Album Description

Shaking off the conventions and cliches of the EBM and futurepop genres, VNV Nation have crafted a work of art. From haunting, quiet beauty to introspective depths, to dance floor anthems, "Matter + Form" is an album crafted to move not only bodies on the dance floor, but hearts as well. VNV Nation is the new face of electronic music. ... Read more

Reviews (29)

What is truth
VNV Nation is one easily one of best bands in the EBM/futurepop genre as well as in general. I first discovered thema couple of years ago with their last studio album "Futureperfect". I was completely awestruck by their abilities to fuse haunting lyrics and melodies with a blend of industrial and synthpop beats. Ronan Harris writes some of the most beautiful lyrics I have ever heard (i.e "Beloved").

I finally obtained a copy of "Matter + Form". I personally love this album. I think it is great that the band continues to evolve with their sound. I think it would be dull for a band like VNV Nation to stick with one particular sound. It may work for bands like AC/DC but I think in VNV's case, they should be allowed to grow as a band. While there is no "Beloved" to be found on this album per say, the songs are far from lacking a good hook. I dug the industrial-influenced tracks "Chrome" and "Arena". They really set the tone of the album and I hope the band plays one or both of those songs live next month in concert. "Colours of Rain" is a beautiful haunting instrumental. "Homeward" is another personal favorite track of mine that I find myself hitting the replay button on.

I thought "Matter + Form" is a solid follow-up to "Futureperfect". I thought the general overall sound of "Matter + Form" was more aggressive than the band's previous two albums because of songs like "Arena" and "Perpetual" (another personal favorite track of mine). It is definitely one of the best albums of the year so far. I can't wait to see the band live in conert next month.

Uninspired
Whenever I've listened to a VNV Nation album, I've always been struck by how interesting and innovative the group is, even if I don't particularly enjoy every song on the album.There's still a sort of appreciation for trying to create something truly unique, something only VNV Nation could do.

Most of the tracks on Matter and Form are sub-par for what I expect from VNV Nation, and come nowhere near matching the quality of their earlier works.

There's an intro track on M+F, however it does nothing to set the mood for the rest of the album; it's essentially a minute and a half of sci-fi sounds that make you anticipate something dark and unknown, which really doesn't fit how the rest of the album feels.

Chrome is the only song on this album I have any sympathy for, as you can tell that a lot of time was put into the song to make it so great.It almost sticks out like a sore thumb on the album since the majority of the lyrical pieces on M+F are slow and ballad like (think Airships from Futureperfect, which I wasn't particularly a fan of).

The instrumental pieces are great tracks to fall asleep to, most of which are boring techno pieces that sound like the same 10 second sound clip looped over and over for a few minutes.

I'd recommend purchasing Praise The Fallen, Empires, Futureperfect, or if you can find it, Advance and Follow instead of this album if you do not have them.Or, check out something by Assemblage 23.

actually 2 1/2 stars to be exact
only has a couple good songs.about 5 or 6 of the songs are just instrumental, which i hate for this type of music.they are usually boring and stupid.It feels like i paid 15 bucks for only 5 or 6 songs.
I like VNV nation and love their last 2 albums, past perfect and empires but this one did not impress me.
save your money and download the only 2 decent songs that are on there.

Fantastic
"Chrome" and "Perpetual" are among the best of VNV and EBM. Great, great CD.

Not Quite the New Face of FuturePop
Like most fans of VNV, I too could sense that something in the way of a major shift had to occur. I mean Ronan might as well have said it directly on the "Futureperfect" DVD. He noted that the electro industrial scene undergoes a major shift about every 5 years or so. All of us then did the quick mental math to realize that VNV had taken over the scene about 5 years prior. Therefore he was saying that the scene, and his band too, needed to shake things up. In listening to this it almost seems as though VNV felt that everyone was looking to them to take that bold step and become the new face of whatever the new sound would be. Given that mindset I find "M&F" to be a major disappoint and, for the most part, a failure.

I think the only fully realized song is the single "Chrome"; it manages to be a clubsmasher while changing things enough to really break out of the confines of their earlier work. The synth sounds utilized recall nothing of prior songs, while the vocals are spun in a way that is fresh for Ronan. Outside of this I find some glaring flaws. The intro is a useless throwaway piece and I'm really tired of industrial bands thinking that they can get away with this. I don't mind simple mood setters but this has no value (if you have 17 tracks then a few fillers might be alright, but not on a 10-track album). Far too many tracks do not have vocals and they are not strong enough instrumentals to really stand on their own merit. Several are formulaic trance numbers that would work as decent dancefloor sets for lesser artists but fall flat here. One of the better tracks is nothing more than a rewrite of "Airships" from the previous album. If it's a bold new direction you are looking for, then please do not write a song built out of the exact same presets as a previous hit. "Homeward" is a very nice track but it's one that Covenant has written about 30 times already, no? I love the sound but it really isn't much to brag about creatively.

All in all, it's a pretty good album but it does nothing to resolve the "where is this freakin' scene heading?" question. While offering glimpses of brilliance it falls back too often on its predecessors and fails frequently when new ground is covered. It pains me to say that as an old fan with great respect for the artist, but I simply have to disagree with many others who I believe are overlooking flaws out of love for the artist rather than being honest with themselves. I've tried to give this album more than a fair chance, but after 20+ listens I just can't kid myself any longer. Generally I applaud it when bands try to do something new, but in this case they didn't have the guts to go nearly far enough. They got caught in between taking an artistic stand and giving us what they thought we wanted... an unpleasant compromise. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Ministry's followup to The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste makes use of the same aggressive approach but sinks to a darker and fiercer level. Chokehold opener "N.W.O." uses tape loops of then-President Bush calling for a "New World Order," which Ministry delivers by infusing their industrial savvy with machine-gunned, thrash metal guitars, relentless beats, and vocals that run the gamut from deranged auctioneer of the damned ("Jesus Built My Hotrod") to terrifying screams ("Just One Fix"). Fast and furious, Psalm 69 is an acidic taste of Ministry at their most focused and diabolical. --Erin Amar ... Read more

Reviews (57)

Aggro Industrial at its best
After learning that Ministry used to be a synth dance outfit it's hard to imagine how they completely changed their sound for this album (and it's predecessor Twitch). Lightining fast drum beats slam away over Rammstein-esque guitars that are absolutely unrelenting. Some of the songs contain vocals while others use samples. Of course there's Jesus Built My Hotrod which contain absolutely off the wall vocals from Gibby Haynes of the Butthole Surfers.

One of the things on the album that appeals to me so much is the sense of humor that runs through it. Al Jourgensen never takes himself on the album which is evident in the above mentioned track, Psalm 69 which features samples of a something that sounds like an choir in the church of Satan, people yelling "praise Jesus" and a priest speaking before turning into a mind numbing speed metal groove.

This album really insn't for everyone and definately not something you can play just anytime. But if you'd like some ... kicking industrial with a twisted sense of humor, then you'll love this.

Hardcore heaven
If you're a fan of heavy and industrial rock, do yourself a favor and pick up Ministry's "Psalm 69", it's worth it! Never receiving the props that they deserve, Ministry delivers thrashing and explosive industrial rock on this 1992 album. I first discovered Ministry about three or four years ago and have been a big fan ever since. The album starts off with "N.W.O.", a look at then President George Bush's supposed new world order. "Just one fix" follows, with its ripping guitars and all out aggression and angst. Soon you come to the thrash and fun of "Jesus built my hotrod" and the awesome title track "Psalm 69". The album is aggressive, dark, meaningful, and delivers for fans of hardcore rock.

Guess what number I'm thinking of....................
I'm a recently converted Ministry fan. I got Houses of the Mole a few weeks ago, and ever since then, I couldn't wait to get another Ministry record. So this is what I got.
I'm glad I did buy this because it rocks. Every song rocks. It's something I can listen to from start to finish. Here are some of my favorite parts:

"Just One Fix"-- I like the sample they used: "never trust a junkie". It sort of reminds me of Courtney Love.

"TV II"--- It's 2nd most intense song on the record. "CONNECT THE GOD DAMN DOTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"Corrosion"--The most intense song on the record. It's like hardcore techno. Atari Teenage Riot stuff. That's the only way I can describe it.

And of course "Jesus Built My Hotrod" is great. Makes you feel like going for a drive.

I think the weakest track would be "Scarecrow", it's an okay song that goes on too long. But it still rocks better than a lot of stuff on the radio.

If you aren't sure whether you want to buy this record or not, then you have to ask your self, "What would Jesus do?"

Industrial-metal at it's best
Psalm 69 was the first Ministry album I ever bought, and it's a great album to start out with. After listening to it, I was so amazed by the muscicianship by these guys, they sure know their instruments very well. Songs such as N.W.O, Hero, and Just One Fix are just loaded with angry buzzsaw like guitar riffs that aim right for your throat, fast marching like drum hits, and plenty of angry vocals from Al Jourgensen. Jesus Built My Hotrod is another good fast paced song with some cool guitar solos, and also features Gibby Haynes from the Butthole Surfers. Overall every song is just great, and this masterpiece is an absolute must have for those who like Ministry or metal in general. Long live Ministry. F*ck Evanescence and f*ck Avril Lavigne, they don't compare.

Not as good
I'm sorry but I have to dissagree with all hype surroundind this album. It's definately a let down from their previous two. Don't get me wrong, half of the songs on here are very good, but there are some songs on here that just sound like repetttttative noise. TVII makes me reach for the fast forward button faster than a starving Nigerian reaches for a sandwich. Not to mention the ridiculous "Jesus built my hotrod", which definately does not show the sinister edge that most of their songs,(especially the earlier ones)did so well. This album proves that the worst thing that can happen to a band is become mainstream. I do like the first track, N.W.O. and "Just One Fix",which is repetative, but in a good way. "Scarecrow", probably being my favorite. But, as far as the rest of the songs, I could probably do without. The classic "Land of Rape and Honey" is still their best, even after all these years. ... Read more

Album Description

After their last album 'Empires', the future poppredecessors present their latest effort, an exquisiteelectronic accomplisment with intellectual lyrics fusedwith lively synth lines, throbbing beats, and intricatesequences. 12 tracks. Metropolis ... Read more

Reviews (63)

Futureperfect is a great album, but it doesn't top Empires
VNV Nation's new album Futureperfect is a bit of a departure in sound from Empires, unfortunately. Futureperfect is a very listenable album, but many of the songs just don't have the impact that the ones on Empires had. Genesis and Beloved are the only songs that hit me right away as outstanding. I guess I had high expectations since every track on Empires was a masterpiece. Some of the tracks on here could have been better if only they had the high bpm, energizing feel of Genesis. It's a shame because all of the lyrics on Futureperfect are ingenius, some of VNV's best yet. Hopefully VNV Nation will release a remix album that will pump new life into some of the slower songs. Despite that fault, I highly recommend this album to VNV Nation fans or anyone who likes industrial/EBM. Futureperfect is still a great album that overshadows all of the foolishness found in much of today's music.

Disappointing
I love VNV Nation, but Futureperfect is totally inferior to Empires in almost every respect.

Musically, it sounds almost forceless, bassless and flimsy. This is probably due to the fact that most of the album was made with soft-synths. Previous albums like Praise The Fallen and Empires had music that was far more emotive, made you want to raise your fists in defiance, or cry.

Lyrically, however, it shows a more melancholic side to VNV Nation, however, this is the only respect in which it shines.

You may ask as to why I gave this CD 3 stars instead of two or one. The reason is that VNV is still far better than any form of pop music, and the lyrics are wonderful, and there are two songs that are good (Epicentre and Fearless (Beloved is overrated and far to candy-coated).

Overall, it is not an important purchase except for VNV Fans. If you are just getting into VNV Nation, buy "Empires" instead!

Absolutely Perfect
If I could I wouldn't change a thing about this album! Although I'm quite a fanatic now 'Futureperfect' was my introduction to any kind of Industrial music. I downloaded "Beloved" from the Internet and the first time I heard that song I was positively floored! The words are somewhat melancholy but the bittersweet lyrics are interlaced with melodic EBM and passionate vocals by Ronan Harris and it is the best ballad I have yet to hear by any Industrial band. I tend to gravitate more toward female voxes but he's quickly become a preference of mine. In fact, just behind Dave Gahan of Depeche Mode he is my favorite male singer.

A lot of people associate Industrial music as being repetitious with no emotion but I can assure you that not all groups in this genre sound remotely close to that description. There are many feelings to be felt in VNV Nation's music. 'Futureperfect' doesn't even start with any type of dance beat. Lush string orchestrations open on "Foreword" with a powerful message spoken in English, German and then French (or at least I think) before diving into a pounding rhythm. There are plenty of hits here destined for the Gothic club scene but they truly shine their brightest on their slower numbers. "Holding On", for example, is a moving song and one of their strongest deliveries with gorgeous synth lines and piano chords mingling in with the ever-changing cadence (tempo). Many beautiful instruments can actually be heard throughout the elaborate sequences of this album but whatever your inclination there's enough here to keep any Industrial fan entranced.

From start to finish this record is a glorious triumph... There's no need for skipping tracks, that's for certain.

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS!

{FYI: VNV stands for "Victory Not Vengeance"}

It is strong where it is strong
I was overjoyed when I heard that a new VNV CD was being released, but felt let down initally after hearing it. With tracks like Beloved and Hold On I was very happy, but I feel that Fearless and Epicentre are weak where they should be much stronger. The words to fearless just seem king of weak or cheesy would be a better way of describing it.

Stunning, amazing, ridiculously good
This album gives me shivers down my spine every time I listen to it. If you like any music that's vaguely related to VNV Nation, you need to own this album immediately. Please buy it and make your world a better place. ... Read more

Album Description

Dubbed the most complex Assemblage 23 release to date, "Storm" remains true to the upbeat and danceable vibe that A23 is synonymous with. The group's three previous albums quickly made them the most successful American EBM act ever and "Storm" will again propel them above the rest. ... Read more

Reviews (47)

if only all music were like this...
Topping their previous album Praise The Fallen, would normally be quite the task. There was very little room for improvement. I know that a lot of people were worried that Empires would just be a rehash of PTF. I'm happy to say that Empires more than lives up to the task, even surpasing their previous albums in emotion and skill.

All the classic VNV elements are here: harsh electronic beats, sweeping synths and strings, and Ronan's unique vocals. The songs are in the same vein as PTF, about the beauty and darkness of strife and struggle. The first and last tracks, "firstlight" and "arclight" blend together seemlessly (being nearly the same song), creating a cycle of sound and structure unifying the work. It's art. "Darkangel" and "Standing" have already become singles in Europe and are both excellent tracks, VNV's best to date, but other appealing songs include "rubicon" and "distant(rubicon II)." Distant has a slow, drifting sound, free of the assembly-line industrial backbeat so common to VNV. A welcome change of pace.

The duo of Empires and Praise The Fallen will become classics in the EBM world, if they haven't already. stop reading and listen to them already!

A great album...period.
I've been steadily getting more and more into EBM music, and while some of it does tend to get repetitive, there is no denying the intense melodicism and energy that is present in much of it. VNV Nation have certainly mastered the balance between melodic songwriting, harsh arpeggiated dance rhythms, orchestral symphonic ambience, and intelligent lyrics. Having only heard a few tracks from "Praise the Fallen," "Empires," and "Futureperfect" (haven't heard anything off "Advance and Follow" yet), I decided to get the album with the songs most familiar to me, "Empires."

After listening to it from beginning to end, I was impressed with the feeling it gave me. The music fills me with the urge to dance until my legs would fall off, but the vocals made me want to wave my fists in defiance (of what?...anything), and the lyrics made me sad. Ronan Harris' vocal style is rather unique in that he sings as most people deliver speeches...and his lyrics reinforce that sense. His vocabulary and his style of writing is unmatched; nobody writes words in music the way he does. Some people deliver their message through poetry and innuendo...Ronan gets right to the heart of the matter, addressing all the problems with the failed utopian ideals we once held for ourselves, and forcing us to look at the ashes of a fallen metropolis. "Watching Empires Burn" indeed. Granted all of VNV's music seem to possess this message, but only VNV could say it and make it mean something.

"Firstlight" and "Arclight" open and close the album with a mournful tone, giving the impression that all empires end as they began...in ashes. "Kingdom" is my favorite song on the album, with its powerful rhythms and a great chorus. "Rubicon" is my favorite vocal performance on the album. Ronan's voice is heavenly on this song, sad-sounding, but pushing on to continue. "Saviour" is a great instrumental (before now, I only heard the vocal version on "Burning Empires," but now I actually like the instrumental version more). "Fragments" is the harshest song on the album, with Ronan's voice taking an angry turn, while "Distant (Rubicon II)" is a wonderful complement to "Rubicon," taking the more orchestral ambient approach. "Standing" is the big hit from the album, and is just a beautiful song. It's great to dance to and it's great to sing with. "Legion" and "Darkangel" are high-energy, and a great way to close out the album before "Arclight" comes in to finish things off.

After hearing "Empires," I'm eager to check out "Advance and Follow," "Praise the Fallen," and 'Futureperfect" in their entirety. VNV's music is just that good. It's simple, but so powerful, and "Empires" is the perfect example of music's ability to induce feelings not normally felt through EBM. It makes you want to dance, yes...but it also makes you want to fight...not with violence, but with ideas. Futurepop never sounded so good.

Dark, Beautiful, Harsh, Melodic, Euphoric
This CD is quite simply VNV Nation's masterpiece. A brooding, agressive CD filled with anger, angst, hatred and death.

Empires is a concept album, based upon the axiom that all empires end in the same way as they begin: The ashes of destruction and the fires of war. As the CD makes its way through the explosive idealism of Kingdom, the ecstatic machinations of Saviour, the solemn tension of Standing and Legion, and eventually the horrific destruction of Darkangel, the reader is subjected to emotional assaults such as feelings of power, helplessness, horror, triumph and anguish.

These emotional assaults are due to two factors, these being the music, and the lyrics. The lyrics are dark, highly intelligent, poetic, and genuinely deep, with a feeling of a blend between Hitler speeches and Joy Division.

However, it is the outstanding music that has to be given credit for the majority of the CD. VNV Nation sound like a mixture between Industrial, Synthpop and Classical music and, for some reason, go well with all three kinds. The Industrial element is the percussion and basslines, which are (for EBM) harsh, arpeggiated, distorted and raw. Such a savagery requires a heavy element of melody to balance it, and this is done perfectly with the Synthpop and Classical elements. This is very similar to Wolfsheim, Iris and the less minimalist synth groups, with a very thick sound, heavily exploiting its artificiality. However, with the mechanical sounds are a large amount of Strings and orchestral instruments, giving a usually mechanical style of music a very human and organic feel. Furthermore, the structure of the music is very Orchestral, bestowing upon it the epic nature that makes this CD so unutterably breathtaking.

Empires sounds like the Berlin Symphony Orchestra at a Bauhaus Concert being massacred by chainsaw-wielding Nazis. This is a compliment of the highest order.

Whatever deficiencies that Praise The Fallen had are completely remedied here. The percussion is far less basic on this album, and many more songs manage to sound balanced, as opposed to overly synthy or overly industrial.

I cannot express my adoration for this album enough. This album is the perfect example of modern EBM. Less minimalist than the original style, and far more complex. This is the Front By Front of the new millenium.

< Rubicon >
Empires is without any doubt an electro/industrial masterpiece. The entire album is full of extremely catchy beats, brilliant song structures, and Ronan Harris's memorable vocals. Empires is distined to remain a genre-defining classic in the forthcoming decades. I have had this album in constant play since I purchased it a few years ago, and still don't seem to get tired of it. What some people may not know about is that there is a sister release, called "Burning Empires" (also released in 2000) which includes several remixes, a couple of great new songs and the excellent vocal version of Saviour. Unfortunately though Burning Empires has been out of print for some time now, and quite difficult to find.

The best album for anyone
The lyrics, the vocals, the melodies, the soundscapes, the songwriting. It's all here. It's all neatly packaged into this compact disc for you and the rest of the world to enjoy. If you don't want to cry for the sake of other artists that just aren't up to this material, you need to be shot. I mean that. Just tell your friends to shoot you.

Second, arclight is the greatest song ever. No, really, it is. People who hate long introductions to songs skip over this song, and that makes me sad. I hate those people. I want to cry now. Look at what you people have done.

Just buy this album. You will question you past after you listen to it. You will love these songs. P.S. if you don't think that "standing" is a good song, let your friends put another bullet in your head. ... Read more

Album Description

The anxiety and long wait are over at last: Skinny Puppy have kept their promise, returning with vengeance with The Greater Wrong Of The Right, a comeback that could hardly have turned out more consistent or more convincing!

The Greater Wrong Of The Right is a breathtaking continuation down the path that Skinny Puppy had embarked with1996’s The Process. The experiments of the past few years have not been forgotten or faded out: in their condensed, highly energetic form they influence an album that impresses first and foremost with its energy, power and stringency.

Although all the elements of the Skinny Puppy history have been integrated into the ten new tracks, their complexity and divergence develop little by little, in typical Skinny Puppy style:Demanding up-tempo tracks like I’mmortal or Pro-test with its brilliant rap elements face spread-out, intricate little masterpieces like Ghostman, which continue to put the band’s imitators in their place.

Still, The Greater Wrong Of The Right is an album that fortunately lacks any kind of anachronism or supposed nostalgic flair: with the support of a new generation of musicians, like Tool’s Danny Carey (acoustic drum on Use Less) or Wayne Static of Static-X (vocals on Use Less) it is, with all its dark brilliance, already one of the most outstanding albums of the year - and another milestone in the history of an exceptional band.

There can be no doubt that Skinny Puppy with their complex soundscapes, which have influenced whole generations of bands, count among the spearheading representatives of the so-called ‘electronic body music’ movement of the mid-Eighties.

The Greater Wrong Of The Right proves that Skinny Puppy remain one of the most innovative new electro act of this or any decade! ... Read more

Reviews (129)

Another incarnation of Puppy
That I enjoyed this album so much on my initial listen gave me some concern. It is, I believe, the most accessible music Puppy has ever released. The sound is cleaner and contains little that I would call truly abrasive. While most Puppy albums end with a track of barely structured noise, TGWOTR ends with a fairly normal song, replete with melodies, vocals, and beats. The lyrics are softer, more intelligible, and more melodic. Even the rhythms border on danceable. Previous Skinny Puppy albums have always been challenging and required a few listens before I could appreciate them, so hearing an album this polished was cause for disconcertion.

However, I believe the Puppy is still in there. The elaborate textures of noises, pops, whirs, clicks and screes characteristic of cEvin Key; the mixture of animalistic screams and bizarrely syncopated, stream-of-consciousness singing characteristic of Nivek Ogre; the slow synths, punching drums and noisy motifs; they're all in there. However, rather than any one element or even collection of elements, I think it's the intricate dynamics with which the layers of sounds intermix that results in a listening experience that I can still uniquely identify as Skinny Puppy.

Like The Process, I know that many old Puppy fans have been and will be disappointed by this album. I will go out on a limb and guess that much of the disappointment is caused by the change of their overall sound rather than any atrophy of their musical abilities. TGWOTR is dark, but it doesn't have that horror movie, gee-my-mind-is-a-scary-place-and-OH-MY-GOD-SOME-DUDE-IS-RIFLING-THROUGH-MY-VISCERA-WITH-A-HACKSAW atmosphere that permeates Puppy albums up until Last Rights. Admittedly, the deeply disturbing atmosphere is something I sorely miss and I can scarcely fault those fans that have lost interest now that it's gone.

The change in direction Puppy has taken with TGWOTR is hardly surprising, especially when taking their last album into consideration. Mark Walk has jumped on board. Walk's work in Ruby and Ohgr has always had an impeccably polished, electronic sound. Walk, along with Key's increasing involvement with minimalist electronica, have imparted a far more Pop-ish, clean, electronic feel to TGWOTR than earlier Puppy. Ogre has replaced much of the distortion on his voice with rapid edits, thick layering, and actual melodies. His style of vocals is roughly consistent with his last four albums; at least, more so than it is consistent with his work before The Process. Of course, I would be remiss not to mention that this is the first Skinny Puppy album since Bites not to feature the late, great, Dwayne Goettel. Having heard only a tiny bit of Goettel's work that doesn't also include Key, I can only speculate the affect his absence has had on TGWOTR.

All that being said, as much as I like Mark Walk, I would be interested in hearing a Puppy album with Mark Spybey instead. I don't believe Skinny Puppy will ever sound as dark as they did, but anyone with a copy of QuBASE can make something that sounds tidy and electronic; I think Key and Ogre are capable of producing something that sounds far more distinct and interesting.

It may be too early to say, but so far, I have found the album deeply satisfying. I'm probably not the most unbiased reviewer since I would probably give it five stars out of nostalgia alone, but I think Key and Ogre have managed to put out a CD with its own style, substance, and a level of technical mastery that exceedingly few bands ever achieve. TGWOTR is a dense album, but it combines so many elements so effortlessly that I expect most people with any interest in industrial, EBM, synth-pop, noise, music, or whatever, should be able to find something in it they like.

Get over it
after reading the countless 1 star reviews harassing this album and the newly reunited skinny puppy, I felt it was necessary to write this review.

yes, skinny puppy were perhaps the best/are the best industrial band ever. complex, layered, thoughtful, dark, deep songs made them become famous in the 80s as that cool dark goth/industrial band. with such AWESOME albums (which u hav to check out) such as "TOO DARK PARK", "vIVISECT Vi", and "LAST RITES" and many more, it's obvious why they have such a solid fan base. however, by the 90s things werent working out, including a fatal heroin overdoes of a band member, and the band split out with the not all that bad, but not the best, THE PROCESS. the remianing big members, ogre(ohgr) and cevin key split up to form solo careers of oHGr and cevin key/download.

now its 2004. the two masterminds are back together. now, after waiting these 12 years for them reunite, the hardcore fans (reviewers) have undoubtedly built high expectations from such anticipation of the new album. SO, finally i guess I'll get to it now, WHAT IS THE NEW ALBUM LIKE? different from skinny puppy-but not too different. it seems a lot like ohgr influenced work of very computer/synth programmed, and less like the complex(and weirder) download stuff. its still industrial, that killer booming snare is not lost, and the freaky sounds are still there. its still quite dark, but it is missing a lot of the snippets of other people talking (clips from speeches/movies etc) which has kind of gone out of style. it is overall more techno/electronica/drum and bass, which is good and bad. the voice is not as distorted or messed around with as such songs as "assimilate" or something. again i stress VERY COMPUTERIZED! ok now the songs...
1.I'MMORTAL (8/10)- got that good old industrial feeling/sound, dark, and an extreme pulsating drum and cool effects and guitar loops. sounds a lot like ohgr with more added effects.
2.PRO-TEST (7/10)- great opening, thought it was gonna be great song. music is great, awesome use of guitar and synth. then... rapping? yes there is some rapping *sigh*, oh well still cool...
3.EMPTE (9/10)- you can tell skinny puppy is more digitalized/computerized... but its still good. one of the best on the album, this song dramatically gets better as it climaxes from a minimalistic snare marching kind of beat to a complex almost techno chaos.
4.NEUWERLD (7.5/10) more of a typical skinny puppy song, brought to 2004. quite layered and lots of cool songs. vocals can get annoying.
5.GHOSTMAN (8.5/10) same as above, minus the annoying vocals. scary, especially with the ?different language? in the middle.
6.DOWNSIZER (7/10) again going for the new age industrial computerized stuff. not bad, nothing amazing.
7.PAST PRESENT (8/10) most people might disagree with me... why? extremely dance oriented, heavy bass drum throughout with a bit of gothy added.
8.USELESS (10/10) best track on, as of now. awesome drumming by Tool's Danny Carey during chorus, and alright Wayne Static's background vocals (right?). gets stuck in my head, a bit more of a mainstream rock with the chorus.
9.GONEJA (9/10) a long fest of weird souds harmonized togehter without sounding TOO messed up and crappy. very computerized.
10.DADDYUWARBASH (8/10) clip of weird voice talking in intro, the brutally takes you by suprise with preaching lyrics and heavy drums.

overall..... not as bad as its made to be. will grow on you. more like an ohgr album, but hey.. i like ohgr. cant wait to see them live!

Another anti-pop album, just like Remission.
Skinny Puppy have admitted that this is a different album. It was written differently. It was collaborative and co-operative. They weren't strung out on heroin. They aren't all suicidal.

Some people won't like it, but that's fine with me. Just because they made this album doesn't make the previous albums cease to exist.

Not their best, Too Dark Park is still my favorite, but this is possibly my second favorite of their albums, with Remission coming in 3rd.

good as what it is- but not really Puppy.
Just because the 'age of industrial' has 'come to a close' doesn't mean that fans of the earlier Puppy releases have to like it.

As much as I appreciate the thought that went into this album, and the idea that 'branching out' into new genres is good for the band, the sound seems to have lost much of what made it so attractive to many in the first place. Even the trademarked vocals are subdued, and the music is trance-y and poppish in many places.

GWotR is a decent, well-composed album of what it is- not industrial. For the sake of those who enjoy that kind of thing, I hope that Puppy continues making albums of the same vein for a few more years.

As for me, however? I'll stick with VIVIsectVI and Too Dark Park.

Back again...!!...??
I am a SP-Fan from the 2nd time ;-)
So i was very glad to see..theres a new CD !

First i thought its not Skinny Puppy at all...
But i give them a chance, hear it one time..two times....and...
I have to say....i love them ...as a "NEW" Skinny Puppy.
At the end of SP-era there was no chance to follow them,
no chance to recognize the "picture" they want to show us..
No we have a new chance to follow them,
hopefully SP show me new ways...NOW..i realy would see/hear more of them...

For older SP-Fans:
Is there any alternative outside ? ... Read more

Reviews (23)

One of the best albums of the year!
I've been addicted to this cd for more than a month now and simply can't take it out of my cd player.. Gorgeous, powerful, even brutal at times.. I can't really describe this band without gushing: Imagine tool without the metal pretentions ("hmm.. this song is going no where.. How about I just scream?), vast before Jon Crosby sold out, and a bit of the dead can dance thrown in as well.. Actually, comparing bands is just pointless.. Go on napster, get a song called Spiritual Fear (search for Rheas since 's doesn't work) and PLEASE buy this album if you like it.. These guys are not on a major label and should be supported.. peace

Supernatural Canadian Beauty.
Repeatedly critics were telling that this record was one of the best dark wave albums in 2000, and it was not in vain. Rhea's Obsession show us that they are not one-day band, and they know how to create real music. The human being is an animal by its nature (and by the way, 'nature' is the keyword for this record). And as an animal, human being needs genuine expanse, distant horizon and sense of unrestricted freedom. This statement is true in moral and spiritual meanings too. And Rhea's Obsession gives you that in "Between earth and sky": you can see beyond daily common things, you have your own world with wishful freedom and natural infinite space. The album is natural itself, like one live organism, and the aggregate of songs is like breathing: take for example the interchange of sinister "Mahakala", then following soothing "Spill Elixir" and again active "Matrika", and after that - measured "Delusion"; then you feel completely hypnotized by "Breakthrough". You can barely feel how awesome tension gives place for dreamy serenity. From one side this album is "ethereal", from another - "industrial", from the third it turns to pure "goth". I can count styles for several pages, because Rhea's Obsession are grounded on experimentation and used it without ceremony. But one interesting thing takes place: you can't fly up too high to "ethereal", to the Sky, because "goth" and "industrial" are trying to hold you on the Earth and in that way don't let you fall down to hit yourself badly with reality. The band itself can confirm it: Sue Hutton's sensual voice wants to bring you to the Sky, but Jim Field's irresistible guitar can't let you go, and this collaboration holds you in suspended condition directly Between Earth and Sky. The album begins with "Too Deep" and "Mortal Ground", lyrical ballads with competent guitar sound and soft bewitching vocals, making you relax. Then without any warnings you're getting into sharp and changeable "Spiritual Fear" and "Nightshade", songs with pronounced rock sounding. Stylish and beautiful song "Between Earth and Sky" is marking out opportune tablas contrasted with smooth guitar passages. "Mahakala" and "Spill Elixir" show Jim Field's great skills in playing music in all its ways, from professional guitar soundscapes to beat slides. And of course the pride of this album is Sue Hutton's voice, multi-leveled, powerful, with subtle Celtic notes, it can brilliantly express inner and outer chic beauty of its owner. In general, "Between earth and Sky" will always be an embellishment of dark wave scene, as it will touch hearts of the listeners.

OBSESSED BY RHEA'S OBSESSION !
Toronto musical duo, Rhea's Obsession, is the brainstorm of foxy (yeah, I know it's dated but I like it) muti-talented Sue Hutton who teamed up with Guitarist Jim Field in 1994 to form the Rhea's Obsession. When performing on stage the duo adds, Dave Klotz on keyboards and Mike Rosenthal on drums.

Rhea's Obsesion is the fourth review I've done on a duo and I know of at least 4 or 5 others, so I guess they're the wave of the future. I imagine duos save on expenses, arguments, egos and every other downside of larger groups. Additionally, I guess any income generated would go farther, too.

In this day and age of programed music it really doesn't matter how many band members you have, it's the music that matters. An example of this is Trent Reznor whose Nine Inch Nails and Martin Scherinc whose Hollenthon are basically solo operations but certainly sound like a fair sized group. Christopher Morris of Nicodemis also did his debut sans a band but he has since gotten associates.

The only trouble is solo and duo acts are not conducive to large elaborate concert appearances but I guess studio musicians could be brought in toward that purpose.

BETWEEN EARTH AND SKY

I know this is a very overused cliche but I just gotta use it again, "This music is really, very hard to categorize". There I've said it now I will try to categorize it. I read where some have said Rhea's Obsession has Bulgarian and east Indian influences (odd combination). I didn't even know they played music in the former Peoples Workers Paradise of Bulgaria. Whether they do or not and whether Sue Hutton gets her inspiration from there or not, the music is intriguing. It is darkwave, it is exotic, it is gothic, it is new age, it is folk, it is ethnic, it is intoxicating, it is atmospheric, it is ethereal, it is serious music! Did I leave anything out. Oh yeah, It is not pop, it is not alternative, it is not rock, it certainly is not hip hop, it is not redundant, it is not boring and it's not metal!

Many of you don't know this but after my beloved progressive metal, I like Folk / New age and between Earth and Sky fits nicely in there, It's not like, but, kind of, is like, Dead can Dance, Delerium, Loreena Mckinnitt, Kidney Thieves, Chandeen, Hungry Lucy, Black Tape for a Blue Girl, Cirque du Soleil. If you were to take an octagon and put each of these bands on a corner and draw a line from each to it's opposite, in the center where all the lines come together is Rhea's Obsession. I have described the five best songs below.

"Spiritual Fear" 3:19 is a medium paced Arabic influenced piece with Sue singing in what sounds like a mild echo chamber, while Jim plays an intricate acoustic guitar in the background.

"Dreaming Blade" 3:42 a definite industrial feel with pronounced drums and clinks and clanks mixed with violins in the background. Sue sounds a little Shirley Manson-ish on this song.

"Nightshade" 3:41 another song with a near east feel which in addition to Sue's captivating voice in duplicate has light congas and a full orchestra backing. probably the best song.

"Between Earth and Sky" 5:14 I take it back, this is the best song. Oh heck it's the co-best song. Another enchanting, near east influenced song of a nice easy going pace with heavy electric guitars and Sue again accompanying herself on vocals, much of which is chants.

"Mahakala" 5:15 on this one we combine a psychedelic sound with the eastern sound and some male chanting while Jim plays a wicked whining electric guitar in the background.

CONCLUSION

I wanted to give this Five Stars and it's very, very close. I just felt, while the great songs were marvelous, there were three or four songs that didn't do it for me. Hell, they might do it for you, there not bad.

At fiftyeight plus minutes this is a long album, so maybe the standout tracks, standout more and the lesser ones get diminished. Take the iffy tracks out and you have a forty-six minute five star album. Trouble is the other tracks are too good to lose. Quandary!!!!!!

Wonderfully Evocative. A Dark, Mysterious Journey.
It is typical in this day and age to pay little attention to bands who have been given the title of playing "darkwave" music. After all, darkwave or "Gothic" bands have nothing more to offer than solemn, sometimes Satanic outings that feel like dudes in leather trying to connect with the forces of evil through their amps (Electric Hellfire Club, even Marilyn Manson). But Rhea's Obsession proves you cannot judge a band by category, theoritically this band is a goth band, but their music is only gothic in the classical sense, in their sound and lyrics they are a band that strives for something more poetic and atmospheric than simple distortion. "Between Earth And Sky" is a wonderfully evocative album, a little gem of underground rock that mingles and mates with Middle Eastern textures and poetic flavors. Comparisons with Dead Can Dance are not out of order, indeed this band (who appears in the Dead Can Dance tribute album with a great cover of "Mesmerism") evokes the kind of other-worldly vibes Dead Can Dance achieved through their work. Some of the songs such as "Spiritual Fear" experiment a little and add techno flourishes, but not of the dance beat kind, they stand simply as musical brushstrokes. The married couple of vocalist Sue Hutton and guitarist Jim Field are an amazing team, together they create, invoke and bring to life music of the kind we wish more popular bands would experiment with. Take for example the track "Dreaming Blade," the wall of sound is hard rock with Field's guitars, but Hutton's vocals evoke Lisa Gerrard and take us to another place other than just the confines of normal music listening. The album's best cut is "Nightshade," a poetic, hypnotic experience that also boasts a Dead Can Dance vibe but also proves the band as an identity all it's own. Here Sutton's vocals really shine as well as the instrumentals, all combined with some enchanting lyrics create a song of great atmosphere. The song "Between Earth And Sky" is a myth-like little invocation that summons-up the spirit of Jim Morrison and "Spill Elixir" feels like something ancient and mystic. Rhea's Obsession is not an enormously popular band, indeed, this is the kind of group that is discovered by the listener seeking new sounds and flavors and who is willing to search in the underground, beneath the metropolis of MTV and VH1. Rhea's Obsession captures us and for a few songs manages to let us escape, which is what all great music does.

There are some good songs here
I'd easily give this album 4 stars but the fact remains there are not enough strong tracks. Still for what its worth they deffinately have promise. The first two songs are very unique with heavy bass lines that add a eletronica/rock hybrid in an orignal way, the rest of the music here tends to be in the shadow of persay.. Lacuna Coil and on several songs Loreena Mckennit perhaps. Anyway still they do have some great ideas and I will have a wacthful eye on them. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This was the record that definitively turned Ministry from an electro-industrial dance band into a cutting-edge metal act. With distorted vocals, pounding drum machines, and ripping guitar chords, songs like "Thieves" and "Burning Inside" merged computer technology with metallic riffology, setting the pace for dozens of second-rate computer nerds to follow. --Jon Wiederhorn ... Read more

Reviews (53)

Ministry's "The Mind" Is A Menacing, Brilliant Album...
Ministry is one of the most definitive industrial-metal bands to ever grace the mainstream music scene. While LAND OF RAPE AND HONEY began the track towards great Ministry albums to come, THE MIND IS A TERRIBLE THING TO TASTE is a splendid album, complete with with a mix of electro, metal, and industrial rhythms.

"Thieves" burns with the best of them with it's staccato, machine gun-type guitar riff and Al's menacing vocals. It's a fitting beginning, opening into "Burning Inside", a fast-paced thrash rocker with a chorus that will blow you to bits. The next two songs, "Never Believe" and "Cannibal Song" are slower, darker, and the latter features vocals from Chris Connelly, who's evil vocal lace really gives "Cannibal Song" a chilling contrast.

And who could forget the 8-minute-plus "So What", one of the live favorites by many Ministry fans. Found on many of their live discs, it's one of the most influential songs in their catalog. "Dream Song" is quiet, moody, and sinister; "Test" is a neo-rap metal twister of a track; and "Breathe" is an angsty number with jagged guitar lines.

While PSALM 69 rivals which Ministry album is great, THE MIND IS A TERRIBLE THING TO TASTE really begins the industrial-metal fusion that Ministry helped to influence on many of today's popular industrial rock bands.

Has it's weak points, but it's good.
On "The Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Taste", Ministry increased the usage of heavy guitar chords and riffs which makes up a larger part of the album, but without completely abandoning their industrial roots with their use of programming and sampling. This combination is best heard on tracks such as "Thieves" which comes across sounding like a hellish cross between speed metal and techno, and "Never Believe" with it's heavy use of repetition, giving it a trance-like quality. The stand out track for me is "Burning Inside", a blitzkrieg of guitars and percussion and Al's blood-curdling vocals.

Unfortunately, despite the strong first half, the album loses some of it's drive and focus towards the last half with mediocre tracks such as "Faith Collapsing", "Breathe" and "Test". "Test" is an awful track, not because the music is bad but because of guest rapper K.Lite's weak lyrics and rapping. "Breath" has admirable lyrics about Al's disdain of environmental pollution but is musically uninteresting.

Fortunately, the good tracks are strong enough to carry the album and make it one of Ministry's classics.

Anger and Energy
This album is definately worthy of at least 4.5 stars. I don't think very many albums, if any at all since 1989, can match the pure anger and energy put out in this album. And that's just what it is, intense angry music. Not thrash metal, and certainly not smooth EBM like some groups nowadays. But this is just a great example of what Ministry was accomplishing during their best years in the late 80s. They have a style all their own.A style that seems to constantly change over the years (as if I had to point that out). I listened to this album many times as it kept growing on me like chest hair. Maybe some have to listen to this album more than once to get the effect. I know it sure became addictive to me.

Better than NIN? I think not!
People who complain that Nine Inch Nails isn't really an industrial band point to Ministry as an alternative--the Real Deal, if you will. Having recalled a fairly decent song off the Matrix soundtrack, I complied and rented this from the library.
Thank God I didn't pay for it.
I can't understand for the life of me why this band is worshipped. Every song is 4+ minutes of the exact same beat repeating over and over and OVER again, and the singer(s?) are completely incapable of changing pitch or actually creating some sort of melody--they just repeat the same techno-warped phrase in the same unbroken note throughout the CD. The only thing that actually changes from song to song is what message they're trying to pound into your brain. But there was potential for something greater, I'll give you that. Someday I will check out their other CDs and see if they get any better. But only after I dedicate my time to some more promising bands.
Ministry: Heavier than NIN? Probably. Does that necessarily mean better? Not a chance.

Ministry's best
This album is Ministry's artistic peak. To me there are 3 worthy Ministry albums, The Land of Rape and Honey, The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste, and Psalm 69. The three, when viewed together, show the steady evolution of a band from experimental industrial band that uses guitars, to speed metal band that uses drum machines. Where perhaps LoRaH is more ground breaking, and Psalm69 has more mainstream appeal, this disc gets the best of both worlds. Almost completely guitar driven, but also very much dancable, and with the aid of Ogre from skinny puppy and a concise song list, this muscular industrial-metal cd proves its worth again and again. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Brilliant
"The Land of Rape & Honey" was a landmark album for Ministry for more than one reason. It was the first truly exceptional album to come from the band, and this was the album where listeners began to look at Ministry in a new light; as not just an industrial dance-beat band, but as a serious sonic paced industrial force. Though this album contains less metal elements than later releases, it still carries Ministry's trademark dark vibe with a punk rock edge. Opening track "Stigmata" became one of the band's most recognized songs for good reason. Other tracks, such as "Deity", "Destruction", "Hizbollah", "You Know What You Are", "Flashback", and the epic and catchy title track are pure industrial musical bliss. Sadly though, "Land of Rape & Honey" is out of print; but hopefully Warner Bros. will find the good sense to re-release the album with remastered tracks and all the goodies that would come to be expected.

FLASHBACK!!! FLASHBACK!!! FLASHBACK!!! FLASHBACK!!!
This was my second Ministry album, my first being Psalm 69 way back in '92. I can't believe this album is out of print, seeing how so many people consider it to be Ministry's masterpiece. Even if it's not my favorite Ministry album, I can't deny its status as such. This is a brilliant album. While there are only about three songs that feature heavy guitar riffs, the entire album manages to sound aggressive. Even the slower songs like "Golden Dawn" and "Hizbollah" have an undercurrent of doom running through them. Then, of course, there's "You Know What You Are" and "Flashback," which are two of the most violent sounding songs ever recorded, with nary a guitar to be heard (except for a brief solo in "Flashback.") And then there's "I Prefer," which manages to be almost speed metal without the metal.

Every Ministry album has been different from all those that preceeded it, (until "Animositisomina" which is, I feel, the first Ministry album not to break much new ground. Though it's still a good album) and this is one of the most important albums in Ministry's evolution. This is the direct link from "Twitch" to the industrial metal they became known for. It's as strong an album as they've ever released, and there really hasn't been anything like it before or since. Essential listening.

Dance Metal
4.5 stars. This is a perfect fusion of Heavy Metal and Synth-pop, with many sound samples used to great effect. But there is a serious flaw here. This CD is in desperate need of re-mastering. The sound is extremely dated, with most of the sounds invariably sharing the same space. That said, this is incredibly infectious music. I find myself bobbing my head more on this album than on most Heavy Metal albums I listen to. The music here is both anti-establishment and groundbreaking. I just wish the various sounds were set at slightly different levels allowing each to occupy its own space. With current technology some amazing results could emerge. I think the music would have more impact than it already does. Anyway, this is the best available version of Ministry's breakthrough release. I can certainly hear the band's progression from this album to "The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste" to "Psalm 69." All three albums are worth owning. Take it easy.

The Land of Rape and Honey
This is a great CD. If you like industrial metal, you'll love it. All the songs are of this genre in their own way, especially tracks 4 through 11. I definitely recommend this album.

what the hell
i dont know what to say about this album. yes its repetiative, yes it can be annoying, but whatever, nevermind. i dont know. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Probably the best EBM release ever
This album is a pure classic in the EBM genre. It is also Front 242`s best release. This is claimed based upon both my personal opinion and what I believe is a widespread view. Includes the hits "Headhunter" and "Welcome to Paradise", but also the manipulative "Until Death" as well as two versions of the experimental and underestimated "Work 242". This album is the best start to F242 and captures the essence of the true 242-feeling. It is, however, suggested that the prospective buyer also get the album "Tyranny for You" in order to constitute a basic platform of 242-material.

a good album
Front by Front is a good album; it contains some of the best 242 songs: Until Death, Headhunter (which can be considered 242's hymn of all times) It is a pure EBM album, with the typical not-completely-instrumental songs which made F242 famous, 'Im Rhythmus Bleiben', 'Work', ... De Meyer's voice is clear and better than on any other 242 album, anticipating his good singing on Cobalt 60' Elemental or Twelve. I personally think that blending 'Official Version' with this album would have be a masterpiece; 242 albums have too many instrumentals songs to be masterpieces.

A Statement of Intent
With 'Front by Front' Front 242 made a giant leap forward. Combining hard, EBM beats to politically motivated lyrics, this album served both as a 'how to' to other bands in making aggressive dance music, and also as a statement in its own right.

Many will know 'Headhunter' as the album's centrepiece and highlight, but there is much more to admire here. 'Circling Overland' is as ominous as it sounds, all forboding bass and dense electronics layering a song about war and aerial attacks by bomber planes. 'First In First Out' shows they could also make modern, more commercial sounding dance music if they really wanted to and what is more, it sounded much better than most other groups' efforts, and also was ahead of many other groups in making that kind of music.

'Never Stop' is a classic Front 242 song. Much more accessible than much of 242's work, it features a strong beat and shifting bass combining it into a strong, dance song.

Of course 'Headhunter' is the star and there is two versions of it on here.

A band at their peak making strong, excellent aggressive dance music. This is a must have for fans of the EBM/hard dance genre.

Front 242's best work
I have the original Wax Trax! release of this album along with the Never Stop EP and have also heard v1.0 of Headhunter (which is better than v3.0 in my opinion). Headhunter alone makes this album a classic, but when you throw in Welcome to Paradise, Never Stop and the first three tracks, then this album becomes a must have for any serious EBM fan.

EBM at it's best
Front By Front is my personal favorite EBM album, but, that's not saying much. Although I do actually like this album, It, for the most part, just sits on my shelf collecting dust with a listening session every now and then. The layers are very structured and simple, but with many layers, a very easy listen overall. This is not for everybody, and after this I recommend picking up a little more challenging of an album a.k.a einsturzende neubauten, throbbing gristle, or skinny puppy... ... Read more

Reviews (20)

No MUSIC fan should be without.
You don't have to be a die-hard industrial fan to like this album. I have always been stunted in my growth towards being a true "rivet-head" as a LOT of industrial rubs me the wrong way. This is mostly due to the fact that I just plain don't like music that sounds "dancy" I guess you could say. This includes a lot of early Skinny Puppy, of which I like some material but the rest I don't particularly enjoy. However, "Too Dark Park" and the following "Last Rights" (the preceding "Rabies" is good as well but has some weak songs) have stripped the synth-dance elements and left you with just progressive and massively original electronic industrial music that has not one bad track. This stuff is atmospheric as hell and I am personally scared to sit in a dark room and listen to it by myself.

Basically what I want to get across here to maybe a potential buyer is that even if you aren't an industrial superfan, you just have to love good creative music to like this album. Also, I suggest you look into FOETUS who is probably my industrial favorite (though it's a bit of an error to try to put Foetus in ANY category) but this later Skinny Puppy stuff is not far behind. Another good bet is "Ain't It Dead Yet", a SP Live Album of earlier material but a lot of the dance-elements aren't really there when played live.

GLEE!! :)
I got this CD after having heard about Skinny Puppy's massive influence on the genre of industrial music. Since many fans seemed to agree that this was their best album, I got Too Dark Park.

As you can see from the title of this review, I was so happy with this purchase that I actually used one of those smiley-face-thingies in describing it. There are not many artists who make music with this level of precision outside of classical music. With this disc, Skinny Puppy created some of the best atmospheric industrial in history. How do I know this? One time when I was listening to it late at night I dozed off. When I was jolted awake by an outside police siren, I was convinced that the apocalypse had come. It was actually Track 6.

Even the best albums have disadvantages, however, and Too Dark Park is no exception. This music is very inaccessible. I can probably state it best in the form of an SAT analogy: Skinny Puppy : Tool :: Tool : Creed. However, once you get over that hump, you're going to love every minute of this album.

Enter the Land of Shadows
Coming after the release of their album Rabies, which was was co-produced by Al Jourgensen, Too Dark Park represents a return to the more starkly evanescent feel of their earlier work such as Mind the Perpetural Intercourse and VivViSect VI. Released at a time when other industrial acts like Ministry, Frontline Assembly and KMFDM were moving towards a more industrialmetal feel, Skinny Puppy showed in this album that the more complex synth-based arrangements and distorted vocals still had much to offer. Additionally, in Too Dark Park, Ogre continued to use industrial music as a vehicle for the expression of social and political issiues, particularly the continuing destruction of the environment and our treatment of other forms of life. Although such subject matter has been a ubiquitous part of SP's music since the beginning, Too Dark Park seems to be their most overt socially conscious release, as tracks such as Nature's Revenge, Shoreline Poison, Grave Wisdom and Morpheus Laughing Attest.
In other tracks such as Spasmolytic and T.F.W.O. the intensity of Rabies is still evident and works well to beautifully compliment the more brooding soundscapes created in Rash Reflection and Nature's Revenge .
Too Dark Park is a an album that has it all, whether ones loves hard driving ebm or the nightmare world of meandering terror beats. Like most of SP's releases this album is as fresh now as it was the day it was released, and that is saying alot considering just how much industiral music has evolved and become so driven by computer sampling and technology. Anyone who has been lucky enough to see SP live knows what I am talking about, as they are one industrial band that were musicians first and foremost, rather than just a bunch of guys pressing buttons on an iMac. Althouh there are some great acts out there now, few bands will ever equal the intensity and raw emotion that Skinny Puppy could evoke in an audience or the eerie ambience created when listening to on of their albums at 2:30 in the morning. For those not familiar with Skinny Puppy this would be a great album to start with, as it has elements of all their previous work, and shouldn't be neglected.
Brap On!

Definitive Skinny Puppy
i've probably already said that about other Skinny Puppy albums, but maybe this one really deserves it. this album sounds 10 years ahead of it's time, and will and does still sound fresh. like other SP albums, the synths are everywhere, and so are samplers and Nivek Ogre's distorted vocals.

There are so many great tracks, it's really unfair to pick out one, the tracks seem to mesh and flow onto each other seamlessly. But, when you hear the opening bass synth riff on 'Natures Revenge', you will just get tantalized instantaneously. This skinny puppy really is in the dark park! An excellent album start to finish!

hell, yeah!
Grinding, twisted, fierce; Listening to this record is like being caught in a wonderful trance, like a crazy dream you cant wake up from. My favorite S.P. album along with VivisectVI. Proving once again that Canadian Industrial (see their canuck counterparts Frontline Assembly) ruled! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Lords of Acid's 1997 release, Our Little Secret is an open book. Never daring to depart from lyrics that read like the stage directions of a porno flick, fans need only focus their attention on Lords of Acid's musical agenda. The songs still maintain the basic acid house recipe of fat, buzzy bass lines and disorienting rhythms. This album adds a little of all current dance music trends, from trip hop to drum & bass to keep the formula current. "LSD=Truth" rattles with amped organic drum sounds reminiscent of Meat Beat Manifesto. The first couple of tracks are drilled with speed metal guitars. Stylistically, this album is merely a tangent to Lords of Acid's debut album Lust. If this is your first Lords of Acid purchase, go with Lust--it's a better album. If you are collecting, the lyrical shock value will have worn thin on you by now, but the music is twisted enough to keep you engaged. --Beth Bessmer ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Absolutley Fabulous!
This is an awesome CD! 1 Not quite as good as Lust, but comparable.

1. Lover- 4 stars. A really good, kind of rap like song. Could have done without the first minute, though. I think the KMFDM "Cake Mix" is better 2. Rubber Doll- 5 stars. Funny, creative, well written, fabulous. 3. Fingerlickin' Good- 3 stars. Kind of slow, but still good. Cool chorus. 4. LSD=Truth- 3 stars. Too slow, but still kind of amusing. 5. Man's Best Friend- 5 stars. A little sad, but a sweet dance song. 6. Cybersex- 4 stars. A little strange, but still good. Jade 4U says "kinky" a few too many times. 7. Pussy- 5 stars. A cool kind of rap like song. Kind of nasty though. MEOW! 8. Deep Sexy Space- 5 stars. Funny, fast, strange, what more do you want? 9. Doggie Tom- 4 stars. Kind of strange, but still cool 10. Concerto for Me and Myself- 5 stars. Awesome, but a little slow. 11. Spank My Bootie- 1,000,000 stars. Funny song, best on Cd, without a doubt. 12. The Power is Mine- 2 stars. Not very good 13. You Belong To Me- 5 stars. This is another fabulous song.

The Secret track is cool, too.

Not their best, but much better than the rest
Our Little Secret is not the Lords of Acid's best album. Lust is. Period. But this is not by any means a bad CD. Your usual shock value is there on all of the tracks, but along with that is a great sound. It's unfortunate that they don't get more airplay because the music that goes along with the lyrics (that I love, go ahead, call me a pervert) is great. It really makes you want to move and have fun.

LOA
lords of acid is by far one of the most original groups out there with their entirely own sound...this album is pretty solid, (...) its amusing and actually good all at the same time. This is a great cd to listen to while ur walking to class or background music while working...its definatley not something to sit and analyze...but it always puts a smile on ur face, one of the better LOA cds

A Grain of Salt
"Our Little Secret" by LOA is one of their very best. The vocals of Nikki combined with the spine shattering techno-esque beat and controversial lyrics will knock you on your ass. It is a fun cd to listen to, and it has been a star of my cd collection for years.

our little secret lords of acid
this cd is one of the best by lords of acid ... Read more

Album Description

Acknowledged as an innovator in the electronic music scene, MBM continues to stretch sonic boundaries and influence new generations of sound activists. Past production/remixing projects include Public Enemy, David Bowie, Orbital, Nine Inch Nails, David Byrne, Bush, Depeche Mode, and Tower Of Power. Supporting the group on this release are Blue Series alumni Craig Taborn on keyboards, Bad Plus skinsman Dave King, and Peter Gordon on flute. "Without MBM's groundbreaking amalgams of hip-hop and industrial dance music, modern dance music genres such as big beat and drum and bass wouldn't exist...one of Britain's most inventive practitioners of sampladelic funk"--Alternative Press. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Great
As always, Jack totally reinvents himself with each release and makes an album that only he can make.With a mixture jazz and electro sensabilties, "At The Center" may be a suprise to his fans used to the techno industrial sounds of the past 16 years, but in the end, it rewards greatly.Surely not one to miss if you think Jack as much of a musical genius as the rest of us do.However, As Subliminal Sandwich notes, I suggest you "play twice before listening."

My only complaint is that, once again, Jack's vocals are absent.Please bring your singing back, Jack!

Otherwise, this is a treat for your ears.

Jack Is Back
Finally, the album I've been waiting for from Meat Beat since "Subliminal Sandwich"!It fills every audible space your ear has and then some.Jack is back and stronger than ever.More ground breaking sounds for the electronic music genre, always one step ahead of the rest, that Jack.Can't wait to see what he's got up his sleeve next, don't keep us waiting long.

Jack Dangers finally gets his jazz album.
After years of pioneering dance, dub, big beat, jungle, alternative hip hop, and tape music, Jack Dangers' Meat Beat Manifesto project evolves to where it was always headed, an improvisational jazz quartet.Part of 'The Blue Series' on Thirsty Ear Recordings, an imprint fusing electronics with jazz, they could have not asked for a better contributor.MBMs albums have differed vastly over the past 20 years, and this may be one of their most unexpected yet.Using well known jazz musicians, Dangers layers beats, bass clarinet and flute, and thundering dub basslines over improvised noodling that changes with the flow of each track, sometimes employing his trademark vocal sample archives.Overall, a welcome experience, now we just need him to pick up the microphone again, and school all newcomers. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Just a casual listener
I'm not really a big LOA fan but it doesn't mean that I don't like them by all means. I became familiar with a few songs of theirs back in the mid to late '90s when I was in college. What I can really appreciate Lords of Acid is that they have quite the perverse sense of humor. Obviously the song titles speaks volumes especially in songs like "Scrood Bi U" (a messed up version of Marilyn Monroe's "I Wanna Be Loved By You") and "P***y". One of my personal favorite LOA songs is the catchy "I Sit on Acid". I bought "Greatest T*Ts" primarily for that song as well as for "Am I Sexy" and "Crablouse". I found myself enjoying the rest of the cd immensely. Not only are the songs are hilarious lyrically but the music is a good blend of techno and industrial music. I used to think they were cheesy but after listening to "Greatest T*Ts", the band has grown on me considerably. I am a fan. After the Super Bowl halftime controversy, I think Janet Jackson should hook up with Lords of Acid. They can provide the music and she can strip.

Edgy, sexy, and a great listen
This was my proper introduction to LoA; I'd heard "Pussy" before, but it's not very representative of their work if this CD is any indication. Their general music style is a mixture of metal with hard-edged house, and it's meant to be listened to loud and often.

Coming on hard with "Gimme Gimme", an intense rocker that would be equally at home in a dance club or a mosh pit, Deborah Ostrega's vocals lead the listener into a fantasy that explores much of the human sexual experience with humor, wit, and sensuality. "Pussy" is four minutes of hilarious homoerotic trash talk, while "Crablouse" fetishizes the title parasite. "I Sit On Acid" is more about the sound than the words, and that sound mixes sexual pleasure with laughter in a way that seems all too rare in media portrayals of sex. "Marijuana in Your Brain" is a bit of warped Euro-reggae about stoned sex, while "Rubber Doll" is a loud and nasty screed from a woman who's been all but jilted for an inflatable version; "Skrood bi U" sings the joys of gangbangs while "Nasty Love" is a trancy ode to wild yet sensual sex. "Am I Sexy" is a simply written but fun piece that combines surf guitar licks with a Paris cafe ambience.

The album has its weak points; "Take Control" is a boring ego piece that seems to belong to the European dance music of the early 90s created by groups like Snap and KLF, and "Rough Sex" is a clumsy spoken piece that se