Doomsday - Back & Forth, Vol. 5 (Live In Dresden)

Album Review

Skinny Puppy reunited for a one-off reunion concert in 2000, five years after the release of The Process, the death of keyboardist Dwayne Goettel, and the breakup of the band. The question of whether founding members Ogre and Cevin Key could pull off the Skinny Puppy live experience without Goettel is answered on Doomsday, a record of their concert at the Doomsday Festival in Dresden, Germany. The duo acquit themselves nicely, performing all the "hits," "Worlock," "Testure," "Dig It," "Tin Omen," and others in a manner which reveals new textures and details while retaining the excitement and meticulous production of original studio versions. Ogre's voice is in fine form throughout, and Key's electronic backing tapes and live electronics are precise. Missing, however, is any new material, or anything from The Process (apparently due to copyright restrictions and not artistic choice, as two tracks from the album were played at the festival). As a live greatest-hits album, Doomsday is recommended, both for someone new to Skinny Puppy, and longtime fans as well.