Devin Townsend says his upcoming new album Transcendence was his attempt to get over himself as a “controlling prog dude.”
The dictionary definition of the word transcendence is “the act of rising above something to a superior state,” but Townsend insists the seventh Devin Townsend Project album is less about reaching a higher state personally and more about taking onboard the input of his bandmates.
He tells Metal Hammer: “The idea of Transcendence is about getting over myself. Not that I am, but it was about getting over that need to be that controlling prog dude.
“I wrote 50 or 60 songs and kept sending them to everybody, the band, management and label. I asked them to tell me which ones they liked and so we’d start working on that. I narrowed it down to 10 or 11 songs, I took them to the band, and what I did, as opposed to directing every last detail, was start from the beginning, go through each riff and then discuss it.
“A dialogue opened up where everyone was contributing and talking about it, and in a way it moulded it into something where lyrically I could take that process and it became the theme of the album, ultimately.”
The follow-up to 2014’s Z2 is released on September 9 via Omerch and is available for pre-order in various formats. The album artwork and tracklist can be viewed below.
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Townsend adds that he is grateful that his fans are accepting of his constant need to change direction and to have so many projects on the go at one time. As well as his work with DTP, he has a solo career, works with Casualties Of Cool and has his charismatic alien character, Ziltoid.
He says: “Luckily I’ve been doing this for so long, with an audience that is really tolerant of me taking those left turns, that I’m able to keep doing that. Shit, how many people are able to do this? Not many.
“So what comes with that is also the acknowledgement that there’s a style of music I’ve made with the DTP vibe, and if I can continue to do it with honesty then I should do it. For the practical reasons, I have big shows to do and certain amount of expectation from the audience and the band, and it would be stupid not to continue.”
Transcendence includes a reworked version of the track Truth, which originally appeared on his 1988 album Infinity.
DTP have a widespread European tour lined up for early 2017.
Devin Townsend Project Transcendence tracklist
- Truth
- Stormbending
- Failure
- Secret Sciences
- Higher
- Stars
- Transcendence
- Offer Your Light
- From The Heart
- Transdermal Celebration
Devin Townsend Project 2017 European tour
Jan 28: Antwerp Trix, Belgium
Jan 30: Esch-Sur-Alzette Rockhal, Luxembourg
Jan 31: Paris Le Bataclan, France
Feb 01: Bordeaux Rockschool Barbey, France
Feb 03: Madrid La Riviera, Spain
Feb 04: Barcelona Razzmatazz 2, Spain
Feb 05: Marseille Le Moulin, France
Feb 07: Milan Live Club, Italy
Feb 08: Pratteln Z7, Switzerland
Feb 09: Stuttgart LKA Longhorn, Germany
Feb 10: Munich Backstage, Germany
Feb 12: Zagreb Tvornica Club, Croatia
Feb 13: Budapest A38, Hungary
Feb 14: Vienna Arena, Austria
Feb 16: Prague The Roxy, Czech Republic
Feb 17: Leipzig Taubchenthal, Germany
Feb 18: Krakow Kwadrat, Poland
Feb 19: Warsaw Stodola, Poland
Feb 21: Hamburg Grunspan, Germany
Feb 22: Arhus Voxhall, Denmark
Feb 23: Gothenburg Pustervik, Sweden
Feb 25: Bergen Blastfest, Norway
Feb 26: Oslo Sentrum Scene, Norway
Feb 28: Helsinki The Circus, Finland
Mar 01: Seinajoki Rytmikorjaamo, Finland
Mar 03: Stockholm Berns, Sweden
Mar 04: Malmo KB, Sweden
Mar 05: Copenhagen Amager Bio, Denmark
Mar 07: Berlin Columbia Theater, Germany
Mar 08: Dortmund FZW, Germany
Mar 09: Tilburg 013, Netherlands
Mar 10: Amsterdam Melkweg, Netherlands
Mar 12: Bristol Colston Hall
Mar 13: Manchester Academy
Mar 14: Glasgow Barrowlands
Mar 16: Birmingham O2 Institute
Mar 17: London Hammersmith Eventim Apollo
Mar 18: Nottingham Rock City
