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DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT – announces ‘Ocean Machine – Live at the Ancient Roman Theatre Plovdiv’

DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT – announces ‘Ocean Machine – Live at the Ancient Roman Theatre Plovdiv’

On September 22nd, 2017, Devin Townsend Project played a special show at the Ancient Roman Theatre in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, celebrating the 20thanniversary of the landmark Ocean Machine album in full, as well as a set of fan-requested tracks alongside the Orchestra of Plovdiv State Opera. This concert was filmed, and on July 6th, 2018 it will see the light of day as ‘Ocean Machine – Live at the Ancient Roman Theatre Plovdiv’.

Devin comments: “Plovdiv and this live package represents a lot to me, it signifies the end of one era, and the celebration of another. Amidst a gruelling touring year, this show came together with much blood, sweat, and tears, and the result is the culmination of many aspects of my work on one stage. 

Ocean machine was released 20 years ago, and though Marty (drums) is no longer with us, I was able to finally perform the album in its entirety with the original bassist John ‘Squid’ Harder on this night. On a cold evening in an old city in the ancient theatre, many lifelong milestones came to a conclusion on this night and I’m exceptionally proud of it.

I am currently writing, writing, and writing some more for the next stage of my life and work, and the team of individuals who contributed to this project, from the musicians in the band and orchestra, to the crews locally and with this, management, artists, filmographers and most importantly, the audience… made this night a powerful and strangely bittersweet moment I am proud to have documented with this work.

This is a very special live recording of a very special night, and I hope you enjoy it as a monument to the things that inspired it all in the first place.

Love and light,

Devin Townsend”

‘Ocean Machine – Live at the Ancient Roman Theatre Plovdiv’ will be available as a limited deluxe 3CD/2DVD/Blu-Ray artbook (with liner notes from Devin and a special documentary dubbed ‘Reflecting The Chaos’ on the second DVD & Blu-Ray), Special Edition 3CD/DVD Digipak, standalone Blu-Ray and as digital audio download.

Pre-order now here:
https://DevinTownsendProject.lnk.to/OceanMachineLive

The full track-listing is as follows:

By Request with Orchestra

  1. Truth
  2. Stormbending
  3. Om
  4. Failure
  5. By Your Command
  6. Gaia
  7. Deadhead
  8. Canada
  9. Bad Devil
  10. Higher
  11. A Simple Lullaby
  12. Deep Peace

Ocean Machine

  1. Seventh Wave
  2. Life
  3. Night
  4. Hide Nowhere
  5. Sister
  6.  3 A.M.
  7. Voices in the Fan
  8. Greetings
  9. Regulator
  10. Funeral
  11. Bastard
  12. The Death of Music
  13. Things Beyond Things

The first in a series of special vinyl boxes was also recently announced. ‘ERAS – Vinyl Collection Part 1’ compiles the albums ‘Ki’, ‘Addicted’, ‘Deconstruction’ & ‘Ghost’ in a sturdy box all on 180g heavyweight vinyl. You can pre-order your copy, including various coloured vinyl versions, now here: https://devintownsendproject.lnk.to/Eras

Devin Townsend Project released the much acclaimed ‘Transcendence’ in late 2016, before embarking on one of their biggest world tours ever. This new live release marks the end of an era, as Devin Townsend Project was disbanded in early 2018 to pave the way for Devin to focus on numerous other creative, musical endeavours of which he is currently hard at work on.

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Music Reviews Progressive Rock

Flying Colors

Flying Colors

Flying Colors is a pop-heavy progressive rock album that successfully makes use of the supergroup format. Contemporary prog rock giants have formed to create a fantastic album of accessible rock tunes that are expertly composed and unforgettable. Executive producer Bill Evans dreamed of creating another powerful supergroup, drawing up a list that included Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater, Transatlantic), Steve Morse (Dixie Dregs, Deep Purple), Neal Morse (Spock’s Beard, Transatlantic), Dave LaRue (Steve Morse Band), soon-to-be well-known Casey McPherson, and lead by producer Peter Collins.

The result is an album that is truly collaborative, and it shows. All the members’ muscles are flexing at the opportune moments, never adding a wrong note. The album is filled with a heart and groove that lasts from “Blue Ocean” all the way to “Infinite Fire”. The album may actually be the best representation of the Kevin Gilbert style, at least its the closest thing since his unfortunate death. The songs are poppy and rocking, positive and introspective. Not one instrument stands out among the others, everything is at the right level, contributing to the band and the song.

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Music Reviews Progressive Metal

Redemption – This Mortal Coil

Redemption had an excellent three album streak that placed the band in a cozy place among progressive metal fans. Their music was heavy and grandiose with introspective lyrics. The Redemption sound the brainchild of Nick van Dyk, who happens to be a central figure in the 1990s boom in independent film distribution, but today he is a Senior Executive for Disney. Prior to the band’s Snowfall on Judgement Day, van Dyk had announced to that he had fallen ill to a rare case of blood cancer with a negative prognosis. Two years later, van Dyk is still a Disney executive and Redemption has released This Mortal Coil, and aptly named album that thematically chronicles the struggles of van Dyk’s illness.

Redemption build a sound and brand that relied on progressive metal elements and put them in an accessible package. The band could do no wrong until Snowfall showed no signs of growth and was essentially more of the same; heavy riffs, pitch-perfect guitar and keyboard solos, rapid-fire snare rolls. The album became pastiche of the Redemption style. This Mortal Coil suffers from much of the similar issues that Snowfall had. Too much of the same has placed the album into a repetitious nature that seems to coil into itself. The songs no longer standout individually, instead they feel as if the band has fallen into a formula of producing songs that sound too homogenized.

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Genre Music Reviews Progressive Rock

Ben Sommer – Super Brain

Ben Sommer’s new self-produced album Super Brain features a more polished release than america’d, but offers much of the same DIY sentiment and angst towards politics and consumerism. The album lacks a central focus, but I see this as sign that Sommer is growing as a musician, but this release only has the seedlings for what could be something to watch out for.

Although “Young Turks” features the signatory style of Sommer, it fails to lead off as a strong opening track as it feels as if it was somewhat unfinished. “Consumerism” begins a trilogy of ‘isms’ including “Militarism” and “Cadaverism”, all farces that target the constant hustle of shopping during the holiday seasons, shit-kicker slogans such as “Don’t Mess with Texas”, and what I’m guessing is a parody of electronic heavy metal.

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Music Reviews Progressive Metal

Opeth – Heritage

For their tenth album Opeth has taken a different approach by summoning Mikael Åkerfeldt’s 1970s progressive rock influences. Heritage is an ode and celebration of a time in rock history where technical prowess and grandiose concepts reigned. This overt homage has the signature brand of progressive fusion Opeth had always had, but this time its the forefront style.

“Heritage” lays the groundwork for the eerie mood with a soft piano ballad, but merely a calm before the storm. “The Devil’s Orchard” is the first example of Opeth’s new venture and is an immediate standout track. The song takes no prisoners with its nostalgic melody that leads up to the iconic beckoning in the chorus: “God is Dead”. Other standout tracks include “The Lines in My Hand” which as a killer bass-line that shows the band’s musical dexterity in this experimental phase in their history.

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Music Reviews Progressive Metal

Haken – Visions

Haken broke on to the progressive metal scene in 2009 with an exceptional debut release and critical hit, Aquarius. Haken returns after only two years to present their second album, Visions. This sophomore effort retains and progresses the fresh and motivated style that will surely give them momentum for the future.

The appropriately named “Premonition” begins like any epic album would, an instrumental overture that builds off the momentum that Haken’s debut Aquarius had build up. Furthermore, it gives us insights to some of the band’s more experimental riffs heard later in the album, like an overture, and especially like a premonition. “Nocturnal Conspiracy” introduces us to the album’s story and does so with a killer, fat melody and composition that changes gears often and with prestige. The song also introduces the listener to the album’s concept; a man has tracked down and killed someone based on visions or dreams they had before.

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Commentary Music Reviews Progressive Rock

The Dropa Stone rips through Bardot Miami

Known for bringing in top notch music and many independent bands on the rise, Bardot has become one of the more popular music venues in Miami. I had the pleasure of coming out to see The Dropa Stone perform at Bardot Miami on Thursday September 22nd.  Bardot’s long room decor with unique artwork, stylish couches and a great sound system was a great environment to see the band.

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Music Reviews Progressive Metal

Arch/Matheos – Sympathetic Resonance

John Arch’s contribution to Fates Warning and to early American Progressive Metal is unquestionable. A Twist of Fate was a two track EP that reunited Arch with Fates Warning and OSI powerhouse Jim Matheos in 2003. The EP was a wonderful release at the time, merging Matheos’ growth and maturity in guitar work and songwriting with Arch’s high falsetto with introspective and personal lyrics. This year, Matheos had majority of the next Fates Warning album ready to go, but with Ray Alder unable to commit (possibly due to Redemption’s forthcoming release, This Mortal Coil), Matheos turned to Arch and the current Fates Warning lineup, renamed the project Arch/Matheos, and recorded and released the material found on Sympathetic Resonance.

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Music Reviews Progressive Metal

Dream Theater – A Dramatic Turn of Events

I have chosen to stay quiet regarding the divorcement between Dream Theater and Mike Portnoy since last Autumn. I am still befuddled by the event as I have been fan for almost 15 years now and it was a difficult moment for me, and I’m sure, many others. At the same time, for several releases now, I’ve been indifferent to the direction the band has gone in. While still my favorite band, I’ve lost the romanticism I used to have.

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Music Reviews Progressive Rock

Levin Torn White

September 2011 has been a busy month for progressive rock after more than a year of rare and sporadic releases—most of which have tanked. It is refreshing to see a collaboration between the giants of the industry, masters of their instruments. We are so used to contemporary progressive artists teaming up and presenting excellent releases, sometimes better than those released by their full-time bands. Rarely do veterans of progressive rock unite, but in the case of Levin Torn White, they have, and they make no mistakes about such a collaboration. It is easy to say offensive words like “old men,” but in fact, there is a youthfulness to the music that Levin Torn White have created.

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