Some are calling Mythmaker Skinny Puppy's most ambitious--and accessible--album ever. That may be sheer hyperbole but it is safe to say that Mythmaker may be the strongest SP disc in some time. Many of the songs prove infectious--particularly the opening "Magnifishit," the atmospheric "Haze" and even the stomping "Pedafly." The group gets darker and more experimental with "Politikil," pauses for something different ("Ambiantz") and closes with the ultrafast "Ugli." For the most part, the record succeeds, but there are a few bum notes: "Lestiduz" serves a noodly bridge between two better, more focused tunes; "Jaher" is a mellow drifter that will probably polarize some listeners. However there's nothing that will prevent fans--both new and old alike--from growing the continuously evolving myth surrounding Skinny Puppy. ––Jedd Beaudoin
