Editing Nivek Ogre (section)

===Vocals and lyrics===
Described by Bill Henderson of ''[[The Orlando Sentinel]]'' as "disturbing, distorted and disconnected from anything real",<ref name=Orlando>{{cite web |last1=Henderson |first1=Bill |title=Skinny Puppy Review (22 February 1987) |url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-1987-02-22-0110160136-story.html |website=[[The Orlando Sentinel]] |date=February 22, 1987 |access-date=January 18, 2019}}</ref> Ogre's vocal style took influence from the likes of [[Stephen Mallinder]] of [[Cabaret Voltaire (band)|Cabaret Voltaire]] and Ian Sharp of [[Portion Control (band)|Portion Control]], and has in turn influenced a number of subsequent artists. "If I can do it and can emote, then anyone has a chance. And you don’t need to be a vocal acrobat to get an emotion across".<ref name="Chaos" /> He started off his career as a "non-singer", with his vocals often heavily treated with effects.<ref name="Whelps">{{cite journal |last1=Shaw |first1=Ted |title=Weird Whelps Howl a Message of Modern Mayhem |journal=[[Windsor Star]] |date=September 24, 1986 |page=A16}}</ref> His guttural and oftentimes unintelligible delivery became a hallmark of Skinny Puppy's music.<ref name="Taboos" /> His lyrics, usually delivered as a [[stream of consciousness]] meant to invoke certain images to the listener,<ref name="Picnic">{{cite journal |last1=Carey |first1=Jean |title='Park' Outing is no Picnic |journal=[[Tampa Bay Times]] |date=November 9, 1990 |page=17}}</ref> range from surrealistic to overtly sociopolitical, and explore topics such as vivisection, war, disease, the environment, addiction, and self-determination.<ref name="TheKnow" /><ref name=Bulky>{{cite magazine|last1=Shurtluff|first1=Kevin|title=Bulky and Surrealistic: Skinny Puppy|magazine=[[Alternative Press (magazine)|Alternative Press]]|date=December 1988|volume=3|issue=14|url=http://litany.net/interviews/shurt88.html|access-date=July 7, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161006021627/http://litany.net/interviews/shurt88.html|archive-date=October 6, 2016}}</ref><ref name=Apocalyptic>{{cite journal |last1=Kot |first1=Greg |title=Technology Expands Skinny Puppy's Apocalyptic Sound |journal=[[Chicago Tribune]] |date=May 21, 1992 |page=8}}</ref> The meaning behind his lyrics is often obscured by the cacophony of music surrounding them. "We're more into creating moods, and within them there's a lot more freedom for people to make up their minds and apply the lyrics to themselves and different situations".<ref name=Apocalyptic /> When asked if he was bothered by people misinterpreting his lyrics, he replied "art is for interpretation, and interpretation can take on whatever form it wants".<ref name="Maher">{{cite journal |last1=Maher |first1=Sharon |title=Ritalin |journal=Industrial Nation |publisher=Litany |date=1998 |issue=16 |url=http://litany.net/interviews/in16.html |access-date=March 2, 2019}}</ref>

[[File:Skinny Puppy Wave-Gotik-Treffen 2017 04.jpg|thumb|right|alt=A photo of Nivek Ogre onstage at Wave-Gotik-Treffen during Skinny Puppy's 2017 Down the Sociopath to Euro tour.|Ogre (right) performing onstage at [[Wave-Gotik-Treffen]], 2017]]

In the mid 90s, fearing that after years of strain he was beginning to lose his voice, he started receiving vocal training and implemented various exercises to save it.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gourley |first1=Bob |title=Ogre of Skinny Puppy Talks about Guantanamo Bay and "Weapon" (November 19, 2013) |url=https://www.chaoscontrol.com/skinny-puppy-weapon-interview/ |website=Chaos Control |date=November 19, 2013 |access-date=March 1, 2019}}</ref> For the W.E.L.T. project, producer Mark Walk encouraged Ogre to sing without vocal effects, a prospect which initially terrified Ogre, who said the effects were like a protective shield. To boost his confidence, he spent eight months working with his voice to test its capabilities.<ref name="Toxicologically">{{cite journal |title=Toxicologically Speaking or an Evening with Nivek Ogre |journal=Industrial Disinformation Station |publisher=Litany |date=June 1998 |url=http://litany.net/interviews/rxids98.html |access-date=March 2, 2019}}</ref> He later said that singing without treated vocals allowed him to express himself in ways he'd never been able to with Skinny Puppy.<ref name="Terrorizer">{{cite journal |title=Ogre Interview |journal=Terrorizer |publisher=Litany |date=April 2001 |url=http://litany.net/interviews/terror.html |access-date=March 2, 2019}}</ref> He continued this method with ''Bedside Toxicology'', during the production of which he said he learned that not only could he compose music, but he could also harmonize with his voice. "I have more control over harmonies. In these incremental ways you like grow as an artist, hopefully".<ref name="Maher" />