DEVIN TOWNSEND Talks New Album - "STRAPPING YOUNG LAD Was Fundamentally Unhealthy For Me In Some Ways, And DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT Isn't"
August 3, 2016, 8 years ago
Devin Townsend Project recently announced the release of their new studio album Transcendence for September 2nd worldwide. Townsend spoke with PlanetMosh in July at the Ramblin' Man Fair at Mote Park, Maidstone, UK about creating the new album. Check out the interview below.
Devin comments on the new album: “Transcendence, like every record I've done prior, is an extension of what’s been going on in my world, represented in a new batch of songs. I'm 44 years old now, and this is where I have been over the past two years since Z2.”
The tracklist is as follows. It features an updated version of the song "Truth", which originally appeared on Devin Townsend's Infinity album from 1998.
"Truth"
"Stormbending"
"Failure"
"Secret Sciences"
"Higher"
"Stars"
"Transcendence"
"Offer Your Light"
"From The Heart"
"Transdermal Celebration"
Transcendence is now available to pre-order via Omerch for release in Europe on September 9th.
Available in the following formats + t-shirt bundles:
- Limited Edition Picture Disc *Exclusive to Omerch*
- Limited Edition Gold 2LP Vinyl *Exclusive to Omerch*
- 2LP Black Vinyl
- Limited Edition Digipak 2CD w/ bonus disc
- Jewelcase CD
*Picture disc includes hand signed and numbered certificate
*Vinyl formats include the album on CD
North American, Nordic and Australian pre-orders to follow soon...
The follow-up to 2014’s Z2 double-album (half of which was made up of the DTP full-length Sky Blue), sees the award-winning Townsend exploring a relatively new way of working, collaborating with the entire DTP band during the writing stages of the record. “The result of this process is a record that I truly think the intention of is special” he says of the album. “I 'found' gas to put into the tank and am glad I did. I think the intention, the theme, and the participation of everyone involved allows this album to act like a fulcrum between the past few years and what I intend to do next with the symphony. I am very proud of it and everyone involved.”
The artwork was once again created by Anthony Clarkson, who Devin has been working with for several years now. Townsend comments of the cover (above): “He presented me the main image of the girl as a painted version, and I was intrigued and asked him to redo it with a girl he knew with photos. I liked the idea that it seemed like a mash up of religious and spiritual imagery, in a sense, representing the idea (to me) that these types of connections to the infinite are often more like identities we can cling to rather than what lies behind. In a sense, the character on the front almost seems like the ideologies she's representing are more 'brand names' than anything else.”
Devin Townsend Project has also announced a North American tour to coincide with the album’s release, which will see them co-headline with progressive metallers Between The Buried & Me with main support offered on all dates by Fallujah. Tickets will be on sale on Friday, May 20th at 10 AM, local time online or through local venue ticket outlets.
September
9 - Nashville, TN - Marathon Music Works
10 - Charleston, SC - Music Farm
11 - Orlando, FL - The Plaza
12 - Charlotte, NC - Amos' Southend
13 - Silver Spring, MD - The Fillmore Silver Springs
15 - Philadelphia, PA - Theatre Of Living Arts
16 - New York, NY - Playstation Theater
17 - Worcester, MA - The Palladium +Sabaton
21 - Columbus, OH - Newport Music Hall
22 - Detroit, MI - St. Andrews Hall
23 - Chicago, IL - House of Blues
24 - Grand Rapids, MI - The Intersection
25 - Louisville, KY - Mercury Ballroom
27 - New Orleans, LA - The Joy Theater
29 - Dallas, TX - Gas Monkey Live
October
5 - San Francisco, CA - The Regency Ballroom
6 - Los Angeles, CA - The Novo
7 - Tempe, AZ - The Marquee
8 - Las Vegas, NV - Brooklyn Bowl * no DTP
9 - Sacramento, CA - Ace of Spades
11 - Boise, ID - Knitting Factory * no DTP
12 - Spokane, WA - Knitting Factory
13 - Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom
14 - Seattle, WA - Studio Seven
Between the Buried and Me will be performing their most recent album, Coma Ecliptic, in its entirety on this tour. This will be the first time the album will be performed live in full.
Bassist Dan Briggs offers his thoughts and says: "The songs on Coma Ecliptic came together in 2014 (and some of them even earlier than that), so it feels amazing to finally present the album live in full, the way it was intended to be heard. It's our most theatrical album yet and we'll be looking to bring that element to the stage as best we can; not to mention how great it will be to share the stage with Devin + crew again."
Meanwhile, Devin Townsend Project have also announced a string of dates prior to the above mentioned tour, also with support from Fallujah.
September
2 - Hell Raiser Festival - Kelowna, BC
3 - The Gateway - Calgary, AB
4 - Starlite Room - Edmonton, AB
6 - Pyramid Cabaret - Winnipeg, MA
7 - Mill City Nights - Minneapolis, MN