Devin Townsend "wanted to hate" his new album

Devin Townshen — (Image credit: ergione Infuso/Corbis)

Devin Townsend admitted he’d spent time on trying to hate his upcoming album.

He’s known for working usually working alone, but new project Lightwork is a collaborative project, and it pushed him out of his comfort zone.

Townsend said via Instagram : “I spent a fair amount of time trying to dislike it (I think) because I worked with a team on it instead of just braining out on it myself. I guess the challenges of that process disconnected me from it slightly at first and I wanted to hate it.

“In the end, however, I’ve decided that not only do I like it, but I may actually really love it. It’s not what I expected and it’s not what I would have done if left to my own devices, of course, but that may ultimately be the whole point.”

He reported that the music carried a “quite healthy” message that made him “feel good,” adding: “It kind of represents a ‘bridge between two continents’ in some ways… sort of a fulcrum between where I was and where I am going.

“It’s kind of simple structurally and sort of commercial in some senses, but it’s still something I can get behind and enjoy hearing, and it not only says what I feel I need to say at this point, but maybe says things I didn’t realise I needed to say as well.”

Declaring Lightwork to be “good,” Townsend said three songs would be released together to “summarise the theme” and that he was currently working on two videos alone, in order to achieve an “honest” result.

It hadn’t been easy to get over a “bunch of false starts,” he added. “It’s been a difficult few years and my life has changed more dramatically than I realised. Lightwork represents, I think, the resolve to stay balanced during a turbulent time and I’m grateful for it and for what comes next.”

He signed off: “I know I’m a lunatic in a lot of ways, but I think I’m more at peace with that now as a result as well.”

Lightwork is out later this year via InsideOut.

Not only is one-time online news editor Martin an established rock journalist and drummer, but he’s also penned several books on music history, including SAHB Story: The Tale of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band, a band he once managed, and the best-selling Apollo Memories about the history of the legendary and infamous Glasgow Apollo. Martin has written for Classic Rock and Prog and at one time had written more articles for Louder than anyone else (we think he's second now). He’s appeared on TV and when not delving intro all things music, can be found travelling along the UK’s vast canal network.