Former MEGADETH Bassist MACDONOUGH To Tour With STRAPPING YOUNG LAD

Devin Townsend's (STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, THE DEVIN TOWNSEND BAND) label, Hevy Devy Records, has issued the following update:

"STRAPPING YOUNG LAD's 'The New Black' was released July 11th or 17th, depending on where you live. So you should all have it by now, and if you don't… 'You Suck' …. has been available to hear for a while on the HDR, Century Media websites and SYL's MySpace site. The video for 'Wrong Side' can also be seen on those sites as well as an awesome clip of 'The New Black' from the Download Festival in England. 'The New Black' U.S. standard edition comes with an enhanced CD and Century Media sampler disc. There is also a digipack version that comes with one new bonus track, 'The Long Pig', and the MELVINS' cover 'Zodiac'.

"There has been a lot of discussion in the past while as to the future of STRAPPING YOUNG LAD and Devin's views on the band and his career. There was a particular interviewDevin did which was translated and reprinted on the Internet that raised alarm. In it, Devin was admittedly negative and candid with his thoughts on everything from the industry to metal music in general."

Commented Devin: "I was really tired, I warned people that it probably wasn't a good idea… there were too many interviews and I just wasn't in the head space for it." Despite this, he was scheduled for 33 hours of interviews over 3 days.

Continued Devin: "That interview makes it sound a lot more dire than it actually is. I was just exhausted. I just don't want to HAVE to do STRAPPING ALL THE TIME. I want the energy to be pure but it's a small aspect of my personality and it can't be pure if it's forced. I could go on doing heavy music forever, but only if allowed to do it when it comes naturally."

"So SYL will continue only when Devin feels it, not when demanded.

"After Ozzfest, Devin is taking six months off where he will focus on things other than music. His first child is due in October and he wants to spend time with his family and assess what he would like to do in the future. Beginning in March, there will be three more tours in support of 'The New Black', likely in Europe, Australia/Japan and again in the U.S./Canada. He then wants to experiment with varying musical styles and do something away from THE DEVIN TOWNSEND BAND and STRAPPING YOUNG LAD for his next project. He would also like to get further into production, ultimately setting up a facility in Vancouver where he can house and produce bands on one site. He would like to feel free to do music without feeling forced to live in the 'scene' that he doesn't relate to well.

"There are a few things we must also bear in mind. The first being that we all know that Devin thinks in extremes and in the immediate, otherwise the THE DEVIN TOWNSEND BAND/STRAPPING YOUNG LAD dichotomy would not be possible. He speaks his mind freely but how he may be feeling at one moment may be entirely different from the next. Also, like his lyrics, a lot of what he says is layered in sarcasm so you cannot always accept it as 'truth.' For now, just give him some time off and he may come back with an entirely new outlook.

"The Ozzfest tour continues with great success. It has been a very surreal experience for the band. While it can be difficult going out and screaming 'You Suck' at 10 in the morning, the response from the crowd as well as the signing sessions and greetings with people afterwards have made it really rewarding.

"As with the Sounds Of The Underground last year, Byron (Stroud) unfortunately ended up double-booked with FEAR FACTORY so after August 1st there will be a substitute bass player for all of the remaining STRAPPING dates. At this time it is confirmed to be James MacDonough, formerly with MEGADETH."