Canadian everyman Devin Townsend recently spoke with United Rock Nations Radio about his new album, Empath, due out on March 29th. During the album he discussed the bonus CD of songs that will be available, something that has not been heavily promoted leading up to the release of Empath.

Devin: "While I was writing Empath, I wrote so many songs, and because of the way I record, my demos are very close to sort of final album recordings. Where the 'Empath' is 100%, the demos are maybe 82%, and that's not to say 'Empath' is 100% because it will never be perfect, it's frustrating. So, when I started debating as I was working through the record as to whether or not Empath should be a double record, and I talked to the label and to the people who were involved, I came to the conclusion by myself that I just do not like double records."

When I hear that somebody has released a double record, my reaction to it is not positive. I think, 'Oh god, that sounds like work, it doesn't sound like an experience that I'm looking forward to.' I like the idea of saying everything you need to say on one record, however, if I have enough material for a double record, what do I do? So I decided to take all the music that I thought established what it was that I tried to do with Empath and put it on the main disc and then released the other stuff. So basically, Empath is technically a double record, I just don't want people to perceive it like that. The first record is the one you should listen to, but the second one is complete, you'll really like it, it's good."

Check out the interview here.

On this album Devin has decided to see what would happen if all the styles that make up his current interests were finally represented in one place. To finally shake the fear of expectation, and just do what it is he was meant to do creatively, Empath, true to the name, is about allowing the audience a feeling for a variety of musical emotions. The musical dynamics represented on this single album are broad, challenging, and immense. To approach this sort of work with a long history of what makes heavy music ‘heavy’, allows this to be done with a type of power rarely heard.

This is a statement about not only pursuing creative freedom in a conservative scene, but also trying to show that heavy music is truly a valid musical tool.

Empath will be released on Limited 2 CD Digipak (including an entire disc of bonus material), Standard CD Jewelcase, Gatefold 180G 2LP Vinyl + CD + LP-booklet & as digital album. Pre-order here.

Tracklisting:

"Castaway"
"Genesis"
"Spirits Will Collide"
"Evermore"
"Sprite"
"Hear Me"
"Why"
"Borderlands"
"Requiem"
"Singularity Part 1 - Adrift"
"Singularity Part 2 - I Am I"
"Singularity Part 3 - There Be Monsters"
"Singularity Part 4 - Curious Gods"
"Singularity Part 5 - Silicon Scientists"
"Singularity Part 6 - Here Comes The Sun"

"Genesis" video: