This is the second album of the four piece series that Devin Townsend has planned to be sequentially released. The first part of this series was Ki and saw the light of the day in May of 2009 setting the beginning of Townsend new era in life. Devin with Ki returned to music creation having left behind drinking, smoking and drug consumption. If you visit his official page then you will see his new looks without the Metal long hair. But it is not his looks that matter here, so let's start talking about the music itself.
I know that everytime Townsend is releasing an album you are wishing for a STRAPPING YOUNG LAD but also everytime this never happens. This is kind of logical because if he would continue the SYL story why split up in the begginning? So, if you are still in the wishing path then you might as well stop reading this review since this is not a SYL album and that's period. Devin decided to make a series of albums having a different lineup each time to serve his artistic needs that judging my Addicted! are many. First of all, the music direction of this album is not clear; Devin started a music journey with the homonymous opening song that will reach an end with the last album of this series. This track sound out-of-this-planet with a space feeling and strange sounding vocals that are Townsend's trademark. Anneke joins this right lending her amazing voice to Devin's artistic appetite giving audio form to his vision. If you search deep in this track you will discover some glowing SYL elements especially in the 'crazy' structure and strange sounding keyboards. The same atmosphere continues with Universe In A Ball! that gains some additional heaviness due to the down tuned guitar riff. This track is complicated in Devin's way having some elements from Tagtgren's industrial profile from the PAIN camp.
The album follows a sinuous path touching many musical genres that sometimes are not totally connected with Metal. Supercrush! gives more space to Anneke who shines with her warm and smooth like velvet voice. During this track I got a THE GATHERING feeling from the How To Measure A Planet days that brought tears to my eyes (well, not literally). Hyperdrive is killer track with an addictive groove that was originally released in Ziltoid The Omniscient album. This version has Anneke behind the vocals and was part of her setlist list during her tour supporting the Pure Air album. This track sounds way better with her on the vocals and gains more groove and atmosphere wrapped around the main guitar riff that dominates the music. But it is not just Anneke who shines behind the mic; Devin has a really good voice that shows some of it potentials in the almost ballad Ih-Ah! that I have to admit has little to do with Heavy Metal. On the other hand there is a nice atmosphere enhanced by the lower tuning of the guitar that simply cannot go unnoticed.
I will say one more time; this album is not a pure Metal one so if you are not in the mood for something different or you are not familiar to Townsend's musical looking perspective then you lost some minutes from your time reading this lines. The rest of you know with me that this musician has a lot of inspiration that struggles to get into a CD. Fasten your seat belts and hit the ignition button and lets get addicted...
PS: what the story with the exclamation marks on the song titles?