Ocean Machine: Biomech

Ocean Machine: Biomech is the second studio album by Canadian musician Devin Townsend, originally released as Biomech under the name Ocean Machine. The album was released in July 1997 via Townsend's label, HevyDevy Records. Ocean Machine: Biomech featured a mix of hard rock, ambient, and progressive metal. The album was the follow-up to the critically acclaimed City by Townsend's extreme metal band Strapping Young Lad. Townsend viewed Strapping Young Lad as a "little project" that he considered a "parody" and not the intended focus of his music, but lamented that Ocean Machine, which he described as "the music that was really close to me," was largely dismissed upon its release. The album opens with a reciting of a poem from 19th century English poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson. Track 7, "Voices in the Fan," ends with an excerpt of the madrigal "Giovane donna il suo bel volto in specchio" from the 16th-century cycle Lagrime di San Pietro by Orlande de Lassus. The snare drum used on the recording was sampled from Metallica's self titled album.