 Townsend 's next project took several years to come to fruition . After the creation of the IR8 demo tape , Townsend and Jason Newsted had begun work on a new project called Fizzicist , which they described as " heavier than Strapping Young Lad " . When the IR8 tape was leaked , Newsted 's Metallica bandmates James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich learned of the project . Hetfield was " fucking pissed " that Newsted was playing outside the band , and Newsted was prevented by his bandmates from working on any more side projects . With the project stalled , Townsend instead wrote the album himself , entitling it Physicist . Townsend assembled his Strapping Young Lad bandmates to record it , the only time this lineup was featured on a Devin Townsend album . The thrash @-@ influenced Physicist was released in June 2000 , and is generally considered a low point in Townsend 's career . Hoglan and the rest of the band were dissatisfied with the way the sound was mixed , and Townsend considers it his worst album to date . 
 Townsend <a href='null_genetive' title='1'><mark>'s</mark></a>next project took several years to come to fruition . After the creation of the IR8 demo tape , Townsend and Jason Newsted <a href='been_done' title='2'><mark>had</mark></a> begun work on a new project called Fizzicist , which they described as " heavier than Strapping Young Lad " . When the IR8 tape was leaked , Newsted <a href='null_genetive' title='3'><mark>'s</mark></a>Metallica bandmates James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich learned of the project . Hetfield was " fucking pissed " that Newsted was playing outside the band , and Newsted was prevented by his bandmates from working on any more side projects . With the project stalled , Townsend instead wrote the album himself , entitling it Physicist . Townsend<a href='been_done' title='4'><mark></mark></a> assembled his Strapping Young Lad bandmates to record it , the only time this lineup was featured on a Devin Townsend album . The thrash @-@ influenced Physicist was released in June 2000 , and is generally considered a low point in Townsend <a href='null_genetive' title='5'><mark>'s</mark></a>career . Hoglan and the rest of the band <a href='uninflect' title='6'><mark>were</mark></a> dissatisfied with the way the sound was mixed , and Townsend <a href='uninflect' title='7'><mark>considers</mark></a> it his worst album to date . 
Townsend  nxt project took several years to come to fruition . After the creation of the IR8 demo tape , Townsend and Jason Newsted done begun work on a new project called Fizzicist , which they described as " heavier than Strapping Young Lad " . When da IR8 tape was leaked , Newsted  Metallica bandmates James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich learned of the project . Hetfield was " fukin pissed " dat Newsted was playing outside tdaband , and Newsted was prevented by his bandmates from workin on any more side projects . wid the project stalled , Townsend instead wrote thdalbum himself , entitling it Physicist . Townsend been assembled his Strapping Young Lad bandmates to record it , thedaly time dis lineup was featured on a Devin Townsend mixtape . The thrash @-@ influenced Physicist was released in June 2000 , and is generally considered a low point in Townsend  career . Hoglan and the rest of the dad was dissatisfied with the way the sound was mixed , and Townsend consider it his worsmixtapeum to date .