"More than their peers or any new-jack pretenders operating in the electronic milieu, charismatic frontman/conceptualist Ogre and electronics avatar Cevin Key-aka Skinny Puppy-have always reacted against the greater consciousness. Their 14th album, 'HanDover', centres not only on the unbridled greed of the world's financial organizations and the governments that enable them, but the climate of political impotence which makes people resign their fate, no matter how insidious the situation gets. In typical Puppy form, 'HanDover' finds the duo moving forward while still maintaining that sense of aural discovery that has been a hallmark of their 26-year career."

The text above was taken directly from the blurb that came with this, so why you may ask yourself have I used it instead of writing my own introduction?  Well to make a point really!

In my own words, I discovered Skinny Puppy with the 'Last Rites' LP back in 1992, 19 years ago, when I was running my own little music emporium, and at the time I proclaimed (to anyone who would listen) this band were the real deal taking industrial music to some dark disturbing places but doing it outside the mainstream, and in turn advancing Electronica beyond recognition. Sometimes it hasn't been an easy pitch or ride for the listener, but when it comes together what an experience!!! Notice the similarity?

This LP retains all those early hallmarks and I love it!!! From the ambience of 'Ovirt' and 'Cullorblind' the energy levels increase through 'Wavy' and 'Ashas', drawing you in to the music, music you can't help but listen.

Then you get to 'Gambette; a nightmare soundscape to a sci-fi epic driving intense and frankly weird, before 'Icktums' and the repetitive "worship money" chants stick with you all the way to the memory bank. The closing duo of 'The Village' and 'NoiseX' finish with an intensity you would never have thought capable of the band.

This is an album that you need to shut your eyes and listen to, as it's not about individual songs it's a piece of music in its entirety, rather like the best Geiger prints where man and machine come together and create a masterpiece. Was Geiger Canadian? (Swiss for those in the know), because these guys are and because of that, I think not having the tag of being American, German, British or whatever, the industrial ideas and soundscapes have been allowed to grow giving them something completely different.

Skinny Puppy are Infecting the scene like a great horror movie, "Long live the new flesh".

http://skinnypuppy.com/