DEVIN TOWNSEND Discusses His Struggle With Loving His Upcoming Album Lightwork

In a lengthy post to his Instagram account, Devin Townsend took time to reflect on his forthcoming LP, Lightwork.

“So, my next album is called Lightwork and it’s a bit different for me in a few ways: 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, and I guess the challenges of that process disconnected me from it slightly at first and I wanted to hate it.”

However, somewhere along the line, Townsend’s feelings changed about the project, as he explained. “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. It makes me feel good and says something quite healthy.”

It seems as though Townsend views Lightwork as a transitional album, which is somewhat interesting for someone who's been making music for a very, very long time to say. "It kind of represents a 'bridge between two continents' in some ways, as in, [a] sort of fulcrum between where I 'was' and where I am going," Townsend wrote in the post. "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 realize I needed to say as well. After working tirelessly prior to this tour to finish it and make peace with it, I'm proud to say it's good."

In a post to Instagram earlier this month, Townsend stated his intention to scale back on his touring indefinitely to spend time on the other projects he's interested in, including a musical called The Moth. Townsend also said he wanted to spend more time with his family and focus on his mental health.

“I love making music so much and I have so much in line to create and I am going to focus on doing just that. However, I will still do the odd run here and there so I can see you all,” Townsend wrote.

A European tour for this spring was recently postponed so that Townsend can complete the mix of Lightwork. Those dates have since been rescheduled for 2023, and you can find them below.

2/21 – Sentrum Scene – Oslo, NOR
2/27 – Cirkus – Stockholm, SWE
2/28 – Pustervik – Gothenburg, SWE
3/1 – Amager Bio – Copenhagen, DEN
3/3 – 013 — Tilburg, NET
3/4 – Carlswerk Victoria – Cologne, GER
3/5 – Le Splendid – Lille, FRA
3/7 – WERK 2 – Leipzig, GER
3/8 – Batschkapp – Frankfurt, GER
3/10 – X-tra – Zurich, SWI
3/11 – Backstage Werk – Munich, GER
3/13 – Conrad Sohm – Dornbirn, AUT
3/14 – Live Club – Milan, ITA
3/16– Razzmatazz – Barcelona, SPA
3/17 – La Riviera – Madrid, SPA
3/18 – Cineteatro Capitólio – Lisbon, POR
3/20 – Le Bikini – Toulouse, FRA
3/21 – Le Moulin – Marseille, FRA
3/22 – La Coopérative De Mai – Clermont Ferrand, FRA
3/24 – Ancienne Belgique – Brussels, BEL
3/25 – LKA Longhorn – Stuttgart, GER
3/26 – L’Olympia – Paris, FRA