More Devin Townsend news! Aside from the upcoming tour with Animals As Leaders and Monuments, Devin Townsend has been preparing for the release of Z² later this year.
Earlier this year Townsend described the album with the following:
“Z2 is starting to come together! The theme of the double album is Ziltoid versus the DTP, with both getting their own album.”
Now, through a series of Tweets, Townsend has revealed that Anneke van Giersbergen will be returning, Dominique Lenore (Stolen Babies) will guest as the War Princess, and that Chris Jericho (pro-wrestler/Fozzy) will appear as Captain Spectacular. Lastly, he announced that he plans on taking a year off, possibly after the show at The Royal Albert next year.
The frontman also mentioned that The Devin Townsend Project album is called Sky Blue and the Ziltoid record has been titled Dark Matters.
The PRP did everyone a favor and compiled Townsend’s tweets and together they read:
“pounding down the highway in Germany in my farty little bunk listening to Z2. I think I may have pulled it off, 2 disks. (plus bonus tracks) My focus was definitely Ziltoid. I really wanted to do that. DTP album was a struggle in some ways, but ended up good. A solid bonus. Ziltoid disk is not a heavy philosophical thing, it’s fun and like a sci-fi radio play. Orchestras, Universal choir, huge amounts of work. Been 7 years since Ki, 7 years of chaotic activity. In a sense, Z2 summarizes it all, but less heavy in intent than I expected. Its fun.
Some guests, Anneke was with me again, Dominique from Stolen Babies was the War Princess, and Chris Jericho is Captain Spectacular. = ) I’m proud of it. I’m proud in the state my mind is in I didnt phone it in, at all… I gave this thing 150% the whole way. Everyone did. I’m too close to it to be objective. In a sense I wrote Ziltoid for my son. Its not meant to be dramatic. Life is rough sometimes, Been away I want to take a year off perhaps after The Royal Albert show to recharge my batteries, get some new inspiration and experiences…
I’m a little tired of everything being so intense all the time. I wanted to make something big, shiny, fun and awesome for people. In a sense, Casualties Of Cool was my ‘Art Film’ and Z2 is my Hollywood ‘blockbuster’ = ) I’ve not worked harder on anything. It’s really cool = )
Thanks to all you guys and to all the awesome friends, musicians, artists and business folks in my life = ) Enjoy. gnite Oh, and the DTP album is called ‘Sky Blue’ while the Ziltoid disk is called ‘Dark Matters’ …everything else will be in a press release as I’m sure to catch shit for all I’ve said here anyways. = )”