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Accelerated Evolution

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Accelerated Evolution
The top of image has "The Devin Townsend Band Accelerated Evolution" in grey text. The middle of the image has a series of grey circles in front of a white and grey grid.
Studio album by
The Devin Townsend Band
ReleasedMarch 31, 2003
GenreAlternative rock
Length54:30
LabelHevyDevy
ProducerDevin Townsend
The Devin Townsend Band chronology
Accelerated Evolution
(2003)		 Synchestra
(2006)
Devin Townsend chronology
Strapping Young Lad
(2003)		 Accelerated Evolution
(2003)		 Devlab
(2004)

Accelerated Evolution is the sixth studio album by Canadian musician Devin Townsend and the first recorded with his backing group, the Devin Townsend Band. It was released on March 31, 2003, by Townsend's independent label, HevyDevy Records. Written and produced by Townsend, the album is an alternative rock album. Townsend, the lead vocalist and guitarist, assembled a group of musicians to perform with him on the album: guitarist Brian Waddell, drummer Ryan Van Poederooyen, bassist Mike Young, and keyboardist Dave Young. This lineup was named the Devin Townsend Band, created as a counterpart to Townsend's extreme metal project Strapping Young Lad.

Accelerated Evolution was written and recorded at the same time as Strapping Young Lad's self-titled album, with Townsend dividing his time between the two. After its release, Townsend toured North America to promote the album, sometimes playing in a joint billing with Strapping Young Lad. The album was well received by critics for its blend of genres, accessibility, and large-scale rock production style. The album appeared in the French and Japanese sales charts for one week.

Background

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During the creation of his early solo albums Infinity (1998) and Physicist (2000), Devin Townsend's writing ability was affected by personal struggles. These were resolved during the creation of Townsend's fifth studio album Terria (2001) which caused Townsend to feel a newfound enthusiasm for his music.[1]

Townsend formed a new, permanent band called the Devin Townsend Band to record and tour his solo releases. Townsend chose members of local bands who had different life and career experiences from his own to provide fresh perspectives on his music. The band consisted of Brian Waddell on guitar, Ryan Van Poederooyen on drums, and brothers Mike Young and Dave Young on bass and keyboards, respectively; Townsend performed guitar and vocals, while also producing the album.[1][2]

He wrote and produced Accelerated Evolution while also working on Strapping Young Lad's self-titled album (2003), spending half the week on one and half on the other.[1][2] The album was named Accelerated Evolution in reference to the frantic pace of putting a new band together in under a year.[1]

Music

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Accelerated Evolution was intended to be a musical contrast to Strapping Young Lad (abbreviated to SYL).[3] The music genre is alternative rock, although it incorporates other styles of rock typically seen in rock albums of the 1970s and 1980s.[4][5] It is more melodic and rock-based than SYL or Physicist,[6] featuring more of Townsend's singing than his other albums released at that time.[3] It also places greater emphasis on individual songs than Terria.[6]

Townsend playing on a guitar
Townsend in 2001

Songs such as "Storm", "Suicide", and "Sunday Afternoon" were described as "less frantic and more mature" than songs on Infinity.[6] "Deadhead" derived its name from an extreme industrial metal track with the same title from Godflesh's 1989 album Streetcleaner.[7] Townsend aimed for the album to be commercially viable, making his existing style more concise and accessible while avoiding pop characteristics.[1] He produced and mixed the album in a wall of sound style that blended layers of guitars, keyboards, and vocals.[3]

Release

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Accelerated Evolution was released on March 31, 2003, on Townsend's independent label, HevyDevy Records, on compact disc.[8][9][5] It was distributed by HevyDevy and Inside Out in various regions,[10] with Sony distributing the album in Japan.[11] The album art was created by Travis Smith.[12] InsideOut also released a special edition of the album which contained a three-track EP called Project EKO, Townsend's first foray into electronica.[9] Accelerated Evolution reached numbers 135 and 249 in France and Japan respectively, remaining on their charts for one week.[13][11]

Following the release of Accelerated Evolution, Townsend toured with the Devin Townsend Band, sometimes separately from Strapping Young Lad and at other times performing together.[14][15] After two release shows in Vancouver in July 2003,[16] the Devin Townsend Band toured Canada with Strapping Young Lad and Zimmers Hole in October 2003. This was followed by a North American tour with progressive metal band Symphony X in November and December 2003.[15][17]

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStarStar[5]
Blabbermouth.net8/10[18]
Chronicles of Chaos8.5/10[6]
KNAC.comStarStarStarStarStar[3]

Accelerated Evolution was well received by critics.[19] They stated that the album blended different genres of music, making it accessible to a wider audience.[5][20] Chris Hawkins, in his album review for KNAC.com, wrote that "what Devin manages to do is take the most infectious rhythm, place his stamp upon it, and thus create something completely original."[3] The review on Blabbermouth.net stated that the album occasionally had a "lapse in focus" and highlighted the last track on the album as "throwaway fluff" that did not showcase Townsend's talents, but overall the album was a positive experience.[18]

Writing for Treble Magazine, Thomas Hatton said that the album's Wall of Sound style would take time to be appreciated by new listeners,[21] while Eric Chon in Lollipop Magazine stated that listeners would need to replay the tracks to distinguish the overlapping melodies.[10] Xander Hoose in Chronicles of Chaos, when comparing this album to SYL, said that Accelerated Evolution's songs had more variation and were more layered, multi-dimensional, and memorable.[6]

Track listing

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All tracks are written by Devin Townsend.[12]

No.TitleLength
1."Depth Charge"6:04
2."Storm"4:39
3."Random Analysis"5:59
4."Deadhead"8:05
5."Suicide"6:45
6."Traveller"4:13
7."Away"7:49
8."Sunday Afternoon"6:20
9."Slow Me Down"4:35
Total length:54:30

Inside Out Music's special edition of Accelerated Evolution included Project EKO.[22]

Project EKO
No.TitleLength
1."Locate"6:59
2."Echo"5:29
3."Assignable"5:20
Total length:17:08

Personnel

[edit]

Credits are adapted from Accelerated Evolution album liner notes.[12]

Production

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Artwork

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  • Omer Cordell – photography (credited as Omer Shaked)
  • Travis Smith – graphics, layout

Charts

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Weekly chart performance
Chart (2003) Peak
position
French Albums (SNEP)[13] 135
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[11] 249

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Popoff, Martin (July 2, 2003). "Strapping Young Lad SYL (Century Media) An interview with Devin Townsend". Lollipop Magazine. Archived from the original on February 16, 2026. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
  2. 1 2 Lord of the Wasteland; Lehtinen, Arto (June 16, 2005). "Interview with Gene Hoglan". Metal Rules. Archived from the original on August 21, 2008. Retrieved July 8, 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Hawkins, Chris (May 6, 2003). "Devin Townsend Accelerated Evolution". KNAC.com. Archived from the original on July 13, 2011. Retrieved July 8, 2026.
  4. ↑ Lawson, Dom (April 16, 2025). "'Even the most bizarre and ingenious of his ideas seem to hit the target': The Devin Townsend albums you should listen to... and one to avoid". Louder. Archived from the original on February 2, 2026. Retrieved December 26, 2025.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Henderson, Alex. "Accelerated Evolution review by Alex Henderson". AllMusic. Archived from the original on June 9, 2026. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Hoose, Xander (May 21, 2003). "Devin Townsend Band - Accelerated Evolution". Chronicles of Chaos. Archived from the original on January 20, 2026. Retrieved July 8, 2026.
  7. ↑ Yardley, Miranda (October 19, 2011). "Devin Townsend: "I found out about playing Damnation Festival on Twitter"". Terrorizer. Archived from the original on August 1, 2018. Retrieved August 1, 2018.
  8. ↑ Edele, Michael. "Greift nach der Seele des Hörers und drückt kräftig zu". laut.de (in German). Archived from the original on June 4, 2026. Retrieved May 31, 2026.
  9. 1 2 Justin (October 2, 2003). "Devin Townsend interview". Metal Storm. Archived from the original on June 9, 2026. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
  10. 1 2 Chon, Eric (October 22, 2003). "The Devin Townsend Band Accelerated Evolution (HevyDevy/Inside Out)". Lollipop Magazine. Archived from the original on May 20, 2026. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
  11. 1 2 3 "アクセルレイティッド・エヴォルーション/デヴィン・タウンゼンド" (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on October 15, 2012. Retrieved June 1, 2009.
  12. 1 2 3 The Devin Townsend Band (2003). Accelerated Evolution (Liner Notes). HevyDevy.
  13. 1 2 "The Devin Townsend Band – Accelerated Evolution" (in French). Les Charts. Archived from the original on October 12, 2025. Retrieved May 27, 2009.
  14. ↑ Turner, Tracy. "Devin Townsend biography". HevyDevy Records. Archived from the original on January 18, 2008. Retrieved July 8, 2026.
  15. 1 2 "RVP Drums". Rvpdrums.com. Archived from the original on November 21, 2008. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
  16. ↑ "The Devin Townsend Band: Live Videos Posted Online". Roadrunner Records. January 18, 2004. Archived from the original on January 19, 2004. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
  17. ↑ "Symphony X to tour with The Devin Townsend Band". Roadrunner Records. August 14, 2003. Archived from the original on January 8, 2004. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
  18. 1 2 "Reviews - Accelerated Evolution". Blabbermouth.net. Archived from the original on September 12, 2022. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  19. ↑ Sharpe-Young, Garry (2005). New Wave of American Heavy Metal. Zonda Books Limited. ISBN 978-0-9582684-0-0.
  20. ↑ Ayers, Chris (March 31, 2003). "The Devin Townsend Band Accelerated Evolution". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on September 27, 2021. Retrieved March 20, 2026.
  21. ↑ Hatton, Thomas (June 15, 2015). "Beginner's guide: Devin Townsend". Treble. Archived from the original on August 21, 2025. Retrieved June 3, 2026.
  22. ↑ The Devin Townsend Band (2003). Accelerated Evolution Special Edition (Liner Notes). Inside Out Music.
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