Empath
Devin Townsend · 2019
123 min · 25 tracks · heavy metal
A kaleidoscopic journey through sound, blending serene melodies with explosive heaviness and complex arrangements.
Top tracks — play these first
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Castaway Start here — accessible entry with immediate hook
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Genesis — This track opens the album with a sweeping orchestral arrangement that sets the tone for the epic scale of the project. Its blend of heavy riffs and atmospheric elements encapsulates the album's thematic exploration of duality.
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Spirits Will Collide — Showcasing a dynamic shift between gentle verses and thunderous choruses, this track exemplifies Townsend’s mastery of contrasting musical styles. The lyrical themes of unity resonate throughout the song's intense sonic landscape.
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Singularity: I Am I — This segment features intricate layers of sound that evolve dramatically, representing the album's overarching concept of self-exploration. The powerful instrumentation mirrors the introspective nature of its lyrics.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album blends heavy metal with diverse influences, showcasing ambitious composition but uneven cohesion.
What we noticed
- Several tracks incorporate abrupt tempo changes and genre shifts, such as transitioning from metal to orchestral elements within the same song.
- The 'Singularity' suite consists of six interconnected tracks that explore different themes, contributing to an overarching narrative.
- Composition 25% of the score
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8/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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7/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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8/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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5/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- long, immersive listening sessions
- dynamic emotional journeys
- layered, dense sonic textures
- gradual builds and payoffs
- contemplative late-night reflections
Where this album fits
- In the catalog
- Experimental — Empath blends diverse influences, marking a departure from Devin's established sound.
- Career context
- Empath is Devin Townsend's first studio album since his 2016 release, Transcendence, marking a significant return after a brief hiatus. Positioned as a culmination of his diverse influences, this album showcases Townsend's artistic evolution and willingness to experiment with genre and form, further solidifying his reputation as a visionary in progressive metal.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Opeth· Between the Buried and Me· Symphony X
Tracklist
Disc 1
- 1 Castaway Start here 2:30
- 2 Genesis 6:05
- 3 Spirits Will Collide 4:39
- 4 Evermore 5:30
- 5 Sprite 6:37
- 6 Hear Me 6:30
- 7 Why? 4:59
- 8 Borderlands 11:02
- 9 Requiem 2:46
- 10 Singularity: Adrift 4:59
- 11 Singularity: I Am I 3:29
- 12 Singularity: There Be Monsters 4:37
- 13 Singularity: Curious Gods 3:08
- 14 Singularity: Silicon Scientists 2:55
- 15 Singularity: Here Comes the Sun 4:22
Disc 2
- 1 The Contrarian (demo) 5:43
- 2 King (demo) 5:29
- 3 The Waiting Kind (demo) 3:54
- 4 Empath (demo) 5:11
- 5 Methuselah (demo) 4:07
- 6 This Is Your Life (demo) 4:15
- 7 Gulag (demo) 5:38
- 8 Middle Aged Man (demo) 3:25
- 9 Total Collapse (demo) 5:41
- 10 Summer (demo) 6:15
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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