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.
Om
Devin Townsend Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Even in the morning light
Everything is finalised
Even if it's just a new reminder
I'll wait, I'll wait, I'll wait, I'll wait
All right, all right, all right already!
I'll wait for the Christ to hear
Wait for the time, wait for the time...
Feeling older, feeling lonely?
... please don't compromise
Om, om-world is home
What are you trying to do with your life?
All that we're trying to do in this life is go home...
Om... om... om... om...
Devin Townsend's song "Om" is a unique blend of heavy metal and spiritual themes, with the lyrics reflecting the concept of finding one's true home. The opening lines "Everything is on tonight, even in the morning light, everything is finalised" suggest the urgency of the situation, perhaps implying that time is short and that action must be taken now. The repetition of "I'll wait" throughout the song suggests a sense of patient urgency, where the singer is willing to wait for the right moment to arrive.
The lines "Feeling older, feeling lonely? ... please don't compromise" suggest a sense of melancholy and introspection, with the singer questioning their place in the world and urging the listener not to give up on their search for meaning. The use of the word "Om" as a refrain throughout the song reinforces the spiritual themes, with the repetition of this sacred syllable suggesting a sense of unity and connectedness with the universe.
Line by Line Meaning
Everything is on tonight
The present moment contains all the possibilities and opportunities for action.
Even in the morning light
Even in the natural state of being, everything is available and accessible to us.
Everything is finalised
The future is anchored in the present moment, and all events are predetermined and inevitable.
Even if it's just a new reminder
No matter how big or small, everything that happens is an opportunity for insight and growth.
I'll wait, I'll wait, I'll wait, I'll wait
Patience and stillness are virtues necessary for perceiving the truth of existence.
All right, all right, all right already!
A humoristic affirmation of the need for patience and self-control in the face of impatience and desire.
I'll wait, for the time is here
Time is a construct, and the only true moment is the present one, in which we should be always present.
I'll wait for the Christ to hear
An invocation of the divine presence that permeates all existence, and that can be heard in the silence of the present moment.
Wait for the time, wait for the time...
Repetition of the previous lines, emphasizing the importance of stillness and waiting in the practice of meditation.
Feeling older, feeling lonely?
A rhetorical questioning of the transient nature of material existence, and the ultimate futility of trying to fill the void with external objects and experiences.
... please don't compromise
A gentle reminder to stay true to oneself, and to resist the temptation of selling oneself short for fear of rejection or disappointment.
Om, om-world is home
The mystical sound of 'Om' is a reminder of the unity of all existence, and the eternal connection between the individual consciousness and the universe.
What are you trying to do with your life?
A reflection on the ultimate meaning and purpose of our existence, and the need to align our actions and desires with our spiritual aspirations.
All that we're trying to do in this life is go home...
A poetic statement of the goal of spiritual enlightenment, which is to attain a state of realization of one's true nature, beyond the constraints of time and space.
Om... om... om... om...
A final repetition of the mystical sound of 'Om', as a way to anchor the message of the song in the listener's consciousness.
Contributed by Hannah G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.