Devin Townsend Discusses New Devin Townsend Band Album

Band Photo: Strapping Young Lad (?)

Exalted guitarist and musical visionary Devin Townsend — respected on even terms as Strapping Young Lad's outlandish frontman and as Hevy Devy, the revered solo artist and creative force behind the Devin Townsend Band — is, as he explained, "in a pretty cool place," and he's "really savoring it." Come this time next week, he'll have finished the Devin Townsend Band's forthcoming disc, Synchestra — 13 tracks of which he's calling "sunshine metal."

"Strangely enough, this is the first record I've done that was made to [be] enjoyed," Townsend said. "I'm expecting people to hate [this music], because it's really sensitive and heavy and epic, and everything's really pleasing about it. I don't know how many people want to listen to pleasing music. A lot of people are still into being assaulted every time they turn on their stereo. Those people will think it's a wussy, pain-in-the-ass record. People who're sick of dudes yelling at them will love it."

Synchestra, which will include the songs "Let It Roll," "Hyper-Geek," "Notes From Africa," "Judgment," "A Simple Lullaby" and "Sunshine and Happiness," is even completely devoid of curse words. It should surface in either February or March, he said, and will be distributed throughout the U.S. by Inside Out; he'll also be selling it through his own label's Web site at HevyDevy.com.

Six of the album's 13 cuts, Townsend promised, will clock in at or just under 10 minutes. One even features a guest appearance by imperious guitarist Steve Vai; Townsend wielded the mighty ax and handled backing vocals on Vai's 1993 album, Sex & Religion, and later toured with the virtuoso. So Synchestra's the first time the two have worked together in 12 years.

"I love writing music and songs, but I'm getting more and more tired of playing guitar and singing," he said. "There's this big long part I'd written for this solo, and sometimes, I'm in the headspace for guitar and other times, I'm just not. Right now I'm not. I just couldn't give a f---. So I gave [Vai] a call."

But don't be fooled by Townsend's shiny, happy mien; Synchestra's still going to sound like a true metal record.

"It's super f---ing heavy — like bludgeoningly heavy," he said. "But they're all bludgeoningly heavy lullabies. This is a record you can put on that'll make you feel good. It's like a celebration — something you put on in the morning, or when you want to sing along and laugh and smile, but still have it so heavy that when you crank it up, it will level any of your death-metal competition."

Source: MTV.com