Artist description Music in the new millennium needs people like Devin Townsend. At once lunatic and genius - is there any real difference? - surrealist and pragmatist, extremist yet accessible, this Canadian challenges perceived mores by existing within them." - Metal Hammer, UK

Music Style Progressive metal

Musical Influences Judas Priest, Jesus Christ Superstar, Grotus, Slade

Similar Artists Queen, Steve Vai, Frank Zappa,

Artist History Devin Townsend is a Canadian musician who at 30 years old, already has a long and colourful history. Chosen by guitar virtuoso Steve Vai, a 19 year old Devin performed vocals and guitar opposite Vai on his album Sex & Religion and accompanying world tour. This exposure led to offers from prominent musicians world-wide. Stints with Jason Newsted of Metallica, industrial band Front Line Assembly, the Wildhearts in England and appearances on several tribute records gave Devin the confidence in 1995 to release his first album himself under the name Strapping Young Lad. The first Strapping Young Lad CD gained attention for having a distinctive sound and brought metal to a new level of heaviness. Devin produced, sang and played most of the instruments on the first album, Heavy As A Really Heavy Thing. Two albums followed: the highly acclaimed City which added veteran metal drummer Gene Hoglan (Dark Angel, Death) and band members Jed Simon and Byron Stroud, and No Sleep Till Bedtime recorded live in Australia (Century Media Records). Following the desire to experiment musically and frustrated by the limitations of being signed to a label, in 1997 Devin decided to begin his own label called HevyDevy Records. His first solo release, Ocean Machine, won rave reviews for its epic, lush, prog-hard-rock-ambient compositions and began to establish Devin as a strong creative force on the metal scene. Infinity followed in 1998 with a collection of songs inspired by Broadway musicals and exhibited Devin’s talent for composition as well as voice and musicianship. The year 2000 came with the release of Physicist which has been described as “speed-metal pop songs” and reflected the confusion and anticipation of the millennium. Now, just finishing his sixth album called Terria due in the summer of 2001, Devin stands poised to establish himself as one of the most prolific, innovative, and extraordinary musicians in the metal genre. While very different in style, each album follows a theme inspired by life and documents his emotional state at that phase in his life, like a musical diary that gives you an insight into the many facets of one man’s personality.

Group Members Devin Townsend with players Gene Hoglan, Craig McFarland, Byron Stroud, Jed Simon, Brian Waddell, Ryan vanPoederooyen

Instruments vocals, guitars, keyboards, drums

Albums Ocean Machine, Infinity, Physicist, Terria, Accelerated Evolution

Press Reviews "Devin's genius is in his humour, his ability to meld lush "pop" melodies and production with brutal, pounding metal like absolutely no one else, and his ear for taking everything you held as "typical" and shining a new light on it. -Scott Hefflon, Lollipop magazine, USA"There are few people who can match Devin Townsend's passion, talent and vision when it comes to music..." - Metal Hammer (UK) "[Devin] expresses his entire life in heavy rock, full of melodies and grooves with powerful vocals and profound lyrics." - Music Life (Japan)"... In fact, it's a truly individual record from one of rock's great and hugely prolific non-conformists." - Kerrang! (UK) "This album is intentionally filled with echoes, and production is so incredible that the music will produce a vivid picture of the band name Ocean Machine in your mind. This album let me realize his immense talent again." - Young Guitar (Japan)

Location Maple Ridge, BC - Canada

Copyright notice. All material on MP3.com is protected by copyright law and by international treaties. You may download this material and make reasonable number of copies of this material only for your own personal use. You may not otherwise reproduce, distribute, publicly perform, publicly display, or create derivative works of this material, unless authorized by the appropriate copyright owner(s).