Ah, this album. Biomech was originally released under the band name "Ocean Machine", but this quickly changed to the mastermind behind the album: none other than Devin Townsend. So... Ocean Machine: Biomech. The album is generally regarded to be Devin's greatest, and I'm certainly not disagreeing - this happens to be my favourite album of all time. Although in terms of popularity and financial success, Ocean Machine was placed in the shadow of it's counterpart - Strapping Young Lad's City - the album has stood the test of time and remains one of the most well-respected albums in the prog metal genre. It was released in 1997 after several years of technical difficulties, but it was certainly worth the wait. So what makes this a masterpiece?
An echoing - almost robotic - voice begins the album with an excerpt from a poem. This leads into a mysterious, yet iconic guitar riff that starts the opening song 'Seventh Wave'. This riff makes it clear that this is the start of something massive. The drums kick in powerfully, as the song begins to take on a swelling, dynamic form centred around this riff. Eventually the drums change to a simpler, but more driving beat, to which Devin's vocals join to form a strong verse. The chorus arrives, and it is breathtaking while retaining that mysterious feeling; guaranteed to make any Devin fan sing along. The song continues in this vein for some time until we arrive at the bridge section. A choir of Devin's operatic vocals sing a soul-melting melody (which is capable of making tears form in the eyes - not to me though, I'm much too metal for that) and leads into the huge chorus again to end the song. 'Seventh Wave' can only be succinctly described as just that: huge. Yet, it is only a taste of what is to come.
The warm, fuzzy guitar riff of 'Life' (the 'single' of the album, released also as a very 90's music video) begins, and the album takes a happier turn. The song 'Life' seems to be about looking on the bright side, even when life 'bends you over'. It sounds quite poppy in a way, but the chorus is as fantastic as any prog rock chorus can be (maybe that's a bold claim, but I'm unashamedly in love with this album). A simple, carefree guitar solo provides an extra layer of depth to the joyful feeling of the song. And the song is once again closed with a huge rendition of the chorus. Two tracks into the album, and what stands out the most is the diversity of emotions that are being washed over the listener. It truly is very powerful.
'Night' is a similar song structurally, but the mood is once again different. The pace is very driving, led mainly by the drums. The driving verse is countered by a melodic chorus, again showing the ability of this album to have choruses that are just huge. The songs takes a possibly unexpected turn as the drums go to half time and the music becomes very forceful and somewhat heavy. We eventually return to the melodic chorus, and are led into the next song.
'Hide Nowhere' is very atmospheric. Devin uses layered vocals throughout the song to once again recreate that choir we heard first in 'Seventh Wave'. The bridge of the song uses this choir effect to sound quite chaotic. Devin's vocals are what really bring this song to the next level. The main riff returns towards the end of the song in a bombastic manner.
Following the loud ending to 'Hide Nowhere', we are now thrown into ambience. An acoustic guitar comes in to begin the interlude 'Sister'. Nothing much really happens here other than further exploring the more ambient side of the album, something which Devin also excels at.
Confusingly, we are at this point thrown into even quieter ambience for another interlude, '3AM'. This one is led by a quiet vocal solo from Devin.
Although the ambience is certainly pleasant and contributes to the atmosphere of the album, the style has certainly departed from the prog rock/metal we started with. Not to worry, as 'Voices In The Fan', kicks in with a heavy sound that also maintains that atmosphere. Devin continues to see how big he can make music sound, and this song combines the emotions of the previous songs to create a very dynamic mood. The song fades, and we are left with a... renaissance era choir? One of the best things about this album (in fact, about progressive music as a whole) is the ability to just throw you into something completely unexpected.
'Greetings' is a very short song, but it shows how much Devin can fit into a single 3-minute period. A small, yet again mysterious guitar riff develops into a huge wall of sound, with Devin's voice once again raining supreme, flying above the huge mass of the music. It transforms into something from the climax of a film score. It's massive; like a rocket ship taking off powered by sound waves instead of fuel.
'Greetings' flows quite well into 'Regulator' as a groovy drum beat kicks in. This is perhaps the most straightforward, but definitely the heaviest, song on the album. The main riff sounds explosive, and I find it quite challenging to listen to without headbanging. The rhythm is what really stands out the most in this song; there are so many interesting beats and patterns - not only in the drums, but just about every instrument.
So far, the album has been pretty fantastic. But not a masterpiece... yet. That all changes of course, with the song 'Funeral', which introduces my favourite 30 minutes of music ever written. The song is somewhat gloomy, and conveys the 'blue' sadness that anyone who has experienced the loss of someone close to them has felt. A subtle guitar pattern begins the song, but eventually we're thrown back into the atmosphere and the wall of music like never before. The guitars lead us through the emotions of the tune as the listener soars through the swelling, dynamic music. Devin's vocals are - as always - top-notch. 'Funeral' comfortably fluctuates between subtlety and catharsis (without heaviness, however). The further we glide through the music, the more this catharsis takes over until we're brought into a complete outpouring of emotion which you can hear in every single instrument, let alone Devin's voice (it's quite common that tears are shed at this point - not that I'd know of course) really giving it 100%. Once this is over, the music fades back into subtlety. Eventually the guitars kick back in and guide us into the next song.
'Bastard' is considered to be Devin Townsend's overall greatest individual song by a large portion of his fanbase. The guitars from 'Funeral' are present, but change to a pessimistic sort of mood. When the whole song really kicks in, it becomes clear that this song is entirely honest, and easily resonates with many listeners. 'Bastard' seems to be about futility, as one lyric reads: "To all the hopeful ones: nobody gives a fuck what you've got." This just about sums up the mood of the song, but it is not angry but rather depressed. Yet, underneath the apparent pessimism is a sense of determination. It is revealed that there is indeed more to this song as the music shifts from gloomy to very inspiring. At last, the true genius of the song is released around 7 minutes in. Devin lets out an unearthly scream as we move to the second section of the song, which is even huger-sounding than the first. 'Bastard' has everything that this album has to offer; the huge choruses, the driving verses, the raw emotion. It certainly is quite a journey to listen to. The song ends leaving the listener in a vast soundscape, accompanied by the lyrics "Gone now, in a field of green... gone where feelings go."
What could possibly follow such an immense 10-minute song? 'The Death Of Music' is another example of this album taking a surprising turn. We're thrown into a looping simple beat. Initially, it sounds very minimalistic, and the listener is probably waiting for the band to kick in. But it doesn't. Distant whispers are heard as the music decides to return to the ambience previously featured in the album. Devin's vocals begin, and gradually crescendo. They are joined by a powerful atmospheric synth effect, which forms the incredible 'chorus' of the song, if you'd call it that. Once again, the music soars high. But we're soon thrown back into the minimalism of the looping beat as the process repeats all over again, building up to an even bigger chorus in one of Devin's best vocal performances of his expansive catalogue. It, too, eventually fades back into the looping beat, which also fades after sometime.
The final song, 'Thing Beyond Things', is different again. It is similar to 'The Death Of Music' in a way - it is minimalistic in general, and rises up to a powerful chorus - but uses the typical rock band arrangement that we've heard for the rest of the album. It's a quiet, peaceful note to end the album on, leaving the listener thoroughly relaxed and calm as it slowly fades into silence with the final note plucked on the guitar... until an ear-piercing, full-pelt scream is unleashed by Devin. Now, I really love this album, but seriously... God. Dammit. Devin.
The album is nearing 20 years old, and so it is only fitting that Devin is booked to perform the masterpiece, in it's entirety, in the ruins of an ancient Roman theatre next year. Interestingly, 'Bastard' and 'The Death Of Music' only made their live debut in 2015. Acoustic versions of 'Funeral' have been played live on several occasions, which can be heard on Unplugged and Iceland.
The artwork, created by Daniel Collins, really fits the overall vibe of the album: blue. It depicts a mechanical head, branded with the Ocean Machine logo, rising from the ocean. This fits in with the meaning of the name; Devin uses the phrase 'Ocean Machine' to describe the human body, as it is a complex machine mostly made of water. Regardless of any symbolism, the covert artwork does succeed in looking cool and being an accurate representation of the music.
Ocean Machine: Biomech is held in high regard, which is most certainly justified. The album uses a variety of elements ranging from ambience to metal to create a true work of art. Sure, it may lack the inhuman drumming of Strapping Young Lad or crazy guitar solos of Dream Theater, but this album is one of the best out there in its ability to convey emotions to the listener. And is that not what the goal of all music should be?
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