DEVIN TOWNSEND — Terria (review)

Album · 2001 · Progressive Metal

4/5 · 2010-04-23
Phonebook Eater

8/10

“Terria” is an immense album,thanks to its earthy, atmospheric moods that share the stage with gigantic heavy walls of sound that make Devin's music so unique.

It took me a while to appreciate this album in it’s entirety. I always loved the first couple of songs, but I was never really into the last couple of tracks. I have to say this one was a grower, and boy, did it grow on me.

Devin Townsend with this album reaches to his highest peak, and also arrives to maturity, after a few albums. The only album that was able, after the release of this album, to equalize “Terria” was “Ziltoid The Omniscient”, the other Devin Townsend masterpiece.

“Terria” is, in a way, the most experimental album by Townsend; strange atmospheric soundscapes, which remind of a remote, deserted, and foggy plain ( see the artwork cover), are alternated with heavy but melodic moments, strong, powerful vocals as well as soft, delicate ones. The album that mostly defines Towsend’s crazy world.

The opening track, “Olives”, is quite eerie, being a sort of sample of a man speaking with a very low voice, as well as an avant garde song with different, strange, and a bit creepy parts. Towards the end, the song explodes into a heavy, simple riff, which ends almost immediately, with the end of the song.

“Mountain” can easily be considered one of Townsend’s best and finest songs. Mysterious, but epic, with haunting vocals by Devin, at times strong, at times delicate and suspended. Brilliant time changes, this is one of the artist’s most progressive songs in my opinion.

“Earth Day” is much longer than the first and second episode, since the time clocks around nine-ten minutes. Another Devin masterpiece: alarmed atmosphere, many times changes, many excellent themes and riffs. Great chorus, great verse, and very well done experimentation. Another key track.

“Deep Peace” is very different; like the title implies, the mood is very calm and delightful, thanks to the surrounding atmospheres and the relaxing, simple guitar notes. It get’s heavier and heavier, but it never becomes too hard. The experimentation is sublime in this piece.

“Canada” has a great melody, great passages and moments. Devin is in shape for this song, since he gives a brilliant vocal performance, and really makes the song. Even this song isn’t as heavy as “Mountain” and “Earth Day”, it’s lot dreamier, relaxing, and cheerful. Brilliant song.

“Down and Under” is a great interlude, a pause, a parenthesis. Or, it can be considered a bridge, that connects the first and second part of the album. The riff is great, even though it’s always perpetual, for the entire song. Still, awesome climax and great bridge.

“The Fluke” is a very catchy song, and possibly one of Townsend’s best. Great vocals, great verse, too bad the chorus isn’t as good. It is a lot faster than “Deep peace” and “Canada”, as well as much heavier and technical, musically speaking. Still, it has it’s delicate vocals, like during the verse. I love this song. “Nobody’s Here” is another great experimental song, for it’s deserted soundscapes. Great melody, in both the verse, which is between prog and psych, and the chorus, much more enlivened. I never liked this song much, now I love it.

“Tiny Tears” is the other very long song (9 minutes), although it doesn’t reach the same levels as “Earth Day”. It has an interesting melody in the beginning, it get’s more plain after, when the electric guitars come in. Generally speaking, this is the dreamiest and spaciest song. In fact, it took me a while to fully understand it.

“Stagnant” is much more down earth. The melody is great, very cheerful and optimistic, like usually Townsend likes to end an album. I hated this song for a while there, now, of course I love it. Very catchy and memorable, I really don’t understand how I didn’t appreciate it earlier. Great way to end an album.

“Terria” is an immense album,thanks to it's earthy, atmospheric moods that share the stage with gigantic heavy walls of sound that make Devin's music so unique. Certainly its the artist’s masterpiece, a brilliant progressive album, that should be in every prog and metal fan's collection.