Strapping Young Lad was an influential industrial death/thrash metal band from Vancouver, Canada, started by Devin Townsend in 1994, which is currently on hiatus since 2007. Strapping Young Lad is the angrier, more aggressive side of Devin Townsend, The Devin Townsend Band is popularly known as the happier side. Their sound is generally described as progressive death metal/industrial metal, which incorporates symphonic synth-melodies and a wall of sound production technique, although this differs from album to album.