Fans of progressive metal icon Devin Townsend will be pleased to hear that the latest entry in his Devolution Series has been announced and is set for release on August 4, 2023. Titled Empath Live In America, the album will serve as a document of his tour that was cut short in early 2020, featuring live recordings of material from various nights.
As Blabbermouth.net reports, the album marks an interesting departure from Townsend’s usual sound. “This was a very unique tour for me, and one that was regrettably cut short by the pandemic,” says Townsend. “ It was a stripped back version of the ‘Order Of Magnitude’ band (without choir and a few other members…),but as I try to do with each tour, the goal was to make this a unique and special night. Therefore, this tour marked a ‘free form’ version of the material.”
This comes in the wake of his 2022 studio album Lightwork, which received widely positive reviews for its experimentation and grandiosity. Previous entries of the Devolution series were met with similar praise, such as Acoustically Inclined, Live in Leeds, haunting acoustic solo set, and Galactic Quarantine, which was comprised of virtual performances recorded during the pandemic.
Alongside this announcement, Townsend has also released a new recording of his song “Evermore” that is to be featured on the album, in which the “raw and off kilter” approach to performance can be heard more clearly. You can listen to the track here:
Photo Credit: Raymond Flotat
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