In an exclusive interview with BW&BK; scribe Carl Begai, vocalist ANNEKE VAN GIERSBERGEN discussed her work with DEVIN TOWNSEND on his new Epicloud album, due to release later this year. An excerpt is available below:

“I love Devin Townsend like my brother.” Anneke say without missing a beat. “He means so much to me musically and as a person. In his music he has the perfect symbiotic relationship between heavy and melody and true emotions and feelings. It’s just so pure and so heavy. When I was singing for the Epicloud album I told him I could hear West Side Story in the music. It’s so fairytale-like but so damn heavy. I love it.”
“I almost cried when I sang in his studio,” she says of Epicloud. which is due for release later this year. “There was one song that I did and he listened back to it quickly, and I was really quiet while he did that. It almost made me angry because it was so good but he didn’t say anything (laughs). He realized that and said ‘Oh, um, you know how I am with compliments…’ and I was like, ‘Devin, this has nothing to do with compliments. This song is out of this world!’ It’s just… fucking hell, Epicloud a classic and it’s not even out yet. It made me angry because godammit it was good, and Devin was just ‘Oh, well, um, cool…’ (laughs). I know Devin’s music but I haven’t heard anything like Epicloud in my life. I’m so proud to be involved.”

This isn’t just heat of the moment lip service. During the Epicloud recording sessions back in April, Anneke took time out and posted a brief update on the proceedings via Facebook saying Devin “made me do 20 hours of the loudest and most gorgeous vocals I’ve ever done.” Not a statement to be taken lightly from a critically acclaimed singer.

“Yeah, because I never say that,” she laughs. “I’ve never said that in my life. It’s funny you noticed that because I thought about it when I was writing that post, and it’s Devin making me sing the stuff. I’m doing what he wants me to do, so if he says ‘Stand on your head naked in a corner and sing’ I’ll do it because that’s what he means to me.”

Go to this location for the complete interview, which includes more on Epicloud, discussion on Anneke's latest solo album Everything Is Changing, and dropping the AGUA DE ANNIQUE moniker.

Anneke recently announced another series of live dates in the Netherlands for this November. The tour kicks off in Deventer at Burgerweeshuis and ends two weeks later in Groningen at Vera:

"We've been lucky enough to have played a lot of killer shows in the Netherlands recently and we look forward to returning to the Dutch clubs a lot! An opening act will be announced later. And… more international dates to be added soon as well!"

Confirmed shows for the Netherlands are as follows:

November

16 - Deventer - Burgerweeshuis
17 - Amersfoort - De Kelder
22 - Den Haag - Paard van Troje
23 - 'S Hertogenbosch - W2
24 - Roermond - ECI Cultuurfabriek
30 - Groningen - Vera

Go to this location for ticket information.

Anneke signed a deal with Holland's PIAS Records last year and released her new album, Everything Is Changing, on January 20th. The tracklist for Everything Is Changing is as follows:

'Feel Alive'

'You Want To Be Free'

'Everything Is Changing'

'Take Me Home'

'I Wake Up'

'Circles'

'My Boy'

'Stay'

'Hope, Pray, Dance, Play'

'Slow Me Down '

'Too Late'

The official video for the song 'Take Me Home' is available below.