DEVIN TOWNSEND – releases new double-single
- Posted on 21-05-2026
Devin Townsend goes all out on new double-single ‘Prepare For War / The Big Snit’
Taken from ambitious, orchestral-metal opus ‘The Moth’
Canadian metal maverick Devin Townsend is set to release his ambitious, orchestral-metal opus ‘The Moth’, on the 29th May 2026 via InsideOutMusic.
An album over a decade in the making, it existed in the back of Devin Townsend’s mind as his “life’s work”. Then, about six years ago, after an acoustic show in Amsterdam, Townsend was approached by the head of the North Netherlands’ Orchestra and Choir with an offer; and with that moment The Moth stopped being an idea and began to become a reality. Today he is pleased to reveal another part of The Moth narrative in the shape of the visceral and heavy double-single ‘Prepare For War / The Big Snit’.
Watch the video, directed by Studio Sparks, here
Devin comments: “This is a track that essentially acts as a ‘soundtrack for an unmade movie’ …if you think of it as a ‘song’ it’s not really going to work, but if you think of it as a cinematic ‘experience’ that is representative of the final moments before a ‘fundamental change’, it’s a cool adventure. Either viewed from the lens of the ‘war’ being that of two warring factions whose actions have culminated in a ‘final battle’, or the same thing being essentially a metaphor for an internal struggle, it works in the same light. The battle itself can be representative of a decision, loss, change, or whatever. But sitting with the difficulty of life and our natures can often be violent work, so ‘the fastest way out is through’ and this piece of music represents that process. The ending is meant to be a representation of a sort of personal awakening. The name ‘The Big Snit’ was taken from a short cartoon from the Canadian national film board by the same name I grew up with. If you get a chance, look it up on YouTube … I guess my version here is simply a kind of heavy metal version of that :)”
Stream the single here: https://dvn.lnk.to/PrepareForWarTheBigSnit
The Moth constitutes 3 distinct parts across its release. In addition to the main album, The Moth – The Afterlife highlights the grandeur of the orchestra & choir, in what might be considered a more pure version of The Moth experience. The Moth – The War is a recording of the live musical debut that took place in March 2025 in The Netherlands, showcasing the raw emotion of performing The Moth for the very first time.
Pre-order now here: https://dvn.lnk.to/TheMoth
The full track-listing is as follows:
- Semi-prologue
- War Beyond Words
- The Moth
- Ode To My Eye
- Enter The City
- Covered By Causes
- Lexin
- Runaways
- A Proxy For God
- The Mothers
- Orion
- Stay There
- Home At Night
- Intermission
- Lexin Returns
- The Clergy
- Prepare For War
- The Big Snit
- Silver Princess
- A Life in Review
- Metamorphosis
- Stained Hearts
- Let Go
- We Don’t Deserve Dogs
Devin Townsend ‘Metamorphosis’ Solo UK & European Tour 2026
Tickets & info: www.hevydevy.com
01.09. Birmingham – Glee Club
02.09. Bath – Komedia
03.09. Southampton – 1865
04.09. Exeter – Phoenix
06.09. London – Union Chapel
07.09. Oslo – Sentrum Scene
09.09. Gothenburg – Pustervik
10.09. Stockholm – Nya Cirkus
12.09. Helsinki – Finlandia Talo
15.09. Hamburg – Markthalle
16.09. Warsaw – Stodola
18.09. Vienna – Simm City
20.09. Zurich – Volkhaus
22.09. Paris – Le Bataclan
23.09. Marseille – Le Silo
26.09. Munich – Werk 7 Theatre
28.09. Cologne – Stadthalle
29.09. Utrecht – Tivoli GZ
01.10. Brighton – Old Market
02.10. Cardiff – The Gate
04.10. Glasgow – Oran Mor
05.10. Manchester – RNCM
06.10. Leeds – Howard Assembly Rooms
If The Moth has a central gravitational theme, Townsend names it plainly: true self-acceptance. Something sturdier than slogans, closer to a practiced willingness to face what is uncomfortable without turning away. As Devin explains: “The most obvious metaphor for change within the concept of this project was a moth: from caterpillar to an entirely different creature—one so drawn to the light that it burns itself away. What remains is immutable—only the spirit.”
At the hardest moments, when abandoning the project might have seemed rational, Townsend points to the team as the decisive factor. A host of incredible musicians and contributors participated throughout the course of this process, as well as the North Netherlands Orchestra & Choir and orchestrators Joseph Stevenson & Niels Bye Nielsen. Long time band members Darby Todd, Mike Keneally, James Leach played a huge part, as well as guests including the Steve Vai, Anneke van Giersbergen, Lynn Wu (Ou), and artists Travis Smith & Eliran Kantor, plus key creative consultation from Mike St-Jean. The technical teams that worked tirelessly included co-mixer Chris Edrich, recording engineers Ben Searles & Jacob Hermann, Atmos mixer Ron Searles, Mastering engineer Troy Glessner, choirs in various countries throughout the world, and peripheral individuals that helped land this behemoth of a plane.
DEVIN TOWNSEND online:
http://www.hevydevy.com
http://www.facebook.com/dvntownsend