The Process | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | February 27, 1996 | |||
Recorded | November 1993 – May 1995 | |||
Studio | Several
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Genre | ||||
Length | 43:08 | |||
Label | ||||
Producer | ||||
Skinny Puppy chronology | ||||
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Singles from Post Self | ||||
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The Process is the eighth studio album by Canadian industrial band Skinny Puppy. Released by American Recordings on February 27, 1996, The Process was the band's final album before it reformed in 2000 and released The Greater Wrong of the Right in 2004. [1] Skinny Puppy's keyboardist, Dwayne Goettel, died near the end of The Process' recording, [2] and the album experienced difficult production and record-label intrusion. [3] [4]
Nivek Ogre, cEvin Key, and Dwayne Goettel signed a contract with American Recordings, [5] and moved to Malibu, California to record The Process. [2] "Jahya" was the first song recorded for the album, the only song recorded at the band's familiar Mushroom Studios. [6] Recording sessions were punctuated by fires, floods, and the Northridge earthquake. The album's producer changed several times, from Roli Mosimann to Martin Atkins to Dave Ogilvie. [7] [8] According to cEvin Key, American Recordings pressured the band into adopting a commercial, industrial metal sound similar to Nine Inch Nails. The band's bickering and excessive drug use made the recording process so long and costly that American Recordings reduced Skinny Puppy's contract from three albums to one. In 1994, Key and Goettel returned to Vancouver with the master tapes; in the face of tensions between band members, however, Ogre remained in Los Angeles and left the band [2] on June 12, 1995. [7] American Recordings decided to drop Skinny Puppy after the release of The Process. The band's keyboardist, Dwayne Goettel, died of a heroin overdose [2] on August 23, 1995, and the album was dedicated to him. [9] [10] [11] After Goettel's death, cEvin and Dave finished mixing The Process. [10] [11]
It was intended as a concept album about a 1960s psychotherapy cult [2] known as the Process Church of the Final Judgment, to which Ogre was introduced by Genesis P-Orridge. An artist collective calling itself The Process (collective) grew out of the project. [12] "Blue Serge" was one of Key's first experiments with a modular synthesizer. [13]
The album was inspired by the music of Suicide, Cabaret Voltaire, Chrome, Throbbing Gristle, [14] Nocturnal Emissions, Portion Control, and The Legendary Pink Dots, [15] accessible to the band primarily via tape exchange. [16] Skinny Puppy experimented with analog and digital recording techniques, composing multi-layered music with synthesizers, drum machines, acoustic percussion, tape loops, samplers, and conventional rock-music instruments to create what they called "audio sculpture." [17] [18] [19] [20] Their extensive use of sampling from horror films and radio broadcasts would "clarify or obscure" song meanings; [21] they applied distortion and other effects to Ogre's vocals, [22] which were often delivered as a stream of consciousness. [23] [24] Lyrics referred to social and political topics, including animal rights, environmental degradation, [25] drug addiction, [26] suicide, [27] war, [28] privacy, [29] and self-determination. [30] Skinny Puppy's often informal, improvisational approach to musical composition is indicated by their term "brap," a verb meaning "to get together, hook up electronic instruments, get high, and record." [31] The Process was a stylistic departure from their previous albums, featuring untreated vocals, guitar, and more accessible song structures. [32]
The cover art, a photograph of a building, [33] is by Steven R. Gilmore. [34] Gilmore created the cover in memory of Goettel and his wife, Colette. He wrote:
The single lit window is a metaphor for the people we have lost and who have gone on to a better place. The remaining darkened rooms represent the people left behind who have to come face to face with grief, survivors guilt and depression. [35]
Although a color version of the photo was considered, Gilmore chose the sepia-tinted version for the album. [36]
When it was released, The Process was considered the final Skinny Puppy album; [9] [37] its liner notes read "The End" after the album credits, which included thank-yous to "Electronic Music Lovers" and "Puppy People". [11] Ogre and Key reformed the band in 2000 [38] and released a new album, The Greater Wrong of the Right , in 2004. [39]
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [2] |
Calgary Herald | [40] |
CMJ | Mixed [1] |
Detroit Free Press | [41] |
Kerrang! | Favorable [42] |
Los Angeles Times | [43] |
Melody Maker | Favorable [44] |
NME | 3/10 [45] |
San Francisco Examiner | [46] |
Select | 1/5 [47] |
The Process received generally-mixed reviews from critics. AllMusic writer Steve Huey criticized the album for failing to convey its concepts, but concluded: "Still, credit must be given to the band for having finished the record at all, and in its own way, the confusion of The Process speaks volumes". [2] Nicholas Maltezos of The Record gave the album one out of four stars: "Skinny Puppy's sound was certainly original – the group's synthesizer-dominated rock could have easily served as the background music for a dream sequence in a horror or sci-fi movie. But The Process is just a nightmare of a recording". [48] For NME , John Perry wrote that the album was "far from being the industrial, goth knees-up you'd expect" and did little to hold listener interest: "You can't help feeling it would have been better all-round if they hadn't bothered". [45] Ben Mitchell of Select also criticized the album: "An unerring inability to distinguish arse from elbow throughout results in a flimsy 11-track approximation of a gang of mildly irritated moped riders attempting a stage invasion at a Jean-Michel Jarre concert". [47]
James Muretich of the Calgary Herald was impressed by "Candle", and wrote that "the band at least goes out with more of a bark than a whimper". [40] Rommie Johnson of The Tampa Tribune gave the album two stars out of four, writing that the Last Rights track "Download" would have been "the perfect ending" for the band. Although The Process presented nothing new, saying that the album "only sounds weak in light of Puppy's track record" and "the band still make Nine Inch Nails sound like sissies". [49] Steve Byrne of the Detroit Free Press said that "Goettel and Puppy devotees deserve a better epitaph than The Process", and the album was "bogged down in [the] B-horror-movie mode that the band has explored more relevantly before". [41]
Some reviews were more favorable. Sandy Masuo of the Los Angeles Times described the album as "full of intriguing vagaries" and filled with "driving dance grooves, both choppy and smooth", calling "Candle" a "suitably moody swan song". [43] Malcolm X. Abram of The Atlanta Constitution praised the band's experimentation with new sounds and styles, saying that the album "may final[ly] garner this musical institution some attention outside the protective umbrella of industrial fans". [50] Stephen Parrish of The Morning Call agreed, saying that the band "just might enjoy some post-mortem glory with The Process" and praising "Death" and "Candle". [51] Steffan Chirazi of the San Francisco Examiner wrote, "For newcomers, the album is a fascinating and unnerving trip through psychosis. For Skinny Puppy, The Process represents uncomfortable closure and some cohesion". [46] Daniel Lukes of Kerrang! called The Process "the most poignant, elegiac and human album of their career". [42]
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "Jahya" | 3:34 |
2. | "Death" | 3:56 |
3. | "Candle" | 4:58 |
4. | "Hardset Head" | 4:06 |
5. | "Cult" | 3:03 |
6. | "Process" | 5:02 |
7. | "Curcible" | 3:28 |
8. | "Blue Serge" | 5:13 |
9. | "Morter" | 4:39 |
10. | "Amnesia" | 4:20 |
11. | "Cellar Heat" | 0:49 |
Total length: | 43:08 |
|
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Chart (1996) | Peak position |
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Canada Top Albums/CDs ( RPM ) [52] | 30 |
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan) [53] | 48 |
US Billboard 200 [54] | 102 |
US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard) [55] | 1 |
Skinny Puppy was a Canadian electro-industrial band formed in Vancouver in 1982. The group was among the founders of the industrial rock and electro-industrial genres. Initially envisioned as an experimental side-project by cEvin Key while he was in the new wave band Images in Vogue, Skinny Puppy evolved into a full-time project with the addition of vocalist Nivek Ogre. Over the course of 13 studio albums and many live tours, Key and Ogre were the only constant members. Other members have included Dwayne Goettel, Dave "Rave" Ogilvie, Bill Leeb, Mark Walk (2003–2023), and a number of guests, including Al Jourgensen (1989), Danny Carey (2004), and many others.
Kevin Graham Ogilvie, known professionally as Nivek Ogre, is a Canadian musician, performance artist and actor, best known for his work with the industrial music group Skinny Puppy, which he co-founded with cEvin Key. Since 1982, he has served as Skinny Puppy's primary lyricist and vocalist, occasionally providing instrumentation and samples. Ogre's charismatic personality, guttural vocals and use of costumes, props, and fake blood on stage helped widen Skinny Puppy's fanbase and has inspired numerous other musicians.
Dwayne Rudolph Goettel was a Canadian electronic musician, best known for his work in the industrial music group Skinny Puppy. Starting his career playing for a variety of acts around Edmonton, he joined Skinny Puppy in 1986 following the departure of keyboardist Bill Leeb. A classically trained pianist, he helped to broaden Skinny Puppy's sound with his extensive knowledge of equipment and sampling. He assisted bandmate cEvin Key on a number of side projects such as The Tear Garden and Doubting Thomas, and helped form the experimental electronic group Download. He also created the independent record label Subconscious Communications with friend and colleague Phil Western as a means to release his solo work.
Rabies is the fifth studio album by Skinny Puppy. It was released on November 21, 1989 through Nettwerk. The album notably features Ministry frontman Al Jourgensen who performed electric guitar and vocals on several songs. The album spawned two singles, "Tin Omen" and "Worlock", the latter of which becoming one of the band's most recognizable songs. The cover art was made by longtime Skinny Puppy collaborator Steven R. Gilmore. In 1993 the CD edition was reissued by Nettwerk to correct mastering errors in the original release.
Kevin William Crompton, known professionally as cEvin Key, is a Canadian musician, songwriter, producer, and composer. He is best known as a member of the industrial music group Skinny Puppy, which he co-founded in 1982 with singer Nivek Ogre. Initially a side project while he was with the new wave band Images in Vogue, Skinny Puppy quickly became his primary musical outlet after landing a record deal with Nettwerk Records in 1984.
Cleanse Fold and Manipulate is the third studio album by Canadian electro-industrial group Skinny Puppy. The album was released in 1987 and was supported by a single, "Addiction". The album was further supported by the Head Trauma tour, which spanned across North America and Europe. Ain't it Dead Yet?, a recording of the group performing in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, was released on video in 1989 and CD in 1991.
VIVIsectVI is the fourth studio album by Canadian electro-industrial band Skinny Puppy. It was released on September 12, 1988 through Nettwerk. Despite tackling controversial topics like animal rights, chemical warfare, and environmental waste, VIVIsectVI was well-received. It spawned two singles, "Censor", which was released on the album as "Dogshit", and "Testure", which was Skinny Puppy's only song to chart on Billboard's Dance Club Songs. VIVIsectVI was followed by a theatrically involved tour with Nine Inch Nails as the opening act.
Remission is a 1984 EP by Canadian electro-industrial band Skinny Puppy, their record label debut and first release with Nettwerk. The 12-inch EP originally featured six tracks, then, a year later in 1985, it was released on cassette with five additional songs that lengthened the release to a full album. This expansion became the default version of Remission.
Mind: The Perpetual Intercourse is the second studio album by Skinny Puppy, released on September 5, 1986. It contained the single "Dig It", which inspired several industrial music contemporaries, including Nine Inch Nails. "Dig It" received extensive airplay on MTV and was listed by Billboard as a recommended dance track. The song "Stairs and Flowers" was also released as a single.
The Greater Wrong of the Right is the ninth studio album by Canadian electro-industrial band Skinny Puppy, released by SPV on May 25, 2004. It is their first full-length record since 1996's The Process. It is also their first album since 1985's Bites without the support of keyboardist Dwayne Goettel, who died in 1995, and their first album since the departure of producer Dave "Rave" Ogilvie. It was produced by Cevin Key and is Ohgr-collaborator Mark Walk's first appearance as an official member of the band. The album's artwork was created by longtime collaborator Steven R. Gilmore.
Too Dark Park is the sixth studio album by the industrial music group Skinny Puppy. The album cover features the debut appearance of the band's "SP" logo. The cover art was created by Vancouver based artist Jim Cummins. The artwork for this album and its associated singles was inspired by cosmic horror stories such as the Cthulhu Mythos. Lyrical themes include collapse of society due to destruction of nature, drug addiction, and psychological issues.
Last Rights is the seventh studio album by Canadian electro-industrial band Skinny Puppy. It was released in March 1992 as the group's final record distributed through Nettwerk. Last Rights saw the band experimenting with two opposite extremes: cacophonous heavy music and gloomy melodies, resulting in moments of industrial weight as well as moments of uncharacteristic softness. Along with containing some of the band's most impenetrable walls of sound and an eleven-minute track composed almost entirely of manipulated and distorted samples, Last Rights also features Skinny Puppy's first ballad.
The Canadian electro-industrial band Skinny Puppy has released twelve studio albums and two extended plays along with a number of live albums, compilations, and singles. The group formed in 1982 and released its debut EP, Back & Forth, in 1984. Later that year, Skinny Puppy was picked up by Nettwerk and released another EP, Remission, in December 1984. The band's first studio album, 1985's Bites, was its last with the original lineup of vocalist Nivek Ogre and producer / multi-instrumentalist cEvin Key; Dwayne Goettel joined in 1986, and the band released its next two albums, Mind: The Perpetual Intercourse and Cleanse Fold and Manipulate, in 1986 and 1987 respectively.
"Censor" is a song by Canadian electro-industrial band Skinny Puppy, taken from its 1988 album VIVIsectVI and released as a single in the same year. "Censor's" original title was "Dogshit", which was changed for this release's marketability.
Worlock is a single by the band Skinny Puppy from the album Rabies. The song uses a sample of the guitars in "Helter Skelter" by The Beatles, as well as a vocal sample of Charles Manson singing the song. Vocalist Nivek Ogre considered it one of the band's better songs.
"Dig It" is a single by the band Skinny Puppy, taken from their 1986 album Mind: The Perpetual Intercourse. Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor once mentioned that the song primarily influenced the first song he wrote, "Down in It".
"Testure" is a song by Canadian electro-industrial band Skinny Puppy, taken from its 1988 album VIVIsectVI and released as a single in 1989. "Testure" was the group's first and last song to chart on Billboards's Dance Club Songs, and it was accompanied with a controversial music video.
"Tin Omen" is a single by the band Skinny Puppy, taken from their 1989 album Rabies. The song name is a reference to the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre. The song also refers to the My Lai massacre of 1968 and the Kent State shootings of 1970.
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