This is the argument that I wanted to pick up from the day I had in my hands "AE Spacial Ed" (months ago).
There is a reason, somewhere, when somebody wants to discuss something that the others have already said... even just because it would make you happy!
From the moment that I knew about the release of the latest Dev's works, I promissed to myself to have them even being oblight to cut my right hand (I use very often the left one... and for the other things, too!).
I was listening to "AE" zapping tracks as I do with all new music, and having a beer. At the end, I shook my head, perplessed.
Two days later I listened it with more attention (without beer)... and done the same thing! Why?
It's BODYLESS! Reasons:
1. The mixes\samples are too close - and pretty marked - to Terria and Physi-City. That seems to me a kind of recycling. Somebody told that every single work of Dev is making part of The Project, so using some bits from here and there is not a sin... BUT not in this case!
2. Drums are minimal and (too much?) distiguished!
3. The melodies are repetitive, even the acoustic tracks (those were being played worse than ever).
4. (The Conclusive one). There is a few of Devy Metal Spirit. Devin has lost something while making it. Maybe that was a price to pay for his geniality (Tracy?... Geoff? What can you say?). Maybe something else...

I like AE. It's a good one.
But the 'Magic' is gone since a long time...
Nevertheless, AE is a good album!

The magic is gone ?

I bought it because I like it!
I think that most of his next albums will sound great, but I don't think I'll ever feel the same thing as when I discovered the first ones... That's what I call 'magic'.

same old story ...
In my humble but very very very humble opinion and I say this because I saw devin in 2001 and in 2004 the DTB and the AE material sounds killer on stage, also the "magic" is still there and some old standards like 'regulator','bad devil' 'life' or 'night' are brought back to life thanks to Ryan and co !!!

So for me 'NO' the magic is still there and the song writing on AE is maybe more 'poppy' but that's goddamn good !!!

Geoff

I don't know. I think the magic is still there. Compare AE to any other album from any other random artists, and it isn't comparable to anything. Sometimes the solo's sound like Vai, well, I can live with that. But the rest of the album is still a thing of beauty in my eyes. I am someone who listens to a complete record, and doesn't skip through tracks, and I like every song on AE. It's different than anything Devin has done, but that's his strong point; to make every record different and a work of art.
I think the sound of the drums are excellent, I like the sound of AE much better than the sound of SYL, for example.

I don't know. I think the magic is still there. Compare AE to any other album from any other random artists, and it isn't comparable to anything. Sometimes the solo's sound like Vai, well, I can live with that. But the rest of the album is still a thing of beauty in my eyes. I am someone who listens to a complete record, and doesn't skip through tracks, and I like every song on AE. It's different than anything Devin has done, but that's his strong point; to make every record different and a work of art.
I think the sound of the drums are excellent, I like the sound of AE much better than the sound of SYL, for example.

Agreed, the mixing is one of my favorite parts of the CD. The way the synth has been put up close to the guitar some times, and the very subtle bass, it all fits so snugly. As for the Vai-like solos, I love them. The drums aren't as tight as in most other DTB or SYL albums, and I like that. Generally, it's one of my favorite albums.

Some songs I really like a lot, others I can't get into.

I don't have real problems with the overall sound of the album. Rather, I think the vocals are a bit over the top at times, which is a shame.

Seems a bit harsh to me. Some songs I adore and others not so much but I think it is unfair to place an expecation on Dev that every piece of work he releases has to be a piece of art. As we all know art is subjective and what is liked by one may not be liked by another. Dev as an artist has 'magic' (I recognised this back in 1997) and will always produce moments of absolute bliss but perhaps AE just didn't have enough of those moments for you?

I can sort of (only sort of) see what the original poster is saying. I see AE on the same sort of level as Physicist... they are both incredible, amazing, emotionally involving records that show, in places, Devin's strengths just as much as any of his records. Compared to nearly any other artist they are mindblowing. However, neither compare favourably with anything else he's done (apart from the SYL records IMO, but these stand out on the grounds of sheer brutality, which is enough for them), and cannot reach the level of the transcendental trio of Terria, Ocean Machine and Infinity. Those three albums are just so unbelievably fantastic that of course any record Dev releases must be compared to them, and of course AE cannot stack up.

This is not to say that the 'magic' is gone though - listen to 'Storm' as you reach the top of a hill in gale force winds and you'll feel that magic - it's just that Dev's work will never be quite as astounding unless he matches, or exceeds, the achievements he's made before. We can but hope this happens.

Magic isn't real. Good music is however and I dig AE as much as the rest of his albums.

I understand what you are saying, but I dissagree that "the magic is gone"... To me, it's a good album with some of his best shit ever on it (Suicide, Deadhead, Storm) and some of his worst shit ever on it (Random Analysis, Slow Me Down). I just don't think it is as consistant as Infinity, Terria or Ocean Machine.

Similarly, the production kicks ass but doesn't glue the tracks together in the manner that I love so much. This is OK - obviously it was intended to be seperate songs and it's nice to have a Devy album with individual tracks rather than pieces of a complete picture, but I personally prefer the big picture method, I think it shows far more craft.

As for it sounding like Terria or Ocean Machine or whatever, I dunno, I can hear similarities but I don't think that it is too close to either of those. It seems like a distinct, futuristic poppy metal sorta thing, which is different to all of the above. But there are admitedly some familiar sounds and production techniques, but it is the same dude doing this so we must give him credence there.

Devin mentioned that because he was making the two albums at the same time, he didn't feel the need to reinvent himself this time around, which would explain these things. Personally, I feel AE to be far superior to SYL, which I think is almost a complete waste of time coming after the monolithic masterpiece that is City...

I guess the other stuff you mention (drums, etc) is just personal opinion. I tend to like Devin's mixes and I find little problem with the sounds he pulls, so that stuff is merely subjective. I guess what I'm saying is that I don't think AE is a bad album at all, just not as good as he has been. I have great hopes for both Alien and also the new DTB releases, I feel that because they are being concentrated on seperately they will both be far superior to their predecesors.

IMO the 'magic' is still here.
AE isn't my favourite Dev's album, but it's great!
I agree with Archetype: the drums sound is great (better than the 'typical' Gene's sound) and the production is awesome.

But the best thing is that, starting from AE, Dev has a REAL BAND... And what a band!!!

first thread opened, first post - AE is imo dev's absolute best cd, ive heard pretty much everything and have been a fan since Vai, and AE has everything a fan could ask for - storm, random analysis, depth charge to traveler and on and on, all GREAT songs, all with dev's signature sound, etc -

i too have a complaint tho, i saw him on the SyX tour and they only played ONE (1) AE song besides the showcase (storm) i was SO disappointed, but bad devil was bad ass

hey hey !!! welcome dude
I saw them at the progpower and they played "storm" "suicide" "deadhead" "away" and "slow me down"