Opening a live record with seven minutes of tuning up and introductions is a ballsy move, but if anyone can have you grinning and hanging off their every word, it’s Devin Townsend. The first of a number of limited releases to tide fans over during lockdown, …Live In Leeds first surfaced on the Empath Ultimate Edition, now freshly repackaged. Essentially a ‘one man and his guitar’ set-up, the songs are, by and large, delivered in simplistic, warm tones that strip away the bombast you might usually associate with Hevv Devy. At more than an hour in length, it does test the patience, but the little intros and jokes ensure the record feels more ‘ha ha’ than kumbaya, even if the version of Strapping Young Lad’s Love? takes things on a Willy Wonka-style Wondrous Boat Ride feel.
Devin Townsend’s Devolution Series #1: Acoustically Inclined: prog metal’s mad scientist up close and personal
Devin Townsend is in intimate mode on new lockdown-busting live album Acoustically Inclined

(Image: © InsideOut Music)
You can trust Louder Our experienced team has worked for some of the biggest brands in music. From testing headphones to reviewing albums, our experts aim to create reviews you can trust. Find out more about how we review.
More about metal hammer

“I was living a couch, with no food and no money, just hoping the band would come through this”: The epic story of Meshuggah’s rise from thrash metal wannabes to tech metal giants

"I thanked Corey Taylor for existing!" From collabing with Babymetal to hanging out with Bollywood stars, Bloodywood are breaking down barriers