Devin Townsend is writing symphony

Devin Townsend’s next project will be a symphony, he’s announced.

He previously revealed he was planning on moving away from his alien creation Ziltoid, after earlier hinting at a work to be entitled Garden Music.

Now Townsend tells Kaaos TV: “I’m writing a symphony, and I’m going to record it in Belgium in Surround Sound with a visual counterpart. It’s going to have a lot of instruments that are not typical for orchestral stuff – a combination of everything.

“I want to have something that goes between the extremes of beautiful to total chaos, like hellish apocalypse. I’d like to have a point to it that isn’t a story – to do with human things, emotions that I currently struggle with because I don’t find myself emotionally very intelligent.”

He says much of the inspiration has come from “things in my life that forced me to learn” and adds: “My plan is to make something that is massive in scope, but is not bombast totally.”

Townsend received a Juno award for Z2 earlier this month, and describes the homeland honour as a special moment in his career. He says: “I think it’s a popular thing to say that awards don’t mean anything to you, but they do – it means something to me. It meant a whole lot.”

He returns to the UK next week:

Mar 29: Bristol O2 Academy

Mar 30: Glasgow O2 ABC

Mar 31: Manchester Academy

Apr 14: London Royal Albert Hall

Scott Munro
Louder e-commerce editor

Scott has spent 36 years in newspapers, magazines and online as an editor, production editor, sub-editor, designer, writer and reviewer. Scott joined our news desk in 2014 before moving into e-commerce in 2020. Scott maintains Louder’s buyer’s guides, highlights deals, and reviews headphones, speakers, earplugs and more. Over the last 11 years, Scott has written more than 11,000 articles across Louder, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and Prog. He's previously written for publications including IGN, Sunday Mirror, Daily Record and The Herald, covering everything from news and features, to tech reviews, video games, travel and whisky. Scott's favourite bands are Fields Of The Nephilim, The Cure, New Model Army, All About Eve, The Mission, Cocteau Twins, Drab Majesty, Marillion and Rush.