Devlab

Devlab
Studio album by Devin Townsend
Publication (s)	4th December 2004
Label (s)	HevyDevy Records
Genre (s)	Ambient , electronica
Title (number)	15th
running time	65:56
production	Devin Townsend
chronology Accelerated Evolution (2003) Devlab Synchestra (2006)

Devlab is the sixth studio album by Canadian Devin Townsend . It is the metal musician's most unusual album to date , as it contains fifteen untitled pieces in which he combines ambient with elements from electronic music and the noise core . The album was released on December 4, 2004 on Townsend's own record label HevyDevy Records .

background

For the special edition of the album Accelerated Evolution , Townsend had already made initial attempts in the field of electronica with an EP named Project EKO . These attempts resulted in a complete electronic album, whose musical style Townsend himself described as "heavy metal ambience". The ideas for the album came up over a long period of time on Townsend's laptop . On the way back from the tour with Symphony X , he added them together digitally with the intention of turning the fragments into a “completely crazy record”. The recordings took place in 2004 over a period of several months in his own home studio The Devlab , which also gave the album its name. The recording of all instruments, the mix and the production took Townsend before unassisted. The album was distributed exclusively on the homepage of the label HevyDevy Records .

Reviews

Because Townsend sold the album in small numbers on his record label's website, it was only reviewed by a few magazines and received largely positive reviews. The online magazine metal.de noticed that Devlab contains everything that has no place on the albums of his other projects such as Strapping Young Lad or The Devin Townsend Band . In addition to samples from various instruments, the album offers “dreamy melodies, harsh noise interruptions, a multitude of superimposed synthesizer surfaces, relaxed beats and warm basslines”. The webzine Tartarean Desire states that while Devlab is a good album, it is not for Devin Townsend fans. Like the reviewer from metal.de , he recommends listening to the album under headphones and says that the CD should be given a chance and that open-minded listeners will be pleasantly surprised.

Track list

1. Devlab I - 1:07
2. Devlab II - 4:09
3. Devlab III - 4:20
4. Devlab IV - 2:41
5. Devlab V - 10:16
6. Devlab VI - 5:07
7. Devlab VII - 5:54
8. Devlab VIII - 1:41
9. Devlab IX - 4:30
10. Devlab X - 3:48
11. Devlab XI - 1:34
12. Devlab XII - 4:43
13. Devlab XIII - 9:44
14. Devlab XIV - 4:10
15. Devlab XV - 2:03

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Devlab, New SYL and More! (No longer available online.) HevyDevy.com, December 4, 2004, archived from the original on December 6, 2004 ; accessed on November 19, 2010 (English). Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
2. ↑ ^{a b} STRAPPING YOUNG LAD To Film First-Ever DVD. (No longer available online.) Blabbermouth.net, Jan 6, 2004, archived from the original on April 12, 2004 ; accessed on November 19, 2010 (English). Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
3. ↑ Beta: Devin Townsend - Devlab. metal.de, October 4, 2010, accessed on November 19, 2010 . 
4. ↑ Ken Wood: REVIEW: Devin Townsend - Devlab. (No longer available online.) Tartarean Desire, archived from the original on December 6, 2007 ; accessed on November 19, 2010 (English). Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  

Web links

• Devlab at HevyDevy.com (English)