The New Black
Encyclopedia
The New Black is the fifth and final album by Canadian
heavy metal
band Strapping Young Lad
. It was released on July 11, 2006, debuting at #200 on the Billboard charts
. A music video was shot for the album's sole single
, "Wrong Side", and another video, done in CGI
, was made for "Almost Again", which was not a single.
festival. Despite this, Townsend stated the recording was not rushed, and The New Black became a critical, as well as a commercial, success. It was more melodic than any of the band's previous albums and brought back the debut album's tongue-in-cheek
humour.
chart, #15 on the Top Independent Albums, and #8 on the Top Heatseekers charts. Stylus Magazine
's Cosmo Lee described it as "heavy, catchy, and with no filler", and About.com
's Chad Bowar was also positive, stating that "this is a CD that's dense and heavy, but also has some memorable hooks".
A music video was shot in late May to accompany the sole single from the album, "Wrong Side". In June 2006 Strapping Young Lad embarked on a short festival tour of Europe, including performances at the Rock am Ring
and Rock im Park festivals in Germany and the Download Festival
in England, which was followed by a second stage appearance at Ozzfest in July and August, where they played to some of their largest audiences in their career.
The album comes packaged with a second CD featuring a sampling of various other Century Media artists. The European version contains two bonus tracks: "The Long Pig" and a cover of The Melvins'
"Zodiac". The Japanese version contains "The Long Pig" and the instrumental "C:enter:###
".
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band Strapping Young Lad
Strapping Young Lad
Strapping Young Lad was a Canadian extreme metal band formed by Devin Townsend in Vancouver, British Columbia, in 1994. The band started as a one-man studio project; Townsend played most of the instruments on the 1995 debut album, Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing...
. It was released on July 11, 2006, debuting at #200 on the Billboard charts
Billboard charts
The Billboard charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs or albums in the United States. The results are published in Billboard magazine...
. A music video was shot for the album's sole single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
, "Wrong Side", and another video, done in CGI
Computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
, was made for "Almost Again", which was not a single.
Background
Century Media imposed a strict deadline on the release date of the album; it was to be ready before the 2006 OzzfestOzzfest
Ozzfest is an annual festival tour of the United States featuring performances by many heavy metal and hard rock musical groups. It was founded by Ozzy Osbourne and his wife Sharon Osbourne, both of whom also organize each yearly tour with their son Jack Osbourne...
festival. Despite this, Townsend stated the recording was not rushed, and The New Black became a critical, as well as a commercial, success. It was more melodic than any of the band's previous albums and brought back the debut album's tongue-in-cheek
Tongue-in-cheek
Tongue-in-cheek is a phrase used as a figure of speech to imply that a statement or other production is humorously intended and it should not be taken at face value. The facial expression typically indicates that one is joking or making a mental effort. In the past, it may also have indicated...
humour.
Release and critical reception
The New Black was released on July 11, 2006. Having sold more than 4,000 copies during its first week, The New Black reached #200 on the Billboard 200Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
chart, #15 on the Top Independent Albums, and #8 on the Top Heatseekers charts. Stylus Magazine
Stylus Magazine
Stylus Magazine was an online music and film magazine launched in 2002. It featured long-form music journalism, four daily music reviews, movie reviews, a number of different podcasts, an MP3 blog, and a text blog....
's Cosmo Lee described it as "heavy, catchy, and with no filler", and About.com
About.com
About.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
's Chad Bowar was also positive, stating that "this is a CD that's dense and heavy, but also has some memorable hooks".
A music video was shot in late May to accompany the sole single from the album, "Wrong Side". In June 2006 Strapping Young Lad embarked on a short festival tour of Europe, including performances at the Rock am Ring
Rock am Ring
The Rock am Ring and Rock im Park festivals are two simultaneous rock music festivals held annually in Germany....
and Rock im Park festivals in Germany and the Download Festival
Download Festival
The Download Festival is a three day rock music festival held annually at Donington Park, England . It usually takes place in June...
in England, which was followed by a second stage appearance at Ozzfest in July and August, where they played to some of their largest audiences in their career.
The album comes packaged with a second CD featuring a sampling of various other Century Media artists. The European version contains two bonus tracks: "The Long Pig" and a cover of The Melvins'
The Melvins
The Melvins are an American band that formed in 1983. They usually perform as a trio, but in recent years have performed as a four piece with two drummers. Since 1984, singer and guitarist Buzz Osborne and drummer Dale Crover have been the band's constant members...
"Zodiac". The Japanese version contains "The Long Pig" and the instrumental "C:enter:###
C:enter:pound, pound, pound
C:enter:### is a 7" vinyl EP released on April 19, 2007 by Canadian extreme metal band Strapping Young Lad. It was released by the German label Restrain Records, and is limited to 500 hand-numbered copies...
".
Track listing
Bonus CD (Century Media sampler, North American release only)
- "In Effigy" (Shadows FallShadows FallShadows Fall is an American heavy metal band from Springfield, Massachusetts, formed in 1995. They are one of the few contemporary metal bands who take their lyrical influence from Eastern philosophy and some references to the Rastafari culture...
) - "My Apocalypse" (Arch EnemyArch Enemy (band)Arch Enemy is a Swedish melodic death metal band, originally a supergroup, from Halmstad, formed in 1996. Its members were in bands such as Carcass, Armageddon, Carnage, Mercyful Fate, Spiritual Beggars, and Eucharist to name a few. It was founded by Carcass guitarist Michael Amott along with Johan...
) - "Chains of Humanity" (God ForbidGod ForbidGod Forbid is an American heavy metal band formed in 1996 in East Brunswick, New Jersey.-Biography:Building up a following in the late 1990s by touring with bands such as GWAR, Nile, Cradle of Filth and Candiria, God Forbid's first full album Reject the Sickness was released by 9 Volt Records in 1999...
) - "Slaves Shall Serve" (BehemothBehemoth (band)Behemoth is a Polish blackened death metal band from Gdańsk, formed in 1991. They are considered to have played an important role in establishing the Polish extreme metal underground, alongside bands such as Vader, Decapitated, Vesania and Hate....
) - "99" (The HauntedThe HauntedThe Haunted is a Swedish metal band from Gothenburg, formed in 1996.The original members were Anders & Jonas Björler, Peter Dolving, Adrian Erlandsson and Patrik Jensen...
) - "Our TruthOur Truth"Our Truth EP" is the first single by Italian gothic metal band Lacuna Coil from the album Karmacode. The song was also featured on the soundtrack to Underworld: Evolution. It was a Top 30 Active Rock single on the Billboard Charts...
" (Lacuna CoilLacuna CoilLacuna Coil is an Italian gothic metal band from Milan. Formed in 1994, the group has had two name changes since being previously known as Sleep of Right and Ethereal and was inspired by the combination of gothic imagery and music...
)
Bonus tracks
- "The Long Pig" (European and Japanese releases only)
- "Zodiac" (The Melvins cover) (European release only)
- "C:enter:###" (Japanese release only)
Personnel
- Devin TownsendDevin TownsendDevin Garret Townsend is a Canadian musician and record producer. He was the founder, songwriter, vocalist, and guitarist in extreme metal band Strapping Young Lad from 1994 to 2007 and has had an extensive career as a solo artist....
– vocals, guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
, production - Jed SimonJed SimonJed Simon is a Canadian musician. He has been a member of numerous metal bands, including Front Line Assembly, Strapping Young Lad, Zimmers Hole, and TENET.-Biography:...
– guitar - Gene HoglanGene HoglanEugene "Gene" Victor Hoglan II is an American drummer. He is acclaimed for his creativity in drum arrangements, including usage of odd devices for percussion effects and his trademark lengthy double-kick drum rhythms...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussion - Byron StroudByron StroudByron Stroud is the bassist for metal bands Fear Factory, City of Fire and Zimmers Hole and the defunct band Strapping Young Lad.-Biography:...
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Will Campagna – keyboards, backing vocals
- Cam Kroetsch (The Almighty PunchdrunkThe Almighty PunchdrunkThe Almighty Punchdrunk was a project that featured Gene Hoglan of Strapping Young Lad, Cam Kroetsch of Savannah, and Shane Clark of 3 Inches of Blood. They released one album titled "Music for them Asses" in 2001, produced by Devin Townsend and released on his label Hevydevy Records....
) – guest vocals on "You Suck" - Oderus UrungusOderus UrungusOderus Urungus, played by Dave Brockie, is the lead vocalist of the Metal band Gwar. He appears as an intergalactic humanoid barbarian with devil horns and a meaty looking face, and always carries around a long sword named "Unt Lick"...
(GWARGWARGwar is a satirical heavy metal band formed in Richmond, Virginia, United States, in 1984. The band is best known for its elaborate science fiction/horror film inspired costumes, obscene lyrics and graphic stage performances, which feature humorous enactments of politically and morally taboo...
) – guest vocals on "Far Beyond Metal" - Bif NakedBif NakedBif Naked is a Juno Award-winning, Indian-born American-Canadian multi-platinum record selling, rock singer, writer, poet, motivational speaker and actress.-Personal life:...
– guest vocals on "Fucker" - Chris Valagao (Zimmers Hole) – backing vocals
- Shaun Thingvold – engineer
- Mike Fraser – mixing
- Ryan Van PoederooyenRyan Van PoederooyenRyan Joost Van Poederooyen is a Canadian drummer. He gained "international recognition" as a member of progressive metal groups The Devin Townsend Band and The Devin Townsend Project...
– drum technician - Travis SmithTravis Smith (artist)Travis Smith is an American graphic artist best known for designing heavy metal album art. He has been called "renowned" by Alternative Press and "unquestionably one of the most talented graphic artists in metal today" by Chronicles of Chaos...
– artwork and photography