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This will probably only seem odd to me, but although some of my first tastes, and loves, of metal were in the progressive field, I struggled to come to terms with the genre, eventually neglecting it in favour of other ventures. I suppose it’s a good thing that I chose to steer clear of progressive because, as I’ve slowly come back to it, I’ve learned to enjoy it more. This genre, in some respects, has become very nostalgic to me, evoking memories of my lost youth and reminding me why it is I got into metal in the first place. Whilst, of course, most people start with the obvious bands - like some generic nu-metal act, or one of the classics from heavy metal (a genre which still mostly eludes me to this day), I started in a very varied way. From the likes of Deftones, to British icons Bolt Thrower. My journey through the metal industry was, for lack of a better word, random. I was actually open minded at first, which scares me slightly. As I became entrenched and engaged in a long battle with metal, I started to lose a lot of what I had at the beginning, which was a passion for some of the obvious choices. Bands like this one, The Devin Townsend Band, were amongst the first I came across and although they didn’t influence my choices later down the line, the impression has been long lasting. In a sense, the title for this debut, ‘Accelerated Evolution’ is ironic.
How? Well, my roots in metal are firmly tied to any one genre, or band. I went, as I said, from Deftones, to Bolt Thrower, to The Devin Townsend Band and then on to Darkthrone. Already I’ve spread my undeveloped wings across several genres, tapping into many different and varied streams of metal, though the lasting impression was left by the tributary called black metal. I accelerated through the genres like a whirling dervish, evolving at the speed of light and experiencing bands as I changed through the gears and their respective genres. I’m surprised my pre-conceived notions of progressive metal being so pretentious lasted so long since I had some experience with the genre from the very beginning. Seeing as my opinion of this record, and this band in general, is almost immaculate, I find it strange that I developed a disdain for the genre that gave me all the memories that it has. For me, listening to ‘Accelerated Evolution’ is like taking a trip through regression and the past. I have a lot of memories attached to this record as it reminds me of certain people from my past and certain events that shapes my life so, I suppose, I’m slightly biased in my review for this piece as its very sentimental to me. Then again, I don’t suppose it would be if it wasn’t as good as I will begin to preach that it is.
I listened to this record less and less as time went by, but recently I re-discovered this piece in my collection and decided to give it a spin, since then I‘ve become addicted to it and its engrossing emotional story. I remember vividly the day I bought this CD in store in the city of London. I was with friends and none of us had heard this band, or of Devin Townsend before, and as an impressionable young man, I decided the artwork was intriguing enough to warrant buying it - so I did. When I got home, I immediately listened ‘Accelerated Evolution’ with a degree of anticipation and excitement. My appreciation for this record has actually grown since I’m now an adult and have a better understanding of music and the emotion that is behind the music. I imagine, with a certain conviction, that anyone listening to this for the first time after reading through the reviews will enjoy this band immensely. Not often does a record like this come along, one that seems to narrate a story of fiction, perhaps non-fiction if the lyrics are anything to go by. Records that evolve like they’re books are interesting by nature. ‘Accelerated Evolution’ would be a best seller if it were. The deeply affecting atmosphere generated by the heavy-handed guitars and subtle symphonies slowly signifies is impacting and unparalleled within the genre.
There is a degree of pretension attached to this record (which is shown in a glaringly obvious manner on songs like ‘Away’ with its seemingly endless solos), in my eyes, but that doesn’t stop me from enjoying the unfolding of the many numerous layers that this record has. Perhaps most importantly are the lyrics, which don’t immediately hit the listener. It takes a lot of reflection and devotion, on the part of the listener, to truly digest the lyrics, which tell a story of love, loss and human relationships. This record is intensely passionate, and that’s something that is apparent all the way through as the instrumentation and lyrics from Devin stretch out to the listener. The lyrics are made even more apt along the journey as they tend to describe a lot of the listeners thoughts and feelings throughout the record. The consuming passion, the flame of intense love and skill at switching moods hit the listener like a tonne of bricks in the face. Though the narrative may be simplistic, the complexities of the overall story and how it is told make this one of those records that takes a number of listens, over many years, to fully understand and appreciate the context of the material.
So, who do we have behind door number one: the vocals. Devin Townsend seems to be the center of creativity for this band, since its his band (as well as the fact that he engineered the record and wrote most of the material). His vocals are emotional and wretched with a number of different, yet still painstakingly beautiful, contexts. From the pain of songs like the fantastic ‘Storm’, to the mature approach of ‘Depth Charge’. Devin appears to have a talent for song writing which makes his vocals a central point throughout. Though the more experimental themes are developed through the instrumentation, his vocals are the most intense part of the experience since they’re so emotional and he sings about some very rewarding topics. Though they can some times become overly sentimental on his part. Devin also pulls his weight on guitar too, adding an enhanced feel to the symphonic soundscapes that fellow guitarist Brian Waddell and keyboardist Dave Young already lay down superbly. In fact, the keyboards and bass, though underlying throughout, are perhaps more significant than the guitars in terms of portraying a mature and dynamic sound. The guitars have a raw quality to them, given how distorted and hurt by past experiences they sound (shown typically on ‘Deadhead’). The record however, is typified by Devin’s brilliant performance throughout. From the sorrowful ‘Deadhead’ to the jovial ‘Traveller’ which contains some instantly catchy drums, this record serves only to reward the listener with some of the best, and perhaps more mainstream, progressive metal.

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Roadrunner Records

• And similarly, singer/guitarist Devin Townsend 's Accelerated Evolution is an alt rock disc that successfully draws on different eras.
• And similarly, singer/guitarist Devin Townsend 's Accelerated Evolution is an alt rock disc that successfully draws on different eras. This album isn't flat-out retro; the Canadian rocker provides enough downtuned guitars to put this CD in the alt rock category.

Reference

Accelerated Evolution was the first album by The Devin Townsend Band, released on March 31, 2003. Thematically, this album is about relationships (which was. When Devin Townsend released his Devin Townsend Band album 'Accelerated Evolution' in 2003, he gave us a taste of what was to come in the following year with a bonus disc that was included with the Special Edition version of that album, that was called 'Project EKO'.