Litany: Music News Covering Skinny Puppy, Download, ohGr and Related Projects

Download's last two albums, Fixer and Helicopter, previously only available directly from Subconscious mail order, are now being re-released for wider availability via Metropolis Records. The new edition of Helicopter has been augmented with three new tracks comprising Wookie Wall. These songs, recorded by cEvin Key and Phil Western in advance of the Subcon Beyond Fest tour and debuted at the live shows, have never been otherwise released. Both albums feature updated artwork.

Fixer, one of my favorite records of the past ten years, remains a benchmark of the possibilities in current electronic music. It is also wrapped in one of the most exquisite record sleeves ever designed, provided by Allen Jaeger. Those who witnessed Skinny Puppy live in 2009 and 2010 were treated to the sounds of Helicopter before and after the band took the stage. That album features the gorgeous artwork of Simon Paul, who of course helped design this very site.

The new editions will be released on September 13th.

Pre-order Fixer here and pre-order Helicopter + Wookie Wall here

Just one final reminder that entries for our giveaway of five (5) signed ohGr two-sided mini-posters closes tomorrow. While I've gotten plenty of inventive and brilliant submissions, you still have a good chance to win. Get your submissions in and best of luck.

View all the details here.

Two new interviews with Ogre have been posted. Vampire Freaks covers everything from the album artwork to Michael Jackson to the pharmaceutical industry. Read it here.

Chaos Control covers Mr. Brownstone and another upcoming film role. Read it here.

Remember that our contest to win an Ogre-autographed promotional mini-poster is ending in just a few days on the 14th. The submissions so far have some pretty good ideas, but there is definitely still a big chance for you to win.

cEvin Key's solo Vegas performance tomorrow has changed venues. It will now be at the Showroom at the Clarion Hotel and Casino.

Ogre and his Oliver get the cover of the new issue of Auxiliary Magazine, which includes a new interview. Covered topics include the writing of the new album, past tour concepts, Mr. Brownstone, and his working relationship with Mark Walk. It can be read in its entirety in PDF form right here.

Recently, in that crystalline space between the waking world and sleep, my mind took to wondering, as it is wont to do in the late hours of solitude populated by fantasies and visions, "what if there were a radio edit of 101, so that I could broadcast its splendorous magnificence across the radio waves and internet streams that surround and coat our bodies with sound and radiation? What word could possibly have the gall and power to dare to replace the FCC-offending syllables in the now-iconic phrase, 'Who do I have to fuck?'" I sat up in bed with a start, coated in sweat and the rapturous energy that accompanies a new mission. Assured that prior great creative geniuses of the human race, from Plato to Kafka to Carrot Top, had experienced similar moments of impassioned clarity, I set myself to the task at hand. Then I was quickly distracted by something shiny and decided to ask the Litany readers to come up with ideas instead.

We are giving away five (5) two-sided promotional flats from the Undeveloped album, signed by Ogre for the Litany readers. The five (5) best ideas for an English word to replace the word "fuck" in an imaginary radio edit of 101 will win.

The contest closes at Noon EST on June 14th, 2011. One entry per person. Winners will be determined by me at my discretion. Winners will be judged on originality, creativity, and poise. No warranties expressed or implied. In the event of two entries of a winning word, the first submission will win. Do not taunt happy fun ball. Your personal information will remain confidential, but I reserve the right to write you long rambling letters about the movie Lifeforce. This contest exists purely for fun and no suggestion is being made that it will result in an actual edit of the song.

To enter, email your submission as well as your full mailing address and full name to litany@darkstatic.com with the subject line "ohGr contest."

Thanks to Ogre for making this happen. Good luck!

Reflections of Darkness has a new interview with Ogre covering Undeveloped. Here's a clip:::

It's that cliche again, that when you age that certain aspects of your personality, those twisted cutting bits of insecurities of your personality they'll start to fall away and diminish and it's an amazing thing. It truly is an amazing thing. This comes from someone who was extremely insecure and self conscious his whole life. That's one thing I'd like to impart if I can impart upon anything, is just that it gets better.

Read the whole thing here.