DEVIN TOWNSEND Talks 'Epicloud' In New Audio Interview
September 6, 2012On August 24, Jason Saulnier of the MusicLegends.ca web site conducted an interview with Devin Townsend, Canadian multi-instrumentalist and ex-STRAPPING YOUNG LAD mastermind, about his upcoming DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT release "Epicloud". You can now listen to the chat in the YouTube clip below.
"Epicloud" will be issued on September 18 in North America and September 24 in Europe via InsideOut Music. The CD features a guest appearance by former THE GATHERING frontwoman and previous Devin collaborator Anneke Van Giersbergen.
Commented Devin: "This record is unique to me in that I became interested in simpler, commercial structures based on (I suppose) a reaction to [the previous the DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT albums] 'Deconstruction' and 'Ghost'. I admit, it's not too far removed, but far enough to take a few people off guard, I think.
"With 'Epicloud', I wanted something catchy as the flu, but with a sentiment that is romantic, positive and beautiful. Spiritual without religion and set to heavy music.
"Again, because some structures are 'common' (but new to me),this record is my take on what a big, epic, commercial sounding record that sings about nice stuff would sound like in Dev-land. Please don't take it as a 'sell-out' move, because it truly surprised me as well and is a 'transition' between the four DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT records and my upcoming musical, 'Z2'."
The idea for "Epicloud" came about while Devin was attempting to write material for the follow-up to his 2007 "Ziltoid The Omniscient" concept album about a fictional extraterrestrial being named Ziltoid from the planet Ziltoidia 9.
Regarding the musical direction of "Epicloud", Devin told Noisecreep, "Over the course of the full record, there's sort of new agey stuff, jazzy stuff, really heavy stuff. We basically cover the gamut. 'Epicloud' is the first record that I felt confident enough to include all those things on one record so it goes between melodic hard rock to schizophrenic heavy metal to country to really ambient stuff and it's all in one place. I'm using a gospel choir, a string section and a horn section for this one as well. On [the DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT album] 'Deconstruction', I got to use the Prague Philharmonic [orchestra] and really go far into making an absurd album as over the top as possible and on 'Epicloud' I'm trying to take the same advantages to make some things musically very pleasing, as opposed to just claustrophobic."
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