In 2024 Devin Townsend set himself a goal: write a heavy album and don’t overthink it. With a self-imposed deadline of two weeks to knock out the songs, the progressive powerhouse purposely allowed himself very little time to sweat the details. The result is PowerNerd – a collection of Devin’s trademark sounds dedicated to the empaths and introverts of the world. But is it heavy? Not entirely.
Instead of hunkering down in HevyDevy territory, Devin plucks from the various chapters in his long and varied career. PowerNerd takes two paths: soft and ethereal quasi-gospel (a standout feature of his recent output) and rip-roaring vintage rock, exemplified on the rifftastic title track and Twisted Sister-indebted Knuckledragger. Elsewhere, he marries heavy riffs with spiritual leanings, as on Jainism – a hulking, nostalgic trip down Terria-era Townsend with a chorus that wouldn’t be out of place on fan favourite Epicloud. Similarly, Falling Apart sets soul-searching lyrics to life-affirming crescendos like a delicious momentary slab of Ocean Machine.
While PowerNerd begins with high- speed ferocity, Devin’s objectives shift by the time of Gratitude – a floaty, semi- acoustic number dowsed in emotion as Devin sings, ‘Mother I’m hauling heavy loads / And mother I long to be alone.’ On the HevyDevy scale of heaviness, this is right down there with Lightwork. Likewise Younger Lover, a strumming, contemplative track that builds to a thick wall of sound is achingly emotive, while Glacier does the reverse, shifting from a tidal wave of epic heaviness to unplugged serenity.
PowerNerd might not live up to its creator’s intention of making a “simple, fun, party record”, but was the perennially self-aware artist ever likely to step outside his head? It turns out that Devin was suffering from grief when he made the record; with the promise of two more albums on the horizon, already written, maybe this was the catharsis he needed to propel his next chapter.
PowerNerd is out this Friday, October 25, via InsideOut
