Infinity (Devin Townsend album)
Encyclopedia
Infinity is the third solo album by Canadian musician Devin Townsend
. The album was released in October 1998 on Townsend's label, HevyDevy Records.
's extreme metal
album City
and his solo progressive rock
release Ocean Machine: Biomech
, Townsend began to approach a mental breakdown. "I started to see human beings as little lonesome, water based, pink meat," he explained, "life forms pushing air through themselves and making noises that the other little pieces of meat seemed to understand." In 1997, he checked himself into a mental-health hospital, where he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder
. The diagnosis helped him understand where the two sides of his music were coming from; he felt his disorder "gave birth to the two extremes that are Strapping's City record and Ocean Machine's Biomech."
After being discharged from the hospital, Townsend found that "everything just clicked" and he was able to write his third solo album, Infinity, which he described as "the parent project" of City and Biomech. Townsend returned to the studio, accompanied by drummer Gene Hoglan, to work on the album, on which Townsend played most of the instruments.
, and in Europe initially by USG Records and later on by InsideOut
and with three bonus tracks.
except where noted. The InsideOut
release of Infinity had different titles for several tracks; these are listed in parentheses.
release of Infinity contained three bonus tracks.
Devin Townsend
Devin Garret Townsend is a Canadian musician and record producer. He was the founder, songwriter, vocalist, and guitarist in extreme metal band Strapping Young Lad from 1994 to 2007 and has had an extensive career as a solo artist....
. The album was released in October 1998 on Townsend's label, HevyDevy Records.
Background
After the completion of Strapping Young LadStrapping Young Lad
Strapping Young Lad was a Canadian extreme metal band formed by Devin Townsend in Vancouver, British Columbia, in 1994. The band started as a one-man studio project; Townsend played most of the instruments on the 1995 debut album, Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing...
's extreme metal
Extreme metal
Extreme metal is a loosely defined umbrella term for a number of related heavy metal music subgenres that have developed since the early 1980s. The term usually refers to a more abrasive, harsher, underground, non-commercialized style or sound nearly always associated with genres like black metal,...
album City
City (Strapping Young Lad album)
City is the second album by Canadian extreme metal band Strapping Young Lad. It was released on February 11, 1997. The album was re-released in 2007 with several bonus tracks and altered cover art...
and his solo progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
release Ocean Machine: Biomech
Ocean Machine: Biomech
Ocean Machine: Biomech is the second studio album by Canadian musician Devin Townsend. The album was released in July 1997 on Townsend's label, HevyDevy Records.-Background:...
, Townsend began to approach a mental breakdown. "I started to see human beings as little lonesome, water based, pink meat," he explained, "life forms pushing air through themselves and making noises that the other little pieces of meat seemed to understand." In 1997, he checked himself into a mental-health hospital, where he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder or bipolar affective disorder, historically known as manic–depressive disorder, is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a category of mood disorders defined by the presence of one or more episodes of abnormally elevated energy levels, cognition, and mood with or without one or...
. The diagnosis helped him understand where the two sides of his music were coming from; he felt his disorder "gave birth to the two extremes that are Strapping's City record and Ocean Machine's Biomech."
After being discharged from the hospital, Townsend found that "everything just clicked" and he was able to write his third solo album, Infinity, which he described as "the parent project" of City and Biomech. Townsend returned to the studio, accompanied by drummer Gene Hoglan, to work on the album, on which Townsend played most of the instruments.
Release
Infinity was released in October 1998 on Townsend's independent label, HevyDevy Records. It was distributed in Canada by HevyDevy, in Japan by SonySony Music Entertainment
Sony Music Entertainment ' is the second-largest global recorded music company of the "big four" record companies and is controlled by Sony Corporation of America, the United States subsidiary of Japan's Sony Corporation....
, and in Europe initially by USG Records and later on by InsideOut
InsideOut Music
Inside Out Music is a German independent record label based in Kleve, in the North Rhine-Westphalia region, and dedicated to the publication of progressive rock, progressive metal and related styles music albums.-History:...
and with three bonus tracks.
Track listing
All songs by Devin TownsendDevin Townsend
Devin Garret Townsend is a Canadian musician and record producer. He was the founder, songwriter, vocalist, and guitarist in extreme metal band Strapping Young Lad from 1994 to 2007 and has had an extensive career as a solo artist....
except where noted. The InsideOut
InsideOut Music
Inside Out Music is a German independent record label based in Kleve, in the North Rhine-Westphalia region, and dedicated to the publication of progressive rock, progressive metal and related styles music albums.-History:...
release of Infinity had different titles for several tracks; these are listed in parentheses.
- "Truth" – 3:58
- "Christeen" – 3:41 (Townsend/GingerGinger (singer)Ginger is a rock guitarist, singer and songwriter, best known for his band The Wildhearts.-Early career:...
) - "Bad Devil" – 4:52
- "War" – 6:29
- "Soul Driven" ("Soul Driven Cadillac") – 5:14
- "Ants" – 2:01
- "Colonial Boy" ("Wild Colonial Boy") – 3:04
- "Dynamics" ("Life Is All Dynamics") – 5:08
- "Unity" – 6:07
- "Noisy Pink Bubbles" – 5:22
Bonus tracks
The InsideOutInsideOut Music
Inside Out Music is a German independent record label based in Kleve, in the North Rhine-Westphalia region, and dedicated to the publication of progressive rock, progressive metal and related styles music albums.-History:...
release of Infinity contained three bonus tracks.
- "Sister" (Live acoustic version) – 2:15
- "Hide Nowhere" (Live acoustic version) – 5:03
- "Man" (Demo from 1996) – 5:12
Original track listing
The original track listing intended for Infinity was different from its final release. Due to the record label's time restraints, Townsend could not finish some of the tracks. These were later included on the Christeen + Four Demos EP. The original tracklist was:- "Truth"
- "Processional (Star Child Rise / Welcome Home / Metamorph / Infinite Waltz)"
- "Christeen"
- "War"
- "Soul Driven"
- "Om"
- "Dynamics"
- "Unity"
Chart performance
| Chart | Weeks | Peak position |
|---|---|---|
| Oricon Oricon , established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc... (Japan) |
2 | 29 |
Music
- Devin TownsendDevin TownsendDevin Garret Townsend is a Canadian musician and record producer. He was the founder, songwriter, vocalist, and guitarist in extreme metal band Strapping Young Lad from 1994 to 2007 and has had an extensive career as a solo artist....
– vocalsHuman voiceThe human voice consists of sound made by a human being using the vocal folds for talking, singing, laughing, crying, screaming, etc. Its frequency ranges from about 60 to 7000 Hz. The human voice is specifically that part of human sound production in which the vocal folds are the primary...
, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, keyboardsElectronic keyboardAn electronic keyboard is an electronic or digital keyboard instrument.The major components of a typical modern electronic keyboard are:...
, programming - Gene HoglanGene HoglanEugene "Gene" Victor Hoglan II is an American drummer. He is acclaimed for his creativity in drum arrangements, including usage of odd devices for percussion effects and his trademark lengthy double-kick drum rhythms...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - Christian Olde WolbersChristian Olde WolbersChristian Olde Wolbers , is the guitarist of the metal band Arkaea. He is the former bassist and guitarist of the industrial metal band Fear Factory, and is now in Beowülf.-Biography:...
– upright bassDouble bassThe double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2... - Andy Codrington – tromboneTromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
- Erin Townsend, Lyn Townsend, Dave Townsend, Naomi, Tanya Evans, Lara Uthoff, Chris ValagaoChris ValagaoChris "The Heathen" Valagao is a heavy metal musician of Norwegian and Portuguese descent best known as the front man for Canadian speed/thrash metal band Zimmers Hole.- Nicknames :...
, Brad Jackson, Jennifer Lewis – additional vocals
Production
- Devin Townsend – production, recording, engineering, mixing, digital editing, digital assembly
- Mark Gordon – bass engineering
- Matteo Caratozzolo – assistance, digital editing
- Mark Gordon – assistance
- Byron Stroud – assistance
- Marty Schwartz – assistance
- Ross Gale – assistance
- Ramon Donati – assistance
- Scott Ternan – assistance
- Pete Wonsiak – mixing, additional recording
- Matteo Caratozzolo – additional recording
- Jennifer Lewis – digital editing
- Jamie Meyer – digital assembly
- Brett Anthony – digital assembly
- Greg Reely – mastering
- Tracy Turner – management