Devin Townsend reveals the path that led to 'Empath', his new solo studio release. In this frank and unyielding interview, the master musical polymath opens-up about how ongoing personal turmoil drove him to new creative heights on this new record (released in 29th March 2019 via EvyDevy Records /InsideOut Records).

It's a beautifully constructed, eclectic and aurally intriguing listen that will delight fans of the one-time strapping lad and project leader. "I've made a really weird record, it's going to be really divisive". Its massive production values and uncompromising musicality make it perhaps Devin's most complete album of his long and fruitful career. We expected nothing less and he delivered a whole lot more.

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INTERVIEW TIMELINE:

00:00 - Intro
00:35 - Album background. "The things that worked so well for me when I was 22, most of those things don't work for me well at all right now....The career that I have as a 46 year old man was decided by a 15 year old kid." His renewed sense of self-analysis allowed him to present music in many different styles on a single album.
04:24 - 'Empath' represents a complete set of emotions and not just one side. "I've made a really weird record, it's going to be really divisive and it cost me a ton of money"
05:09 - Empathy begins with yourself first. "How can I have compassion for people, if my internal mantra is that 'I'm an idiot"
06:02 - "It's been a long time since my slate's been clean, but maybe my goal should be to ensure that my slate is as clean as possible. I got a layer of goo off it on this one"
07:07 - Devin says previously he would add curve-balls for deliberate effect or curiosity value. On this album, it reflects the desire not to work for work's sake but for a real goal like taking his family on holiday.
08:30 - 'Borderlands', shifts gear to temper the tendency to get carried away and figuratively 'go to the beach'
09:00 - Opening track 'Castaway' starts with a tranquil beach soundscape, as if he's starting with the end in mind. "I used to think that I was a really complicated person...I have complicated ideas but that's only because I'm highly strung. I realise, the more I try to do things, the more I'm trying to simplify my brain. I've no desire to be this complicated"
10:39 - Three drummers on this album. "My desire to get it right. I don't think that musicians write music, they interpret things that are beyond us. I got the right drummer for the right bits and distributed the parts"
12:32 - 10 track album. 9 tracks followed by a 23 minute epic 'Singularity', because "brevity is clearly my strong suit !"
13:22 - 'Evermore' layered vocals like a dark version of the Mamas and Papas.
14:58 - 'Genesis' - More of an overture, demonstrating what's going to come later on the album. It's the first pre-released track from the album. Anthemic Foo Fighters type chorus. Almost a mission-statement for the record. Reverts to steel drums and seagulls at the end - back to the beach
16:25 - 'Sprite' like 'Disneyland for the disturbed'. The end of first Strapping Young Lad record has a recording of Devin at three years old. On Empath it's done by a 90 year old man. Strong anti-suicide message. "We're all fighting a battle and we have to have a bit of patience for the parts of each other that we don't understand"
17:40 - 'Hear me' again including guest vocals from Anneke Von Geisbergen. Sounds like "MeshuggAbbah". "There's part of me that's still a damaged, angry young kid. This gives him a voice"
18:15 - 'Why' has a show tune type of vibe. Very important, as he grew up with that type of music.
19:52 - 'Here comes the sun' provides a redemptive close. "The idea is about all of us sticking together with this depression thing. If you hang in there, then so will I"
21:03 - It's an exhausting, but fulfilling listen, much harder for Devin to make than for the listener to appreciate. It's a lot more worthy subject to sing about than 'tits and beer'
23:04 - Tour dates. First two shows in March in India (beaches and food); six UK dates (24-25 April at Bush Hall) and first European leg will have a simplified format. Stripping back to acoustic first to the core of the song will enable him to build towards a full live performance of 'Empath' in the future.
25:11 - He really wants to connect and show that you can represent everything on acoustic guitar, even the brutal and beautiful stuff. From November, he will try something different, with a set drawn from 25-27 albums with a group of brilliant session musicians and interpret the songs, hopefully differently from the records, so it's different every night. "I like the idea that every experience will have its own identity". London show on 12/12/19 at the Roundhouse, Camden.
26:16 - Close
26:41 - End

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