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STRAPPING YOUNG LAD
There are times in your life when you wish you didn't do things hastely, or even emotionally, because as we all know, these are
not the basis of good merit or opinion. A few weeks ago I reviewed this bands disc. SYL, and basically tore them down for sounding too
fast, too noisy, and even incoherent. How wrong I was. First off, let me reiterate how much I love Devin Townsend's music and so
much that he does is simply amazing. Let me also say that I hope no one was offended by my foolish, and narrow minded outlook
to a potentially amazing CD that almost passed into the beer coaster graveyard. About a week ago, I found this disc still sitting
on my desk and for the hell of it, decided to throw it in and spin it. Mind you, we had just bombed Iraq and I was pretty geared up
for war and it's horrible situations. What this disc did for me at that moment was channel all my anger and frustration into one
simple, cohessive mind set. ANGER!!! Yup, basic, good ol' ANGER. And once again I will say that Mr. Townsend, you are a
genius because NO ONE is doing the amazing, brutal, yet beautiful noisescapes that you and your band provide on this disc. Funny
that I have been such a huge fan of everything Townsend has done, including some of his heavier edged projects such as Physicist,
but to shit all over Strapping Young Lad is not something I would normally do.
The songs are tight, the production is perfect and yes, at times it can sound like a swarm of maurauding hornets hell bent on ripping
your eyes out, but what Strapping Young Lad does is create something that stays with you long after the disc has stopped playing.
It's a feeling of total exhilaration, that often is missing by so many other 'heavy' bands. These guys are simply BRUTAL, and Devin
creates a level of energy that leaves you exhausted. His work is always a step ahead of his contemporaries, and he is always so
damned melodic, even if he is screaming at the top of his lungs (and might I add, those are some powerful lungs Mr. Townsend).
So, my apologies to all the Strapping fans, Devin fans, and metal fans alike, my mistake is that of foolishness and haste. Stay
tuned for my review of The Devin Townsend Band - Accelerated Evolution (It is AMAZING!!!).
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