Ocean Machine

Artist: Devin Townsend
Label: Inside Out U.S.
Category: Music

Average customer rating:

Format: Extra tracks
Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1

UPC: 693723414027
EAN: 0693723414027
ASIN: B00009QG99

Release Date: 2003-06-17

Related Categories:

General

| Pop | Styles | Music

General

| Rock | Styles | Music

General

| Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Pop Rock

| Pop | Styles | Music

Progressive Metal

| Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music

Listmania:

Musique
Desert island discs, part 3... as of 2/16/07
A Beginner's Guide to Deeper Metal
Prog and Power that will keep you alive
The Best Industrial Metal/Dark Rock Albums of 1998
music that induces amazement
Key Devin Townsend Albums
DEVIN TOWNSEND BAND - Ranked
The Best Atmospheric Music (Industrial & Metal)
Drifting on the Currents - Albums that Wave (more coming!)

Tracks:

Seventh Wave
Life
Night
Hide Nowhere
Sister
3 A.M.
Voices in the Fan
Greetings
Regulator
Funeral
Bastard: Not One of My Better Days/Girl from Blue City
Death of Music
Thing Beyond Things [*]

Similar Items:

Terria
Accelerated Evolution
Synchestra
Infinity
Physicist

Customer Reviews:

Genius musician's finest moment. A true classic........2006-05-21

So I'm a big fan of Strapping Young Lad. The huge industrial metallic onslaught that is 1997's album "City" is worthy of its classic status, and all subsequent albums are, if not quite as good, fantastic in their own right. But what makes Strapping Young Lad really take off is the capabilities of their leading man Devin Townsend (vocals, guitar and keyboards). So it only seems right that I would also enjoy Devin's other self-titled band, yet for some reason I'd just never got around to listening to them. That is until his latest output "Synchestra" came along and captured my attention. The time seems right to go back into the back-catalogue of The Devin Townsend Band and check it all out. This decision appears to have been one of the better ones I've made in my existence. First album off the rank is "Ocean Machine - Biomech" and damn me if it's not better than anything Strapping Young Lad has done! While this may be a fair bit lighter than the aforementioned band, this slightly industrialized progressive metal has consistently excellent song-writing throughout. I can honestly tell you that all 73 minutes of this album is quality.

While the first 5 tracks are great and varied metal, especially opener "Seventh Wave", the album actually manages to improve in the second half, causing my already dropped jaw to just about break off. "Voices in the Fan" is just brilliant and the highlight of the album for me. Even though there has been an obviously great amount of blood ad tears put into this album, there's actually not all that much complexity to these songs. They are just filled with captivating melodies, perfectly designed structures and all the little things (background effects, differing vocal techniques, changes in tone and atmosphere) that make good albums great. The longer tracks towards the close of the album ("Funeral", "Bastard", "The Death of Music") display not only a tremendously creative and imaginative outlook, but the ability to put those attributes to use for the benefit of all that find this treasure. I haven't been able to stop listening to this for the last 2 weeks and now I'm very much looking forward to moving forward through the rest of the band's releases.

If I haven't sold "Ocean Machine - Biomech" to you yet, let me put this another way. If you like progressive music, industrial atmospheric metal or just damn fine emotionally charged rock music that has precise unique musicianship and a vocal performance of the highest caliber, then there's simply no excuse not to track this album down. So there.

Debut To A Genius's Alter Self.......2006-04-06

I appreciate Ocean Machine in more than one respect. The album consists of many layers, all of which catalog various musical and lyrical ideas. Upon lifting one layer, you find a new one that has a lot more to offer. The production work is masterfully crafted. Devin is a very independent-minded artist, so I honestly don't believe any record label would ever release this. That is probably why Devin began his own label to liberate himself from restrictions and experiment with new and fresh musical ideas. Thus, the outcome is very innovative and sublime.

Although each song stands on its own, they all make a unified statement, giving the impression that there was a very strong sense of unity during the creation of this album. Musically the album entails various elements that refuse to acquiesce. Devin Townsend's vocals range from very smooth to almost harsh growls, although the latter is kept to a minimum, since the songs really don't need any aggressive vocal harmonies. This, ofcourse, trails away from his screams of judgement day that ravage (greatly) his SYL side.

My favorites would probably have to be:

Life - This has to be the most uplifting, enjoyable song ever created that I know
Night - This is so cool that I wish I was in Japan, at night, listening to this. Hmmm...
Funeral - If I was a chick, this would have made me cry. Very well done, Devin.
B(*)tard - Very steady, relaxing, and abroad

Whether you will like the "Devin" or Strapping Young Lad albums is beside the point. Whichever one is up your alley doesn't matter, but one thing is certain: Devin Townsend is one of the most original artists you will ever hear.

Passport to an altered state..........2006-02-19

This album is not listened to as much *experienced*.

There is a lot of pain and anguish and joy and release here. I think the only way to describe this music is to think of every liquid the body produces and then imagine the musical equivalent. (Wow, did I really write that?)

Dev' takes you up and then down and then up higher and then down lower...and then the gates to catharsis open up. You will never be the same after to listening to this.

The ultimate desert island disk because it contains a world of its own.

This one's for the life........2006-02-03

Devin Townsend has been one of my favorite songwriters ever since I bought "Terria" a few years ago. He is one of the most daring, original, and versatile talents out there right now, and every album he makes offers a different and exciting listening experience. And, as hard as it is to pick a favorite of those, I think that "Ocean Machine" may take that honor. This album is just so incredibly huge, multi-faceted, and beautiful. There really is nothing else like it. I can't believe this album was a debut. This kind of completeness and perfection is something that bands rarely reach after years of playing together. And Devin did it all himself. This man is GOOD.

The powerful opener, "Seventh Wave", grabs your attention immediately, and never lets go. Its dense, pulverizing riffs, and massive chorus are as strong an intro as you could hope for. "Life" is much more pop-oriented, but oh what a pop song it is! The huge, triumphant guitar melodies, the even more huge and triumphant chorus, and the wicked cool "watery" melodies on the verses. Just really stellar stuff. "Night" picks up the speed a bit, and is a great catchy rocking track. "Regulator" perfectly combines thick, Pantera-like riffing with an awesome melodic chorus. "Funeral" and "Voices in the Fan" are beautiful and atmospheric", while "Bastard" and "Hide Nowhere" are just huge theatrical bombast. "Sister" is a short, odd acoustic piece, with bizarre background noise to add a cool effect. "The Death of Music", the longest track, is very gradual in its buildup, and again is a bit theatrical. Really spectacular ending. But wait, it's not over yet. The bonus track, "Things Beyond Things", is an amazing ballad, that wraps things up oh so nicely.

Overall, the album is somewhat uniform as compared to his other albums, in the sense that every song has that sort of "oceany" feel. I know everyone who's reviewed this album has said that, and if you've never heard it, you probably wonder what we crazy bastards are talking about, but trust me, you'll understand when you hear it. It really just sounds like the ocean. It's rather difficult to explain. However, there is so much going on, the album is far from repetitive. If you know Devin, you know how dense and multi-layered his work often is, and this one is certainly no exception. And as always, everything is brought together perfectly, so as not to sound messy or cluttered.

Ok, I'm done now. This album is just tremendous. Devin Townsend is truly a god among men. I can't wait to hear "Synchestra". If it's even half this good, I'm in for a hell of a ride.

Very good album.......2005-09-06

This album is very hard to explain it is that good. Listen to this before you go to sleep and it takes your mind to a whole new place. Devin Townsend knows how to make music.

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