The Recognized Thresholds of Negative Stress

Skinny Puppy

Whenever life gets hectic I notice that my musical tastes tend to reflect it. This is always most noticeable at the end of the school quarter, when term papers are due, finals are eminent, and sleep becomes scarce. You'd think that one would seek a balance at times like this, and start listening to Kenny G or Raffi or some shit like that, but no. Nope, when major stress hits and my brain feels like a pressure cooker, that's when I head for the nasty stuff. A few years ago in the final month of my engineering program, I became obsessed with the early records of Scandinavian death metalers Amorphis. Last year at this time I got really into doom n' bass drummer Mick Harris. And this year is no different, but for the band: Skinny Puppy. To me they are the quintessential industrial band: Abrasive percussion, eighties synths, blood, distortion, and growls in a fake British accent. Do you know what it's like to listen to skinny puppy on headphones for 8 hours straight, while reading about hemorrhaging vaginas? Well, I do, and I can tell you, it's not a warm and fuzzy feeling.
Here's a little sample, minus the anatomy.

Morpheus Laughing