“Strapping Young Lad is a vehicle for me to be wild and extroverted and ridiculous. It gives me the chance to say, 'Look at me. I'm a heavy metal guy. I'm Rob Halford or Bruce Dickinson or whoever.'”

Canadian singer, guitarist, songwriter, and record producer, born 1972

Devin Townsend is a Canadian singer, guitarist, songwriter, and record producer. He was born in 1972 and is known for founding the extreme metal band Strapping Young Lad, where he served as the main songwriter, vocalist, and guitarist from 1994 to 2007. He has also built a long solo career and has released 30 albums across his projects as of 2026. His work is associated with heavy, often extreme metal, though his output spans a broad range of styles within that world.