Live Review: Devin Townsend Project, sleepmakeswaves

Following a sold out run across Australia, the Devin Townsend Project tour party hit Capitol on Friday night to share some transcendental prog-metal madness and HevyDevy love with fans on the west coast.

Sleepmakeswaves hit the stage first, delivering a transfixing and energetic set to a jam-packed crowd. Under the dazzling misty blue lights, sleepmakeswaves wove a spell over the city with their captivating blend of omnipresent instrumental rock, atmospheric sound and soaring guitars. They churned out crowd-pleasers such as To You They Are Birds, To Me They Are Voices In The Forest and the six minute epic, Tundra, from their latest album Made Of Breath Only. A superb and dynamic live band that seems to be evolving from strength to strength, sleepmakeswaves oozed ethereality and set the stage in good steed for what was to come.

The Devin Townsend Project riff machine took over the helm and the infectiously happy, prog-metal virtuoso and legendary visionary frontman Devin Townsend immediately took the reins in typical charismatic and grandiose form. With cult-like status among their legions of fans, Devin Townsend Project are known for their hectic, ball buster shows.

And what a show they delivered.

Devin Townsend Project pulled the audience immediately into a cloud nine experience, delivering a soul-stirring, supercharged performance that showcased an eclectic choice of new songs from their latest album, Transcendence. With powerhouse vocals, monstrous blends, lush guitars and ethereal keys, the crowd was treated to a truly mesmerising adventure of epic proportions.

Like any good concoction, Devin Townsend Project churned things up between the climactic solos and brooding imagery of songs like Stormbending, with heavy doses of fan favourites from their back catalogue, including Hyperdrive!, the immortal Deadhead, the manic, skull-crushing chaos that is Supercrush! and live set staples Ziltoid Goes Home, March Of The Poozers and Kingdom.

It was loud. It was intense. The entire night was a positively charged majestic wonderland of extroverted banter and titanic sound created from a perfect blend of foreboding, heavy metal chaos and crystalline tranquillity that finished on a high note with the 1990's era classic, Bastard and a stunning rendition of Higher that left the room reeling in euphoria and dopamine.

Technically brilliant, with a remarkable way of engaging the audience as a collective unit to make the show an inclusive and playful experience, Devin Townsend Project live is always a wild experience and this was no exception.

One hell of a show.