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Strapping Young Lad - City



8.6 | 487 votes |
Release date: 1997
Style: Industrial metal, Thrash metal

Owners:

569 have it
48 want it


Disc I
01. Velvet Kevorkian
02. All Hail The New Flesh
03. Oh My Fucking God
04. Detox
05. Home Nucleonics
06. AAA
07. Underneath The Waves
08. Room 429 [Cop Shoot Cop cover]
09. Spirituality
10. Centipede [Japanese bonus] [2007 reissue bonus]
11. Home Nucleonics ['96 Demo version] [2007 reissue bonus]
12. Headrhoid [Gunt demo version] [2007 reissue bonus]
13. Detox ['96 demo version] [2007 reissue bonus]
14. AAA ['96 demo version] [2007 reissue bonus]
+ Detox [video] [2007 reissue bonus]

Disc II [Live] [2012 reissue bonus]
01. Dire
02. Consequence
03. Relentless
04. Rape Song
05. Home Nucleonics
06. S.Y.L.
07. In The Rainy Season
08. Devour
09. Aftermath
10. Oh My Fucking God
11. Force Fed
12. Detox
13. All Hail The New Flesh
14. Far Beyond The Metal

Top 20 albums of 1997: 13
Featured In "Getting Into: Devin Townsend: Part I: The 1990s"

Additional info
All the songs from the 2012 bonus CD were recorded at the Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver (Canada), January 16th 2004. Taken from the For Those Aboot To Rock DVD, previously unreleased on CD.

Guest review by
ScreamingSteelUS
Rating:
10
This album is an explosion. City is the musical equivalent of a nuclear warhead detonating directly into your eardrums. Few other albums can bend and blur the borders of genres like City; the result is a crushing, homicidal whirlwind of extreme hardcore blackened death doom thrash grind industrial carpet bombing. From the first pounding, metallic second of "Velvet Kevorkian" to the final droning, haunting moment of "Spirituality," Strapping Young Lad's sophomore effort is a nonstop roller coaster ride through the darker half of Devin Townsend's manic depression.

Read more ››
published 20.02.2012 | Comments (6)

Found in 38 lists
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Comments

Comments: 30   Visited by: 999 users
24.12.2010 - 16:53
Rating: 9
JÄY
Metal slave
Would prolly be a 10 if it didnt end on such a weird note (429 is strange....still good and then spirituality is kinda boring) Im a firm believer that the last song should sum up the album...instead of being a "closer".
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11.01.2011 - 06:29
Rating: 10
Evil Chip

Really amazing album from what I'm listening right now. This record is surprising me like no other record has done it for while
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20.09.2011 - 13:09
Rating: 10
musicalkaratekid

Excellent album by SYL. Probably one of the craziest ventures through music i have had the pleasure of experiencing, but even Room 429 seemed to fit the atmosphere that the rest of this album created perfectly\m/
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23.10.2011 - 14:39
3rdWorldFuckface
Account deleted
Irritating fillers ruin the whole experience.
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08.04.2012 - 03:56
Lit.
Account deleted
You can feel the raw, unpasturized anger in this album. Sick as hell.
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22.09.2012 - 05:23
chronic-headache

How is the remaster compared to the original? Is it worth me getting (aside from the bonus tracks) Im talking about the original songs production quality
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28.12.2012 - 01:51
megadeath13
Account deleted
Very excellent! Its musical madness from the first second on, but i just cant listen to this album in one loop. When it goes to Industrial, City for sure belongs to the best.
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11.01.2014 - 17:11
Rating: 9
mz

This embodies anger.
The first album with elements of industrial metal I heard and was crushed to death some 4 years ago. The best thing is that this not only angry but also contains sections of humor and oddly enough, manages to make me laugh
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Giving my ears a rest from music.
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16.03.2015 - 06:02
Maco
Pvt Funderground
It's an explosion.
----
Crackhead Megadeth reigns supreme.
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30.04.2015 - 16:21
Rating: 8
LeKiwi
High Fist Prog
Vicious assault from start to finish, but leaves something to be desired...not quite as fulfilling as I would have it.
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12.06.2015 - 03:53
Maco
Pvt Funderground
IT'S AN EXPLOSION.... OF EPIC PROPORTIONS
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Crackhead Megadeth reigns supreme.
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12.09.2016 - 15:07
ManiacBlasphemer
Black Knight
This album was a kick in the face for all those washed-up 80s thrash bands who confused change with sell-out. Townsend and the other SYL guys proved that you can still make thrash metal to be relevant in the grunge/nu-metal decade by being creative. Not by selling-out. All those washed up thrash bands such as Slayer, Metallica, Anthrax, Exodus or Sepultura could've taken 10 years break to come up with new material and they could never come up with a record of such high quality like City. This album to me almost made the 80s thrash scene to be like classic rock. That's how heavy it is. And that's how innovative and relentless it is. They became generic. However, that does not mean the album is perfect. Tracks 3 and 5 tend to be a little random, rather too chaotic, lacking in melody. Also, the cover track is kinda mediocre, but that isn't a Townsend song thus it is skipable. The rest of the tracks are top-notch. They set the quality standard so high that none of the subsequent SYL releases were able to top it. In particular, the last track kinda predicts what Dev would write for his subsequent solos releases.

Great tracks: All Hail The New Flesh, Detox, AAA, Underneath The Waves, Spirituality.

Average tracks: Oh My Fucking God, Home Nucleonics, Room 429.

Bonus tracks: Centipede (can be found on the Japanese 2007 remastered edition; an ok track inspired by a Soundgarden song).
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20.04.2017 - 16:06
VIG
Account deleted
I don't get how this guy went on to do prog.
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21.04.2017 - 19:08
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
Written by Guest on 20.04.2017 at 16:06

I don't get how this guy went on to do prog.

To be honest you can kinda understand it coming as it did after Alien, because that album was definitely thrashy industrial metal first and foremost, but it had some more subtle hints of melody and perhaps even some prog influences to it. SYL wasn't always just heavy as shit lampooning of the brutal bands that take themselves way too fucking seriously. I'd say Devy definitely dropped a hint or two at what was coming with his solo career with some of the band's work

Having said that, Alien didn't drop til 2005 and Devy had already dropped quite a few solo albums before that so.... yeah, going from this to that kinda stuff is a pretty big stylistic jump. But hey man, some people have a lot of different influences and just get the itch to explore them more. You could also easily ask how the fuck Ulver went from melodic BM to droney electronica.... but it happened
----
I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
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22.04.2017 - 02:57
Rating: 6
M C Vice
ex-polydactyl
Written by Auntie Sahar on 21.04.2017 at 19:08

Written by Guest on 20.04.2017 at 16:06

I don't get how this guy went on to do prog.

To be honest you can kinda understand it coming as it did after Alien, because that album was definitely thrashy industrial metal first and foremost, but it had some more subtle hints of melody and perhaps even some prog influences to it. SYL wasn't always just heavy as shit lampooning of the brutal bands that take themselves way too fucking seriously. I'd say Devy definitely dropped a hint or two at what was coming with his solo career with some of the band's work

Having said that, Alien didn't drop til 2005 and Devy had already dropped quite a few solo albums before that so.... yeah, going from this to that kinda stuff is a pretty big stylistic jump. But hey man, some people have a lot of different influences and just get the itch to explore them more. You could also easily ask how the fuck Ulver went from melodic BM to droney electronica.... but it happened

Could be a good idea for a list. Band/artists that shifted styles drasticly.
----
"Another day, another Doug."
"I'll fight you on one condition. That you lower your nipples."
" 'Tis a lie! Thy backside is whole and ungobbled, thou ungrateful whelp!"
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23.04.2017 - 03:27
VIG
Account deleted
Written by Auntie Sahar on 21.04.2017 at 19:08

To be honest you can kinda understand it coming as it did after Alien, because that album was definitely thrashy industrial metal first and foremost, but it had some more subtle hints of melody and perhaps even some prog influences to it. SYL wasn't always just heavy as shit lampooning of the brutal bands that take themselves way too fucking seriously. I'd say Devy definitely dropped a hint or two at what was coming with his solo career with some of the band's work

Having said that, Alien didn't drop til 2005 and Devy had already dropped quite a few solo albums before that so.... yeah, going from this to that kinda stuff is a pretty big stylistic jump. But hey man, some people have a lot of different influences and just get the itch to explore them more. You could also easily ask how the fuck Ulver went from melodic BM to droney electronica.... but it happened

Yes, that does make more sense putting it that way. I'm not good writing big long responses like this, but yeah, I agree!
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23.04.2017 - 03:28
VIG
Account deleted
Written by M C Vice on 22.04.2017 at 02:57

Could be a good idea for a list. Band/artists that shifted styles drasticly.

Then make it.
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23.04.2017 - 04:10
Rating: 6
M C Vice
ex-polydactyl
Written by Guest on 23.04.2017 at 03:28

Written by M C Vice on 22.04.2017 at 02:57

Could be a good idea for a list. Band/artists that shifted styles drasticly.

Then make it.

I can only think of 3 offhand. Someone more knowledgeable would probably do it better.
----
"Another day, another Doug."
"I'll fight you on one condition. That you lower your nipples."
" 'Tis a lie! Thy backside is whole and ungobbled, thou ungrateful whelp!"
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23.04.2017 - 16:09
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
Written by M C Vice on 23.04.2017 at 04:10

I can only think of 3 offhand. Someone more knowledgeable would probably do it better.

Hmmm....

Bathory: BM to Viking, pioneered both
Cynic: Tech death to prog
Opeth: Prog death to prog rock
Ulver: BM to electro whatever the fuck they feel like
Menace Ruine: BM/drone/noise whatever to neofolk

Just the ones I can think of right now, I'm sure there are a lot more.
----
I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
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24.04.2017 - 11:40
Rating: 6
M C Vice
ex-polydactyl
Written by Auntie Sahar on 23.04.2017 at 16:09

Written by M C Vice on 23.04.2017 at 04:10

I can only think of 3 offhand. Someone more knowledgeable would probably do it better.

Hmmm....

Bathory: BM to Viking, pioneered both
Cynic: Tech death to prog
Opeth: Prog death to prog rock
Ulver: BM to electro whatever the fuck they feel like
Menace Ruine: BM/drone/noise whatever to neofolk

Just the ones I can think of right now, I'm sure there are a lot more.

Semargl: industrial black to electro pop, via an electro industrial album. Plus possibly Devin, since that's what started this line of thought.
----
"Another day, another Doug."
"I'll fight you on one condition. That you lower your nipples."
" 'Tis a lie! Thy backside is whole and ungobbled, thou ungrateful whelp!"
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09.07.2019 - 15:06
Rating: 7
metalriff

Written by M C Vice on 24.04.2017 at 11:40

Written by Auntie Sahar on 23.04.2017 at 16:09

Written by M C Vice on 23.04.2017 at 04:10

I can only think of 3 offhand. Someone more knowledgeable would probably do it better.

Hmmm....

Bathory: BM to Viking, pioneered both
Cynic: Tech death to prog
Opeth: Prog death to prog rock
Ulver: BM to electro whatever the fuck they feel like
Menace Ruine: BM/drone/noise whatever to neofolk

Just the ones I can think of right now, I'm sure there are a lot more.

Semargl: industrial black to electro pop, via an electro industrial album. Plus possibly Devin, since that's what started this line of thought.

Pantera: Glam to Groove
----
1001 Metal albums to hear before you die
https://metalstorm.net/users/list.php?list_id=6531
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17.03.2020 - 23:36
Rating: 10
Metal Rasputin

Nobody has ever done another similar album, not even Devin Townsend himself. This must one of the angriest, most insane metal records ever made, and I don't mean just the songwriting and the performances, but the production too. It's all crazy, but also crazy good!

Want to know my gut reaction when I first heard it back in the late 90's?

"That drummer must have like five or six legs and just as many hands, Jesus Christ!"
----
You've got a lot of guts. Let's see what they look like!
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29.03.2020 - 12:52
Rating: 9
DeathMetal

Besides the last track it was crushing.
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10.09.2020 - 18:02
Rating: 4
Mountain King
K i K o
I hated it but I don't like this genre (mainly the vocals), so my rating may be a little biased.
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10.09.2020 - 21:46
brimarsh

Written by Mountain King on 10.09.2020 at 18:02

I hated it but I don't like this genre (mainly the vocals), so my rating may be a little biased.

Pardon my ill-mannered connotations here, but what was the purpose of you showing up to give a low rating to an album in a genre you openly don't like? Feels a bit unfair, no?
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12.09.2020 - 12:51
Rating: 4
Mountain King
K i K o
Written by brimarsh on 10.09.2020 at 21:46

Written by Mountain King on 10.09.2020 at 18:02

I hated it but I don't like this genre (mainly the vocals), so my rating may be a little biased.

Pardon my ill-mannered connotations here, but what was the purpose of you showing up to give a low rating to an album in a genre you openly don't like? Feels a bit unfair, no?

I am always trying to discover new music even in genres that I don't listen to that much and I really enjoy that. I have stumbled upon great bands in different genres in the past so I don't restrict myself.
This was on the bands that I've never heard of (only know their name) but I was aware of Devin's work, and due to the high ratings and praise, I wanted to listen to City and Alien. I knew what I was going into based on some previous comments here (extreme metal etc.) however, it turned out to be worse than I expected.
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19.11.2020 - 01:29
Rating: 9
Metren
Dreadrealm
If the second half/last third of the album was as strong as the first few songs, this would be my favorite album of all time.
----
My one-man project's Bandcamp with free downloads: https://dreadrealm.bandcamp.com/
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19.11.2020 - 02:45
Darkside Momo
Retired
Written by Guest on 20.04.2017 at 16:06

I don't get how this guy went on to do prog.

Just for the record (for those interested, as VIG isn't there anymore), both City and Ocean Machine (Devin's first solo album) were composed at the same time, originally for the same album AFAIK, but given the differences Devin decided to publish those two seperately - still, the emotional intensity is very much there in both albums
----
My Author's Blog (in French)


"You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you"

"I've lost too many years now
I'm stealing back my soul
I am awake"
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12.05.2021 - 13:12
Zap
Guest
I sometimes wonder how the members of Cop Shoot Cop feel about Devin Townsend making their version of Room 429 completely redundant.
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26.06.2021 - 21:45
Rating: 9
WizardSlayer99

Best thing Devin Townsend ever made, chaotic and psychotic performance.
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