, but intense emotional buildup to a roaring hooking ISN'T? I seriously wish people would pull their heads of their asses about the "circus metal" thing. Grow a sense of humor, will you?

Rant aside, City is indeed among his best work. I just feel, like Leviathan by Mastodon, it suffers by being hyped so damn much. No record in the 'verse is THAT good and talking about anyone, even great ones, like they are sets up false expectations for new listeners who will hear City and wonder why people act like it is the greatest thing to happen to metal in 97.

I said that a year ago. Seriously.

How time flies. I do hope that website doesn't take such a hipster-ish view of Epicloud.

[JuZ]

How time flies. I do hope that website doesn't take such a hipster-ish view of Epicloud.

And here's me fresh outta waistcoats and Buddy Holly frames. AND my skinny jeans are in the wash. Guess I'll have to skip that review.

I use Decon to exorcise depression out of me. Truly an effective album for that stuff.

But for me its hard to compare Devin's albums. It always depends on how I feel n' stuff.

But for me its hard to compare Devin's albums. It always depends on how I feel n' stuff.

That's the point! It's hard to say if one album is bettert than another. Maybe even impossible. Different types of music.
Personally, I'm not considering Deconstruction to be his best album. It's good, but I prefere other albums, less brutal.

Devin has an album for everyone. They're all great in one way or another... Ziltoid, Ki and Alien are probably my favs, but Ocean machine was my introduction and i will always have a soft spot for that one. It always brings back certain unique emotions in me. Deconstruction is great too but also very difficult to digest, i feel i'm still trying to grasp the whole totality of it, even 3 years later.

See how my opinion changed over time, compared to my post at the top of the page... Ki was my total favourite at one point, but OM was too early on.