Accelerated Evolution

During the creation of his early solo albums Infinity (1998) and Physicist (2000), Devin Townsend went through personal struggles that affected his writing ability. These struggles were resolved on Terria (2001), which Townsend described as "a really healing record". After Terria, Townsend felt a newfound enthusiasm for his music, saying, "Bring it on. I'm going to be so fucking sensitive but so intense, and be unafraid to be either."Popoff, Martin (Winter–Spring 2003). "Strapping Young Lad." Lollipop Magazine (61). In 2002, Townsend began work on his next two albums. He reunited his extreme metal project Strapping Young Lad, which had been on hiatus for four years,{{cite magazine|title=The Reluctant Return of Strapping Young Lad|author=Gramlich, Chris|magazine=Exclaim!|url=http://www.exclaim.ca/articles/multiarticlesub.aspx?csid2=4&fid1=1576&csid1=44|access-date=2008-04-28|date=February 2003|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081202110457/http://www.exclaim.ca/articles/multiarticlesub.aspx?csid2=4&fid1=1576&csid1=44|archive-date=2008-12-02}} and began writing the band's new release, Strapping Young Lad (SYL).

At the same time, Townsend formed a new, permanent band "on par with Strapping" to record and tour for his solo releases. The Devin Townsend Band consisted of Brian Waddell on guitar, Ryan Van Poederooyen on drums, and brothers Mike Young and Dave Young on bass and keyboards, respectively. Townsend performed guitar, vocals, and production, as he did in Strapping Young Lad. Townsend chose members of local bands who "hadn't had the same experiences" and could give a fresh perspective on "all those emotions" that were present in his solo material. He found it "refreshing" to play with people who appreciated his solo material more than Strapping Young Lad's. Notable was the absence of drummer Gene Hoglan of Strapping Young Lad, who had played on Townsend's previous three solo albums.

Townsend wrote and produced the band's first album at the same time he was working on SYL, spending half the week on one and half on the other.{{cite web|url=http://www.metal-rules.com/zine/content/view/167/74/ |title=Interview With Gene Hoglan |date=June 16, 2005 |author1=Lord of the Wasteland |author2=Lehtinen, Arto |website=Metal-Rules.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080821222024/http://www.metal-rules.com/zine/content/view/167/74/ |archive-date=August 21, 2008 }} The album was engineered and mixed by Townsend and Shaun Thingvold, who has worked on many of Townsend's and Strapping Young Lad's albums. It had the working title Relationships, but was renamed Accelerated Evolution, a nod to the frantic pace of putting a new band together in under a year.

Accelerated Evolution was written as "the polar opposite" of SYL.Hawkins, Chris (May 6, 2003). "[http://www.knaclive.com/article.asp?ArticleID=2019 Reviews – Devin Townsend Accelerated Evolution] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713161919/http://www.knaclive.com/article.asp?ArticleID=2019 |date=July 13, 2011 }}." KNAC.com. The album blended aspects of different genres, including alternative rock,{{Cite web|url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/devin-townsend-a-guide-to-his-best-albums|title=Devin Townsend: A guide to his best albums|date=5 March 2020}} hard rock, and progressive metal, with elements of "heaviness, ambience, humor, and experimentalism". The album has been described as more melodic and more rock-based than SYL or Physicist, yet "more song-oriented" than Terria,Hoose, Xander (May 21, 2003). "[http://www.chroniclesofchaos.com/reviews/albums/2-3028_devin_townsend_band_accelerated_evolution.aspx Devin Townsend Band – Accelerated Evolution]." Chronicles of Chaos. with influences by John Lennon, Jimi Hendrix, and Rush. Songs such as "Storm", "Suicide", and "Sunday Afternoon" were compared to Townsend's Infinity, but were noted as "less frantic and more mature"; Despite this, "Deadhead" derived its name from an extreme industrial metal track with the same title from Godflesh's 1989 album Streetcleaner.{{cite web |last=Yardley |first=Miranda |title=Devin Townsend: "I Found Out About Playing Damnation Festival on Twitter" |url=http://www.terrorizer.com/news/news-news/devin-townsend-i-found-out-about-playing-damnation-festival-on-twitter/ |work=Terrorizer |date=19 October 2011 |access-date=1 August 2018}} Townsend wrote the album to be "commercially viable", making his existing style more concise and accessible but without going so far as to write "pop songs". Townsend utilized clean vocals much more than in his previous albums, and produced and mixed the album in his trademark "wall of sound" style, blending "layers upon layers of guitars, keyboards, and vocals".

Accelerated Evolution was released in March 2003 on Townsend's independent label, HevyDevy Records. It is distributed in Canada by HevyDevy, in Japan by Sony, and in Europe and North America by InsideOut. The album art was created by Travis Smith, who also did the art for Terria and SYL. InsideOut also released a special edition of the album which contained a 3-track EP called Project EKO, Townsend's first foray into electronica."Justin" (October 2, 2003). "[http://www.metalstorm.ee/pub/interview.php?interview_id=15 Devin Townsend interview]." Metal Storm. The album reached number 135 on the French albums chart{{in lang|fr}} "[https://archive.today/20130127165111/http://lescharts.com/showitem.asp?key=45086&cat=a The Devin Townsend Band – Accelerated Evolution]." Les Charts. Retrieved May 27, 2009. and number 249 on the Japanese albums chart.{{in lang|ja}} "[http://www.oricon.co.jp/music/release/d/510678/1/ アクセルレイティッド・エヴォルーション/デヴィン・タウンゼンド]." Oricon. Retrieved June 1, 2009.

Prior to the formation of the Devin Townsend Band, Townsend had represented his solo releases live with the Strapping Young Lad lineup; the band would play one set of Strapping Young Lad songs and one set of Devin Townsend songs.Gibson, Doug (June 26, 2005). "[http://www.metalunderground.com/interviews/details.cfm?newsid=14203 Interview with Strapping Young Lad's Jed Simon]." Metal Underground. After the release of Accelerated Evolution, Townsend began touring with The Devin Townsend Band, at times separately from Strapping Young Lad{{cite web|title=Devin Townsend Biography |publisher=HevyDevy Records |author=Turner, Tracy |url=http://www.hevydevy.com/hdr_biography.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080118124925/http://www.hevydevy.com/hdr_biography.html |archive-date=2008-01-18 }} and at times sharing the bill.Kee, Chris (May 2003). "Live Review: Strapping Young Lad/Devin Townsend Band/Zimmers Hole." Powerplay (44). After playing two release shows in Vancouver in July 2003,Blabbermouth.net (July 21, 2003). "[http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=13763 The Devin Townsend Band: Live Videos Posted Online] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040119030929/http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=13763 |date=January 19, 2004 }}." Retrieved May 27, 2009. The Devin Townsend Band toured Canada with Strapping Young Lad and Zimmers Hole in October 2003.RVP Drums. "[http://www.rvpdrums.com/rvp_tour.html Tour Dates] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090820053119/http://www.rvpdrums.com/rvp_tour.html |date=August 20, 2009 }}." Retrieved May 27, 2009. This was followed by a North American tour with progressive metal band Symphony X through November and December 2003.Blabbermouth.net (August 14, 2003). "[http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=14428 Symphony X to Tour with the Devin Townsend Band] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040108115136/http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=14428 |date=January 8, 2004 }}." Retrieved May 27, 2009.

{{Album ratings

|rev1=AllMusic

|rev1score={{Rating|4|5}}

|rev2=Blabbermouth.net

|rev2score=8/10{{Cite web|url=https://blabbermouth.net/reviews/accelerated-evolution|title=Reviews - Accelerated Evolution|website=Blabbermouth.net|access-date=September 12, 2022}}

|rev3=Chronicles of Chaos

|rev3score=8.5/10

|rev4=KNAC.com

|rev4score={{Rating|5|5}}

}}

Accelerated Evolution was well received by critics.Sharpe-Young, Garry (2005). New Wave of American Heavy Metal. pp. 115. New Plymouth: Zonda Books Limited. {{ISBN|0-9582684-0-1}}. Mike G. of Metal Maniacs called Accelerated Evolution "the album of the year", praising it for "the hard-to-accomplish trick of being extreme yet accessible, simultaneously heavy 'n' rockin' yet majestic and beautiful."G., Mike (September 2003). "The Devin Townsend Band: No Holds Barred." Metal Maniacs. William Hughes of Sputnikmusic called it "amazing", saying the album "has elements that will appeal to fans of all different genres, from progressive to metal."Hughes, Mike (November 29, 2007). "[http://www.sputnikmusic.com/album.php?albumid=8709 Devin Townsend: Accelerated Evolution]." Sputnikmusic. Alex Henderson of Allmusic called the album "excellent", and praised Townsend's ability to blend genres and influences: "The Canadian rocker provides enough downtuned guitars to put this CD in the alt rock category. And yet Accelerated Evolution has a big sound that suggests the pop-metal, arena rock and hard rock of the '70s and '80s – big melodies, big harmonies, big guitars, big vocals, big production."Henderson, Alex. "[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r634643|pure_url=yes}} Accelerated Evolution: Review]." Allmusic. Chris Hawkins of KNAC.com said, "Like always, what Devin manages to do is take the most infectious rhythm, place his stamp upon it, and thus create something completely original." Xander Hoose of Chronicles of Chaos compared the album favorably to SYL, noting that "there is more variation, and the songs are more memorable and layered than their one-dimensional SYL counterparts." Hoose added, "For those who thought Terria was going too much in the wrong direction, Accelerated Evolution will probably come as a relief."

{{tracklist

| all_writing = Devin Townsend

| title1 = Depth Charge

| length1 = 6:04

| title2 = Storm

| length2 = 4:39

| title3 = Random Analysis

| length3 = 5:59

| title4 = Deadhead

| length4 = 8:05

| title5 = Suicide

| length5 = 6:45

| title6 = Traveller

| length6 = 4:13

| title7 = Away

| length7 = 7:49

| title8 = Sunday Afternoon

| length8 = 6:20

| title9 = Slow Me Down

|length9 = 4:35

| total_length = 54:30

}}

Inside Out Music's special edition of Accelerated Evolution included Project EKO, an electronica EP by Townsend.

{{tracklist

| headline = Project EKO

| all_writing =

| all_lyrics =

| all_music =

| music_credits =

| title1 = Locate

| length1 = 6:59

| note1 =

| title2 = Echo

| length2 = 5:29

| note2 =

| title3 = Assignable

| length3 = 5:20

| note3 =

| total_length = 17:08

}}

• Devin Townsend – guitar, vocals, ambience
• Ryan Van Poederooyen – drums
• Mike Young – bass
• Brian Waddell – guitar
• Dave Young – keyboards

• Devin Townsend – production, audio engineering, mixing
• Shaun Thingvold – engineering, mixing
• Goran Finnberg – mastering
• Misha Rajaratnam, Dan Kearley, Carla Levis, Scott Cooke, Jay Van Poederooyen, Lori Bridger, Chris Guy – assistance

• Omer Cordell – photography (credited as Omer Shaked)
• Travis Smith – graphics, layout

{{reflist|2}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070928020126/http://www.hevydevy.com/hdr_info_evolution.html Accelerated Evolution] (HevyDevy Records)
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20090103215924/http://www.insideout.de/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=255 Accelerated Evolution] (InsideOut Music)

{{Devin Townsend}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:2003 albums

Category:Devin Townsend albums

Category:Inside Out Music albums

Category:Albums produced by Devin Townsend

Category:Albums with cover art by Travis Smith (artist)