Well, here with my headphones at nearly 5am, I have listened to all of Deconstruction. Despite how many times we were warned about how difficult this album is to get through in one go, I still had no expectation for it be this much of a headache by the end. There is no way to comprehend even one track on the first listen, and doing them all at once is killer. Certainly an album of supreme complexity.

There were times I was thinking to myself that "this" could be one of my new favorite songs, but in the end, I had little idea what the f$%^ I just listened to. Devin absolutely outdid himself with this album, and it will take many listens to really get into these songs (as with any of my favorite albums). I can't say any one track is amazing at this point, or that any particularly stand-out (though Pandemic may be the only track that didn't strike me as potentially superb on my first listen [an opinion of course]), but I can tell we've been gifted with another album that is completely different from anything Devin has previosuly done. I didn't expect SYL, and am glad that isn't what we got--as far as chaos/complexity is concerned, Deconstruction is on a completely different planet above SYL, but given it isn't the same paranoid, Alien style of chaos.

I can however comment that both the heavy and melodic sections (not to suggest there aren't "heavy" parts with loads of melody ) seem to be done flawlessly (truly epic). The problem (for a first listen) is that the songs follow no rules whatsoever, no way to expect what will happen the next second...then the next. Dealing with this for 9 tracks is mentally exhausting, but quite possibly the sign of a masterpiece.

Also, it's heavy, but not crunchy guitars, driving bass and rigid 4/4 time heavy. Which I tend to prefer, but I'm simple like that. Probably why I prefer Addicted over this

I prefer Ghost.

And just so we don't get all religion vs. not, my view again is that 'I have no idea' ... so I guess I'm some sort of agnostic. To not spend much time talking about it makes the most sense I think.

But really, it comes down to 'I have no idea'.

I'll leave it at this tonight, sorry to talk so much shit.

My personal summary:

Ghost > Decon (prefer)
God = ?
Downloading = fine
Me = dumber every day

I'm an idiot. goodnight.

I'm actually really happy you've had textual diarrhea tonight - it's certainly helped me to form slightly more solid opinions on some songs. I can't say I dislike any of them, but I don't think I fully grasped what you were getting at until you explained. So thank you for doing that.

On a most basic level just hearing the album truly made my heart soar - but it's not until the many listens afterward that things begin to hit home...

My friends, I found beauty in farts. Only Devin Townsend could accomplish that, haha.

And as much as I might be fond of SYL, this isn't SYL - I'm happy it's not, and yet I like it just as much - if not more. It's heavy in a far more ...meaningful(?!) way, a kind of soulcrushing way instead of raw aggression.

Anyway. Thank you, Dev. I know it's not much, but you've made this gal quite happy.

I'm going to quickly throw in my two cents (two yen? Im in Japan)

I have only gave the album one listen through thus far. Its difficult to even describe it properly. Its more of an experience than an album of songs...as wanky and pretentious as that sounds. There were moments that gave me goosebumps others that caused me to break into a stupid cheesy grin. Like pretty much all of Devins music this will take years of listening (I still hear new things on Ocean Machine after all these years) to even start to get a handle on everything thats going on here. But I really do look forward to the ride.

As for it being heavy, it sounds like the universe imploding and expanding all at once....so yeah reasonably heavy I'd say lol

Anyway, have a lovely day ladies and gents

Yeah, I'm not ready to give a verdict on this one quite yet either. I've listened through it once and there were some brilliant parts and some parts my 37 year old, wife, mortgage and 4 month old baby boy influenced brain didn't quite understand or didn't quite care for. Heavy music is becoming less of a necessity in my life these days but no longer needing it doesn't mean I still can't enjoy it! I look forward to taking the time to get to know Deconstruction and with Dev's help maybe even understand it. It's certainly huge (epic is a good word) but I'll wait for the CD and a new (better) pair of headphones before I pass my judgement.

Congratulations Dev on creating something unique, interesting and new. I'm really looking forward to Ghost and like you I am sure it will be my favourite because that is where I am at these days.

Fart jokes vs. the elite. Perhaps Devin, you are redefining avant-garde?
I'm only limiting myself to one listen before the album is released, so I don't get sick of it; but it was a temptation I could not resist.
This album is heavy - it's not SYL, and it doesn't need to be. That's what makes it awesome.
And Dev sounds more like a pantheist than an agnostic, but that's probably just me pigeon-holing him after reading his views; besides, there’s only "god" for "heaven’s" sake.

Well, that album rocked my balls off.

The album kinda started off slow and thought it was mostly going to be a mid-tempo album but soon enough that thought was pissed away into the wind. I think I was expecting a lot more aggression too but not like SYL style of "I hate all you cunts!". I always love the humourous element in Dev's work. Metal is a ridiculous genre of music and I can't stand it when bands take themselves so seriously.
With the jabs at elitism, does anyone(or the man himself) know how Devon feels about nu-metal which is constantly attacked by metal elitists as I'm curious? They all seem to hate the fact bands like Korn are too simplistic and therefore it makes them void of any creative merit.

Praise The Lowered and Deconstruction are probably my favourites. What parts exactly did Fredrik Thordendal do on Deconstruction? Is it his 8 string around the 3:30 mark with the soloing on top?

Not sure if it beats Alien for me yet but I definitely think it's one of Devin's best and will continue to grow on me just like Alien.

Congrats Devon, I think this is a massive achievement. I don't even know how it is possible to mix something so dense. Cheerio.

What parts exactly did Fredrik Thordendal do on Deconstruction? Is it his 8 string around the 3:30 mark with the soloing on top?

My guess is the "fusion" solo at 6:16

Hmm, shall I listen to the leak, or not? Heh, I probably will

And then I will order the über package, with the Dev-fart-in-a-jar, and lock myself in my house while playing Ghost and Deconstruction simultaniously

Is there any info yet as to the contents of pre-order packages? I wonder if there will be signed and/or limited stuff. I'm a sucker for those things!

monumental work dev. good on you. see you in australia, front and centre.

cheers buddy

Unwisely I got my first listen on the train going to work. Repeatedly broke out into a sweat just listening to some of the songs. At other times I was just giggling like a loon. Stupendous. Magnificent. Wanky. I love it! I'm tempted to fart in my boss' face just to get fired and go home early to listen to it again.

I thought I'd listen to this album in my car..

..dropped the idea, since it would be too dangerous.

Wow Dev, Deconstruction's turning to be pretty darn monstrous. Its like Ziltoid's long lost cousin dying to get some attention . The Mighty Masturbator is like hearing the inside thoughts of a happy crazed mind, if that makes sense. Plus, tracks like Stand and Planet of the Apes just makes me drool over riff mastery and musical chaos.

Totally gonna continue supporting ya. I do plan on buying this as well as the whole box set, just to hear the whole puzzle .

I've had one listen in my car on the way home from work. (1 hour commute)

.........Needs way more time to digest. I'll probably have a handle on it after 10 listens.

And I still can't believe that we have another record to look forward to!


Thank you for the music Devin. I can't wait to sit down later with a glass of red, my good headphones and let it sink in some more.

Thank you for the music Devin. I can't wait to sit down later with a glass of red, my good headphones and let it sink in some more.

*points to red, points to headphones* stop stealing my ideas

For 5 years, I've been telling people that SYL ended because it meant a lot to me, and that I had changed. And the reaction was often:
'Nah, you haven't...do it again'

Deconstruction adresses that as well. This is what heavy sounds like to me right now. I. Have. Changed.

The things that are heavy to me are responsibility and stability etc. SYL Aggression was a by-product of my youth. I'm almost 40 now ferchristsakes

Thank you for clearing that out. Many just had that SYL expectation in their heads when anticipating Decon. And yes it's enormously heavy. Decon's heaviness is not measureable. One can't compare it to SYL. It's different as I already mentioned before. Since many anticipated another chaos fuckfest like Alien I can see why many are disappointed because well it's simply said not that kind of chaos.

Now I can respect and accept both kinds of heaviness. To me Alien and Decon are both different audible supernova explosions.

Thank you Dev