Track Listing
1. S.Y.L. 2. In the rainy season 3. Goat 4. Cod metal king 5. Happy camper (Carpe B.U.M.) 6. Critic 7. Filler - Sweet city Jesus 8. Skin me 9. Drizzlehell Year: 1995 Label: Century Media - Official Site |
Strapping young lad - 'Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing' - By M. Freeman
It is unlikely that you will find many other musicians who have achieved quite so much as Devin Townsend. The frontman of SYL, who can be proud of being the brainchild of this band, aswell as Terria, Physicist, Ocean Machine amongst others, his work speaks for him. One thing is for sure, Devy doesn't hold back, he fires on all cylinders, especially while working with his SYL project, a bad tempered monster of a band. A forewarning, this review will either be short and straight to the point, or long and mainly full of praise, make no mistake, it deserves the praise. Anyway, enough of an introduction to the Canadian genius, on with the music... Well, what an opener, the title track 'S.Y.L' is a fitting way to show the listener what this band are all about. The intro track, as with several tracks on the album, features the voice of Townsend as a child, as if to tell a story as the music chugs along. It works well too. You might well ask yourself how such a sweet sounding kid could turn into someone who could create music of such magnitude, in both meaning, and in heaviness. The opening track is angry, just like most of the CD, 'I worked in your f**king warehouse, I worked in your f**king dream, I worked on the edge of the product community, And found that nothing's what it seemed, I f**king hate you...' is how the track stomps along and no words could give this track justice in the sense of it being one angry masterpiece. Up next, 'In The Rainy Season', a constant drum beat in time with a speedy guitar riff is one of the stand out points of this track. Not one of my personal favourites of SYL's material but still, don't skip any track on this CD. There's some wailing background vocals from Devin midway through this one that you just can't help but be pulled in by, a feat which Devin's music is always more than capable of. So, onto 'Goat', another moan at life from Townsend here, as to be expected. The vocals here take a different direction, a more groany feel masks the track, there are even samples of goats in the background, what more do you want, I ask you? Still, don't listen to this track first if you want an impression of SYL, it is far from a great example. 'Goat' fades away into 'Cod Metal King' and will probably force you to check you haven't unconsciously swapped the CD as the opening beat could quite easily feature on a garage/rap single, catchy start though... A few seconds pass, and the riffage comes into play, by this time you realise this is more like it. This is a great track, the lyrics are powerful, 'Your little dreams are nothing now, your dreams are nothing to me, I'll make another' shows more of Townsends anger, without actually pointing out any sole figure he's directing it at. Who knows? Who cares? The music's great and that's all you'll care about! Wait for it, after the gentle ending of 'Cod Metal King' passes and a breath taken in comes 'Happy Camper', is he a happy camper? This track would suggest otherwise. Quite possibly the most, or certainly one of the most angry pieces of music Townsend has ever written or played on, this is a perfect track to listen to when you're in one of those 'What's it all about?' moods. I've mentioned anger a couple of times already, well, this is anger at it's highest level, just how anyone could get the lyrics out at this speed is beyond me, the sarcasm of the title of this track is all too clear, especially by the finale, some would call this track a noise, infact most people would, it finishes up with one last blast of ear wrenching vocals with the lyrics 'Well then, f**k ...I guess I am a f**king ...happy ...f**king ...camper!' By this time you've realised this is going to be an uncomfortable ride. Track 6, 'Critic' starts off seeming somehow out of place from the rest of the CD, with a guitar riff I swear that always sounds familiar, then again that may just be for the sheer amount of plays the CD has got over the last year! There's not really a lot to say about this track. I can't decide whether I like it or not. Midway through the track, the gentle slow down then back up to the original speed is very well done with a catchy feel and some vocals which wouldn't look totally out of place on 'In The Rainy Season'. All in all, not bad, onto the next track then... 'The Filler - Sweet City Jesus', perhaps a rest from the tempo was Townsend's intention with this track, hence the title (The Filler). Like a nature or gardening programme presenter it begins with 'One of natures greatest wonders is the ability of the human ear to distinguish among the millions of sounds around us, listen....' the most part of 'The Filler' is at reasonably slow pace. After several listens you begin to notice samples creeping in and out of this, and for that matter, every other song on the album, it's an ability that Townsend has perfected and is showed to great effect in his work with Ocean Machine and more recently, Terria. Back up to tempo then with 'Skin Me'. The track titles usually have some kind of message in them in SYL's work, and this is no different. If you're lucky enough to own the as yet, only other studio album by SYL (City) then you will have heard the track 'AAA'. Along with 'AAA', this is the other track which just manages to stick in your head no matter how hard you try to forget it. It's not too heavy, and yet still angry, in a way melodic. A track which again shows Devin's vocal abilities, as far as I'm concerned 'Skin Me' could last the length of the album and I'd be happy to let it puncture my ear drums. The riff is, although constant, extremely catchy and keeps you entertained for the full three and a half minutes of playing time. Despite it maybe lacking something, that something I'm not quite sure of, but it just doesn't seem so 'in your face' as some of the other work on the album, this is still a top track. Approaching the end of the album you'd imagine the anger would be released by now, if so, you would be wrong. Anger is still very much apparent on this track, if a little toned down. 'Drizzlehell' is effectively the final track proper and I can't help feeling that after such an impressive debut CD there could have been a better way to sign out, but I can't complain, it's still a very good song. The one thing I dislike about 'Drizzlehell' would be the vocals, I've heard a lot of Devins work and I know what he's capable of, this just seems to be a little tame to me, but that's just my opinion, others would no doubt disagree. The track closes with Devin's child figure again making an appearance to say 'And that's the end of my story', a fitting close. Townsend though, as you will see from the artwork on this CD (semi-nude pictures and captions such as 'Completely and utterly made in Canada' and 'It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that flabadading!') is never one to miss out on a joke. And the short track which follows 'Drizzlehell' which does have a name; 'Satan's Ice Cream Truck', so it cannot be called a secret track is a very Devy way to end proceedings. After all the anger has been exhausted the lyrics are, in a word, disturbing. 'C'mon little kiddies, have I got a treat for you, at first it tastes all yummy, then you start to turn blue' are how the short but fun outro begins. Need I say more? Well, yes, one more thing I should say. If you have any sense, buy this album now. You won't regret it! Metal Obsessive Grade: 85% |