This cd is awe inspiring. It is beautifully stark, moody and cold and has been the inspiration for many creative moods for me over the years. Absolutely brilliant.A true Goth/Darkwave classic and a must have. I would give 6 or 7 stars if I could!!!

The latest Wumpscut full length reveals, perhaps a new direction.(Actually, my rating would be 4 1/2 stars if that were possible). It still has the typical dark Wumpscut mood to it but as a whole the work is slower and perhaps less confrontational and unlike what is stated in one of the reviews below, it isn't close minded to be aware that there are some "mainstream" undertones to the songs. However, this is by no means a mainstream work at all. It's perhaps just a more mellow cd than previous works (if you can call anything by Wumpscut "mellow"). I just fear that this may be the sign of things to come in the future. I hope not, I would hate to see those undertones become overtones on the next release. But that having been said, Wreath Of Barbs is an excellent release and a definite must have for any electro-industrial fan.

This, like most of Wumpscut's releases(except for Embryodead..man, what happened there..?) is a masterpiece of industro-goth terror. A must have.

I've been a Skinny Puppy fan for a very very long time, and I cannot for the life of me, understand ANYONE who claims to be an SP fan, not liking this CD. It is definitely a transitional work and had the group stayed together it would have been the sign of things to come. Perhaps this is why so many were disappointed in this cd when it came out; because it is indicative of a period of style change. But so what? This has happened before in SP's history. I mean, let's face it: Bites/Remission era Puppy does not sound like Too Dark Park/Last Rites era Puppy. And anyway, truth be told in some ways this cd seems to me, to represent an amalgam of all the differing styles through SP's history. There's even a return to the thrashy guitar on some tracks not really heard since the Rabies album. And there are some new things, like Ogre's changes in singing style on some track and a curious but effective almost ballad-like track. All that matters to me is that the cd works. Despite the differing style changes (which represented the two camps of contention within the band) it retains the same angry, dark mood that is typical of Skinny Puppy. Some have said this is their most commercial/accessible cd. Well....in some ways that is true...the production is certainly a lot more slick than in previous efforts perhaps but can you honestly imagine hearing this on the billboard top 40 along with all the R&B histrionics, talentless boy bands and post Seattle scene schlock rockers? I think not...still too noisy, angry and experimental, so "accessible" is really not a word that can describe this cd. And it is surprising how well this cd works considering Ogre wasn't communicating with the other two members of the band when it was recorded. Simply amazing work. Highly recommended.

One word can sum this cd up: awful. It is one of the worst FLA efforts ever put out.