This release is so Omniscient!
C. Taylor | Rockland county NY | 06/09/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Devin Townsend Unleashes his first entirely solo project, playing guitar, bass, keys, and programming drums and giving us vocals as well as the narrative. The cd itself follows a theme of Ziltoid, a 4th dimensional creature who is on a quest to find the ultimate cup of coffee, and if he doesn't...destruction! Ziltoid comes to Earth of all places to find his coffee and a War of the Worlds type event breaks out with Captain Spectacular leading Earth against the Ziltoidian Forces. Each song follows a passage in the story ultimately leading up to the finale "Tall Latte"
Corny Concept aside, after a few listens you begin to understand this is some of Townsend's most brilliant work. To come up with this effort in just 4 months on his own is an enormous task for anyone. The Guitar work is a mix of SYL("Ziltoidia Attacks") with touch of melodic side of DTB ("The Greys", "hyperdrive") featuring solo's throughout the disc. This disc can be described as progressive at times, but nothing really goes too off the wall and self indulgent and most songs come off just as songs rather than just pieces of a story.
The bonus features on the deluxe edition are a welcome bonus for disc 2. The first track is sort of a Ziltoid behind the music which is just off the wall rediculous while the others make for good b sides. The multimedia portion of the disc contains 5 Ziltoid Puppet skits, 3 of which have not been on youtube. The disc also concludes with a 13 minute instructional bit with devin showing you some riffs from his back catalog as well as thoroughly explaining his guitar rig and what each thing does for him, it's very interesting for total Dev nerds like myself.
Overall, this man has consistently delivered amazing product after product and I can assure you this follows in that lineage, and you will not be dissapointed. This is something you're going to want to listen to over and over again."
If there were two omnisciences, Ziltoid would be both
Seth R | MA | 07/04/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Devin Townsend has put forth several solo efforts, but he is truly a one-man band for the first time in his latest work, handling all instruments and production responsibilities. Ziltoid the Omniscient is a concept album of sorts, presenting a quirky galactic story while delivering the progressive metal Townsend listeners are accustomed to hearing. The brutality of Strapping Young Lad is unmistakable, as is the melodic beauty of The Devin Townsend Band.
Ziltoid, narrated and sung by Townsend, is an omniscient creature from the fourth dimension who claims to be the greatest guitar player to have ever lived. In search of the universe's ultimate cup of coffee, he commands it be made perfect. When it isn't to his liking, there is aggressive action on the planet Earth - ultimately summoning the sixth-dimensional Planet Smasher (track 7). At times the narration can get in the way of the music, but this is nothing like anything Townsend has done before and should be taken with a grain of [progressively] metallic salt.
This limited special edition has a couple bonus tracks, five webisode skits (each about two minutes in length) with Ziltoid the puppet, and an instructional video where Townsend discusses his gear and lays down a few licks."
Greetings huMANS!
Davidian | Seattle, WA | 07/06/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Dev never ceases to amaze me with his quirky antics and humor. When I first heard about this project on the Devin Townsend myspace page, I knew it would be my new obsession, and lo and behold.....INDEEEED!
With the feel of DTB and SYL, this brings listeners to the altar of the ultimate Dev listening experience! A must have of people who have been with him from the start and a great place to start for people just starting to listen to his stuff.
Worth every penny...pick it up today!
YOU HAVE 5 EARTH MINUTES!
DEVY METAL."
Track Listings (11) - Disc #1