Townsend's solo run lasted until 2002. After a five-year break from recording, Strapping Young Lad reunited to record a new album. Townsend credits the album, "Strapping Young Lad", as an emotional response to the attacks of September 11, 2001, in the United States. "If the world's about to blow up," said Townsend, "let's write the soundtrack for it." The album's lyrics were based more around fear and insecurity than the "hostile" lyrics of "City". Musically, "Strapping Young Lad" was less industrial than "City", and more reminiscent of death metal, with a "larger-than-life" rock production style. Townsend cited Front Line Assembly, Grotus, and Samael's "Passage" as influences. The self-titled album was released in February 2003. It received lukewarm reviews, with critics finding it inferior to "City", but it was the band's first charting album, entering at 97th place on Billboard's Top Heatseekers chart.