Negoba wrote:It's interesting but that one line is the crux of the entire album "you want crazy, I'll show you crazy." It gets quoted in reviews as being feeling forced. I think if any singer in the world can pull that line off, it was Devy at that point in his life. It's doesn't feel forced, but he's quite clearly said, it was. He had to do things to himself to make that happen.
As an expression of raw mental pain exploding outward, Alien is IMO even better than City. It is crazier. I was listening to it alot lately, and though I think it's brilliant I started to even think to myself "What is it doing to me to listen to this so much." When "Shitstorm" is the song running on autoplay in your head, it's going to color your life. If I as a listener feel a need to take a break from it, I certainly feel for the artist who had to live it.
"There is an element of Deconstruction that is proggy and nerdy in a way that syl never was. This is my true nature shining through this form of music. I had hidden that while doing syl for fear that it wouldn't be accepted. Therefore, there will be a faction of listeners that will find this record (deconstruction) oddly bland and possibly really boring."
This section makes me very happy. I can almost guarantee this listener will not find it bland or boring, but I'm a prog junkie too.
Thank you! That's what I've been trying to say, but since I suck at wording my posts, I hadn't been able to yet.
I completely agree that Alien is an absolutely ridiculous, frenzied, paranoid monster of an album; Imperial through We Ride has to be one of the most intense 26 minutes of musical perfection ever recorded. It's just the fact that I always think to myself, while listening to the music, that Dev had to push himself in many ways (some negative) to get BACK to that 'plateau' of sorts... and that's a bit disconcerting to me, I guess. That's when I start to ask myself 'If he was making the music HE wanted to make, at the time, and nothing else was a factor but his own creative drive... would we have gotten Alien, or would Strapping have been dead and buried long before then?' And, yeah, I know a lot of people quote that line in Shitstorm (me being one of them); but I agree with you that, if there's one person in the world who could pull it off, it's Devin. I'll let it go, now, cause' I think I've made my point over enough paragraphs, haha.And, for the record, I don't see how Deconstruction's apparent 'nerdy and proggy' qualities would make it bland or boring for anyone! I mean, maybe if you're one of those uncompromising Strapping fans that's still in denial that Devin disbanded the group, and that he didn't include GENE THE MACHINE on his latest metal project, but... to me, bringing in new people and new musical elements just makes the album more colorful and diverse, rather than making me go 'That just makes it less METUL!' Obviously, no disrespect to Gene (incredible drummer and a REALLY nice guy), and not trying to poke fun at anyone who feels that way... I just see a lot of people on Youtube and stuff make comments like that (again, wanting more of Strapping's hateful breed of music) and it's beyond me how Devin can so patiently say, every single time, 'sorry guys, Strapping's dead.' I totally understand why he didn't work with Gene on Decon (because that mean be SYL REUNION! to a lot of people, when that's not the case) and quite frankly, I'm glad he didn't. Love the man, love his work, but Decon is like starting on a fresh slate - it's not meant to be Strapping; so why bring half the band in to make the album?
...and, as far as my opinion's concerned, the Deconstrupdates have me convinced that Ryan and Dirk have it covered. So, as I said before; bring on Decon, in whatever form it may come in. I agree with you; I enjoy my fair share of prog too - old and new - so the thought of the album having those elements just makes me MORE excited, as a listener to many different kinds of music, rather than less.
