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.
Vampira
Devin Townsend Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And now...how am I to carry on?
But into the night...
...into the darkness
I must be strong, carrying on.
Night, follows me when you leave
And tonight, my mind is under siege
...into the darkness.
Unto the morn, carrying on...
Hate as your co-conspirer
He'll set your soul on fire
Hate, make the flames get higher
Kneel for me now...
VAMPIRA!!!
GO!!!
HEY, HEY!!!
Night, follows me when you leave
With the sights, and the sounds you'd not believe.
So into the night,
Into the darkness
Until the morn,
Carrying on and on and on...
Hate as your co-conspirer
He'll set your soul on fire
Hate, make the flames get higher
Kneel with me now...
VAMPIRA!!!
The lyrics of Devin Townsend's Vampira are filled with dark and enigmatic images that try to convey the feelings of the singer when they are going through a difficult time. The opening lines, "Night follows me when you're gone. And now...how am I to carry on?" suggest a sense of abandonment, with the nighttime acting as a metaphor for the loss of the loved one. However, the singer remains resilient, and they claim that they must be strong and carry on. The repeated line, "Into the night...into the darkness" suggests that they are embracing the darkness that follows them and are willing to confront it head-on, implying a sense of courage and determination.
The later part of the song becomes more intense, with the lyrics becoming darker and more menacing. The lines, "Hate as your co-conspirer, he'll set your soul on fire" suggest that the singer is going through a form of personal hell, with their inner feelings of anger and hatred consuming them. The use of the word "Vampira" is a reference to a female vampire, which could signify the singer's desire to embrace the darkness or run away from their problems entirely. The repetition of the word "kneel" towards the end of the song implies a sense of submission or worship, suggesting that the singer is willing to embrace their inner demons to move on and heal.
Line by Line Meaning
Night, follows me when you're gone.
Darkness envelopes him after his lover leaves.
And now...how am I to carry on?
Feeling lost without his lover.
But into the night...
He ventures into the darkness.
...into the darkness
He succumbs to the allure of darkness.
I must be strong, carrying on.
He must remain strong and continue living.
Night, follows me when you leave
The darkness continues to follow him after his lover is gone.
And tonight, my mind is under siege
He is tormented by thoughts and emotions.
Unto the morn, carrying on...
He must continue living until the morning comes.
Hate as your co-conspirer
Hate is a constant companion and instigator.
He'll set your soul on fire
Hate will ignite the flames of destruction within him.
Hate, make the flames get higher
The intensity of his negative emotions grows stronger.
Kneel for me now...
He commands his lover to submit to his will.
VAMPIRA!!!
He invokes the power of the vampire.
Night, follows me when you leave
Darkness persists even after his lover's departure.
With the sights, and the sounds you'd not believe.
He experiences strange and terrifying things in the darkness.
Until the morn, carrying on and on and on...
He must endure the darkness indefinitely.
Kneel with me now...
He demands submission from his lover once again.
VAMPIRA!!!
He calls upon the power of the vampire once more.
Contributed by Penelope B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Baptiste Guillory
No one can ever accuse Devin Townsend of taking himself too seriously and I love that. I like to imagine he was winded as fuck after all the cardio in this video. HIGH KNEES. I play this every Halloween unapologetically to anyone who may not understand the gift that is Devin Townsend.
Scott Gooding
Kick ass song, and I love how Devin is just silly and has fun with it. He doesn't take himself too seriously. And doesn't limit himself to one genre of music either.
Gothic Octopus
I feel like this is the video that every metal band secretly wants to make.
Deep down, they just want to do this once they're done recording.
Richard Haynes
YES
afahmid
Not being serious, this video/song is full of delight. Personally, I think this is indeed a major work of art, nothing extra or unnecessary, excellent composition and a perfect video to suit this song (in fact I can not think any other way a video could be so perfect to go with this song. Art does not always have to be "arty". Andy Warhol could be an example.
BurningBeard22
I thought this might be a cover of The Misfit's Vampira, but Townsend made is own campy creation here. He cracks me up with his full-on, don't give a shit attitude towards his music. Love this guy.
kristinLFG
I love Devin.
He's just like "I can make as many shitty music videos as I want to 'cause I'm a talented mother fucker"
ZealotOfSteal
kristinLFG But his music videos aren't shitty.
kristinLFG
ZealotOfSteal Well, I probably wouldn't call this video a major work of art.
ZealotOfSteal
kristinLFG 'Course not, but it was funny at least the first 7 time I watched it.