DEVIN TOWNSEND To Perform Entire 'Ziltoid' Album At Finland's TUSKA Festival

Canadian musician/producer Devin Townsend (STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, STEVE VAI, LAMB OF GOD, DARKEST HOUR, GWAR) has just completed an extremely successful North American tour with genre visionaries BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME, CYNIC and SCALE THE SUMMIT. This was Townsend's first trek in a number of years and the first in support of his new, mind-blowing offering, "Addicted", which was met with worldwide critical praise and scored very impressive first-week numbers, debuting at #168 on The Billboard 200 chart and #2 on the Heatseakers chart.

Townsend checks in with the following update in regards to the success of the tour and his plans for the remainder of the year:

"Tour one in the can!

"Man, what a heck of an experience.

"I had gone back into touring with a certain amount of trepidation. 'Will I flake? Can I do this without the 'persona?' Is this life going to wipe me out?' But as is with most things, you never know until you're 'in it.'

"After a week of tumultuous shows (click tracks through front of house, monitor problems, broken guitars, etc.) I began to realize that really NOTHING has changed since Ozzfest for me. I'm still the same cheeseball performer, but now my voice is clear and I have the realization that I am honored to do this, and I really missed it.

"I love playing for people, and to finally represent all the emotions that go into my work, as opposed to just one or two, is a dream come true and one that I don't take lightly.

"The audiences were great, supportive and forgiving of the initial technical glitches.

"The opportunity to connect with folks who have supported me for so long is an incredibly rewarding experience.

"The tour itself was magnificent with many shows that were sold out or close to it, and for my 'reintroduction' to the touring life, I could not have asked for better people to share the experience with.

"I recorded a ton of the shows and I am mixing the best one right now for release later this month. It will be our New York show, as well as my upcoming acoustic show in Redmond, Washington (February 27, and it's a free show, folks!). These two events will be on a new disk out next month for cheap as a testament to what I'm doing now and the seriousness of where it wants to go (the moon!!!).

"Now, we head to Australia for our first headline run. 'Ocean Machine', 'Infinity', 'Physicist', 'Ki', 'Addicted', 'AE', 'Synchestra', 'Ziltoid'. BRING IT! Then, we go to Europe for a mess of high-profile festivals, interspersed with headline shows and a special, one-off world exclusive of the 'Ziltoid' album in its entirety at the Tuska festival in Finland. BRING IT!

"I am also in talks with some sick musicians not only for the next album, 'Deconstruction', but also some very interesting side projects. It's very flattering. I hope it works out, but even if not, it will be great for the 'hang factor.'

"Next, we are in talks for a serious headlining tour through America in October. It's the same idea as Australia, a lengthy set pulling out all the stops.

"America is wonderful, and the amount of support extended to me on this last run is again, incredibly flattering.

"I viewed the BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME tour as almost an 'advertisement' for the future tours, and I've been very fortunate to have been picked up by The Agency Group throughout North America, and I can't wait to give you folks a REAL show!

"'Deconstruction' and 'Ghost' are basically finished, and the musicians are for the most part lined up, but I'm one thing at a time and I'm currently focusing on making the live shows as good as they can be, but when the October tour is done, I'm putting three months aside for these albums...and hopefully they will be released simultaneously next May.

"'Deconstruction' is truly a 'tour-de-force' and 'Ghost' is the perfect complement, but until I get time they are archived in notes and awaiting the moment.

"I will be doing various acoustic shows/[question-and-answer] sessions over the next year as well and I'm also working on a big hometown Vancouver show.

"I love where I live, and I want it to be special.

"Peavey released my signature seven-string V [guitar] at NAMM, and that company is awesome for me. I can't thank them enough. Their guitars are among the best ones I've used in my career, and they have some serious surprises in store for us all. Check out my PXD 'Vicious V' on tour. I love it.

"Anyways, that's where I'm at.

"The New York show goes to mastering tonight and I can't wait for you to hear it.

"After three years off, I realize how totally fortunate I am to have the opportunity to play for you, and I don't take that lightly.

"See you soon!

"Be well, folks. Strive to be happy...and always remember: 'Worse shit has happened to better people!"