Devin is usually up for interviews, try hitting him up and asking him if he'd join you to talk about the song. Would be amazing to hear you both discuss it.

The "savage messiah" into "try the papaya" transition it's probably the most Devin thing he ever composed.

Other bands play Death Metal. Devin plays Life Metal.

"Uplifting... Heavy, but uplifting" yeah, that's Devin in a nutshell.

Crazy blast beats and screaming. Doug: *softly moans in discomfort*

That last line of the song gets me every time, "If you can't shine for you friend, please shine for me!" Given the overall theme of the album being about coping with depression, and suppose to be an anti-suicide message, there is just something so genuine and emotive about that last line. It's the acknowledgement that an individual can feel so much mental and emotional pain that they can't even live for themselves, and Devin asking, not demanding, almost pleading to them as a friend to hold on for him. The message means so much because it comes from a place of empathy. Dev knows that feeling himself, he knows what you are going through and knows how hard it can be. He has makes this deal, that he will keep going, he will hold on and help you through the hard times if you stay the course and help him through darkness so that at the end of it all, we can all see the light. Absolutely beautiful.

Devin Townsend literally covers EVERY genre. He's the single greatest music creator in my lifetime, in my opinion.

Exceptional reaction sir! By the way, I’m Zac, the bloke who requested this one on Patreon. I’m so thrilled and honored that you responded and picked this piece for the week. Every year for the last 16 years I’ve picked a song that encapsulates the emotional journey I’ve had over the course of the year’s events for me. This one has made song of the year twice in a row for me. I’ve listened to it at my absolute highest and lowest many times, shared its wonder with others, and had goosebumps every time. Devin has a way of elucidating the multifaceted nature of human experience like none other. The album is called Empath for a reason. Much love, Zac Thanks again 💜

"Almost to the point of overwhelming" and "difficult to listen to" appears to be exactly what Devin is aiming for.

FYI, Devin used 3 different drummers for the recording of the album. 66Samus did the speed metal drumming for the album, and it is real drums, not samples. Sam is a monster on the drums.

I cried when I first heard this track. It’s like a communication directly from his soul to yours - utterly breathtaking.

My favorite part is the "There Be Monsters" most brutal fast heavy bit. I explode of joy and god knows what else at that part.

Devin Townsend is one of the best musicians of all time. Whether it's singing or musical instruments he's such a genius.

I hope this is a sign of many more Devin Townsend listens. Dude is an enigma and his repertoire is immense.

The last time I was excited about an album as Empath was with Hand. Cannot. Erase. Rare occasions. Devin totally nailed it.

Some of it is beautiful, some is ugly, some lays somewhere in between, all very intentional, such a journey! Never heard any Devin Townsend before, I'm intrigued.

Devin was the future of music in the late 90's. Also now. And let's be perfectly frank: there are no non-solo Devin Townsend albums. He wrote just about everything from Strapping Young Lad through Empath. Different players, different vibes (extremely so), but it's all Devin. For this album he didn't call friends...he called STRANGERS. He didn't know Samus, Mike Keneally, Nathan Navarro, but he knew they were capable of pulling off everything he really needed. Also, YES, the mega-intense onslaught of sonic emotion is the entire point. We're going all in. Grab your fucking beer. LET'S GO! The drummer is very real. He's a KZfaq celebrity himself. 66Samus is the drummer for the intense parts. He does a playthrough of the song Genesis that opens this album and it's an incredible watch. Extremely highly recommended. As difficult as it may have been for you to get through the really heavy stuff, just understand that you have not heard Strapping Young Lad yet. That's four albums of this sort of stuff. He's refined it to a dagger and stabbed himself with it many times over. As many of us have. And many of us find genuine enjoyment of it even when noticing the shift to a flat 6. It can be frustrating to hear someone scoff so harshly at the sonic excess. There really is a point to it. Might take some time for it to stab you as well, but...get this... I'm older than you! :D The Curious Gods section is my favorite. I love that sort of esoteric approach to composition. So interesting. It's not at all anything like something you'd ever hear on the radio. It's more important than that stuff. But man does Here Comes The Sun just SATISFY. I think you totally nailed your interpretation of the meaning of the song. Spot on. As you elaborated RIGHT THROUGH Steve Vai's solo lol Devin is Metal Stravinsky. Favorite artist ever. Zappa is #2 but he's the sardonic dickhead I see in myself and am always trying to fix. Devin's equally gifted, but really, genuinely wants to help. Favorite artist ever. Nobody has ever come even close. Maybe Maiden.

Doug: Sounds like "le-sol" Music: immediately switches to "la-sol"

Someone called this album Therapy Metal - and it really is! Look up Devin's Track-by-Track for Empath, it's so illuminating and heart-warming in its painfulness.

Devin is music. This masterpiece is such an emotional rollercoaster for me, it just makes me break in tears with no apparent reason. His music just resonates with me like no other. And I've been hooked since the "City". Now that I went through your whole commentary, your interpretation is exactly how I experienced it- to me this is a path to enlightenment, acceptance, realization, transcendence of human consciousness. It is the most "spiritual" piece of music I have ever heard.

This song gets me crazy emotional. That last part is just so damn uplifting and optimistic. I love it. I love these videos, too. :D Edit: "Through the storm, may you become a rainbow" - that line crushes me, every time.

Thanks for let me know this amazing piece of art. Damn, so deep, sad, angry and happy...incredible.

I'm sure someone else explained it but if not, I just wanted to quickly explain what's going on in the Curious Gods section, with the interview that's hard to hear. It's an interview with an MIT Professor explaining why AI is actually destructive and dangerous for society and will result in mass death for humanity. If you listen back closely, and turn it up, you can hear the interviewer say "Please explain why you're calling for a global ban on killer robots, in specific details, if you would." And in the context of the concept of the song, the humming that you hear from Devin is meant to represent a scientist / machinist humming as they are noodling away at a project. So the scientist inadvertently ends up creating AI, even though it will spell doom for humanity. And then in Silicon Scientists, AI awakens and starts speaking to the character (that's the non-Devin voice). You nailed that part though, even without the context for Curious Gods!! Great reaction - a real joy to hear and see one of my favorite Devin songs broken down! Thank you! What you said about "Everything's crazy out there, but don't let the craziness overwhelm you" is ABSOLUTELY what Devin is all about! You described it perfectly...also with how you described the heavy part being an equal companion to the light in the ending.

The video "Devin Townsend “Empath” - The Choir" over on Elektra Women's Choir channel is worth watching for some of the more technical aspects of how the choir fitted on Empath. It's a conversation between Elektra Women’s Choir’s Artistic Director Morna Edmundson and arranger Erik Severinson, who's done other choral parts for Devin.

There's something different and special about Devin... Something tell all of us there's some... I can't find the words, but we all know what I'm talking about, he's the real deal, it's real art, soul, deep... A real artist.

I think I almost take for granted how accustomed I've become to blast beats and fast aggressive drumming. I feel like I've seen a few reaction videos recently across a few channels where people seem to get a bit overwhelmed by what I would call a really satisfying blast beat. Devin is a funny one for me in that I've never come across another artist that I've found as hit and miss. To the point that something like Epicloud ranks amongst my favourite albums, but then there are other albums I just can't take to at all.

That's Devin's message Doug! You got it. Devin takes you on a incredible ride that put you through so many emotions, but you come out feeling good. He's a genius!

From Metropolis to Singularity, this is all my favorite stuff right up my alley! So much fun seeing you react to all this prog greatness. :)

Incredible song review. One of the best videos on KZfaq overall. Thanks for all you do Doug

Apart from being a stellar composer/musician Devin is an incredible engaging and thoroughly decent human being, not sure if you’re thinking of doing some coffee time interviews but getting Devin on your channel for a chat I’m sure would be a very special Episode Doug 👍🏻😎

That part with the newscast in the background is quite literally a scientist tinkering around in a workshop, tapping his pencil, soldering etc and inevitably reaching the singularity and unleashing true AI. I also think its devin lifting the veil on his process a bit as we kind of go into a room with him humming and tapping the theme of the song.

Hey, quick comment on the drums, there are three drummers that were brought in for this album. Morgan Ågren (Of Progressive rock legends Kaipa fame), Anup Sastry (Of the progressive/math metal band Intervals) and Sam Paulicelli (Drummer of Decrepit Birth, noted to show the extreme swing of play styles). So yes, the insanely fast drum parts are actually played. Sam Paulicelli is kind of a specialist in that realm and was brought in for the robotic hyper accuracy of his playing. If those drum parts interest you, check out the song "Hear me", which I think was the best extreme metal drum track of 2019. To extend this thought, all three drummers murder on this album, Morgan Ågren has some incredible prog parts, Anup really kills most of the albums Math rock/metal elements and Sam lets Devin go a new level of crazy.

I feel those goosebumps you got at 6:50, because the first time I listened to it, I had the same reaction. This is what sets Dev apart from all the other metalheads.

"... this took a heavy turn ..." 🤣

This song is absolutely incredible. Empath is one for the record books. It's amazing how fresh and new he was able to make everything sound when you consider just how many albums the man has under his belt.

"Kinda sounds like me during the pandemic" The fact that this album, which is all about mental health and self-care, came out just before covid, is one of those the-stars-aligned moments that blows my mind. Honestly this album got me through the last 18 months like nothing else :)

So glad you got to Devy . . . such a varied journey with his discography.

Devin really learned to use Lydian mode with Vai, who learned from Zappa and Webber. He also uses Vai‘s typical sounds and of course Steve‘s playing some guitar here, too.

12:20 is the "There Be Monsters" section, which is far and away my favorite of this song. I left my playlist on while going to bed one night and woke up right at the first "war" part that arrives in this video at 15:06. It shook me in a way a song had not done in a long time.

I was going to suggest this for you as I feel you, out of all the "reactors" would truly be able to process what you are hearing. I've been a Devin fan since the 90's and I feel he summed up every aspect of his career in one song. This song is mindblowing yet.... so simple..... yet mind blowing..... Enjoyed your reaction and especially your analysis

It's fun to see a professional and such person getting emotional at Devin's music. Pure joy

So glad you did this one. Devin is amazing . The heavy middle is sonically overwhelming....as life itself is at times. Love this interpretation! Cheers!

Before you stated sharing with us DT I never had heard of him - I'm glad you made me aware of his music

Total masterpiece. I rediscovered Devin in late 2019 after seeing him in the early 90s with Vai. I had absolutely no idea of the work he had been doing in the interim. I managed to get to see him again in one of his acoustic shows in Bristol before the world went to shit. Fantastic performer and all round nice guy. Thanks Doug.👍

On the subject of this song and what it feels like to listen to. I first discovered Devin at the start of the pandemic in my country, around April 2020. I found this album shortly after. Listening to the album end-to-end for the first time was very emotional for me. With everything that came with the pandemic, as well as personal losses that occured leading up to it, the Empath album was the one I connected with most strongly that year. This song by itself is such an emotional rollercoaster that I often find myself weeping by the end. Devin's next album is expected to release in October this year, and I am so ready for that to really drive home everything that this period has been for me.

I love how Doug is trying to endure the intensity and many of us are just here basking in it

I've been waiting for someone to break this down. Beauty.

"Try the papaya" is only outdone by "got a little doggy and he's full of the woof-woof"

I think you would like "Why" always from him, or also Deadhead (The vocale are insane) live at Royal Albert Hall.

Doug at the end of every song ever: "Is that how it's gonna end?"

This is my favourite piece, and I found you randomly while looking for it. Delighted I listened to your take on it. Brilliant, well done, I'll be checking out more of your vids!

Please listen to Il Giardino del Mago by Banco del Mutuo Soccorso, the greatest italian song you'll ever hear in your life

This song got me through my cancer treatment in 2019, if all goes well in my next scan in may this year I will have beat it! the rarest of rarest of all cancers I got and I'm still here. and ontop of that had 2 heart attacks between hand.. Fuck I love dev saw him in Melbourne last year. cant wait for the next ride.

It's been 3 months, I think, that Daily Doug became my weekly song discovery. Holy shit, that's amazing. Keep up the good work!

Oh, when I saw "Singularity" in the title I hoped it would be the TEXTURES (NL) track. Well, one can always hope.

so happy you did this one! and what a great surprise to end the week - such a good reaction and analysis - thank you :)

This is a stellar reaction - you nailed a takeaway I share, and struck WHY Devin's music is so profound, uplifting and extraordinary without being patronizing. He celebrates hardship and celebrates our forward pace despite it. Accepting our darkness and our light. Your analysis of the methods he achieved this are delightful and informative, but your summary of the message is likely why every time I listen to it, I feel so... whole afterward. The heavy bits are almost an assault on the senses, but as you noted, deliberately so. Thank you!

Thing is... the sound that I like the most... I mean the sound and the music that my brain is always happy to listen to is made by Devin Townsend since I've discovered Him in the early '90s...

Seriously one of the best reactions to this song I’ve heard. I especially love your understanding of the last movement having heavy and light elements working as equal partners to exemplify life. Truly a transcendental work of art.

The opening and closing of the Empath album capture the album as a whole very well. They both contain elements of every song in the album. The closing song captures everything that the album is, while the opener does better to capture the soundscape the album represents. You've heard a couple of songs from this album now, Why? was also on this album. The heavy section of this song is represented in the song, Hear Me, which is even more intense to listen to than this song's heavy section. If I had to suggest one more song from this album in particular, besides the opening track (Genesis), it would be Sprite. A very etherial piece. Be aware that it transitions directly into Hear Me on the album, so there's a lead-in at the end of Sprite that gets dark. If you want to use that as an excuse to experience Hear Me, by all means. The drummer on that song was also responsible for the crazy drumming in the heavy section of this song. If you want to see some obsurd drumming, the drummer has a full-playthrough of the song on their KZfaq channel, 66Samus. The drums are up in the mix on that version though, so a lesser recommendation there unless that's what you want to hear.

Great reaction Doug. Devin has this way of emoting through music the feelings we all feel like no one I have ever known. When I was at my angriest I was listening to him in strapping young lad which is very aggressive and at my lowest I was listening to the album Ki and coming out of it i was listening to addicted! I haven't listen to his stuff in awhile until this and its made me think about my current mindframe. Its very much like this song . Thank you for reminding me to listen more!

I always love watching people experience the technical brilliance that is Devin Townsend 😁

Thanks for highlighting this great work of Devi’s, Doug! Great message delivered beautifully by Devi and yourself.

Congrats. You have fully experienced Devin's "wall of sound" production techniques.

My first in depth listening to Devin and I have been wowed by this composition. Doug you have entertained and educated me again.

Steve Vai made a perfect guitar solo for that section he plays it in. Just instantly recognizable.

Dude. Your channel has been such a blessing this year. The best part of this video might be what you said in the last couple of minutes. You are great...as is Devin!

Another fine reaction, Doug. Devin is one of my favourite artists. Absolutely phenomenal voice and someone not afraid to explore and have fun while he’s doing it. Had the pleasure of seeing the DTP in Glasgow a few years back.

Been sitting here checking your channel every few minutes waiting for this!!!! My guy HevyDevy!

I love your positivity, exuberance and generous spirit. I love DT. Thanks for this video.

What a ride... great do rediscover this song with your analysis, both music and lyrics 👍 thank you so much!

Fantastic video Doug! Keep it going!

appreciate your interpretation, reaction, honesty and openness. well done!

amazing piece of music and great analysis! great channel!

He's probably always in C since he tunes his guitar CGCGCE (low to high)

Your analysis of the lyrics and themes is on point. Having listened to Devin's own explanations online, he says time and time again every album is about expressing truth and getting through whatever he is experiencing. The whole selfish messiah is quite literally about a "messiah complex" phase he had earlier on.

27:15 what you said there is exactly what I feel Devin is trying to transmit with all his music in general, also that there is a kind of beauty in those "heavy/loud" and not so "harmonious" parts of live, "it is an equal companion to the light" well said Doug!

Drummer is 66Samus on youtube, and he's very much playing that fast. A master of extreme drumming, and his blast beats are insane!

Thanks!!!! Was waiting for this!

Thank you so much Doug for doing this piece. Such a masterpiece. Sometimes it takes a master to break it down.

Oh man you finally did it! Awesome stuff.

Thank you for sharing this Doug.

Love you Doug - Even in his heaviest of songs, he can send those chills and interject true messages of love and inspiration. He used 3 different drummers on Empath - each a specialist in their own styles to get exactly what he wanted. Thanks for really giving an expert insight into our favorite bands. You should send out an ask for a 15-20 minute interview. He wants to share his knowledge and "tricks" with everyone, so I'm sure he appreciates how you explain structure and composition with us.

Wonderful review - thanks!

That was awesome! Still waiting for the studio version of Rush’s Natural Science!

Strapping Young Lad

You're my favourite react channel on KZfaq. So much musical knowledge and such a laid back, relaxed viewing experience, + you listen to my favourite artists. What more is there to want?

Oh Doug just embrace the blast beats there is a time and place for everything!!!

what amazing insights and observations.

Doug, the way you eloquently explain almost every detail of this song really strikes a chord with me (pun definitely intended). I bought the LP of Empath a few weeks after it released, but have not given it much listen as much. I'm a metalhead through and through and seeing you wince at the heavier sections really made me chuckle, props on making it through. The manner how you explained that the heavy ostinato (the chugs) can be the 'light' which Devin conceptualizes is something I didn't realize until you brought it up, but I love this sentiment and must agree. Specially during these continously trying times; a record like this shines like a light in the darkness to me. And you have done an excellent job of framing that. The first video of you I watched was #199 because of my undying love for everything Zappa related, the second was #200 because, well, Snarky Puppy, and this one is the game winner. I look forward to whatever you choose to listen to and dissect next!

Great analysis as always

Devin is the bright star of hope in music

The variation between the heavy and mellow and the proggy parts are so satisfying.

Thanks for sharing Doug and the advice 😁 also what a track!! First Devin track I heard was stormbending, Id never heard anything so thick and vast sonically

Well that was a great surprise to hear George's name, as he is a friend! Very cool Doug!

After all this time I've only just discovered DT, and I'm loving his stuff. So sorry I missed him when he came to my city.

I have listened to devin from the beginning, and this is the only song that has made me cry. What a powerfull masterpiece!

Artists like Devin will often purposefully have their vocals blend into the mix to help create a wall of sound and it really helps push the atmosphere forward. This happens alot in shoegaze music too where the vocals, guitars, and bass are drenched in reverb and distortion so it all blends together.

Three different drummers played on this song. The final bit Here Comes The Sun was played by Anup Sastry and you can find a video of him performing it on his channel. Some of the best drumming I've seen in a long time. I have no idea what time signatures the song uses but it's impressive at any rate.

For people just learning about Devin, I usually suggest the Death of Music live in Royal Albert Hall.