The latest release, Z² (short for Ziltoid 2; pronounced "Zed squared") is a double album released on October 27, 2014. It consists of two albums released together: a Devin Townsend Project album, Sky Blue, and a "Ziltoid" concept album, Dark Matters, a sequel to Townsend's 2007 solo album Ziltoid the Omniscient. The main theme of the double album is, according to Townsend, "Ziltoid against the world".
The first album, Ki, was released in May 2009. For Ki, Townsend recruited veteran jazz drummer Duris Maxwell, local bassist Jean Savoie, and the former keyboardist for The Devin Townsend Band, Dave Young. Devin has also recruited Ché Dorval as an additional vocalist.
The second release was titled Addicted. Intended to be a heavy, simplistic, and straightforward rock album, it serves as the bridge from the quieter Ki to the expected zany metal tones of the album following it. The line-up for this album was Ryan Van Poederooyen (also a veteran of The Devin Townsend Band) on the drums, another member of the DTB Brian Waddell on the bass, and Anneke van Giersbergen (notable from The Gathering, Agua De Annique and Ayreon) on guest vocals.
There was an EP released in early 2011. It was only available online (free to download) and named European Tour EP. It featured five live songs, mostly consisting of material from Devin Townsend's solo albums. See more here: http://www.discogs.com/Devin-Townsend-Project-European-Tour-EP/release/2718333
The third and fourth albums were called Deconstruction (which features an array of notable metal musicians and vocalists) and Ghost. Deconstruction and Ghost were released on June 20th, 2011 for both.
Deconstruction features a number of prominent metal musicians as guest vocalists, including Mikael Åkerfeldt, Tommy Giles Rogers, Fredrik Thordendal, Paul Masvidal, Joe Duplantier, Greg Puciato, Ihsahn and other members, including the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra.
Conversely, Ghost has a static lineup and "is the mellowest (by far) and prettiest record I've done so far" according to Townsend. The album features Katrina Natale, Mike St-Jean, Dave Young, and Kat Epple along with Townsend himself.
The fifth album, Epicloud, features the widest array of sound for the Devin Townsend Project. A full-length pop-metal album, akin to Addicted, Epicloud boasts 13 positive, in your face, pop-metal songs that distinguish Devin from the large majority of contemporary metal bands. Epicloud's line-up features no new musicians for Devin Townsend, and sees the return of Anneke Van Giersbergen on vocals, Ryan Van Poederooyan on drums, Brian Waddell on bass, and Dave Young on guitar and additional keyboards.
On January 31st 2018, Devin stated on his Facebook profile that the Devin Townsend Project was going on a 'break', while he focuses on a number of other projects he's working on.
Canucklehead
Devin Townsend Project Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Even when times are brooding
Turn off the radio and throw it away
I got a thing or two that I wanna say
Well I gotta keep on moving, gotta see it through
Everything is OK!
I wanna say that I think everything is
Music, even things that I wouldn′t choose, yeah
And then every song is done by the Beatles
Well I gotta keep on moving, gotta see it through
Everything will be OK
If you think you're moving but it′s harder to tell
I can guarantee you that you're wearing it well
If you think you're going through the fires of Hell
Well you better keep on goin′
And let me tell you that the whole damn thing is brutal
Even when you′re trying to get through, though
I'm a believer ′til the end of the day
And you will not stand in my way
Well I gotta keep on moving, gotta see it through
Everything will be OK
If you keep it moving then it's harder to tell
I can guarantee you that you′re wearing it well
I can feel you're going through the fires of Hell
Well we better keep on goin′
I wanna tell you that the whole damn thing is beauty
Even when times are brooding
I'm a Canadian in every way, especially talking in the US of A
Well I gotta keep on moving, gotta see it through
Everything'll be OK,
Everything′ll be OK, Everything′ll be OK, everything is OK!
The song "Canucklehead" by Devin Townsend Project is about the power of positivity and the ability to find beauty in even the darkest of times. The chorus repeats the affirmation "everything is OK," emphasizing the need to keep pushing forward and seeing things through even when it feels impossible. The lyrics also touch on the role of music in our lives, noting that even music we may not personally enjoy still has the power to connect people and create beauty.
Townsend also references his own identity as a Canadian and the stereotypical "Canucklehead," or someone from Canada, often seen as friendly but a bit oblivious. He asserts his national identity with pride, especially when speaking to Americans, highlighting the unique cultural differences between the two nations.
Overall, "Canucklehead" is a powerful message of hope and perseverance. Even in difficult times, we can find beauty and meaning in life if we keep moving forward with positivity and determination.
Line by Line Meaning
I wanna tell you that the whole damn thing is beauty
I want to express that the entirety of life is beautiful
Even when times are brooding
This beauty persists, even in difficult times
Turn off the radio and throw it away
Ignore outside influences that may bring negativity
I got a thing or two that I wanna say
I have a message that needs to be heard
Well I gotta keep on moving, gotta see it through
I must persevere and continue moving forward
Everything is OK!
Despite adversity, everything will be alright
I wanna say that I think everything is Music, even things that I wouldn′t choose, yeah
Everything in life has its own unique beauty
All the people around me are evil
Despite negative influences, I remain strong
And then every song is done by the Beatles
Even the most popular things aren't always the best
If you think you're moving but it′s harder to tell
It can be difficult to recognize personal growth
I can guarantee you that you're wearing it well
Despite difficulty, you are handling it well
If you think you're going through the fires of Hell
In times of extreme adversity
Well you better keep on goin′
One must push through the challenges
Let me tell you that the whole damn thing is brutal
Life is difficult and unforgiving at times
Even when you′re trying to get through, though
Despite one's best efforts
I'm a believer ′til the end of the day
I maintain my faith and optimism
And you will not stand in my way
External forces will not deter me from my path
If you keep it moving then it's harder to tell
Perseverance can make it difficult to recognize progress
I can feel you're going through the fires of Hell
Even if I can't see it, I sense personal struggle
I'm a Canadian in every way, especially talking in the US of A
I proudly embrace my cultural heritage
Everything'll be OK, Everything′ll be OK, everything is OK!
No matter what happens, everything will be alright
Writer(s): Devin Townsend
Contributed by Gianna B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.