Devin Townsend – PowerNerd
Release Date: 25th October 2024
Label: InsideOut Records
Bandcamp
Genre: Progressive Metal
FFO: Ihsahn, Leprous, Haken.
Review By: Jeff Finch
Disclaimer: I love Devin Townsend and nearly everything he’s been a part of. Having said that, it’s probably no surprise that the upcoming release of Devy’s new record PowerNerd has me feeling levels of excitement that few musical acts can claim. What makes Devin Townsend’s work so enthralling and compelling, borderline addictive, is that with his works, there is a sense that the man has put forth every ounce of effort that he could in making a record: Devin Townsend manages not only to create music so expressive of his tastes and prior experiences, he often generates listening experiences that cannot be ignored, that can’t be classified, that just can not be turned off. In releasing PowerNerd, Heavy Devy has proven, once again, that he is a true musical artist, a man whose skills are as obvious to himself as they are to the listener.
The chaotic calm that constantly controls a Devin Townsend record is here for another round, and there should be approximately zero people surprised by this. Take, for example, closer Ruby Quaker. This finale begins as a folky country song, Devin crooning “coffee coffee. I love my coffee (…) ‘morning brew is perfect in every way.” Long time listeners, fans of the man himself, or both, know Devy loves coffee, so why not write a folk song expressing his love for the elixir. It sounds like Devin is simply having fun, not taking himself too seriously, but somehow, it is still a legitimately good song, especially when the beat increases and Devin croons as if he’s up on stage giving a performance in a musical. And in a fashion that possibly only Devin Townsend could pull off, there are now blast beats, there are tremolo riffs, there is insanely pummeling double bass. From Johnny Cash to Emperor in the snap of a finger, and it’s not even a shock to the bloodstream, just another ‘ahhh this is where Devy wants to go now’ moment, the thought barely having time to process this before he brings in a vaudeville piano tune and a final send off, a shout of ‘POWERNERD.’
Devy saves that for the end, so what about everything that came before it? It’s endearing, ludicrous, catchy, and empowering, almost all at once. Knuckledragger, the title alone bringing the laughs, sees Devin as brought by alcoholic arcade execs, the opening sounds like a video game with an immediate switch over to “give me another, another beer man,” super catchy, hysterical, and still rife with melody and power. With the title what it is, Devin is clearly fucking with us (while using the word fuck in the track). Listeners will be singing this chorus for a long time, and then out of nowhere we have bongos, we have video game noises and lasers, Devy having an absolute blast as he proclaims ‘I got balls, I got big balls,’ and now suddenly there’s a chaotic saxophone. A maelstrom of chaos and enjoyment for all, the Devy shouts/screams at the end bring us back to reality and remind us he has a godlike voice.
On this record, as with his others, none of the songs stick to a particular sound, theme, or even genre. Jainism briefly sees the Heavy Devy side show up but quickly get pulled back seconds in, an anthemic chorus with extra vocal gusto leading listeners back to those heavy bits, the song reminiscent of smash hit Kingdom with Devin’s vocal intonations. A blistering outro followed by soothing calm finishes the track, a little chaos and a little quiet to round it all out.
What makes PowerNerd function so well, despite the seemingly cobbled together sounds, is Devin’s approach; he might focus on the sincerity of his voice and words, as on Gratitude, the walls of sound intertwined with moments of contemplative reflection on Goodbye, a ballad that demonstrates the power and range of his vocals on Younger Lover, or even a shredding solo, a catchy chorus, and artificial sounds and rhythms on opener PowerNerd. Devin doesn’t adhere to a formula, engaging with his listeners every step of the way, never getting complacent or listless.
And so, after the last notes of Ruby Quaker get you to think about coffee, the latest from Devin is complete. Replete with excellent production, impeccable writing, brilliant vocals, and a clear love for music, PowerNerd is another win for Devin. The man is a legend the world over, someone as respected as one can be in the scene, and with every release we’re reminded why: he is as good a musician as he is a human being.
(4.5 / 5)
