Devin Townsend Project

Artist/ Band: Devin Townsend Project
Title: Ki
Label: InsideOut/SPV
Year of Release: 2009
Offical Artist/ Band Link

The Review:

Over the years Devin Townsend has released many albums under various names like The Devin Townsend Band, Devin Townsend and Strapping Young Lads. His latest is, the Devin Townsend Project and my first exposure to his music is the 2009 album called Ki. Primarily the music is a melodic style of music, similar in ways to what Kevin Moore has done on the ambient side of O.S.I. and Chroma Key. .There are some aggressive vocal moments but not enough to be classified as “metal”.

There’s a tense feeling on the music, as if Devin is holding back a ferrous beast within especially on “Disruptr“, “Gato” and “Heaven Send” . The rest of the album is mainly an ambient rock, with an odd entry of “Trainfire” which has a rockabilly feel to it. In my opinion, this should have been a b-side on a single. It does show that Devin can do more than metal.

I will have to say that it takes multiple listens to fully appreciate the music on Ki. Once you do, you have an album of amazing music to hear again and again. Each time with new ears. Also, Ki is the beginning on a multi-part series of albums under the Devin Townsend Project. This one is hard to recommend to most listeners, even ones verse within progressive rock/metal. If you enjoy ambient rock with some metal touches here and there, you will need to look into this album ASAP.

Reviewed by Ron Fuchs on September 30th, 2009

Tracks:

01. A Monday

02. Coast

03. Disruptr

04. Gato

05. Terminal

06. Heaven Send

07. Ain't Never Gonna Win...

08. Winter

09. Trainfire

10. Lady Helen

11. Ki

12. Quiet Riot

13. Demon League