Customer Reviews

Bites

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Made in the mid 80's. When I first showed my fiance a few years ago the song "Assimilate" and asked her "So, guess what year this song was made..." she said, "I'd guess 1993" I was not supprised at all. Flocks of rivetheads and industrialites have tried thier best to have similar sound to Skinny Puppy yet so many failures to capitolize on it lay in their wake.

"Bites" is an ambiant journey as much as a dance album. Pioneering ambiant scapes were with names like Richard James and his famed "Aphex Twin" and ofcourse the ever amazing kEVin cEY of the wonderful Skinny Puppy, Download, Pleateu and even a self titled album or two he managed to do well with. Bites is a reminder that all music can weave together and be blissfull amongst eachother. If you ever notice it seems most of the greatest bands ever were never easily defined untill they almost created a whole scene. Industrial was never known to have a affiliate sound untill Skinny Puppy made the scene.

This album is all thrill and satisfaction nd that is guarenteed. Listen to "Assimilate and "The choke" for 2 perfect dance songs and all the rest of this album for dreamscapes, interludes and emotions avast.

listening to songs like "Deadlines", "THe Choke", "Last Call", "Assimilate" and "Centre Bullet" take me back, and forth in time. i am reminded of the clever and creative use of voice (in Ogre and/or sampled form), the remolding of almost every other aspect of conventional music, and the fact that this album was truly years ahead of it's time. I can undeniably say that this is one of the most unique listening experiences i have ever had.

I'd heard Philip Glass and Steve Reich, and the Bill Laswells and John Zorn's, Throbbing Gristles and Residents as well, although perhaps a touch too young to understand. But these Skinny Puppy fellas did something to me that the others didn't when they created this record - They scared the crap outta me and at the same time filled me with a tremendous sense of curiosity and wonder. it was unlike anything i had ever experienced before. I can't help remembering the images of 3 goth/punks all in their cool attire, including Cevin's Def Jam t-shirts, worn with pride (he pounded out some seriously groovy beats - Hank Shocklee owes him some props on that for promoting his label even b4 Scott Ian did). These images still to this day stay in my mind as they opened me to the world outside top40/glam metal.

I am truly biased towards this record because it's such a milestone in my life. But i do have to say, 19 years later that it still has an undeniable freshness and power. Much of the music is so undeniably the foundation and bulding blocks to many future genres. All i can say is that i will keep listening to this record as long as i have eardrums. The only regret I have is that I never had the chance to see them live - Altho Ain't It Ded Yet? was pretty darn cool as well as some live clips I've seen. Well, Nuff said Enjoy the record and keep on B-rappin'....

To be honest, this is my favourite SP album to date. The songs are some of the most left-field work i have ever heard, but at the same time, very accessible. The album kicks off with one of the best songs of their career, ASSIMILATE. A dancy, mechanical anthem with a great lyrical structure and epic chorus. Much of the album is made up of instrumental tracks (which are fantastic) but the driving force is songs like THE CHOKE, DEADLINES, LAST CALL, SOCIAL DECEPTION, etc. Overall, BITES has a cleaner sound than many of their later works, relying more on their strange alien melodies and unique percussive rhythms. If you are interested in one of the defining albums of early industrial, give this a listen. I doubt you will be disappointed.

This is one of my fav skinny puppy albums next to Too Dark Park and Mind: It has all the best samples and still retains that 80's feel. I cant get tired of this disc and you shouldnt either. Listen to this with the lights off

What more can I say about this album. It's not quite as agressive as their later material but it is quite effective. Although softer it doesn't make it anymore stranger. This sounds as surreal as possible with Centre Bullet being the most filmic of songs - perhaps even angelic ( if such a word could be used ). It's true that there are more instrumentals on this album than on any other but that can also give it its charm.

At least give it a try - you never know what you might think

I have to disagree with the conclusion of another review that this album is somehow derivative and that it sounds like "bad" albums from earlier industrial bands. (I don't think it's nearly as repetitive as the Cabaret Voltaire that I've heard, to be specific.) It sounds early, naturally: it's the first large release Skinny Puppy ever did, so it's certainly not going to sound much like any of their later albums, which were projects of larger scope. I started out listening to the more recent recordings, and it took me a while to appreciate this album; it's a lot more harsh and rough around the edges. It's not as polished as later recordings, and in my opinion, Ogre sounds scarier on this album than on any other. (Maybe low-quality recording equipment and tape hiss? Who cares? It's neato keen.) There are a lot more instrumental tracks than any of the later albums (I'd say it's almost 50/50 vocal/instrumental), which is possibly the album's only weak point. Put "Assimilate," "Deadlines" and "The Choke" on constant repeat, crank up the volume, and make your neighbors wonder what sorts of hell creatures you're attempting to summon.

I must stress that anyone wanting to begin listening to Skinny Puppy must not judge upon first listen of any album by them. I remember first hearing this album a few years back and aghast at why I'd spend ten dollars on such a minimal, dated, plunkering electronic album.

It wasn't after half a years worth of listening and I was completely in love with this album. It's true I was in a dark place in my life, I worked at night alot and this (as well as other Skinny Puppy albums) were the soundtrack to my life between drives to and from work or my insane 2 a.m. walks at night. I can't think of a better album for a midnight winter walk with the stars out overhead.

To give perspective, its true bands like Throbbing Gristle and Cabaret Voltaire jumpstarted the 'industrial' genre, and bands like Portion Control, Front 242, and yet again later Cabaret Voltaire injected dancier rhythms into the mix. Skinny Puppy took these influences and ran with them...to entirely new heights! Ogre's snarled, bizarre lyrics are un-replicable. It's true the album is largely instrumental but Cevin Key gives us alot to chew on. Mincing bass lines, crunching analog beats, haunting washes of synths, blood curdling samples. He's repetitive at times and yet I would never accuse him of meandering. Nor does he find one cool effect or idea and beat the heck out of it for 5 minutes. There's a trance enducing effect to all he writes on here. Before Goettel introduced a whole new level of insanity into the mix on the following albums, this was largely Cevin's show and gives us insight into his techniques.

This album runs the gamut of moods, its true, its almost overwhelming perhaps even too long. Still, I'm too biased especially with all the memories of those long walks. Every synth line, beat, screech by Ogre, bizarre movie sample, my brain studied with fascination, even goosebumps. All of the songs are essential for the most part...a necessary part of the framework. Otherwise it would be incomplete.

You have your classic industrial songs like 'Assimilate' 'Deadlines' 'Last Call' and 'The Choke', each six minute songs of pulsing rhythms and fearsome vocals by Ogre, Cevin Key's engineering spitting up and chewing them out with delightfully demented effects. There's the creepy sample filled pieces like 'Ice Breaker' 'Blood On The Wall' 'Basement'. These all show Bites at its darkest ferocity.

Bites also segues into the weird. 'Tommorrow' is a bizarre chirpy piece that could set you on edge or into a trance. 'Dead Doll' may sound lame and proto-industrial, but you're missing the minimal demented fun of it.
'Falling' is by far the most endearing, with its laid back beat and cute synths but once Ogre begins his undecipherable rant its completely creepy.

Then Bites can transform into sheer beauty that Tangerine Dream can only wish they had. 'Film' and 'Christianity' are short pieces that seem like fluff offhand, but are trance inducing moments giving respite
between the other moods of Bites. Then we come to my all time favorite tracks....'The Centre Bullet' is reason alone to purchase this album if nothing else IMO. Nearly ten minutes of pure haunting bliss, this is my put-me-back together song, I absolutely love it. Cevin Key's finest hour of ambience in Skinny Puppy. And ending the album on a mellow note we have 'One Day', a rather uncharacteristic piece but wonderful nonetheless. Kudos for tacking this unreleased one on, Nettwerk.

Long review I know. Check this one out for yourself, especially if you're just getting into Skinny Puppy. It's older material, but let's face it...ANY Skinny Puppy is an acquired taste, but with each 'bite' it gets better!

In 1985 Skinny Puppy released their second major work Bites. While not as bad as the title may suggest, it is rather uneven. Opening with a darkly delightful synth-dance song "Assimilate," this album starts off very strong indeed. "Blood on the Wall" is a slow moody instrumental that actually contributes to the stark atmosphere of the album. While not very accessible it is certainly evocative and compelling. "Dead Lines" is an easy favorite. With its electronic coughs and barks it clearly defines what made Skinny Puppy unique. It might even surpass some later songs in terms of layering and consistently surprising sound manipulation.

After track 3 the album drags a bit. "Church" is an atmospheric song that delivers a creepy tone but really isn't that interesting. A remix of "Ice Breaker" incorporates parts of Remission's "Manwhole," it's still good but not as remarkable as the original. "Tomorrow" and "Dead Doll are both mostly unremarkable. "Film" is a yet another migrant track from the original Remission EP and isn't noticeably different. "Love" however is a pretty interesting ode to depravity.

The second half of the album fares slightly better. "The Choke" has a bloody brilliant dance beat and brings Skinny Puppy's elegant songwriting back to the fore. "The Choke" is urgent, original and catchy, so damn good it hurts which is why they still play it at concerts. "Social Deception" is another good Bites sound scape: a solid beat and some subtle vocals from Ogre. "Christianity" carries the albums unsettling mood, but sadly goes nowhere and is short and easily forgettable. "Basement" however delivers a catchy rhythm to round out the end of the recording. "Last Call" is similar to "Sleeping Beast" from Remission, it doesn't fit in with other tracks but definitely has some great lyrical work. Finally, "Centre Bullet" and "Falling" while pretty seem to go on and on without any real definitive moments.

Sadly, what could've been a great album drags through its midsection and ends weakly. Bites is more sophisticated than Remission but less focused and intense than stuff Skinny Puppy would produce later. I still give it five stars because even in its weak moments it is still compelling and highly original. Do yourself a favor and listen to this (and most of their following recordings) on headphones to fully appreciate the multiple layers of sound in each song.

I remember I bought this cd 5 years ago without having ever listened to Skinny Puppy at all; I liked it at the first listening. It is true that it's perhaps too long and has too many instrumental tracks, but on the other hand, every track seems necessary to create a dark soundtrack atmosphere which made me fall in love with Bites. From the first track, 'Assimilate' you assimilate (allow me the easy joke) the general tone of the work; I think it's not that spontaneous but I think it has a somewhat conceptual sense. The vocal songs are good, but the instrumental ones are also interesting, even though they stmes get too repetitive, that's true. The curious thing is that just after i bought this cd I also bought VIVISectVI, and I disliked it; it never grew on me since somebody advised me to buy Too Dark Park; I loved this, and then I gave a thousandth chance to VIVISectVI, and now I think it is one of the best industrial works ever. (Now I don't agree with my own review on VIVISectVI) Bites is not the best Puppy's work, obviously, but it helped me to know what these people were about, and to put Puppy's cds at the same level with my favourites ever: Front 242; Both bands are good at their styles, which I always see not as similar but complementary.

bites is a great album, and while they manifested their influences on this album, they also created a truly different and unique sound and identity.. skinny puppy shouldnt really be criticised too much for ressurrecting earlier industrial techniques for they had always acknowledged their influences proudly and did not deny their mentors respect.. and thats what sets them apart from so MANY bands that do rip off other bands claiming a certain sound as their own. every band starts somewhere anyways, as puppy's career progressed, they became more and more, unique and influential in their own right, to other bands which have since now used elements of puppy's music like NIN, marilyn manson,front line assembly, kmfdm, ministry, and many others... and so continues the cycle..if u listen to a lot of different industrial, u begin to realize that there were many bands who could be accused of something like that.. but then, it happens in every genre of music, with so many thousands of bands...in a way , puppy was continuing the direction that early industrial bands had taken before they either changed their sound , or broke up. in this respect, bites and some of their other earlier works resulted in something truly amazing being born, and something different... but still in the vein that other bands had begun to follow... bites reveals puppys distinct heaviness and the superb synth talents of key, whose work produced some truly eerie and chilling effects.. highlights are assimilate, the choke and the amazing social deception as well as last call, dead doll, film, and deadlines... this album has a lot of instrumentals and experimenting, so that could be a turn off. but if u have listened to too dark park, and aint it dead yet , this could be a good one to come to next...