Devin Townsend Project

Devin Townsend Project

Devin Townsend Project is a Canadian progressive metal and progressive rock group from Vancouver, active from 2008 to 2018 and led by Devin Townsend. The project begins after Ziltoid the Omniscient and is planned as a four-album series built around changing personnel rather than a fixed band line-up. Townsend uses the name for releases that range across progressive metal, ambient, experimental, post-metal and progressive rock.

Project format and early releases

The project is designed so that each release features a different set of musicians, unlike Townsend’s earlier work with a stable band line-up or records performed entirely by himself. The first album, Ki, appears in 2009 and features drummer Duris Maxwell, bassist Jean Savoie, former Devin Townsend Band keyboardist Dave Young, and additional vocals from Ché Dorval.

The follow-up album, Addicted, takes a more direct rock approach and acts as a contrast to the quieter material on Ki. Its line-up includes Ryan Van Poederooyen on drums, Brian Waddell on bass, and Anneke van Giersbergen on guest vocals.

Further albums and collaborations

An online-only release, the European Tour EP, appears in early 2011 and includes five live tracks, mostly drawn from Townsend’s solo material. The third and fourth albums, Deconstruction and Ghost, are both released in 2011. Deconstruction brings in a large number of guest vocalists and musicians, including Mikael Åkerfeldt, Tommy Giles Rogers, Fredrik Thordendal, Paul Masvidal, Joe Duplantier, Greg Puciato and Ihsahn, as well as the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra.

Ghost uses a fixed line-up and is described by Townsend as his mellowest and prettiest record to that point. It features Katrina Natale, Mike St-Jean, Dave Young and Kat Epple alongside Townsend.

Later work

The fifth album, Epicloud, broadens the project’s sound into a pop-metal direction and includes 13 songs. Anneke van Giersbergen returns on vocals, with Ryan Van Poederooyen on drums, Brian Waddell on bass and Dave Young on guitar and additional keyboards.

The double album Z² follows in 2014 and is split between Sky Blue, a Devin Townsend Project record, and Dark Matters, a sequel to Ziltoid the Omniscient. Townsend presents the release around the idea of “Ziltoid against the world”.

In 2018, Townsend states that the Devin Townsend Project is going on a break while he focuses on other work.

Membership

The group’s later line-up includes Devin Townsend, Mike St-St-Jean, Ryan Van Poederooyen, Brian Waddell and Dave Young.