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Underrated, unknown, absolute masterpiece Nov 25, 2009
The album title says it all - This is one of Skinny Puppy's darkest works. If you like music that's different than the tripe the mainstream has to offer, you might want to check this out. Skinny Puppy isn't for everyone - quite frankly, you'll either love it, hate it, or enjoy their side projects better. But giving this album a chance can expand your musical horizons. Despite other reviews here, I do have to say this album has plenty of melody - just not melodies you're accustomed to or expect. It's a crazy wild insanity ride you can hold onto firmly with the accessible beats. Ogre's lyrics are not as random as others say either and the overall theme of comparing the ruination of one's mind with drugs to the destruction of the earth through pollution is really apparent across the entire album thematically. Last Rights is arguably their artistic masterpiece - But this is the best of what they did best - their dancefloor slaughter album, a 40 minute very fast paced assault you can groove to all the way through. I think it's the best place to start listening to Skinny Puppy because it has most of the brilliance of Last Rights without it's slower-paced, less accessible baggage.
Industrial Heaven.. Turned to trash Nov 09, 2009
This is my next favorite S.P. album after Last Rights. It's a little less dark, but not any easier to swallow. I see a lot of ppl saying this album is accessible and should be their first S.P. album for ppl trying to find their music. Well i think that could turn away a lot of potential fans. This album is dark, aggressive, complex and i have to agree with the guy who said he hated it for a week, but now that i appreciate it to the fullest and realize it's potential I'm so sorry i ever doubted it. Just give it the time, and APPRECIATION is the key.. An idiot friend of mine says anyone can do this, anyone can make music on machines (yeah he really doesn't get it, i know) but at this time I'm sure it was a complex and daunting task. This will be remembered in the future, when music has died off eventually, I know it for sure, it is evolution.
1. Convulsion - Opening track sets off with cryptic sounds and ogre ranting like the world is ending. Really sets the stage of the album bringing everything to a climatic end with sounds only hell could conjure up.
2. Tormentor - This one actually has a danceable beat, but it gets clouded by creepy synths and ogre talking about mental shock from whatever he's on lol. Not an intense track, but trippy and creepy enough to be a S.P. classic
3. Spasmolytic - Yeah this one is an all time fav. for reasons - 1. pacing is so insane charles manson would O.D. 2. It has a funny synth beat that is the only resemblance of structure in a mass rambling about decay and drug paranoia. One of the best written pieces they have ever done. Check out the video too one youtube, nutty as hell
4. Rash Reflection - Lots of structure here. drum machines, violins and even ogre are all coherent, but the creepy lyrics about radiation or some sort of disease ridden earth are very unnerving.
5. Natures Revenge - More beats with layers and layers of dark soundscapes and composition, again there is an underlying layer of purity in this one that makes it somewhat accessible, just try to bare Nivek's talks of stabbing ppl and everyone's worst fears coming to life.
6. Shore Lined Poison - Creepy intro, and concentrated beats that some would consider danceable, but as soon as ogre begins the environmental degradation rant, and the sirens kick in and the high pitched synth waves attack, but right in the middle, i tell ya right in the middle man. There's that one point where it just becomes unclouded, less dense and everything is revealed. I almost cried, lol.. seriously though
7. Grave Wisdom - A lot of varying synth work here, nice horror intro too, but i agree with what someone said that it sounds a hell of a lot like a laser show lol, a very dark, and compelling.. laser show.. The apocalypse is revealed in the crafty end of times tune.
8. T.F.W.O. - Wow, the guitars aren't mixed low like convulsion and clouded with noise lol, but once this one gets near the end it breaks down, kind of like system shock. There is melody in this one as well at the end, a very funny surprise considering whats coming.
9. Morpheus Laughing - OK I'm surprised i haven't heard more talk/praise over this masterpiece, it's the craziest song they have ever made (maybe knowhere? comes close) About 5 layers of synth that is straight from a horror flick dominate soundscapes from hell and ogre just rants on and on lol , maybe a rhyme here or there. Nothing but cryptic talk of horror, human suffering, carnage and animal testing, i can play this one over and over and never tire, in my top 3 S.P. tracks 4 sure.
10. Reclamation - Bass sounds alot like choralone, but ogre is incomprehensible and soon drowned out by all the noise and muffled sound that dominates and at the end, nothing but samples and a pounding thunder clap to end one of the greatest albums of all-time.
It's not for everyone, hell, its not for anyone, who really did S.P. intend this for? those striving for greatness or just the need to experiment?? well if I'm alone i hope someone out there is like me and see's that greatness is in the strange and those who are willing dive in, you will be changed.. Forever.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
BUY TOO DARK PARK NOW Jan 13, 2009
oh my god this album is a masterpiece!!!!!!! every track is fantastic. seriously if you want to hear real industrial then screw everything else and buy this album its perfection. i could go on but i dont think i need to.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
 New user Nov 03, 2008
First cd of theirs, seems like good stuff here. I actually sampled another one b4 getting this instead, it was one of their newer ones for the righter wrong or something, I thought it was kinda cheesy like they lost their talent or something and this one sounded much better so i bought it instead.
Cool Industrial Music Aug 10, 2008
Whether or not Skinny Puppy is some of the harshest industrial ever made can't be said on me (the closest thing I've ever to industrial before getting this was Nine inch Nails, and you call that industrial?!?!?! Yeah right), but this record owns. Skinny Puppy do sound like industrial music to me, only with a bit more melody. Some elitist industrial people probably have an answer to that, but __________ 'em. A bit of melody is always good because without melody (a bit, even bands like Sunn O))) and the Dillinger Escape Plan have melody, but in ways that probably don't make any sense to you).
Personally, I think industrial areas are quite cool, and while industrial decay sucks, it's strangely beautiful (!!!!!!!!!), the areas can be, that is. Calling me a noob and citing stranger, more "industrial" artists won't hold water with me, because it can't change the sound of Skinny Puppy being extremely cool.
So what does this record sound like? Well for one, it's extremely electronic. The vocals are distorted and growl with an unmistakable sound of static, but they kick! And the beats are pretty punishing at times, not the most punishing in the world, probably, but matter not. There's a variety of rhythms, and many of them are considered to be polyrhythms, though I have no idea how to tell between them and regular rhythms (I just take it as a whole, like I do when listening to Meshuggah). As for the rest of everything on top, there's is many, many samples and whatnot, cool industrial sounds, take my word, it just sounds bad @$$.
While this isn't the greatest album I've heard (which is why it doesn't get an ultra high score), every song is worth listening to and each has it's own personality. Spasmolytic is a tale about a drug dealer, probably in the downtown area where everything is rotting with industrial decay. Relcamation is pretty tight being an instrumental, the intro is the _____! Rash Relfection, while doesn't really conjure up something, has me growling with the sick line "kiss the master's feet...". Nature's Revenge is cool the way it begins, creepy synths that open it. All of them each have their own, but those are some standouts.
This one will take a while to grow on you, at least for me, natural since I know next to nothing about the genre. But I did, and now I am glad I own this fine record. If you like bands like Nine Inch Nails (in fact, this group was a big influence on Trent Reznor), you might like this (it's different, so get ready if your idea of "best industrial ever!" Is Nine Inch Nails).
7.5/10
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