SMC ~ Strapping Young Lad - City

Echoes

"Stink hot at 5 A.M. when the machine starts up again. The sky is still pink"

"ALL HAIL THE NEW FLESH"

"Hey Asshole - Fuck You and Your Shitty Music"

"Bring Your Pick, Bring Your Shovel, Head On Down To The Amish Rumble"


Above you lay the extent of liner note for Strapping Young Lad's City (beyond lyrics and thanks), Devin Townsend's crushing opus, and second release as Strapping Young Lad. On this release there was more of a transition between SYL as Devin's musical solo project (As on Heavy As A Really Heavy Thing), and more of a true band, with gene and jed and byron. I chose this one simply because, I've picked a lot of albums for SMC (The Weakerthans, Christine Fellows, Shugo Tokumaru), but I had yet to delve into heavy metal. In fact they only heavy metal offering I can remember was Blessed Black Wings by High On Fire. I listen to plenty, so I figured I would rectify this, and with an album from my hometown, no less.

First off, I recommend listening to this album on something that can provide seamless play between songs. The songs are great on their own, but there is a magical quality about them when they seamlessly flow from one to the next. Devin is an excellent producer, and did a great job on this album. The first thing which grasp you right out off the bat, is that this album is fucking heavy. This is beyond heavy. This is black hole heavy. Absolutely crushing. SOngs like "Oh My Fucking God" and "All Hail The New Flesh" just blow you out of the water with layered guitars and huge drum kicks. The songs are not as melodic as your average metal album nowadays, but more than make up for it with vicious rhythms (see "AAA") or brilliant segues (see the second part of "Room 429"). And sdo I need to mention the amazing vocals? They are gutteral low, piercing highs, and above all, steady. He is an amazing vocalist, ad one of my favourites. His range from low to high is amazing.

There are lots of samples on the album, which add to the feeling of claustrophobia in an artificial world that this albums lends to ('The beat stops here"). The subject matter is heart wrenching as well. For all the bravado and chest-thumping ("No one fucks with me", "We like people who can take the pressure" - AAA and Velvet Kevourkian), it is very much the state of mind of a trapped man. It is delicate at the same time it is smashing you in the face, as much a cry for help as it is a roar of victory.

Even if you don't like heavy metal - try and listen for the technical aspects - the brilliant vocals, the immense production (how he gets it to sound so goddamn fucking heavy - brilliant drum/guitar interplay), and the fragile content, all making residence in Strapping Young Lad's City.

My personal faves? "AAA," "All Hail The New Flesh," "Detox," "Room 429," and "All Hail The New Flesh"

transplant

AAaaaaall over this one. This is what I know about Strapping Young Lad.

1. their drummer a couple years back filled in at the last minute for Opeth. You must be talented as HELL if you can just slip behind the kit and bust that out.

2. Alien is awesome. I have not heard City, therefore I am fired up for this week.

3. Saw them live last year. Devin's parting words to the crowd were "Take a shit, pick it up, work one end to a point and then stab yourself with it". It was memorable anyway.

Echoes

oh man, City just decimates Alien, if you ask me, but if you loved that you'll like this

Pat H

Strapping Young Lad is the best metal band out today, hands down. City is by far their best, even though the new one is pretty close. They are all good though, even Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing

Echoes

I think I can agree with that sentiment. Devin Townsend is really a musical genius. The new album is fucking collossal, but it is a lot cleaner than the grimier city

viggs20

I've got this one...can't say I like City any more or less than other SYL albums. They are all fucking loud and great to listen while blowing off steam or venting your anger. Devin Townshend's vocals are like Mike Patton's at his most aggressive, the way they both can scream their lungs out. The drummer Gene Hoglan (of Death no less) deserves just as much praise for his pounding rhythms behind those guitar assaults.
Don't think they are the best metal band out now...but thats a discussion for another thread. I haven't heard the new one but I can't see it being any different than their previous albums, deafening sound and all they are quite one dimensional.

Echoes

One dimensional is kind of rough. True a lot of their songs go for the "really fucking loud" aesthetic, but the stuff like "Room 429" is nothing like "All Hail THe New Flesh." I'm keeping my arguments solely within the realm of SYL (and namely City), because Devin Townsend solo is nothing like SYL. It is a softer, less aggressive, more technical side. I find it hard to put down an album that encompasses one atmosphere so deafining well one dimensional - by the same accord, so are Slint and Godspeed You Black Emperor, and to pick a band you definately listen to, Clann Zu.

alobar

wow. I'm floored by the monstrosity of sound SYL produce! It's just so thick and intricate at the same time. I'm really impressed by the musicianship they possess. I haven't paid attention yet to the lyrics, but the vocals of Devin Townshend are very well executed within the metal realm. I'm no big metal fan, but this is very fun to listen to.

Echoes

Dev's vocals are just plain amazing. He got his in to the world of music by singing on a Steve Vai CD (Sex and Religion)

transplant

Echoes wrote:

Dev's vocals are just plain amazing. He got his in to the world of music by singing on a Steve Vai CD (Sex and Religion)

nice bit of trivia, didn't know that. I have that CD even. Anyway, I hope to get this today. We just moved so I am without internet at home, can't do it here at work. I really want to hear this.

surfanddestroy

I saw them at Download festival for the first time and really enjoyed them.

viggs20

Echoes wrote:

One dimensional is kind of rough. True a lot of their songs go for the "really fucking loud" aesthetic, but the stuff like "Room 429" is nothing like "All Hail THe New Flesh." I'm keeping my arguments solely within the realm of SYL (and namely City), because Devin Townsend solo is nothing like SYL. It is a softer, less aggressive, more technical side. I find it hard to put down an album that encompasses one atmosphere so deafining well one dimensional - by the same accord, so are Slint and Godspeed You Black Emperor, and to pick a band you definately listen to, Clann Zu.

To be clear...I'm not putting down 'City'. I was talking about Strapping Young Lad in general and I know Devin's solo stuff is different from SYL. I do like them, but I don't find what they do to be mind-blowing. Like I said, I don't like "City" an more or any less than ALien, SYL or Heavy as a really heavy thing...they are all equally menacing and powerful in terms of sound without truly tugging me emotionally in any way. I don't even know if I'll like it more if their sound got well-rounded. They are good at they do.
Agree about SLint & GYBE but Clann Zú I think mixed it up quite well. And what I get out of those bands and reasons I listen to GYBE & Clann Zú in particular are different from what I get out of Strapping Young Lad.

kdpjam

i'm having trouble downloading... will work on it again later ;(

transplant

Page 5? anyway......

Ok, I finally got some good listens in. Just as I expected, love it. It is just hard enough to piss people off yet I can listen to the full disc in one sitting. That is a big thing with me.

Vocally as expected is phenominal. I am surprised by the lack of guitar work. I don't know if it is still a hold over from the bloated work in 80's metal however I wouldn't have minded a little more. The fact this CD can keep my attention without guitar being at the forefront says something about this treat. Drums are punishing.

This CD isn't hard just to be hard, they were able to mix it up well. I was able plenty of times to pick out the lyrics which was added bonus.

Track 4 is the standout. I'll be spinning this all day today. *edit* after plenty more spins, the song I am most surprised by is Room 429. by the time it gets to this song, I am ready for it. Just needed that little break. I also enjoy Spirituality as the closer. I have recommended this already to 2 people who I feel need to hear this.

Echoes, what other CD's do you recommend that Townsend produced?

psycosmic

this album wasn't very easy for me to digest but i think that's the purpose...
i really like the production... it IS brutal but not in the typical 'in your face' heavy metal way, i think it's more about the menacing atmoshere and soundscapes...
i can't pick any specific songs because i like it more as a whole than any of the single tracks... it's also very difficult for me to rate it as i really have to be in a certain mood to listen to this...
good pick!

AndySlash

Well, I like this better than I thought I would, that's for sure. It's probably not going to get played a lot, if at all, just because it's still not my type of music that I play regularly, but there was a lot here that I actually enjoyed.

I thought, for a metal singer, that he has a great voice. He can scream AND sing, which doesn't seem like something many people can do very well.

Songs I enjoyed most are, not surprisingly, the more easily accessible ones- AAA, Room 429, and Spirituality. I did like the Velvet Kevorkian intro into All Hail... in fact, the track transitions in general (once I edited the silence at the end of each mp3) on this disc were a nice touch that made this album stand out a bit more for me.

deadmosquito

finally i'm getting around to listening to this album now. the first thing that hit me was how fucking LOUD it is. which is very cool, but as several other people have said on here already, i have to be in a certain mood to listen to this. i really don't "feel" much by this music... for me it would be more of a background album, something i'd keep on and not pay too close attention to. but i don't mean any of that in a bad way. the vocals are pretty outstanding, and the musicality present throughout the record, especially underneath the guitars is impressive. the drumming is fucking frantic!

long story short; this isn't something i'll probably be listening to much, but it's definitely interesting and i really did love the way the whole album segued from song to song. "all hail the new flesh" was probably my favorite song from this.

alobar

I just wanted to say I played this a couple times all the way through today and was fucking rockin' out to it. I'm glad I got to hear these guys......I also scored points with my metalhead co-worker.

psycosmic

dropping by again to say that i really dig "AAA"...
just like deadmosquito said, i also have to be in a certain mood to listen to the complete album... but "AAA" just made it into my playlist on winamp today (and even into my radio playlist!) and i'm liking it more with every listen...