Change. It's the one certainty that everyone will experience in their life. Some are open to it, others resist it, but like it or not, it happens and it can be scary. Oddly enough, one of the most feared and loathed changes among the populace is the change of an artist's style or output, especially in regard to music. Music tends to affect people in a very visceral and personal way; a way that's oftentimes hard to describe or pinpoint. We are drawn to certain styles, certain artists, and their music and lyrics touch us in a way that we feel speaks to our lives. So when a band breaks up, or drastically changes direction, it is often met with much abhorrence and confusion. I know because I, being the die hard music fanboy that I am, have experienced this and been very disappointed and sometimes even downright angry. But there is something to be said about a musician who is so open with himself, and in turn with his fans, that the only thing he can do while staying true to himself is be a little selfish and make the type of music that naturally pours out of him, even if it's the exact opposite of what he has become known for. That's Devin Townsend in a nutshell. The once frontman of the schizophrenic and apocalyptic metal outfit Strapping Young Lad has grown out of his angry and loathsome shell and transformed into one of the most versatile musicians the (metal) world has ever seen. And nowhere is it more apparent than with his newest offering, the third installment in The Devin Townsend Project, Deconstruction.
As the title suggests, Deconstruction is an experiment in breaking down and analyzing what heavy music is and can be. It is by no means straight forward, fluid, or easily accessible; rather it's more like metal undergoing very invasive surgery. Like the first two albums in the DTP's four album cycle, Ki and Addicted, Deconstruction is about more than just the frenetic music it contains, but the exploration of Devin's personal struggle with the drastic change he has undergone in the past few years. It's Devin dissecting exactly why an artist's output is so important to us, why in the past he felt there were limited avenues for generating "heavy" music. It is definitely the heaviest album in the DTP cycle, but I wouldn't call it a death metal record by any means. As Devin has stated in the past, his passion for heavy music kind of died with SYL, and Deconstruction is where he's at mentally and artistically when it comes to metal nowadays.
First, let's talk about the music. The album starts off slow and brooding with the gentle yet epic "Praise the Lowered". The song builds in momentum and leads us straight into "Stand", an epic metal ballad reminiscent of some of the material on Addicted. So far there's nothing too off kilter or odd about the album, as it almost lulls you into a sense of peace before taking off with the third track "Juular". In terms of tone the entire album feels like the slow impending death of a traveling circus, but this track is the epitome of it. It starts off fairly straight forward, booming its way into an epic chanted chorus backed by Devin's demonic growls and that's where the oddities start to creep in. From here on out, the record is an ambiguous and hallucinogenic ride through the mind of a madman. On the surface it seems as though there is no focus, no line to follow, and it's very off-putting when you first hear it, but as you listen more and delve deeper into what's underneath you realize that there is a definite purpose to the flow of the music and the story it tells.
Speaking of the story, the lyrics on this opus are definitely something that need to be addressed. They are heavily laden with sarcasm and comedy and on the surface seem almost senseless and childish. But, as is becoming a theme with this album, there's a lot more to the story than meets the eye. In a nutshell, it revolves around a man who is on a quest to save the world from the dystopian fast food dream it has become. Devin's quintessential sarcasm comes in full throttle when, in the end, he is offered a cheeseburger that represents mankind's salvation. But of course, the man is a vegetarian and therefore cannot eat the cheeseburger, once more condemning humanity to a pitiful existence of self destruction and aimless wanting. Pretty absurd, right?
Aside from the comedic journey told throughout the lyrics, Devin is cleverly making points and observations on the current state of metal. Sometimes it's obvious ("While we all have lots of bands who influence still... We all rip off Meshuggah" being the funniest and most blatant), but oftentimes it's not. The whole story is a metaphor for Devin's own journey through his musical career; just when he thought he had it all figured out, life handed his vegetarian ass a cheeseburger, and all was lost again. It's a meditation on everything he's gone through since the 2007 split of SYL and the backlash it caused with his fans. I can't help but respect the man for dealing with everything that's been thrown at him since and ultimately realizing that the only way out was to create the music that spoke to him. It's rare nowadays to find true integrity in an artist, and damned if it's not refreshing.
Another big aspect of the album is the plethora of guest musicians sprinkled throughout (listed below in the track list). Yeah, the list is exhaustive, and you would think with so many guest appearances there would be no room left for Devin to do his thing. But you would, of course, be wrong. Nearly every track contains at least two guests, and their performances are so tastefully done, and blend so perfectly with the music, that you almost don't even notice they're there. It's obvious that Devin didn't include all these masterfully talented artists to help sell the record, as is so often the case, but did so because the music called for it. It's just another facet to his already hugely ambitious album.
It's not just the guest musicians that stand out on the record, but the personnel behind (most of) the instruments that put a very defining touch on Deconstruction. My favorite is drummer Dirk Verbeuren of Aborted and Soilwork fame. His chops are outstanding and nearly unmatched in the world of death metal, but his style intertwined with the prolificness of the record really brings something fresh and invigorating to the table. You can tell at times he's "holding back" and almost seems out of his element, but he fits right in with the chaotic and dynamic nature of the music. Of course just about every other instrument is performed by Devin himself and, as to be expected, they are all done beautifully well.
At its heart Deconstruction is a magnum opus; a performance piece of epic proportions. It's the equivalent of recording the audio to a demented musical that's taking place inside your head. It's ballsy, esoteric, progressive, and heavy. Mr. Townsend has once again pushed hard on the boundaries of what metal is, and he's done it with such tenacity and force that he has very literally shattered every barrier that was put in front of him. Deconstruction leaves very little in terms of wanting, but certainly ends with more questions than answers, and that's what will keep me coming back for years to come. It's a masterpiece of artistic expression and exploration, and a damn enjoyable listen to boot.
9/10
Track Listing:
1. Praise the Lowered
2. Stand (feat. Mikael Åkerfeldt [Opeth, Bloodbath])
3. Juular (feat. Ihsahn [ex-Emperor])
4. Planet of the Apes (feat. Tommy Rogers [Between the Buried and Me])
5. Sumeria (feat. Joe Duplantier [Gojira] & Paul Masvidal [Cynic])
6. The Mighty Masturbator (feat. Greg Puciato [Dillinger Escape Plan])
7. Pandemic (feat. Floor Jansen [ex-After Forever, ReVamp])
8. Deconstruction (feat. Oderus Urungus [GWAR] & Fredrik Thordendal [Meshuggah])
9. Poltergeist
Favorite Song: Planet of the Apes
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