After performing in a number of metal bands in high school, Townsend was discovered by a record label in 1993 and was asked to perform lead vocals on Steve Vai's album Sex & Religion. After recording and touring with Vai, Townsend was discouraged by what he found in the music industry, and vented his anger on a solo album released under the pseudonym Strapping Young Lad. He soon assembled a band under the name, and released the critically acclaimed City in 1997. Since then, he has released three more studio albums with Strapping Young Lad, along with solo material released under his own independent record label, HevyDevy Records. Townsend's solo albums, a diverse mix of hard rock and progressive metal, have featured a varying lineup of supporting musicians. In 2002 he formed The Devin Townsend Band, a dedicated lineup which recorded and toured for two of his solo releases.
In 2007, Townsend disbanded both Strapping Young Lad and The Devin Townsend Band, taking a break from touring to spend more time with his family. After a two-year hiatus, he began work on a four-album series called The Devin Townsend Project, with each album written in a different style. The first two entries in the series, Ki and Addicted, were released in 2009. Townsend scheduled tours throughout Australia and North America in 2010 in support of the albums, and released the next two, Deconstruction and Ghost, in 2011.
Townsend's trademark production style, featuring a heavily multitracked wall of sound, has been compared to the styles of Phil Spector and Frank Zappa. His versatile vocal delivery ranges from screaming to an opera-esque singing, and his songwriting is similarly diverse. Townsend's musical style is rooted in metal, and his albums are written to express different aspects of his personality.
Hyperdrive
Devin Townsend Lyrics
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The lyrics of Devin Townsend's "Hyperdrive" paint a picture of a cold night where someone is feeling lonely beside a river that flows slowly. The repetition of "so cold in the night where the river flows" creates an atmosphere of desolation and isolation. The singer apologizes and tries to move on by saying, "every day is a new day" and "trying to find a new way." The singer seems to be struggling with something, perhaps a failed romance, and is trying to sail away, but can't seem to escape his loneliness or find a way forward.
Line by Line Meaning
So cold in the night where the river flows where the river flows.
It is freezing outside on this dark night near the flowing river.
Sail away hey I'm sorry; every day is a new day.
Departing on this journey, I am filled with regret but hopeful for a fresh start every day.
Hooray for love hey I'm lonely Trying to find a new way.
Although I am feeling lonely, I am trying to embrace the beauty of love and searching for a new direction in life.
So cold in the night where the rivers slow say the river's slow So cold in the night where the rivers slow say the river's slow So cold...
Reinforcing the fact that it is bitterly cold on this slow-moving river in the night.
Connect!
This is a call to connect with something or someone - an invitation to reach out and bridge the gap.
So cold in the night hold on hold on So cold in the night hold on hold on
Despite the chill, hang on and persevere through the night.
Sail away hey I'm sorry; every day's a new day
Once more, set sail with remorseful feelings but looking forward to a fresh start each day.
Hooray for love hey I'm lonely Try and be on your way On your way on your way On your way
Celebrate love even in the midst of loneliness, and keep moving forward in life.
She loves me not
This is a confession of disappointment or heartbreak in a romantic relationship - one person loves while the other does not.
[Narrator] Having made their way through space Captain Spectacular and his intrepid crew have arrived in Nebulo Nine. Unbeknownst to the humans Ziltoid has also arrived!
This is the introduction to a story or fictional scenario in which a spaceship crew has traveled to a new planet, unbeknownst to them that an unexpected visitor has also arrived.
[Ziltoid] Haha! Surprise!
The surprise visitor to Nebulo Nine, Ziltoid, greets the humans with a mischievous laugh.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: DEVIN GARRETT TOWNSEND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind