Devin Townsend has announced a new album titled PowerNerd, while also unveiling its title track featuring guest vocals from Hatebreed frontman Jamey Jasta. This 11-song LP will be set for release on October 25^th via Inside Out Music.

In the span of 30 years, the multi-instrumentalist Townsend has created a solo career whose works span multiple different genres, while still retaining the metal foreground that gave rise to his talents all those years ago. Originally, the frontman of Strapping Young Lad, he went on to form the Devin Townsend Project which led to several other projects under the musician’s belt. With the release of his newest album PowerNerd, the veteran musician will embark on what Townsend has described to several news outlets as his “newest era”.

To start off this new era for Townsend, he opens up with the first single off of the new album. The title track “PowerNerd”, sees Townsend tackle the idea of strength from within. As reported in an article from Consequence of Sound, Townsend has stated, “I would say that a powernerd would be somebody that society has deemed weak or not valuable, whether that’s empathy or being an insular person or an introvert, and turn that into a type of personal power. It’s like, OK, yeah, I’m sensitive to this and that and the other thing, but man, I am going to pull through! I am going to do things with that sensitivity that are rooted in strength.”

In the same Consequence article, Townsend has said that he wrote the entire album in 11 days going further to explain that, “I’ve spent so much time overthinking every aspect of my work – what would happen if I didn’t? Maybe I would have the opportunity to be a bit more direct with what it is that I’m trying to do. I really wanted to see if I could cut through some of the meanderings.”

In the track, Townsend rips through the beginning with the title moniker of “PowerNerd”, utilizing a speed metal tempo with some elements of electronics for musical consistency, “PowerNerd” exemplifies the empathy Townsend promulgates. Within the chorus of the track, comes Jasta’s vocals which create this gruff but vocalizing harmony that enunciates the song’s more rhythmic parts, providing a balance with between thrashing cadences and consonant instrumentation. The accompanying video for “PowerNerd” sees Townsend engage in a more humorous light. Featuring Townsend as titular superhero “PowerNerd” where he goes around helping people with menial tasks, while uplifting their spirits along the way. An interesting way of blending the empathetic message of the song with the comedic attributes of the imagery, “PowerNerd’s” theme hits the mark well on its initial outing.

Devin Townsend’s 22^nd album, PowerNerd, will be release on October 25^th via Inside Out Music.

PowerNerd Tracklisting:

1. PowerNerd
2. Falling Apart
3. Knuckledragger
4. Gratitude
5. Dreams of Light
6. Ubelia
7. Jainism
8. Younger Lover
9. Glacier
10. Goodbye
11. Ruby Quaker

Photo Credit: Raymond Flotat