Skinny Puppy, hanDover NEW CD Review
SPV – Synthetic Symphony - October 25, 2011
by Jackie Lee King
Skinny Puppy's 14th CD, "hanDover," is a cystic mind puzzle for the corporate age. It delves darkly into what we worship, believe, and most importantly, perceive. The enemy is the world around you and it only gives back what you give it. Wake up and smell the roasting of your life. The interrogation starts with the first track "oVirt". The samples are back, but they are more cryptic. It's playful, yet sinister, like a child playing murder in the cul-de-sac. The CD mirrors the state of the world today and how we've gotten ourselves overextended in our wants while ignoring our needs. Your lifetime warrantee has just run out.
"who knows who the thief is
his truth is in the secret
it's something you believe in"
his truth is in the secret
it's something you believe in"
Skinny Puppy is more than an industrial/electronic band--it's a religion. Ogre's linty conveys more than just soundscapes and words. He is playful in his cadence and reigns in the narthex of society; proselytizing to disenfranchised masses. The track "AshAs", is a requiem where the heart and mind can no longer tolerate the pain from, "...the missing fragments of memories." The song's apocalyptic nature is enriched with cEvin Key's mosaic of samples and orchestration. It's a symphony of sadness that feels operatic at moments; opening wounds of regret.
At times the CD is jocular and has a nice bounce to it. However, there is a macabre presence, just in the shadows, that is about to savagely attach your materialistic ways. The overall sound of the CD is reminiscent of "Mind the Perpetual Intercourse" (1986) and "The Process" (1996), but ups the anti. The great thing about Puppy is that they distill the ills of society into a trenchant extract.
With the track "Brownstone," Ogre finally gets to fulfill his fantasy of singing a children's story for a dysthymic society. Grimm's fairy tales were never like this. Its creepiness conveys a Neil Gaimenesque tale of woe. Play this track for the kiddies and I guarantee that they will behave--terminally.
"Vyrisus" is a volatile death rock dance track that is one of Puppy's best. It's beastly percussion and Ogre's mechanized vocals lead me to believe that the Umbrella Corporation from the Resident Evil movies is alive and well. I am completely infected with this track--it's a creeper. The next track, "Village," continues on the annihilation with its raw guitars and guttural screams. This CD is a catharsis on many levels and completely satisfies - no snickering allowed.
Skinny Puppy is the libidinous animal in the room that has been feeding upon your superficial corpse. It is finally at your juggler; and you wonder why your life sucks? No wonder the world is screwed, we all believe in the corporate problem, but no one is bailing US out. The powers that be, want to keep on living, so you must die--suffering. Skinny Puppy's response is to go cyborg on their ass--corporate existence is deleted...end of file. Abort, retry or fail, but there is no escape from corporate InSolventSee.
HanDover - Track List
- "oVirt" - 4:51
- "Cullorblind" - 5:48
- "Wavy" - 4:34
- "AshAs" - 3:30
- "Gambatte" - 3:25
- "Icktums" - 5:16
- "Point" - 3:38
- "Brownstone" - 3:28
- "Vyrisus" - 4:07
- "Village" - 4:09
- "NoiseX" - 7:14
RELATED LINKS
- Read more at UnRatedMagazine.com
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