Devin Townsend (STRAPPING YOUNG LAD) recently posted a six minute audio trailer for the DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT's forthcoming album, Addicted, on his official MySpace page. He has since revamped the page and added some studio footage (found below). In addition, he has issued the following comments on the forthcoming album:

"MUSIC!!!

Hail Stravinsky! Hail Behemoth, hail Enya, Tom Waits, Grotus, Kings X, The Clancy Brothers...and YOUR BAND. Passion is the key, I have NO CLUE what life is about.

Every day we wake up is a good day. The ups and downs is what brings the beauty to light. We all want to rock, don't we? I mean, I know the music I make doesn't appeal to everyone, but it's from the heart. Enjoy as part of a complete breakfast.

Addicted is record 2 in the 4 part DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT. It's made for people to enjoy. Simple as that. I've always had a soft spot for 'easy' music, and part 2 of the story is about the need for that.

The people I assembled for this one were for very specific reasons. Two of my oldest friends, Mark Cimino and Brian Waddell, my awesome drummer buddy Ryan VanPoederooyen, and one of my favorite singers ever to run the feminine side of our program, Anneke Van Giersbergen of AGUA DE ANNIQUE.

We are all around 40 years old, three of us have kids, and we're all on a similar page. Addicted isn't irony, it isn't a judgement, it's not a religious record, in fact, I don't even know what the songs really mean... but the words in the sequence they're in make me feel GOOD, and I can use a bit of that right now.

When I dance, I look like a mosquito on a hot piece of steel, but it feels GOOD to express things physically, to sing, to grieve, to be angry, to love, to pontificate, to forgive, to scream, to build, to deconstruct, to reconnect.

I don't know what else to say...this is the next record in a long line of records, I'm working on record 3 now. Be well, forgive yourself...see you on tour."

Respect,

Dev

Go to this location to check out the audio teaser.

Following is the official Addicted press release:

One of metal’s most intriguing and ominous figures is without a doubt the overly talented DEVIN TOWNSEND, who mysteriously disappeared off the grid after completing Ozzfest 2005 with STRAPPING YOUNG LAD.

The singer has since focused his efforts on a greatly ambitious new endeavor under the DTP (Devin Townsend Project) moniker. The new mind-blowing disasterpiece takes the man’s genius to unprecedented levels as he embarked on a massive 4-part album series, which kicked off with Ki and is followed up with the Addicted album that is set for a November 17th release throughout North America via Inside Out Music.

In a world of increasing conformity and musical banality, Devin Townsend is among the few real personalities who have character, charisma and surprising innovative creativity. Check out a new clip below that perfectly captures Townsend’s stunning musical prowess.

Townsend comments: “Hey folks, Dev here with the update for the second installment of the DTP (Devin Townsend Project). We are just readying the release of album 2, Addicted, so here are a few brief words: With Ki, I kind of strode out in uncharted territories for myself musically, and loved the experience, but during the course of writing this four record project, it was inevitable that I would end up writing a selection of tunes that were very much in line with my back catalogue. This group of songs is the second record in the series, and it is called Addicted.

“Musically, Addicted is along the lines of the big, wall of sound hard rock/heavy metal of Ocean Machine and Accelerated Evolution (even Physicist at points). It is a very direct and 'to the point' album with an emphasis on groove and the chorus. In the past, lots of my records end up taking a kind of Pink Floyd-ish route (between song meandering, etc.) Addicted is really simple: 11 rocking songs with no bullshit.

“I wanted to make a record that was heavy, without being dark or depressing. When I got into metal it was for the energy behind it, but somewhere along the way that energy started getting really negative. In music right now, there's a ton of heavy bands that are really depressing to listen to loudly. I wanted to make a record without any real deep metaphor on the surface. Something that sounds good, has a good beat and a positive feeling. It is still heavy as-all-get-out, but I think there's a differentiation to be made between being 'peaceful,’ and being peaceful but wanting to celebrate loud, crushing music.

“The vocal duties on this record are handled by myself and Anneke van Giersbergen (ex-THE GATHERING). I wanted to have male and female vocals kind of 'tell the story' so to speak. It's an honor to work with her and she has a lovely, lovely energy. The other musicians on this record are Ryan Van Poederooyen on drums, Brian Waddell on bass and Mark Cimino on guitars.

“I absolutely love this record and it affects me in a way that I wasn't prepared for. It's a fully rocking album of optimism. If you just want to 'play it loud' without any crazy metaphor, this album might be for you.

“I have been rehearsing with a new band and we will start touring in early 2010, representing all the back catalogue of solo material, from Ki, Addicted, Physicist, Ziltoid, Terria, Ocean Machine, DTB, Infinity, etc. I have some big plans for this and rehearsals are sounding amazing. The touring entity will be called 'Devin Townsend' and is essentially a way for me to get out there and interact again and showcase 15 years of music that never really got its fair shake.

“I will also start working on the fourth record Deconstruction in Los Angeles this October and have some great plans for that (and btw, THAT is a heavy record with a lot of metaphor). So, I hope you will enjoy Addicted. The reason that Addicted exists is maybe a little deeper than what the record sounds like up front. But up front, it kind of states: 'Life is tough, the world can be an ugly place... so let’s forget about the dramas and ROCK - here's some heavy guitars, big choruses and killer beats.”

Devin Townsend is back and has crafted the offerings of his much heralded career. Fans of hard rock, metal and overall interesting music take note because this material is going to touch your soul on multiple levels.