.jpg)
That’s right, time to look at the albums of 2023 that didn’t quite make the cut. Like I’ve said numerous times on prior lists, just because an album made it to the honorable mentions section doesn’t mean that it’s bad or mediocre. Most if not all of the honorable mentions I’ve spoken about are genuinely quite good, and the subject of today’s review is no exception, and is from Devin Townsend, who I’ve spoken about many times in high regard. However, today’s review marks the first time that I will be throwing some criticism at a release of his. Some pretty big criticism, to be exact. So, without further delay, here’s my review of the remaster of 1998's Infinity. Let’s begin!
Background
Taken from Devin’s website about the original Infinity:
“I remember once I had finished Ocean Machine and City, the idea of duality became a big thing for me. I began to find myself fascinated by the concepts of ‘this and that’ and ‘yin and yang’ (or whatever metaphors supported that idea). I realized that the things that were motivating me were (in hindsight) a relatively common ‘coming-of-age’ type of artistic view. I found myself engaging in drugs and relationships that were unhealthy, yet playing into the whole metaphoric nature of that period to the point where my whole world resonated with a very deluded sense of self importance that ultimately had much invested in the music itself.
I felt a very arrogantly gratifying sense of martyrdom in ‘sleeping on the studio floor’, feeling ‘persecuted’, and ultimately winding myself up to believe that what I was doing was of some sort of great significance. At the time it was very romantic, but in hindsight, it was very obviously engagement in chemicals and drugs that I was unfamiliar with. These experiences threw me into a psychological tailspin that resulted in a chaotic, dense, (at times glorious), but mostly very confused statement.
It was done on ADAT in my friends basement, and the recording was unfortunately a self-imposed hellish mess. Again, hindsight is 20/20 and currently it’s much easier to recognize what is legitimate drama from artistic gratification. At the time, I believed it was the last record I would ever make. Strangely, I feel that about most records I’ve done. Ultimately, Infinity is one of the most important records I feel I’ve been involved with, and it was a rewarding time for my process.”
Taken from Devin’s website about the original Christeen EP + 4 Demos:
“Nowadays, when I record too much music for a single disk, it comes out in double disks or bonus editions etc, but at the time, (without a label or management to guide), I would put out the bonus songs as things like this, or the ‘Ass-Sordid’ stuff. Japan wanted to make a video for Christeen with a famous photographer that ultimately got edited by someone other than him and was a disaster. The inclusion of the video, however, seemed an appropriate excuse for me to put the additional songs into one place that existed in tandem with the Infinity sessions.
Some interesting stuff here, with the final song ‘Love Load’ causing quite a ruckus among friends and band mates as being a horrible statement. A statement that distanced myself from the things that actually defined Infinity in the beginning. (Selfishness over community)”
Taken from Metal Injection in September of 2023 about the reissue/remaster:
“As I move into a new phase of my work, (one that requires the next two years to be spent writing and recording), I reflect on the Infinity album and the period it all happened in many ways. This was my first attempt at engineering and mixing an album, and without it, I wouldn’t have gotten where I am now on a technical level. It was like going to college at the time, and although it is primitive in many ways, it also reminded me of the amount of passion it takes to reach a new level.
The whole process during the making of this album was fraught with learning, turmoil, growth, and psychological development. In fact: I didn’t think at the time that I would even get through it, (let alone be here 25 years later writing and working with the hard-won experience that came as a direct result of making Infinity).
I realize now how pivotal this period of expression was for me, and how it was a testament to tenacity in the long run. As such, I’m proud that we’ve decided to re-release the record with all the bonus tracks and personal artwork from that period in one place. I was even asked to do an updated version of the naked cover album cover (!!!) so in the name of authenticity… I did that too.
I believe this to be the quintessential version of the record. It was a statement then as it is now. And for those who were there during that period as well as those who are perhaps interested in how it all began, I present to you ‘Infinity’ in an updated fashion. I’m grateful for the opportunity to release it in this light and thank you all for the support all these years. Please wish me luck as I delve into this next phase, and being able to reflect on Infinity during the start of this process has proven to be very useful.”
Basic Description
Welcome yet Disappointing.
Let’s get this out of the way: Infinity is not a bad album, and the Christeen EP + 4 Demos release is not bad either. Having the two on one record (Split among 2 CDs) is a great way to re-introduce classics to a new generation that might not have heard of it, while at the same time giving longtime listeners a huge nostalgia blast. That being said......it’s not a great remaster. If anything, this is one of the most incredibly subtle remasters I’ve ever heard of. Just to check to see if I was having auditory hallucinations, I went back & listened to the original release to listen for anything different from them & this record, and if there’s any difference between the originals and the remasters, it’s an exceedingly small difference. Which is a crying shame, as again I find the original music to be great, and this re-release of it is great for bringing in old & new fans alike, but the lack of remastering signs really hurts it.
Best Track
Like I said in my review for the original Infinity (Read Here), I was a big fan of both Christeen & Noisy Pink Bubbles. They were the most normal sound & feeling tracks of the album, and I still stand by that. However, I can’t deny that even on these two songs, there’s still at least a little bit of weirdness (Especially on Noisy Pink Bubbles) to be felt, which I guess is a good thing.
Christeen
Noisy Pink Bubbles
And then there’s Sit In The Mountain. If the two previously mentioned tracks are the most normal on Infinity, then the middle track of the Christeen EP is the most normal for that release (Read Here). A groovy little number, it’s simultaneously peaceful, while still providing quite a bit of heaviness to the listener. Definitely a nice mix!
Sit In The Mountain
Finally, there are the 3 bonus track included, which I suspect are the only pieces of music that actually had the remastering work done on. They include an acoustic version of Sister & Hide Nowhere off of his prior album Ocean Machine, as well as a demo for the song Man, which I have no idea what that one was going to be on. Regardless, these little musical nuggets do round out this reissue rather nicely, and add a little extra meat onto what is already a beastly dish.
Sister (Live Acoustic)
Hide Nowhere (Live Acoustic)
Man (1996 Demo)
Worst Track
Again, this remaster’s only fault is that it’s so incredibly difficult to tell that it’s actually been remastered. Like I said above, I listened to the original versions then this one to see if there’s a difference, and if there was, it’s so small it might as well not be a remaster in the first place.
(The Acoustic tracks & Demo track are exempt from this, as they’re new material which, as far as I know, weren’t on the original Infinity release or anything after it.)
Other
If you’re curious about listening to this album, then click on the link below:
Infinity: Remaster
Overall Impression & Rating
Infinity: Remaster is a baffling one for me. On the one hand, as a remaster it stumbles somewhat. The way it was redone makes it difficult to tell that anything has changed in any meaningful way. On the other hand, it’s great that HevyDevy still recognizes Infinity & it’s EP as important steps in his career, as he is more than willing to put it back out for the public to listen to. If you’re buying this as a remaster, you’ll be incredibly disappointed. If you’re buying it for the general level of quality however, then you won’t be upset in the slightest!
Infinity: Remaster gets a 10 out of 10 for overall quality, but a 5 out of 10 for the remastering.
And that was my look at the remaster for Devin Townsend’s 1998 classic, Infinity, as well as it’s EP. The quality might be fantastic, but it still feels the same as it was over 25 years ago.....for better or for worse. Well, I’ll save the other honorable mention for November later on this year, but in the meantime we’ve reached number 1, and I’m starting things off with quite the emotional colossus. See you next week!
***
If you’re curious about the original Infinity & Christeen EP releases, click on the links below to give them a listen to:
Infinity
Christeen EP + 4 Demos
No comments:
Post a Comment