Do we have any Devin Townsend fans in the house?
If so, check out his latest record, Ziltoid The Omniscient!
It is an awesome album with a very silly concept; Ziltoid, a 4th dimensional alien who fancies himself as a guitar-god, comes to Earth to find the perfect cup of coffee with which he can power his time machine to go back in time and become known to all civilisations as the universes greatest rock star.
It doesn't quite work out that way, though. Instead he finds his plan thwarted by Captain Spectacular!
Anyway, this CD is in many senses a space opera, or musical. The music ranges from thrash to ambient soundscapes and just plain dirty metal, but overall it is a wonderful musical journey with some very funny overtones (and serious undertones).
ALL the music is written, performed and produced by Devin (over a 4 month period), as well as the voices.
So, if you fancy immersing yourself in an epic interstellar story with coffee-loving aliens, a 'planet smasher' named Herman, and the Omnidimensional Creator (who sounds like the stoner you know down the street), told with beautiful soundscapes and crushing heavy beats, then this album is for you!
Check out the songs 'ZTO' and 'By Your Command', the first two songs on the album, on Ziltoid's Myspace:
http://www.myspace.com/ziltoidtheomniscient
ZTO is merely an introduction, and by far the sillest sounding track. By Your Command is the first proper song, which charts Ziltoid's coming to space, and his retreival of our 'finest cup of coffee, black'.
Anyway, I am personally currently addicted to this album. It's the best thing I've heard from Devin since Ocean Machine.
So...buy it! (If you like the music ^_^)
And in case you are skeptical because of the concept; the music itself is for the most part completely serious, and does an excellent job of portraying the emotions and scenarios. The album even manages to end on a sad & beautiful note (which I won't go into here; it's all about the conversation with the Omnidimensional Creator, who reveals some truths to Ziltoid that he might not want to hear...).
In conclusion...Devin Townsend is just f$^king creative! And so is Ziltoid The Omniscient! I want to steal Devin's brain.
[Blocked Image: http://g-ec2.images-amazon.com/images/I/51lbjfNUo1L._SS500_.jpg]