ALBUM REVIEW: Devolution Series #3 – Empath Live In America – Devin Townsend
Canadian musician, songwriter and producer DEVIN TOWNSEND released his very first album Heavy As A Really Heavy Thing back in 1995 with extreme metal group STRAPPING YOUNG LAD and since then he has embarked on a crazy and diverse musical journey. He’s had his finger in multiple musical pies past and present, including THE DEVIN TOWNSEND BAND and THE DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT, but in more recent years he has focused his creative efforts on his solo career with his 21st studio album Lightwork only released eight months ago. There are clearly no signs of rest for Townsend as he is set to release his fourth live LP and the third instalment of the Devolution Series titled Devolution Series #3 – Empath Live In America via InsideOut Music.
Recorded live on Townsend‘s Empath North American tour which was cut short due to the pandemic back in 2020, the Devolution Series #3 witnesses Townsend and his band taking a more improvisational and fluid approach to music. The opener is Intro, which is sufficiently humourous and off the wall just as we come to expect from a DEVIN TOWNSEND live record. Evermore from 2019’s Empath is the first full song on the bill, kicking things off well whilst adding an individual flavour to the start of the setlist. The melodies are unique and more complex, helping to keep the listener engaged as a result.
Supercrush! is the first track to be taken from 2009’s Addicted, but it is a segment that seems to get a little bit mundane after a minute or two. March Of The Poozers is already a discography stand out for THE DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT and the live version just tops it. During the musical introduction, Townsend expresses “I just noticed a sloth, oh my god, I love your balls!” – truly brilliant. Anyone who has already seen this track in a live setting will find this recording brings back a lot of memories, and it is most definitely one of the highlights of this release.
Why? from Empath is up next,and it shows off the extent of Townsend‘s incredible vocal range. The phallic themed chat situated in the middle of the song again just shows how comical the musician really is. Hyperdrive! follows but seems to fall a bit flat in comparison to the previous which is a shame, while Fuck Around Section adds a playful and unserious nature to the live show which is much appreciated. It really shows Townsend‘s versatility as a musical showman with a sprinkle of humour along the way. His ability to connect with his fans is just so unique and nurturing and it is so refreshing. He then opts to change things up slightly with a live rendition of his 2009 track Ih-Ah! giving us a double whammy from Addicted. Undoubtedly this is one of the strongest live renditions from this release – it sounds just like the studio recording minus the live setting. Gigpig Jam from 2020’s video release Order Of Magnitude: Empath Live Volume 1 follows this. There is no denying that Townsend‘s musical talent is clearly evident here, but it isn’t the most engaging offering on the record unfortunately.
Next on the setlist is the live version of Forgive Me featuring fellow Canadian musician CHÉ AIMEE DORVAL from 2014’s Casualties Of Cool. Even though it is great to experience a change in setlist direction, this song does end up getting a bit stale after a short time. Next up, he throws it back to STRAPPING YOUNG LAD‘s Love? from 2005. The live version is just perfection, making you want to head bang to every note. The chanting segment with the crowd halfway through the track is particularly special and impactful. The closer is the live version of Kingdom from THE DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT‘s 2012 effort Epicloud. Even though the original track is just phenomenal, the live version overrides it in every sense. You genuinely feel as though you are there experiencing the show in person and it is a great feeling. The song is even more epic in nature after hearing Townsend say to the crowd; “Don’t let the bullshit get you down guys, don’t give up when it gets hard alright. We are all in this together” – a heartfelt, meaningful message in the midst of the challenging times of the pandemic. This is a track that finishes off the release in the best way possible.
Even though there are some evidently dull moments throughout Devolution Series #3 – Empath Live In America, the better tracks on the setlist definitely help to see it through. Whilst the well-known, popular songs such as Kingdom, March Of The Poozers and Why? are the definite hard-hitters on this release, there are also spoken segments within the compilation that help to keep retention relatively high even when things seem to be falling a bit flat. If you are a true DEVIN TOWNSEND fan, you will really appreciate this live release.
Rating: 8/10
Devolution Series #3 – Empath Live In America is set for release on August 4th via InsideOut Music.
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