Well, we’re just about finished with this music review tour. The crew is getting tired, and the band is ready for a break. Before we stop, we’ve got two final reviews, and they’re both dedicated to the Canadian lord of Progressive Metal, Devin Townsend. His brilliance has transcended time & space (How else did you think he encountered Zilltoid?), and there are few beings in the universe that haven’t heard of him. Today’s review is a side release from1998. So with that said, here a look at the Infinity EP.
Background
Taken from Devin Townsend’s website:
“Nowadays, when I record too much music for a single disk, it comes out in double disks or bonus editions etc, but at the time, (without a label or management to guide), I would put out the bonus songs as things like this, or the 'Ass-Sordid' stuff. Japan wanted to make a video for Christeen with a famous photographer that ultimately got edited by someone other than him and was a disaster. The inclusion of the video, however, seemed an appropriate excuse for me to put the additional songs into one place that existed in tandem with the Infinity sessions. Some interesting stuff here, with the final song 'Love Load' causing quite a ruckus among friends and band mates as being a horrible statement. A statement that distanced myself from the things that actually defined Infinity in the beginning. (Selfishness over community)”
Songs
Christeen (“***”): This is only one of two songs on this EP that have any bit of normality to it. Even with that said, Christeen sounds like something you’d listen to while you’re flying a ship through space. There a very futuristic vibe going on here, which is ironic given the instrumentation. As far as I can hear, there doesn’t appear to be any keyboard used in this. The only things used in this are drums & guitar, which are played very well. Devin’s singing comes across as very clean & clear, with only a small portion devoted to his patented yelling. A good start to a quick experience.
Om (Demo)(“***”): If listening to Christeen was a futuristic space adventure, then listening to Om is a religious experience. Everything in this song is very sweeping. From the lyrics, to the vocals, and to the instrumentation, it all seems like it was done so it could sweep you off your feet. This song also seems to have something of a bipolar issue going on: the first half of Om is very chaotic & disorganized, while the second half is very well paced, but still chaotic. A strange song, but a pleasant kind of strange.
Sit In The Mountain (Demo)(“***”): This is the other song I was talking about that had normality in it. In fact, this may be the most normal song that Devin Townsend made during the recording of Infinity. This also happens to be my favorite song in this EP, but that’s neither here nor there. Like Om, Sit In The Mountain has a sweeping vibe to it, but unlike the previously mentioned song, this song is not chaotic in the slightest. Everything within this tune is very planned out, very sturdy, and definitely not chaotic. Just the way I like my music sometimes.
Processional (Demo)(“***”): If Om was bipolar, then Processional has a severe case of Multiple Personality Disorder!
As with the previous two songs, there’s that sweeping vibe I’ve been talking about. Not only that, but Processional is the longest tune on here. Running at 11 minutes & 37 seconds, this sweeping feeling creates an epic atmosphere. However, this is where any commonality with the previous music ends. While the previous song were all organized (More or less), Processional is made up of 4 individual parts. While the transition between the parts is quick & clean, it’s the portions themselves that are different. Each one honestly sounds like their own song, and perhaps that’s what should have happened. With that said, Processional isn’t a bad song. The instrumentation in each piece is just wonderful, and Devin’s vocals are just as varied & unique as they were before. A nice listen to, if you ask me.
Love-Load (Demo)(“***”): Mr. Townsend wasn’t kidding when he said that this song distanced himself from some friends/band mates, not to mention the message of Infinity. There a nihilistic cloud hovering over this tune, almost like what was hovering over the music within Type O Negative’s 1999 release, World Coming Down (Cousins, maybe?). Things in Love-Load sound very pessimistic: from the instrumentation & keyboard, to the singing, and to the choice of lyrics, this all sounds like someone having a horrible state of mind. Listen to this if you don’t get freaked out easily.
Overall Impression & Rating
The Christeen EP is a quick & fun listen to. Christeen is a great song, and the other four aren’t slouches either. If there is anything wrong with the EP, it’s that it’s a little tricky to locate. Maybe if there was a special re-release of the Infinity album, and the EP was placed on as a bonus CD, or maybe included on the main disk itself. Anyways, this is a bite-sized piece of Canadian goodness you’ll enjoyed chewing on.
Christeen EP gets a 8.5 out of 10.
See you all next time, when we’ll be jumping off into the infinity (Subtle, isn’t it). Until then, stay Otaku!
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