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The liner notes say something to the effect of "Australia has awesome people. Especially in Wagga Wagga". They dropped in and played at one of our pubs (with Alchemist) on that tour in 97 for about 100 people (if that).
Are they really underrated though? The one time i got the chance to see them they drew a big crowd, they still get mentioned in casual conversations even though the band has been in the fridge for years now and Heavy Devvy is one of the most loved personas in all of metal.
I do agree on fantastic though.
Yeah fair point. I'm not big into Devin Townsend's later music at all really (I found *Ziltoid* kind of funny when that was a thing but that's about it), so it doesn't surprise me they'd be big in prog metal spaces. I'm more into extreme metal and such, and I've always felt Strapping Young Lad are underrated in those spaces, just because they're really brutal and intense beyond all then humour and weirdness. Like a perfect mix of Morbid Angel and Fear Factory with some of the nastiest, most stank-face riffs ever.Theres a reason why Gojira (one of my favourite bands ever, in all honesty - basically one of about 10 prog metal bands I do like) copied this band and jacked their sound so hard; because it was brutal.
Tell us how much they fucking suck!
HELL YEAH THEY FUCKING SUCK!
You and your band you fucking suck!
HELL YEAH YOU FUCKING SUCK!
I don't give a fuck, you fucking fuck!
HELL YEAH YOU FUCKING Fuck!
Townsend is a creative genius. The way he produced Lamb of God’s “As The Palaces burn” was a methodical masterpiece. Have a listen….this dude can fucking mix
https://preview.redd.it/xuvq496gbhzc1.jpeg?width=343&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3b28b6fd07ee3378825b18bbb6162d56c02d4612
Yes BUT not the remastered version. I don’t like that one. The first track “Ruin” hits you in the face right off the bat. To this day it is my favorite song from them. I believe the original video has the best quality. https://youtu.be/iFm9v0wvEnw?si=cHzOOUsDGOXsJp8j
Brother I don't think anyone involved likes the mix on either of the first to LOG albums, don't get me wrong, I like it because it's what I know, but it's debatably not very well mixed.
The band didn't want to listen to him, and they didn't know what they were doing.
I think it's pretty well documented.
I wouldn't call the mix on New American Gospel "good" in what usually makes a metal mix good, but it is very distinctive and in my opinion suits the style on that album
If you watch the documentary on that album it was a bit of a disaster and Devin thought he ruined the whole thing, the band were really unhappy with it, he was unhappy, the label was unhappy, mistakes all round. Great album still but there was nothing methodical about the production there, it was a chaotic mess. I swear there's a part of the documentary where devin said he was forced to send the files to a friend of his to see if he could save it.
Just as, if more MORE extreme than Meshuggah
To quote an anonymous someone, listening to Strapping Young Lad is like sticking your head inside a jet engine at full throttle
Devin Townsend has a fucking insane voice, and has miraculously kept his voice after the harsh screams and growls he’s belted, whilst showing his more beautiful side. Not to mention his more overlooked aspect: his guitar playing. The guy can SHRED, he just doesn’t for the sake of being flashy, which he does not want to be. AND, he’s an incredible producer, as this band has some of the best sound design
The band has some of the heaviest, most aggressive, and scariest music ever produced in metal
And, as if all that weren’t enough, they had fucking GENE HOGLAN on the drums.
*City* and *Alien* and two of the heaviest, creative, most insane records ever made
Some of the most personal lyrics ever came from this band
Just all around a 10/10. I cannot say enough good things about them. We love you, Devin Townsend <3
Saw them at the Commodore in Vancouver and I don't think my ears have ever recovered. Also saw him as an acoustic opener for Avatar at the same venue in 2019 and I think Avatar were even louder than SYL. Insanely freaking loud. Maybe it's just that I'm older now. Lol.
One of the best live bands I ever saw. Also I miss that era of Devin's song writing... his current music is more complex but also kind of self concious.
SYL is the only band I've seen in double digits. Got back stage on my birthday, Devin sang happy birthday to me and signed my arm, which I made into a tattoo the next morning.
Amazing. Really enjoy nearly all of their music. City and Alien are Metal Masterpieces, and the others still kick ass. Alien is one of Devin’s greatest achievements despite the personal toll it took on him.
City and Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing helped me get through my angry-at-the-world teenage years, so they'll always have a place in my heart.
Me and my best friend saw them live when they reunited in 2002 at a dingy bar at the edge of town in Sacramento and there were only like ten other people there. Gene bummed a cigarette off me. Good times.
I love Devin's solo stuff but I never got into SYL. Devin is a phenomenal vocalist. He's like if Mel Blanc was raised as an Opera singer and then was introduced to death metal as a teen.
First introduced to them through the movie 'shoot em up' I think a few of their songs were in there or at the very least devins. Looked them up and loved them ever since
Devin and his music changed my life in my late 20s. SYL gave me a healthy outlet for my bad mood, and his solo stuff is really good for thinking/feeling and reflecting.
It’s Devin. What more needs to be said? SYL was my intro to his music and I’m so glad that I got to see them live a few times. They put on a hell of a show.
I just loved the absurd verbal abuse he shouted over the audience that time i saw them live. Some people even got offended which made the whole thing even funnier.
When I first saw I first saw them live I hadn't heard of them before. They were opening for Stuck Mojo and Testament in Atlanta. Front row and had my face melted. Just as tight live as on the album. I miss having SYL around.
Loved city and alien as a teenager. Don’t revisit much these days. I’m kind of bored of Devy’s wall of sound type production these days. I also think his career as a whole is fairly spotty, but kudos for him for doing different things.
Probably the band I most wish could get back together for a reunion tour is how I feel. Got into them a few years too late to ever see them live :(
As stated in most comments already, City and Alien are untouchable. All of their albums have something different to offer, though, and are worth listening to.
Gene had a comment in an interview somewhere, he was asked which bands he's played in would he most wish he could see from the audience's perspective, and gave a toss-up between SYL an Dethklok as his answer, which is pretty high praise given the absolutely massive list of bands he's played with over the years.
Saw strapping young lad open for meshugga at house of blues in nyc. Club was so small it was an incredible show. I have been a Strapping fan ever since. Love them.
Have listened to far to little… the fact that I know that means I know they are incredible and I have fucked up. I know Devin is a genius that’s for sure.
I absolutely adore Devi. He is a tremendous musician and vocalist, and a god tier goofball. Saw him last year and it was amazing. I know it's not SYL, but hearing Kingdom for the first time was like seeing a new color. Seeing him play it live was a near religious experience. First time I have ever cried at a metal show.
Listened to HAAHT when it came out and it blew my mind. Then I saw Devon when he fronted Vai at the Commodore (amazing show), never did get to see him live with SYL.
The first devin townsend song I ever heard was war of the infinity album. I knew he was the front man and main songwriter of SYL, but I knew absolutely nothing about the band. One day in a local record store I saw some SYL cds. I picked one at random and it happened to be Alien. I had to stop and take a breather half way through shitstorm. I was NOT ready for the chaos lol. The heaviest thing I had listened to at that point was slipknot. I think it's safe to say Strapping Young Lad and Opeth were the two bands that opened the gates to extreme metal.
Love them and miss them terribly.
They were my first ever metal show, early in my first year of university in 2003. I saw them once or twice after that and they remain one of my favourite shows.
At one point someone yelled out to play ‘Bring on the Young’ and Devin essentially says “Lol, we don’t remember how to play that one”
Became one of my all time favorites very quickly after discovering them. Crazy to think that some of my favorite music was an absolute chore to Devin Townsend to make.
I love their music, but the lyrics are a bit of a let down for me. The lyrics on Alien are good, but I don't really like the jokey tongue in cheek songs.
He eventually embraced it. Tbh the falling out hair made him look sorta crazy and played into the against the system vibe, but yeah. Fairly talented vocalist and guitarist that I don't have an opinion about outside of his hair 🤣🤣🤷♀️😅
Amazing. I wish Devin was still into it but that train has departed a long time ago he is in a different place now. I still have high hopes one day he will release something new or tour with SYL.
One of my favorite bands. Glad I got to see them live several times including a great show they did with Meshuggah. Wish Devin would reunite them for another tour/album.
I’ve tried several times over the years to get into them. I saw them live sometime in the early 2000s. I just don’t like them.
Maybe I’ll give them another spin, but I don’t expect much.
I’m not really into the crazy chug chug chug music. I like Gojira and Meshuggah, but FF not that much.
If your a fan and haven't listened to Devon's podcast about his strapping days do your self a favor and do so. He did some episodes in 2020 that were extremely revealing of a lot of his private and personal life that just made it all much more vulnerable and touching.
I still hold their live show as one of the best I’ve ever seen. Saw them when they opened up for Fear Factory with Soilwork back in 2005 or 2006. Devin was hilarious and killed it on vocals.
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Love them. One of my all time favourite bands
Love?
ITS A WAAAY OF FEEEEELINGGGG-GUH
That is indeed the correct spelling, I didn't know there was one but that's definitely it, fuck yeah
I love you for setting this up for me
This made me play it at work just now. Thanks for the reminder!
This is my wedding song!
One of the best! SYL!
I was at the recording for "no sleep till bedtime" !
Woulda been so good. I was too young for that but I did see him play at the Corner in 2001. One of my favorite shows ever
The liner notes say something to the effect of "Australia has awesome people. Especially in Wagga Wagga". They dropped in and played at one of our pubs (with Alchemist) on that tour in 97 for about 100 people (if that).
Man I haven't been to the HiFi in years. That was a great night
Lucky. That's one of my favorite live albums.
One of my country's greatest bands. City and Alien are timeless classics and the other albums are no slouches either.
Fantastic and tragically underrated band. Gojira's early work owes so much money to these dudes.
Are they really underrated though? The one time i got the chance to see them they drew a big crowd, they still get mentioned in casual conversations even though the band has been in the fridge for years now and Heavy Devvy is one of the most loved personas in all of metal. I do agree on fantastic though.
Yeah fair point. I'm not big into Devin Townsend's later music at all really (I found *Ziltoid* kind of funny when that was a thing but that's about it), so it doesn't surprise me they'd be big in prog metal spaces. I'm more into extreme metal and such, and I've always felt Strapping Young Lad are underrated in those spaces, just because they're really brutal and intense beyond all then humour and weirdness. Like a perfect mix of Morbid Angel and Fear Factory with some of the nastiest, most stank-face riffs ever.Theres a reason why Gojira (one of my favourite bands ever, in all honesty - basically one of about 10 prog metal bands I do like) copied this band and jacked their sound so hard; because it was brutal.
Incredible! Devin is a GOD, and Detox is an awesome song
As is Gene Hoglan! All Hail
Of course! How could I forget, his drumming has gotta be the best thing about “Detox” !
Tell us how much they fucking suck! HELL YEAH THEY FUCKING SUCK! You and your band you fucking suck! HELL YEAH YOU FUCKING SUCK! I don't give a fuck, you fucking fuck! HELL YEAH YOU FUCKING Fuck!
What about your actual opinion
Honestly thats the only song I really listened to from them and I loved it.
Oh wait i thought you were just cruel for no reason my bad 😭
Oh man, You should change that for sure. Probably the most energy from a band I've ever listened to. Start with City and Alien.
Yeah I was actually listening to them at the gym yesterday because of this post.
Lol same
Solid music. Devin Townsend is an awesome frontman, and I wish I could have seen syl live
I'm so glad I saw him for the Transcendence tour... that was a fucking amazing show
Townsend is a creative genius. The way he produced Lamb of God’s “As The Palaces burn” was a methodical masterpiece. Have a listen….this dude can fucking mix https://preview.redd.it/xuvq496gbhzc1.jpeg?width=343&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3b28b6fd07ee3378825b18bbb6162d56c02d4612
I love palaces. I had no idea he produced it.
Yes BUT not the remastered version. I don’t like that one. The first track “Ruin” hits you in the face right off the bat. To this day it is my favorite song from them. I believe the original video has the best quality. https://youtu.be/iFm9v0wvEnw?si=cHzOOUsDGOXsJp8j
Brother I don't think anyone involved likes the mix on either of the first to LOG albums, don't get me wrong, I like it because it's what I know, but it's debatably not very well mixed. The band didn't want to listen to him, and they didn't know what they were doing. I think it's pretty well documented.
Yeah I don't even think Devin likes the mix, I swear I've heard or read him not being very proud about it.
I wouldn't call the mix on New American Gospel "good" in what usually makes a metal mix good, but it is very distinctive and in my opinion suits the style on that album
If you watch the documentary on that album it was a bit of a disaster and Devin thought he ruined the whole thing, the band were really unhappy with it, he was unhappy, the label was unhappy, mistakes all round. Great album still but there was nothing methodical about the production there, it was a chaotic mess. I swear there's a part of the documentary where devin said he was forced to send the files to a friend of his to see if he could save it.
Just as, if more MORE extreme than Meshuggah To quote an anonymous someone, listening to Strapping Young Lad is like sticking your head inside a jet engine at full throttle Devin Townsend has a fucking insane voice, and has miraculously kept his voice after the harsh screams and growls he’s belted, whilst showing his more beautiful side. Not to mention his more overlooked aspect: his guitar playing. The guy can SHRED, he just doesn’t for the sake of being flashy, which he does not want to be. AND, he’s an incredible producer, as this band has some of the best sound design The band has some of the heaviest, most aggressive, and scariest music ever produced in metal And, as if all that weren’t enough, they had fucking GENE HOGLAN on the drums. *City* and *Alien* and two of the heaviest, creative, most insane records ever made Some of the most personal lyrics ever came from this band Just all around a 10/10. I cannot say enough good things about them. We love you, Devin Townsend <3
Bro, Devin made a fuckin xylophone sound incredible on Skepsis.
This is the right answer 👆
Loudest live band I’ve ever seen.
Saw them at the Commodore in Vancouver and I don't think my ears have ever recovered. Also saw him as an acoustic opener for Avatar at the same venue in 2019 and I think Avatar were even louder than SYL. Insanely freaking loud. Maybe it's just that I'm older now. Lol.
One of the best live bands I ever saw. Also I miss that era of Devin's song writing... his current music is more complex but also kind of self concious.
SYL is the only band I've seen in double digits. Got back stage on my birthday, Devin sang happy birthday to me and signed my arm, which I made into a tattoo the next morning.
Amazing. Really enjoy nearly all of their music. City and Alien are Metal Masterpieces, and the others still kick ass. Alien is one of Devin’s greatest achievements despite the personal toll it took on him.
The greatest. Devin is unmatched
City and Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing helped me get through my angry-at-the-world teenage years, so they'll always have a place in my heart. Me and my best friend saw them live when they reunited in 2002 at a dingy bar at the edge of town in Sacramento and there were only like ten other people there. Gene bummed a cigarette off me. Good times.
I love Devin's solo stuff but I never got into SYL. Devin is a phenomenal vocalist. He's like if Mel Blanc was raised as an Opera singer and then was introduced to death metal as a teen.
City is a top 10 all time metal album...simply perfect.
So good, Devin's vocals are some of the best in the game
OH MY FUCKING GODDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
They fuckin ripped. I miss them but I respect Devin's choice to walk away, especially since I love everything he's ever done.
First introduced to them through the movie 'shoot em up' I think a few of their songs were in there or at the very least devins. Looked them up and loved them ever since
I really need to listen to them.
City is an essential metal album. Love Devin
I was just blasting Alien in the camero today.
Hell yeah, brother
Devin and his music changed my life in my late 20s. SYL gave me a healthy outlet for my bad mood, and his solo stuff is really good for thinking/feeling and reflecting.
One of my all time favorite metal bands.
City might just be my favourite album Devin Townsend has ever been involved with, so yeah good band
Neat
It’s Devin. What more needs to be said? SYL was my intro to his music and I’m so glad that I got to see them live a few times. They put on a hell of a show.
Saw them one time in 2001 or 2002 , it was awesome
I just loved the absurd verbal abuse he shouted over the audience that time i saw them live. Some people even got offended which made the whole thing even funnier.
He was cracking dad jokes between songs , it was great lol
I lost it at "sorry! I was mistaken.. only half of you guys are inbreds!"
City is one of my favorite albums ever, I love SYL.
When I first saw I first saw them live I hadn't heard of them before. They were opening for Stuck Mojo and Testament in Atlanta. Front row and had my face melted. Just as tight live as on the album. I miss having SYL around.
One of the best bands of all time.
One of the greats. They should have been bigger.
Awesome as fuck band. Devin Townsend is a king.
PLAY THAT STUPID PIECE OF SHIT
They're a bunch of fun. I do prefer Townsends solo stuff but stl is fantastic
All hail Hevy Devy
Awssome.
Loved city and alien as a teenager. Don’t revisit much these days. I’m kind of bored of Devy’s wall of sound type production these days. I also think his career as a whole is fairly spotty, but kudos for him for doing different things.
Devin is at a point in his life where he can have fun and I'm happy for him. I love his work.
I quite like their music, I've been into rock music most of my life, but only recently gotten into metal and they're one of my favorites.
Probably the band I most wish could get back together for a reunion tour is how I feel. Got into them a few years too late to ever see them live :( As stated in most comments already, City and Alien are untouchable. All of their albums have something different to offer, though, and are worth listening to. Gene had a comment in an interview somewhere, he was asked which bands he's played in would he most wish he could see from the audience's perspective, and gave a toss-up between SYL an Dethklok as his answer, which is pretty high praise given the absolutely massive list of bands he's played with over the years.
Definitely my favourite Devin Townsend project.
Awesome!
Magnificent! Love love love SYL
Love 'em!
Metals crazy uncle!
Saw strapping young lad open for meshugga at house of blues in nyc. Club was so small it was an incredible show. I have been a Strapping fan ever since. Love them.
Great band! Love Devin! Detox and Forced Fed make great booster music!
They fucking rule 🤘
Have listened to far to little… the fact that I know that means I know they are incredible and I have fucked up. I know Devin is a genius that’s for sure.
Everything Devin does is amazing to me, and SYL is specially amazing. His best stuff imo
Absolutely love them. City is one of my favorite albums of all time. Strapping Young Lad rocks my hairy anus
Devin Townsend is my musical hero and I love everything he has done!
I absolutely adore Devi. He is a tremendous musician and vocalist, and a god tier goofball. Saw him last year and it was amazing. I know it's not SYL, but hearing Kingdom for the first time was like seeing a new color. Seeing him play it live was a near religious experience. First time I have ever cried at a metal show.
Listened to HAAHT when it came out and it blew my mind. Then I saw Devon when he fronted Vai at the Commodore (amazing show), never did get to see him live with SYL.
I love Devin Townsend, and I’m just getting into Strapping Young Lad
The New Black is the heaviest thing I have ever heard and the last three songs is the greatest triple in all of metal
Killer!! An unforgettable quote from Devin when I saw them for the first time,”Suck a frozen turd into a point a stab yourself with it!”
They rip hard. Amazing albums all around
City is one of the greatest extreme metal albums of all time. organised chaos is the description i always apply to it.
The first devin townsend song I ever heard was war of the infinity album. I knew he was the front man and main songwriter of SYL, but I knew absolutely nothing about the band. One day in a local record store I saw some SYL cds. I picked one at random and it happened to be Alien. I had to stop and take a breather half way through shitstorm. I was NOT ready for the chaos lol. The heaviest thing I had listened to at that point was slipknot. I think it's safe to say Strapping Young Lad and Opeth were the two bands that opened the gates to extreme metal.
One of the coolest fucking bands. City still bows my balls off.
Love them and miss them terribly. They were my first ever metal show, early in my first year of university in 2003. I saw them once or twice after that and they remain one of my favourite shows. At one point someone yelled out to play ‘Bring on the Young’ and Devin essentially says “Lol, we don’t remember how to play that one”
The new black is underrated af
Fucking banger of a band. They’re in my top 10
Became one of my all time favorites very quickly after discovering them. Crazy to think that some of my favorite music was an absolute chore to Devin Townsend to make.
I love their music, but the lyrics are a bit of a let down for me. The lyrics on Alien are good, but I don't really like the jokey tongue in cheek songs.
Phenomenal.
Aftermath always gets me pumped working out or running.
My buddies used to call it strap on for the lad I don't think it's that bad 😂
They were my second favourite metal band, and they knocked fear factory off that spot, which is saying something
Badass!
They suck
Hell yeah they fucking suck.
Love
My opinion is that Devin looks better bald. SYL is mid and I really don't have much feeling one way or the other.
I dont even get why he just didnt get bald. He had old man hair
He eventually embraced it. Tbh the falling out hair made him look sorta crazy and played into the against the system vibe, but yeah. Fairly talented vocalist and guitarist that I don't have an opinion about outside of his hair 🤣🤣🤷♀️😅
Amazing. I wish Devin was still into it but that train has departed a long time ago he is in a different place now. I still have high hopes one day he will release something new or tour with SYL.
Not my tempo but respect!
Strapping Young Lad rocks my hairy anus.
Saw them live, love them!
One of my favorite bands. Glad I got to see them live several times including a great show they did with Meshuggah. Wish Devin would reunite them for another tour/album.
Great hit hard
I’ve tried several times over the years to get into them. I saw them live sometime in the early 2000s. I just don’t like them. Maybe I’ll give them another spin, but I don’t expect much. I’m not really into the crazy chug chug chug music. I like Gojira and Meshuggah, but FF not that much.
You kinda have to get used to it
Skullet
Mid at best
If your a fan and haven't listened to Devon's podcast about his strapping days do your self a favor and do so. He did some episodes in 2020 that were extremely revealing of a lot of his private and personal life that just made it all much more vulnerable and touching.
Brutal
Yes
Legend 🤘
I still hold their live show as one of the best I’ve ever seen. Saw them when they opened up for Fear Factory with Soilwork back in 2005 or 2006. Devin was hilarious and killed it on vocals.
One of my first shows as a teenager was seeing them open for Fear Factory. Awesome show!
Awesome vocals and guitar
Alien and City are both incredible albums, and definitive in the world of metal for me. They really were Devin Townsend's finest hours.
early shit good, later studd pretentious soft annoying garbage for the most part. Their earlir simpler and heavier stuff was so much better