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.
