Devin Townsend "The Moth is about the journey—but it is also about arrival” – PipemanRadio Interview episode artwork

EPISODE · May 29, 2026 · 25 MIN

Devin Townsend "The Moth is about the journey—but it is also about arrival” – PipemanRadio Interview

from Pipeman in the Pit · host Pipeman Radio

Devin Townsend goes all out on new double-single ‘Prepare For War / The Big Snit’ Taken from ambitious, orchestral-metal opus The MothThe Moth is about the journey—but it is also about arrival”Canadian metal maverick Devin Townsend recently announced the long-awaited release of his ambitious, orchestral-metal opus ‘The Moth’, out 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: https://youtu.be/wdhwXKtVBR0Devin 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.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 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:https://www.hevydevy.com https://www.facebook.com/dvntownsend https://www.omerch.com https://www.patreon.com/cw/DevinTownsend https://twitter.com/dvntownsend https://www.instagram.com/dvntownsend/ https://www.tiktok.com/@dvntownsend https://www.youtube.com/user/poopynuggeteer/featured https://twitch.tv/devin_townsendClick Here to Subscribe to Pipeman in the Pit for PERKS, BONUS Content & FREE GIVEWAYS!  Pipeman in the Pit is a music, festival, and interview segment of The Adventures of Pipeman Radio Show (#pipemanradio) and from The King of All Festivals while on The Pipeman Radio Tour. Pipeman in the Pit features all kinds of music and interviews with bands & music artists especially in the genres of Heavy Metal, Rock, Hard Rock, Classic Rock, Punk Rock, Goth, Industrial, Alternative, Thrash Metal & Indie Music. 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Devin Townsend goes all out on new double-single ‘Prepare For War / The Big Snit’ Taken from ambitious, orchestral-metal opus The MothThe Moth is about the journey—but it is also about arrival”Canadian metal maverick Devin Townsend recently announced the long-awaited release of his ambitious, orchestral-metal opus ‘The Moth’, out 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: https://youtu.be/wdhwXKtVBR0Devin 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.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 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:https://www.hevydevy.com https://www.facebook.com/dvntownsend https://www.omerch.com https://www.patreon.com/cw/DevinTownsend https://twitter.com/dvntownsend <a href="https://www.instagram.com/dvntownsend/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer...

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Devin Townsend "The Moth is about the journey—but it is also about arrival” – PipemanRadio Interview

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This episode was published on May 29, 2026.

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Devin Townsend goes all out on new double-single ‘Prepare For War / The Big Snit’ Taken from ambitious, orchestral-metal opus The MothThe Moth is about the journey—but it is also about arrival”Canadian metal maverick Devin Townsend recently...

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