Below is the definitive drum interview with Devin Townsend featuring contributions from Gene Hoglan, Morgan Agren, Ryan van Poederooyen, Dirk Verbeuren and Samus Paulicelli and some songbits from his new album, Empath. Dev goes into detail on the drum recording process for the new album, working with Morgan Agren, Samus Paulicelli and Anup Sastry. He remembers his collaborations with Gene Hoglan in Strapping Young Lad and his solo records, as well as with Ryan van Poederooyen in DTB and DTP. 

Townsend has released a video for "Spirits Will Collide", a track from his new album, Empath, out now via InsideOut Records. Watch below.

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 is 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. 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"

"Spirits Will Collide" video:

“Evermore” video:

"Genesis" video: