Montreal Rocks recently caught up with Devin Townsend to talk about Powernerd, his 26th studio album—a record born out of both creative tenacity and personal turmoil. Townsend, known for his vast range of musical projects, including Strapping Young Lad and the Devin Townsend Project, considers this album one of the most important undertakings of his career. Why? Not for its musical experimentation alone, but for the raw emotional struggle that accompanied its creation.
“It was supposed to be a straightforward, fun sort of party record,” he says. “But during the making of this record, my family and I went through a bunch of scenarios that were very difficult.” Townsend had initially intended Powernerd as an accessible introduction to the next era of his work. However, life had other plans, infusing the album with a melancholic undercurrent he hadn’t anticipated. “It ended up being a much more melancholy statement than I expected.”
Despite the challenges, Powernerd evolved as a testament to resilience. Townsend explains that every song he creates mirrors the experiences of the year or years before, capturing moments as honestly as possible. “By the end, it became more than just another record. It was about pushing through when I didn’t think I could finish it. That makes it one of the most important things I’ve done.”
When asked what he learned about himself in the process, Townsend pauses before revealing a breakthrough in his emotional awareness. “I realized that, up until now, my connection to my emotional health has been pretty surface-level. I’ve always been able to intellectualize trauma or difficult situations—basically, think about it rather than feel it.” The difficulties he faced while recording this album forced him to confront those emotions head-on, a departure from his usual method of “powering through.” Reflecting on it, he says, “It’s better to get rid of it than to keep carrying it around in a backpack.”
Powernerd is not just a musical journey but an emotional one, tracing stages of grief, loss, and eventual acceptance. “Goodbye,” one of the final tracks, was particularly difficult for him to record. “It really messes me up every time I hear it. Originally, I wanted the record to end there, with that ambient piece, but then I thought, is that really where I want to leave people?”
Townsend ultimately decided to close Powernerd with “Ruby Quaker,” a song about finding solace in everyday life. “After everything, it’s like someone offering you a coffee and you saying, ‘Yeah, I could use that.’ It’s about moving forward, even if it’s slowly.”
When the conversation turns to performing these songs live, Townsend offers a pragmatic view. For him, the live experience isn’t about reliving the emotions that shaped the album; it’s more technical, a matter of hitting the right notes. “Once I deliver a record, it’s gone. You have to let it go because, if you don’t, any criticism or praise will just affect you in ways that are unhealthy.”
Now, with Powernerd out in the world, Townsend is already looking ahead to his next project, The Moth, a decade-old concept inspired by themes of transformation and acceptance. He envisions it as a “rock opera,” similar to Powernerd but darker and more orchestral. And while he’s always prolific, Townsend describes success not as relentless output but as achieving freedom—freedom to create without restrictions and, one day, the freedom to wake up with nothing to do.
“I’ve been through a lot,” he admits, “but I’m grateful for the chance to work through these things. I hope that resonates with people.”
Watch the full interview below:
Powernerd is out now.
DEVIN TOWNSEND ONLINE:
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