76.190.253.173 (talk) |
MrMoustacheMM (talk | contribs) rv to correct spelling, rm collapsed parameters (unnecessary, while this could count as "multiple lists", they're so short that uncollapsing them does not add undue length to the page) |
||
Line 33: | Line 33: | ||
|description="Love?" became one of the band's most well-known songs among heavy metal fans. Allmusic described its chorused harmonies as "[[King's X]] from hell".<ref name="AMG Alien Review"/> |
|description="Love?" became one of the band's most well-known songs among heavy metal fans. Allmusic described its chorused harmonies as "[[King's X]] from hell".<ref name="AMG Alien Review"/> |
||
|format=[[Ogg]]}} |
|format=[[Ogg]]}} |
||
"Love?" was chosen as the sole single from the album. Its accompanying music video, inspired by the cult [[horror film]], ''[[The Evil Dead]]'', was directed by [[Joe Lynch (director)|Joe Lynch]].<ref name="Tartareandesire.com interview">{{cite web|title=Strapping Young Lad interview|publisher=Tartareandesire.com|author=Magers, Adrian|url=http://www.tartareandesire.com/interviews/strappingyounglad.html|accessdate=2008-01-31|date=2005-04-07}}</ref> The video garnered the band wider attention, and helped "Love?" become one of their most recognizable songs.<ref>{{cite web|title=Strapping Young Lad - Alien Review|publisher=Music Emissions|author=Sellers, Kevin|url=http://www.musicemissions.com/artists/albums/index.php?album_id=6934|accessdate=2008-01-31|date=2007-08-12}}</ref> Jed Simon admitted to having produced a video for this particular song because it had "the most commercial potential".<ref name="Rock Eyez Webzine - Interview with Jed Simon">{{cite web|title=Interview with Jed Simon|author=Rademacher, Brian|publisher=Rock Eyez Webzine|url=http://www.rockeyez.com/interviews/int-strappingyounglad-simon.html|accessdate=2008-01-31|date=2005-08-11}}</ref> "Love?" was originally one of two confirmed songs for an [[Extended play|EP]] that was supposed to contain four new songs and four covers. Although planned for release in 2003, the EP was eventually |
"Love?" was chosen as the sole single from the album. Its accompanying music video, inspired by the cult [[horror film]], ''[[The Evil Dead]]'', was directed by [[Joe Lynch (director)|Joe Lynch]].<ref name="Tartareandesire.com interview">{{cite web|title=Strapping Young Lad interview|publisher=Tartareandesire.com|author=Magers, Adrian|url=http://www.tartareandesire.com/interviews/strappingyounglad.html|accessdate=2008-01-31|date=2005-04-07}}</ref> The video garnered the band wider attention, and helped "Love?" become one of their most recognizable songs.<ref>{{cite web|title=Strapping Young Lad - Alien Review|publisher=Music Emissions|author=Sellers, Kevin|url=http://www.musicemissions.com/artists/albums/index.php?album_id=6934|accessdate=2008-01-31|date=2007-08-12}}</ref> Jed Simon admitted to having produced a video for this particular song because it had "the most commercial potential".<ref name="Rock Eyez Webzine - Interview with Jed Simon">{{cite web|title=Interview with Jed Simon|author=Rademacher, Brian|publisher=Rock Eyez Webzine|url=http://www.rockeyez.com/interviews/int-strappingyounglad-simon.html|accessdate=2008-01-31|date=2005-08-11}}</ref> "Love?" was originally one of two confirmed songs for an [[Extended play|EP]] that was supposed to contain four new songs and four covers. Although planned for release in 2003, the EP was eventually cancelled.<ref>{{cite news|title=Strapping Young Lad To Release New EP|publisher=Blabbermouth.net|url=http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=13453|accessdate=2008-01-31|date=2003-07-09}}</ref> |
||
==Track listing== |
==Track listing== |
||
Line 64: | Line 64: | ||
{{tracklist |
{{tracklist |
||
| headline = Japanese edition |
| headline = Japanese edition |
||
| collapsed = yes |
|||
| all_writing = |
| all_writing = |
||
| all_lyrics = |
| all_lyrics = |
||
Line 81: | Line 80: | ||
{{tracklist |
{{tracklist |
||
| headline = Australian edition |
| headline = Australian edition |
||
| collapsed = yes |
|||
| all_writing = |
| all_writing = |
||
| all_lyrics = |
| all_lyrics = |
||
Line 92: | Line 90: | ||
{{tracklist |
{{tracklist |
||
| headline = Korean edition |
| headline = Korean edition |
||
| collapsed = yes |
|||
| all_writing = |
| all_writing = |
||
| all_lyrics = |
| all_lyrics = |
Revision as of 01:47, 9 December 2011
Untitled | |
---|---|
Alien is the fourth album by Canadian extreme metal band Strapping Young Lad. It was released on March 22, 2005. The album was written by Devin Townsend and Gene Hoglan over a 6 month time period.
The album reached number 32 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart and number 35 on the Top Independent Albums chart. "Love?" became the album's single and had a music video which aired on Headbanger's Ball. The video (a tribute to the movie Evil Dead) depicts the band performing in a haunted cabin in the woods.
Background
Townsend and Hoglan were the primary writers of the album, since Simon and Stroud were busy with other commitments.[1] To prepare for the recording of Alien, Townsend had stopped taking the medication prescribed to treat his bipolar disorder;[2] he explained that the final track, "Info Dump" is a reflection on the panicked state of mind that ensued when he stopped taking his medication.[3] The making of Alien was documented and made viewable online on Century Media's official site in February 2005. It was also available as a bonus DVD of the limited first edition of the album. The band recorded a cover of Tom Jones' "What's New Pussycat?" that was scheduled to appear on Alien, but it was not recorded entirely because "it did not fit the flow" of the album. The song is not expected to be released anytime, even though blabbermouth.net has reported so.[4]
Due to some kind of error, the unmastered promotional release of Alien (and subsequently the early leaks of the album on the internet) contained the longer version of "Love?" and a version of "We Ride" which had most of the guitar solos missing. Also, on this promo release the track "Thalamus" was credited as being called "Landscape".[5][6] Previous to the promotional release, press releases credited "Thalamus" as being called "Mega Bulldozer".[7]
Release and critical reception
Alien was released on March 22, 2005, selling 3,697 copies in its first week.[8] It reached #32 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart, and #35 on the Top Independent Albums chart.[9] Critics praised Townsend's inventiveness and the dynamism of the songs in which "melody and discord meet midway";[10][11] Adrien Begrand of PopMatters wrote "Strapping Young Lad have raised the bar yet again",[12] while Blabbermouth.net's Krista G. called it one of the best albums of the year.[13]
"Love?"
"Love?" was chosen as the sole single from the album. Its accompanying music video, inspired by the cult horror film, The Evil Dead, was directed by Joe Lynch.[14] The video garnered the band wider attention, and helped "Love?" become one of their most recognizable songs.[15] Jed Simon admitted to having produced a video for this particular song because it had "the most commercial potential".[16] "Love?" was originally one of two confirmed songs for an EP that was supposed to contain four new songs and four covers. Although planned for release in 2003, the EP was eventually cancelled.[17]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Devin Townsend and Gene Hoglan
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Imperial" | 2:17 |
2. | "Skeksis" | 6:42 |
3. | "Shitstorm" | 4:22 |
4. | "Love?" | 4:53 |
5. | "Shine" | 5:13 |
6. | "We Ride" | 2:37 |
7. | "Possessions" | 4:12 |
8. | "Two Weeks" | 3:28 |
9. | "Thalamus" | 3:58 |
10. | "Zen" | 5:02 |
11. | "Info Dump" | 11:56 |
Total length: | 54:45 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
12. | "Zodiac" (Melvins cover) | 3:59 |
13. | "Love?" (Extended version) | 5:43 |
14. | "In the Rainy Season" (Live) | 5:29 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
12. | "Aftermath" (Live) | 7:11 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
12. | "Force Fed" (Live) | 5:42 |
Personnel
- Strapping Young Lad
- Devin Townsend – keyboards, guitar, vocals, samples
- Gene Hoglan – drums
- Byron Stroud – bass guitar
- Jed Simon – guitar
Additional personnel
- Additional musicians
- Dave Young – keyboards, vocals
- Will Campagna – live keyboards
- Male vocal choir
Chris Valagao, Rossy Living, Cam Krotche, Will Campagna, Shane Clark, Ross Gale, Christ Stanley, Will Cochrane, Ash Manning, Ross Empson, Mike Quigley, Billy Marquardt and Jeff Cook
- Female vocal choir
Laurielynn Bridger, Marnie Mains, Ani Kyd, Tammy "Tamz" Theis, Magdalena Bulak, Shay Ward, Steph Reid, Deborah Rodrigo-Tyzio, Michelle Madden, and Joanna Ussner
- Children vocals
Dorian Glaude-Living, Damian Moore, Ethan Belcourt-Lowe and Jayden Gignac
Production
- Devin Townsend – production, engineering
- Byron Stroud – associate producer
- Shaun Thingvold – engineering, mixing
- Kristina Ardron – 2nd engineer, editing
- Ryan Van Poederooyen – drum technician
- Alex Aligizakis – editing
- Scott Cooke – editing
- Bryan Seely – editing, assistant
- Rob Stefanson – assistant
- Alan Wong Moon – assistant
- Greg Reely – mastering at Green Jacket Studios
- Travis Smith – art consultant
- Per Johansson – artwork, layout design
- Omer "Impson" R. Cordell – photography
References
- ^ SOS, Mike (2005). "Interview: Strapping Young Lad: An extreme metal all-star squad". In Music We Trust. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
{{cite web}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=
(help); Unknown parameter|month=
ignored (help) - ^ S. Johnson, Alex. "Tales of extraordinary madness." Zero Tolerance magazine. December 30, 2004, Iss. 003.
- ^ Powell, Brett (2005). "Interview w/ Devin Townsend of Strapping Young Lad". Los Angeles Loud. Archived from the original on October 27, 2006. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ Blabbermouth.Net - Strapping Young Lad Confirmed For New England Metal And Hardcore Festival
- ^ Hevydevy forums - Love (extended version)
- ^ Hevydevy Forums - Differences between Aliens
- ^ BlabberMouth - Strapping Young Lad Finalize Track Listing For 'Alien'
- ^ "Soundscan Report: Queens Of The Stone Age, Ozzy Osbourne, Strapping Young Lad". Blabbermouth.net. 2005-03-30. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ "Artist Chart History - Strapping Young Lad". Billboard. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
{{cite web}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=
(help) - ^ a b Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Alien Review". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ Miller, Andrew (2005-04-13). "Strapping Young Lad - Alien". Cleveland Scene. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
{{cite web}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=
(help)[dead link] - ^ Begrand, Adrien (2005-03-25). "Strapping Young Lad: Alien review". PopMatters. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ G., Krista. "Alien Review". Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ Magers, Adrian (2005-04-07). "Strapping Young Lad interview". Tartareandesire.com. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ Sellers, Kevin (2007-08-12). "Strapping Young Lad - Alien Review". Music Emissions. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ Rademacher, Brian (2005-08-11). "Interview with Jed Simon". Rock Eyez Webzine. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ "Strapping Young Lad To Release New EP". Blabbermouth.net. 2003-07-09. Retrieved 2008-01-31.