2026 Anniversary Series 081: Strapping Young Lad – The New Black

Scribed by Sandre the Giant Released: 11th July 2006 2006 was such a strange year for fans of Strapping Young Lad. Seeing them come off the incredible ‘Alien’ record and seeing them reach their popularity peak just in time for the festival circuit of 2006, Century Media demanded a new album in time for the summer festival tour circuit, including Ozzfest and thus ‘The New Black’ was born. Despite the short turnaround time, this is Devin Townsend and he cannot just phone it in even if he tried. He thought fuck it, if they want a stupid singalong festival album then I’ll write them one! The result was ‘The New Black’, the band’s last and firmly most melodic record but one that seemed that way without compromising that crazed SYL ‘wall of sound’ layering or their grind/thrash/prog/groove/death metal assault. How, you may ask? Well, let me take you on a trip you’ll not soon forget. From the moment you hear the ‘S, Y, L’ chant refrain in opening track ‘Decimator’, you just know that Devin…