Album Review: Devin Townsend's Lightwork/Nightwork

To say anything of the beginning parts of this decade would be repeating so many other content creators out there (Myself included). For those exceedingly few people who were living under a massive rock back in 2020: we had a once-in-a-century plague sweep the planet, hordes of people have died because of this plague, and chaos was rampant practically everywhere. Here in the United States, we were hit especially hard by the plague, and due to what was perhaps the worst of Donald J. Trump’s years in office, we had more people die than anywhere else in the world. Coupled with racial tensions that were practically on fire, not to mention political corruption the likes of which we’ve never seen in America, it’s no wonder so many of us thought the world was coming to an end.

And then, there’s Devin Townsend. HevyDevy has been no stranger to my little piece of the internet. Every time he’s shown up, he has been met with nothing but near universal praise.....but I’m getting ahead of myself. By about mid March of 2020, Devin was about halfway through his tour for Empath when the shutdown took place, effectively cutting it in half, and we all know too well what the year of isolation was like. However, if there was one exceedingly good thing about being locked up so much, it would be that musicians & other artists had time to work on things, and the Mad Canadian was no exception. From songs ***:

QUARANTINE PROJECT Part 6: HONEYBUNCH

To podcasts:

DEVIN TOWNSEND PODCAST #3: Infinity

And even some livestreamed “Concerts”:

Devin Townsend Christmas Show - StageIt show #6

It’s obvious that Devin wasn’t going to let COVID stop him from creating art. Fortunately, he managed to crank out a few albums during that time & beyond. There was the ambient duo of The Puzzle & Snuggles, the livestreamed Devolution Series #2 - Galactic Quarantine, and the subject of today’s review, Lightwork. Normally I’d have something to say about the album, but I think I’ll let HevyDevy say it instead:

“Hey all :) this is Devin. Welcome to my newest album ‘Lightwork’ The last few years have been a lot, and this is the music that I wrote during that time.

In essence, Lightwork is a bit more of a ‘song’ oriented album. A bit more direct and simpler than a lot of what I’ve been doing lately. After ‘Empath’ and ‘The Puzzle’, things kind of swung back in the direction of more traditional arrangements for Lightwork.

Lyrically, It kind of hints at the struggles of the last few years but with an eye on putting the pieces back together again.

We chose ‘Moonpeople’ as the first of three video releases from this project, The three videos share a theme, so I think that’ll work.

Moonpeople is the first song on Lightwork and acts as a sort of mission statement for the album. Post pandemic… kids are now teens… 50 years old, who am I now? Beyond any platitudes or delusions, who am I now that the smoke is clearing and what do I want to do, and who do I want to be, moving forward?

The term ‘Moonpeople’ in my mind, refers to those in society that kind of ‘watch’ things rather than being directly involved in it. Maybe the Moonpeople are more introverted rather than extroverted? In any case, it functions as a song on the album that will set the stage for the dynamic nature of the material that follows it.”

Couldn’t have said it better myself. At the end of the day, Lightwork is album that attempts to make sense of what 2020 & 2021 were like. An attempt to calm things down after rampant death & disease, and an attempt to restore some kind of balance to everything. Lightwork, for the most part, is a calm & soothing experience: there’s a sense of ease and peace within the music that’s just welcoming after the hellscape we’ve all experienced in recent memory. You get the feeling that something has been restored within you by the time you’re done. You may not know what that thing was, but you know that something did came back.

As such, picking the best songs off of Lightwork was easy, and that goes to the trio of Moonpeople, Call Of The Void, and Lightworker. These 3 tracks perfectly convey the mission of what the album as a whole was trying to do: make sense of recent times, and fill in the cracks those times made with something good. They’re all soothing & relaxing in so many ways, they bring back some kind of peace we all once had before 2020. Even Lightworker, despite being the loudest of this trio at times, can calm & center you by the time it’s done playing. Though these songs aren’t ordered like this on the album, they represent each and every goal that Lightwork attempts to accomplish.

Moonpeople

Call Of The Void

Lightworker

So, if all of the songs are wonderful, does that mean there’s anything bad about Lightwork? Not really. Devin absolutely worked his ass off on this release, and it shows within each & ever single note. If I did have one critique with the record, it would be that it’s too calm & relaxing at times. Like I said a little earlier, there are a couple of exceptions to this, but more often than not things are perhaps a little too peaceful. It’s not a massive fault, but it’s one that’s incredibly noticeable across the quieter songs. Empath from 2019 would have a similar issue.....but I’ll get to that when the time is right.

Lightwork gets a 10 out of 10. One hiccup aside, it is a wonderful experience that was very needed after what recent years have been like. If you need some peaceful music to ease your mind & soul, you can’t go wrong with Lightwork!

However, there’s not just one album in this review, as we got the B-Side record to look at! Given the name of Nightwork, the record is the odder of the two. It’s the stranger of the two. It’s the weirder of the two! That being said, despite the oddity of Nightwork, there’s a surprising amount of calm brought over from Lightwork. Not as much as you think, as this B-Side record is a bit heavier, but strangely enough this causes sort of a balance to be establish. Some oddness here, some serenity over there, and some heaviness over in the corner. At times the balance isn’t perfect, but more often than not it is well maintained, and creates an experience that’s just as satisfying as Lightwork, & perhaps better at times.

Picking the best song off of Nightwork was a little harder than the base release. Again, the weirdness of this B-Side, despite it maintaining a balance between 3 aspects, means that it’s identity isn’t as solid as Lightwork. That being said, Precious Sardine is so bizarre, it’s hard to not like it. If the previously mentioned album showed off the peace that Devin wanted to bring to the listener, then Precious Sardine represents the madness & isolation of 2020 (And 2021 to a lesser extent). HevyDevy somehow managed to recreate the chaos of that year in a 10 minute track, and yet there’s a weird beauty to the whole experience. It’s actually kind of hard to explain, so click on the link below to hear what I mean.

Precious Sardine

And as for the worst track off of Nightwork? Screw it, there isn’t one! As with Lightwork, Devin crafted a B-Record that’s just perfect from beginning to end, and just as satisfying as it’s main counterpart. Really the only things to complain about I’ve already said above in one form or another, so there’s no need to say any of it again.

Nightwork gets a 10 out of 10.

And that was my look at Lightwork & it’s B-Side, Nightwork. I definitely felt warm & fuzzy by the time I was done listening to the both of these albums last year, and they still continue to provide me with some much needed positive vibes over a year later. So with this post up, it’s time to take a Thanksgiving break for the rest of this month, and then I’ll see you on the 1st of  December for the start to my typical end of year posts. Stay tuned!



***
Here’s from where I took Devin’s quote from:

https://hevydevy.com/discography/lightwork/

Also, if you’d like to hear the album (Including Nightwork), then the link is right below:

DEVIN TOWNSEND - LIGHTWORK (DELUXE EDITION) (2022)

Also Also, Honeybunch was going to be put on Lightwork, but ultimately wasn’t due to a sample taken from Barbie Girl from Aqua. Screw the music business.

Top 10 MTG Sets Of All Time

How are all of you doing today?

Before we get to my no. 1 album of 2022 in a week or two, I want to post up something that’ll keep you all nice & full. I was considering doing a 3rd entry into the realm of best DLCs & Expansion Packs, but that’ll have to wait a bit since I wasn’t thinking about it too hard on it. However, the list I ultimately did make for today was pretty easy. With MTG creeping onto this blog in recent years, it was an easy pick for one of my typical lists, and that’s what I chose. So, without further delay, here are my top 10 Magic The Gathering sets of all time. Enjoy!

10) 10th Edition (Quiet Nerd)

If I’m being at least somewhat honest, this spot was somewhat of a filler area. Virtually everywhere else I was able to figure out what set to put there, but here it took a tiny bit of work. Yet, at this same time I don’t exactly regret picking this choice.....due to 1 odd memory from 15+ years ago.

I was at the hobby shop I highly frequent (Their 2nd location to be specific), and it just so happened to be the release day for 10th Edition. We all got our packs, opened them, and proceeded to make our decks, I don’t know how, but that release marks the only time I ever managed to get to a high position. Second Place, to be exact! I don’t know: maybe it’s that lone memory that gets 10th Edition onto this list. In any case, it seems like one of these edition releases had to get somewhere on here, and maybe this was that version.

9) Dungeons & Dragons: Adventures In The Forgotten Realms (Game Knights)

Fun. That is the best way to describe the first full release in the Universes Beyond line of Magic The Gathering. The first pre-release I attended once the Plague began to subside back in 2021, I remember not doing all that well, but I definitely remember the cards. Wizards Of The Coast did a really good job at bringing not only the flavor of Dungeons & Dragons into MTG, but more specifically the world of the Forgotten Realms. The realm of Faerûn was the first setting of D&D to really get me hooked on the game, and to see so many references to it’s characters and story warmed my nerdy heart. It may not have been completely practical, but to say there was no power in this set is just absurd!

8) Zendikar Rising (Game Knights)

To say the MTG landscape in 2020 was weird is saying something: even if COVID didn’t come to our shores (Or anywhere, for that matter), even if the political climate here in the United States wasn’t an unmitigated hellscape of bullshit, Magic The Gathering was still changing in odd ways. There were so many new kinds of boosters, sets became more frequent, Commander & Commander related products started becoming more frequent, you name it. The Year of the Plague had a variety of sets, and while I was incredibly close to putting the tribute to all things Kaiju in the release that was Ikoria, for some random reason our 3rd trip to the world of Zendikar made more sense.

In a strange twist, Zendikar Rising ended up being my favorite trip to the plane out of the 3 times we went. In a year that had rampant death and disease, it was nice to see a realm filled with endless possibilities for exploration & wonder. It was nice to see adventurers getting together and explore ruins young & old in an effort to get some special treasure. The rather boundless optimism of this world was a stark contrast to the viral-ridden year that was 2020. It was the exact opposite of the isolation most if not all of us were feeling, and it was the exact opposite of the fear of death we all felt at some point during that time. If you missed this release the first time, you might want to get your hands on a few boosters before the end of the decade. It’s worth your time & money without a doubt!

7) Time Spiral (Magic Untapped)

True story: after my Uncle Randy passed away, we’re up in Watertown to attend his funeral. That very same week, the first previews of Time Spiral occurred, and it was a weird sensation for me. I definitely liked what I saw, but what I was feeling at the time with the death of my Uncle made for a conflicting mindset. So much so, that when Time Spiral Remastered came out in 2021, I only ever got a small few boosters for fear of bad memories possibly coming. Even with that fault, I will not deny that Time Spiral was a funky set. Filled with throwbacks to MTG’s past, it also introduced a lot of quirky mechanics (Suspend in particular), and many of them continue to hold some relevance in the landscape today. Planar Chaos & Future Sight were no slouches either, as they had their own bevy of mechanics and additions to the game, with some still existing now in 2023. It’s a testament that nearly 20 years later, the Time Spiral block continues to hold relevance among it fans, and despite it’s mild negative connections in my life, it acts as a pleasant vision to a more happier time in my life.

6) Ravnica: City Of Guilds (Magic Untapped)

The first time that we went to the famous city plane was also the first time that I went to a release day event. It’s kind of hard to remember what it was like, save for me being a rather awkward late teen. The one thing I definitely recall was falling in love with one of the most iconic worlds in MTG of this century so far. Have a city cover an entire plane of existence, fill it with 10 different groups that all encompass different aspects of the plane, as well as a dash of intrigue, and you have a recipe for success. Though one of the sets at my no. 1 spot (Hint Hint) turned me on to the color combination of Black and Green, it was encountering the undercity denizens from the Golgari Swarm that I fell in love with that mix. With both Ravnica: Remastered and Murders At Karlov Manner coming out at the beginning of 2024, it’s obvious that the legacy of this world is not in doubt.

5) Warhammer 40k (Game Knights)

Though Adventures In The Forgotten Realms was the first time we technically had a Universes Beyond release, it was a vision into the grimdark future of the 41st millennium where it got a foothold in Commander. I spoke pretty highly about these 4 decks last year when I put them at no. 1 on my top 5 games list of 2022, and I still gush about them to this day. The decks were wonderfully designed, the mechanics of each card was just perfect, and the art & flavor had a lot of love & care put into the packages that were the Imperium, the Ruinous Powers, the Necron Dynasties, and the Tyranid Swarm. This level of quality managed to extend to Tales Of Middle Earth, as well as.....ah, I can’t say anything yet about the newest addition to the Universes Beyond family just yet. Regardless, the Commander decks of Warhammer 40k were of exceptional quality, so grab them if you spot them!

4) Commander 2011 (Commander Void)

It seemed only appropriate that my first venture into the realm of Commander gameplay makes it onto this list. For a decade plus, I slowly became fixated on this game mode. So much so, that I got 2 toolboxes full of EDH decks, and plenty of boxes outside of those 2 filled with decks as well. However, it was the 5 released in 2011 that planted the seeds of obsession I’ve been harvesting in recent memory. If anything, Heavenly Inferno, Mirror Mastery, Counterpunch, Political Puppets, and Devour For Power (My 1st & personal favorite) are still just as strong now as they were over a decade since they came out. Their design influenced every other release in the series since, and while a few other decks in later years would eclipse these 5 in terms of design & power, these foundation layers are still looked back at fondly. Though they are incredibly difficult to find now, if you somehow spot any of the previously mentioned decks, get them before someone else does!

3) Strixhaven (Game Knights)

2021 had quite a lot of good releases that year, with perhaps (In my humble opinion) the best of them being the Harry Potter inspired Strixhaven. Known as the School Of Mages, this upbeat & energetic set was a big happy boost to the brain after what 2020 & the early parts of 2021 were, and it shows. Taking enemy color combos & putting them on their head, Strixhaven knew how to have fun not only with it’s setting, but the changes to the color pairings that inhabited this magical place of learning as well. Even the Commander decks released for this set were fantastic, and contained some pretty potent commanders that still carry weight in the current landscape. I can only hope that we visit this lovely collage later on this decade, cause it would be a shame not too!

2) Kaladesh (Lorebrarians)

It is by a few nose hairs that this realm of India & Steampunk (Aetherpunk according to the developers). It is by a few inches that this realm of optimism & creativity didn’t get to no. 1. Make no mistake: Kaladesh was one of my absolute favorite sets from 2016. Again, I loved that they were able to combine the colors & atmosphere of India, with the visual ascetic of Steampunk. Not only that, but the ideals of optimism, creativity, and hope were incredibly strong. Not just in Kaladesh, but in the secondary set Aether Revolt as well. With the threat of the Phyrexians seemingly gone for the time being, I hope we’re able to go back & revisit the plane to see how it’s doing!

1) Champions Of Kamigawa (Magic Untapped) & Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty (Game Knights)

Any of you who know me personally should not be surprised by what’s at no. 1. Anyone that’s been a close friend of mine for 20-something years shouldn’t be shocked by what’s here.

For starters, we got the original Champions Of Kamigawa block. Though it’s not mechanically friends with sets released before & after it, and maybe it could have been a hint (Emphasis on “Hint”) more respectful towards the culture it drew inspiration from, it’s hard not to deny the flavor of the original Kamigawa. Take feudal era Japan, add a healthy dose of fantasy, and possibly just a small dash of anime vibes, and you end up with the first time we went to this world. It’s hard to believe that, despite many looking back on it fondly now, it was met with a bit of disdain nearly 20 years ago. Still, Champions Of Kamigawa (along with Betrayers & Saviors) is a relic of it’s time that many look at very fondly, and it’s a reminder of how I got into MTG so long ago.  

And of course, there’s Neon Dynasty. If anything, the words that I’ll put here will just be from somewhere else on this blog. Again, I felt nothing but pure unadulterated genuine joy visiting the world of Kamigawa nearly 20 years since the first time. Not only that, but the world has gone from a realm of feudal lords to a world of neon & steel, yet much of the ancient traditions have managed to survive the 1,000+ year transition since it’s oldest days. The Kami now live alongside the various races of the plane, and giant mechs fly in the sky alongside dragons. Even if you weren’t a fan of the story, there are other things to like about it. The artwork in particular is exceptionally wonderful: not only was the base art gorgeous, but the various Japanese artists contracted to make the Showcase Art was jaw-droppingly beautiful, and showed that this 2nd trip to Kamigawa was far more inspired by anime than the original version. If we get a 3rd trip by the end of the decade, you can bet that I will be happy to go back!  

So those were my top 10 MTG sets of all time. Some of the choices are probably a surprise, while other definitely aren’t if you know me. Time will tell as to what would appear on another list like this, but can be sure that it’ll be a surprise regardless.. So, with this out of the way, it’s time to look at the other record from 2022 that made it to no. 1. See you next week......for a little bit of Lightwork!

Album Review: Everfrost's Frostbites

Welcome to November fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

We’re in the home stretch everybody. Not much longer before 2023 transitions into 2024, and the wheel of time keeps going forwards into the future. Even on the Heavy Metal Otaku blog, the gears keeps spinning, and shows no sign of stopping any time soon. As per tradition in recent years, it’s time to take a look at the music of the year before, and see if it still holds up. The first of these two reviews is from a band that is no stranger to this blog. For practically 4 years at this point, the otaku tinged Power Metal band Everfrost have peddled their own unique twist on the genre across their native Finland & various conventions they manage to travel to, and they show no signs of stopping. So, without further delay, here’s my review on their LP Frostbites. Enjoy!

Background
With the release of Winterider back in September of 2019, Everfrost seemingly got a boost in popularity in Finland & it’s convention circuit. Finalizing plans to being touring in those places & beyond, it should come as no surprise that 2020 would come along to screw things up just a few months later, but that wasn’t the only hit to the group. Lead singer Mikael Salo would leave the band to pursue his own musical career, as did Allan C Hasanen & Markus Laito. This resulted in Benji Connelly & Jope "James" Salminen being the only original members left, but that didn’t stop them! After acquiring new guitarists Samuli Heiskanen and Joose Ylianttila, as well as new lead singer Eveliina Tuulia a little later down the road, Everfrost 2.0 was fully formed. Upon entering the studio, the band decided that perhaps anime intro covers were the next thing to work on, and after acquiring a few musical guests (Including Mikael Salo), they put their noses to the grindstone, and on the 11th of November, 2022, the LP known as Frostbites was released!

Basic Description
Bite sized otaku goodness.

Though the smaller size is something of an issue (More on that in a bit), once again Everfrost proved that they aren’t just a gimmick! Yes, they where what inspires them on their sleeve & they have no shame at all, but it’s also obvious that these beautiful Finnish weebs are exceptionally talented as well. Blue Eyed Emotion was great but a bit on the amateur-ish side, while Winterider was a giant boost in quality. Frostbites essentially is everything good about the previously mentioned release, but with all of those finer points smoothed out more for a greater shine. It’s a testament that these guys are able to crank out exceptional release after exceptional release, despite being rather obscure here in the United States.

Best Track
Gotta Catch Em All hits hard! The band treated the iconic opener for Pokemon with a great deal of respect, but still put their own little spin on things. The pacing is basically the same as the original, but it’s the Power Metal coat of paint that really fleshes things out. The guitar & bass especially put in a lot of work, and it was great to hear Mikael Salo sing with Everfrost one final time (Twice if you count the Evangelion cover) before he pursued his own musical aspirations. For anyone from my generation that needs a big blast of nostalgia to the eardrums, then this opening song is for you!

Gotta Catch Em All

Worst Track
Like I said in my top 5 list from last year, Frostbites’s only faults lie with the amount of songs, and I never watched the shows that 3 of the tunes are from. Again, I can brush off that second fault without any issue, but I am still surprised at the fact that there are only 4 songs on here! It is entirely possible that I misread something, but I could have sworn that I saw something about this release being a full-fledged album. If anyone from the band sees this, please clarifying things for me.

Other
If you’re curious about listening to this, then click on the link below:

Frostbites

Overall Impression & Rating
Frostbites is a fun little romp. Sure, it goes by quick, and most of the shows it references I’m not massively familiar with, but I easily recognize the effort put into it. Everfrost will always be a fun & quirky group, and it’s releases like this that keep me endeared to them. If you got a little bit of time to kill, then this brief flash of winter weebery is perfect for that!

Frostbites gets a out 9 of 10.

So that was my look at Frostbites. It might go by pretty fast, but the devotion that Everfrost has to what inspires them makes up for this, and it’s a lot of fun! So, my other no. 1 album of 2022 will be covered a little later, but beforehand I got something else to post. See you soon!