Addicted is the second album of the four-part series under the Devin Townsend Project pseudonym, essentially a project featuring Townsend and musicians he hand-picks for each album, which is really cool. Ki, the first part released six months prior, serves as a delectable appetizer with mostly tranquil listening. It’s controlled and teases with letting the wrath loose, and Addicted picks up where Ki left off, the perfect second course. The building anticipation in the title track is heavy. It’s exciting.
There’s a plethora of sounds and protruding from them all is the experienced, yet virtually unheard of Anneke van Giersbergen, female Dutch singer. Her gentle voice is everywhere – sometimes in the background, sometimes in the forefront, and she surprisingly complements Townsend’s wild side. One song that features her alone is the revamped “Hyperdrive” from Ziltoid the Omniscient, formerly with Townsend’s vocals, but now with Giersbergen’s.
While Townsend’s subtler stuff like Ki doesn’t go unappreciated, it’s the radical stuff that most people really love, and Addicted brings back the “wall of sound” but in a more melodic fashion. Each and every song is catchy with metal elements. Most songs are “Material”-like (Physicist) with a whirlwind of layers & effects, varying degrees of Townsend vocal intensities, and just plain greatness. The exception is the relatively tame “Ih-Ah!” and ironically it’s one of the better songs. Try not to sing along.
Addicted is more commercial than previous solo projects and is beautifully heavy. It’s very easy to get in to and will likely go down as one of Townsend’s most approachable albums.
http://www.amazon.com/review/R1L8L275CSF4JP
