Widely acknowledged in metal circles as one of the most prodigious and prolific contemporary talents, Devin Townsend somehow manages to evade the mainstream radar, but the fact that the Canadian is poised to play to a sold-out Royal Albert Hall in London next spring suggests that a big breakthrough may yet be possible. Z2 is a nominal sequel to 2007’s preposterous sci-fi concept piece Ziltoid the Omniscient, but Townsend has sharpened his strategies of late and although the second half of this opulent double set takes us deeper into the mind-bending world of its rubbery-faced, coffee-obsessed and heroically flatulent titular hero, it is the first half that provides the greatest highs. Songs such as Rejoice, Fallout and Universal Flame adhere to their creator’s refined trademark blend of surging riffs, shimmering ambience and exquisite melodies, with unapologetic pop sensibilities adding subtle weight to the overall splurge of uplifting bombast. Like everything that Townsend does, it’s simultaneously beautiful and bewildering. The album’s, erm, /Ziltoidian/ half is heavier, dafter and imbued with a sense of cinematic mischief that bodes well for that impending Albert Hall extravaganza.
