Originally Posted by Anteater

The overall atmosphere he's going for: New Age zen colliding with the hookiness of a good 90's alt rock, some Def Leppard touches here and there, the theatrics of progressive rock and bands like King's X plus the industrial underpinnings that he obviously loved about Fear Factory and Skinny Puppy (who are an influence on him). There are so many different sounds and ideas colliding all over Ocean Machine that it's hard to believe he was barely into his 20's when he put it together.

He wanted to create an album that could be heavy but at the same time wash over you. That's not gonna appeal to everyone, but that's part of the Townsend's charm and he puts an insane amount of work into what he does. The fact he recorded both this and City (another classic) in the same time period should be something that's appreciated instead of dismissed.

To me, this album is a useful measuring stick of sorts because it polarizes people and creates discussion due to its uncompromising nature. Going back earlier in this club, Batlord's Patsy Cline album brought about a good discussion for the very same reason.

Originally Posted by J.R.R. Tolkien

There is only one bright spot and that is the growing habit of disgruntled men of dynamiting factories and power-stations; I hope that, encouraged now as ‘patriotism’, may remain a habit! But it won’t do any good, if it is not universal.