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.
Planet Smasher
Devin Townsend Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Commander!
Commander Squizloid - Yes, Captain Ziltoid?
Ziltoid - Divert all the power from the main engines to the front guns...
Commander Squizloid - Yes, Captain Ziltoid. Will there be anything else?
Ziltoid - Take 90% of the surplus power, and divert it towards the sonar awakening device.
Commander Squizloid - Aye aye, Captain.
Ziltoid - We must summon the 6th dimensional Planet Smasher. I feel like a bit of fun... Summon him!
Herman, the Planet Smasher - Who dares awaken the Planet Smasher?!
Ziltoid - It is I, the 4th dimensional Ziltoid the Omniscient!
Herman, the planet smasher -
Cherish the mind
Color your mind
Cherish your mental sanctum
Cower to war
Cower toward
Cower to war on the Earth!
Cursed to be by the sun
Power denotes you're the only one who channels the mind
Channels the mind
Channels the mind of the Earth!
Cherish the pain
Cherish the name
Cherish your mental weaponry
Cower toward
Cower toward
Cowards remain on the Earth
Tell me what you want from me!
Ziltoid and his cronies -
All I want to be is the universe
Parallel to beings around all of us
Conduit to see through the omniverse
Letting the bombs go into tomorrow
Herman/(Ziltoid)-
Bow! (Smasher!)
Bow! (Smasher!)
Bow to the valley below!
Bow down! (Smasher!)
Bow! (Smasher!)
Bow to the valley below!
The Hippies of Virtual World72 - Please do not release the Planet Smasher, mighty Ziltoid.
We mean you no harm!
Herman/(Ziltoid)-
Bow! (Smash it!)
Bow! (Smash it!)
Bow to the valley below! (Smasher!)
Bow down! (Smasher!)
Bow! (Smasher!)
Bow to the valley below!
Ziltoid and his cronies -
(Smasher!)
All I want to be is the universe (Smasher!)
Parallel to beings around all of us (Smasher!)
Conduit to see through the omniverse
Through the omniverse
Through the omniverse...
Begone, foul pest!! And by the way the name's Herman... and I hate musicals!
The song "Planet Smasher" by Devin Townsend centers around the character Ziltoid, a fourth-dimensional being who wishes to destroy a planet for entertainment. To accomplish this task, Ziltoid commands his crew to divert power towards the front guns and a sonar awakening device to summon the sixth-dimensional Planet Smasher. When Herman, the Planet Smasher, awakens, Ziltoid exchanges a brief dialogue with him before transitioning to the song's chorus. Herman then interacts with the "hippies of Virtual World72" who plead with Ziltoid not to release the Planet Smasher.
The lyrics of "Planet Smasher" can be interpreted in many ways. Some suggest that the song is a critique of humanity's destructive tendencies, with Ziltoid serving as a metaphor for a powerful and indifferent force that destroys without regard for life. Others see the song as a reminder of the dangers of unchecked desires for entertainment and the limits of power. Ultimately, however, the interpretation of the song lies with the listener.
Line by Line Meaning
Ziltoid - Yes, I feel like a bit entertainment. Time to destroy a planet... which one shall it be? This one? No. Too feeble... this one, yes perhaps, yes. Indeed, this one shall do nicely.
Ziltoid is bored and wants some entertainment, so he decides to destroy a planet. He considers a few options before settling on one that he deems suitable for his needs.
Commander!
Ziltoid calls for Commander Squizloid to give him orders.
Commander Squizloid - Yes, Captain Ziltoid?
Commander Squizloid responds to Ziltoid's call and asks how he can help.
Ziltoid - Divert all the power from the main engines to the front guns...
Ziltoid orders Squizloid to divert all the power from the main engines to the front guns.
Commander Squizloid - Yes, Captain Ziltoid. Will there be anything else?
Commander Squizloid asks if there's anything else Ziltoid needs him to do.
Ziltoid - Take 90% of the surplus power, and divert it towards the sonar awakening device.
Ziltoid orders Squizloid to take 90% of the surplus power and divert it towards the sonar awakening device.
Commander Squizloid - Aye aye, Captain.
Commander Squizloid acknowledges Ziltoid's orders.
Ziltoid - We must summon the 6th dimensional Planet Smasher. I feel like a bit of fun... Summon him!
Ziltoid orders Squizloid to summon the 6th dimensional Planet Smasher because he wants to have some fun.
Herman, the Planet Smasher - Who dares awaken the Planet Smasher?!
Herman, the Planet Smasher, asks who has summoned him.
Ziltoid - It is I, the 4th dimensional Ziltoid the Omniscient!
Ziltoid introduces himself as the one who summoned Herman.
Cherish the mind
Color your mind
Cherish your mental sanctum
Herman tells the Earth to value their mental well-being.
Cower to war
Cower toward
Cower to war on the Earth!
Herman tells the Earth to fear war and the destruction it can bring.
Cursed to be by the sun
Power denotes you're the only one who channels the mind
Channels the mind
Channels the mind of the Earth!
Herman describes the power of the mind and how it can dominate others.
Cherish the pain
Cherish the name
Cherish your mental weaponry
Cower toward
Cower toward
Cowards remain on the Earth
Herman tells the Earth to value their emotions and abilities, and not to be afraid to use them.
Tell me what you want from me!
Herman asks what the Earth wants from him.
Bow! (Smasher!)
Bow! (Smasher!)
Bow to the valley below!
Bow down! (Smasher!)
Bow! (Smasher!)
Bow to the valley below!
Herman commands the Earth to bow down to him.
The Hippies of Virtual World72 - Please do not release the Planet Smasher, mighty Ziltoid.
We mean you no harm!
The Hippies of Virtual World72 plead with Ziltoid to not release the Planet Smasher and assure him they mean no harm.
(Smasher!)
All I want to be is the universe (Smasher!)
Parallel to beings around all of us (Smasher!)
Conduit to see through the omniverse
Through the omniverse
Through the omniverse...
Ziltoid and his cronies sing about their desire to control the universe and see all that it contains.
Begone, foul pest!! And by the way the name's Herman... and I hate musicals!
Herman demands that someone leave and reveals his name. He also expresses a hatred for musicals.
Contributed by Cameron O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.