Unlike Ogre's earlier Skinny Puppy work, ohGr has a more conventional structure to its music as well as a lighter tone, lyrically and musically.
The band was officially formed in 2001, although the material for the first album, Welt dates back to the mid-nineties, having been held up due to legal trouble with American Records. The first work produced by the band was actually the soundtrack for the computer game 'Descent II', but it was a number of years before their first album was released. Welt was originally the title of the group, a long standing acronym from early Skinny Puppy years when, shortly after Bill Leeb (of Front Line Assembly) left the band, Ogre graffitied "Wilhelm Eats Lunch Today" around Vancouver due to their then-acrimonious split. It was then refined to the less antagonistic "When Everyone Learns Truth". It was later discovered that in the interval, the name had been taken by a Californian punk band.
ohGr's third album titled Devils in my Details was released on October 17th, 2008 in Germany, October 20th in the United Kingdom, and October 21st in the United States. ohGr toured in support of the album release during the autumn of 2008. At Comic-Con 2008, Ogre announced that Bill Moseley will be contributing to the new ohGr album, as a result of them becoming friends through Repo! The Genetic Opera. It was tentatively revealed in a chat with the band that an album of B-sides from Devils in my Details (entitled "D-Sides") and an album of unreleased material from the 1990s (entitled "Dfault") was due to be released. In October 2009 a link to www.wdihtf.com appeared on Skinny Puppy's website. When users sign up to the mailing list they receive a link to the song COLLIDOSKOPE which starts with many different voices saying "Welcome to Collidoskope".
nitwitz
Ohgr Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Zip it up clear for public
What is a silent defense?
Comes like a mind-dripping harlot
I feel like nothing's inside, here
Sick like the other ways: To hide, to disguise
Like a bunch of fucking flies, you nitwitz
What a crazy, crazy, crazy way to define your life!
Hit this, come on, you nitwitz
Limit time too high
It's not the only way to die!
Atomic kids now forget
Acidic all fears, queers done with it
Fast is the pace they live in
Snap of the finger with pride again
We're seeing something inside, here
Lost like an appetite, all-sunken hollow eyes
Nitwitz, undone the nitwitz
Like a bunch of fucking flies, you nitwitz
What a crazy, crazy, crazy way to define your life!
Hit this, come on, you nitwitz
Limit time too high
It's not the only way to die!
I'm feeling something's inside me now
Traced from another day's, engaged to the lies
I'm feeling nothing's inside here
Sick like the other ways, to hide, to disguise
Nitwitz, undone the nitwitz
Like a bunch of fucking flies, you nitwitz
What a crazy, crazy, crazy way to define your life!
Hit this, come on, you nitwitz
Limit time too high
It's not the only way to die!
The first verse of "Nitwitz" by Ohgr talks about an "atomic-sequence-event" and "silent defense" that could refer to a specific situation or technology that exists to protect but could also harm in a different way. The line "Comes like a mind-dripping harlot" suggests that whatever it is, it looks appealing but is actually dangerous. The next two lines describe the feeling of emptiness inside and the need to conceal that feeling from others, possibly by behaving in a certain way or not revealing one's true emotions.
The chorus, "Nitwitz, undone the nitwitz, like a bunch of fucking flies, you nitwitz" seems to suggest that people are blindly following a certain way of life without thinking for themselves or questioning their actions. The next line, "What a crazy, crazy, crazy way to define your life!" mocks the idea of defining one's life based on societal norms or external expectations. The refrain, "Hit this, come on, you nitwitz, limit time too high, it's not the only way to die!" could refer to drug use as an escape from reality, with the line "limit time too high" suggesting that the user may lose track of time or even their own life.
The second verse paints a picture of younger generations, the "atomic kids," who are living life at a fast pace and appear to be indifferent to the "acidic all fears" of the world around them. The next two lines describe the feeling of being lost and disconnected from oneself, similar to the feeling in the first verse. The chorus repeats, again mocking the idea of blindly following societal norms without thinking.
Line by Line Meaning
Atomic-sequence-event
An event or situation that has an explosive or catastrophic impact.
Zip it up clear for public
Keep it simple and easy to understand for everyone.
What is a silent defense?
What good is not speaking out or standing up for oneself?
Comes like a mind-dripping harlot
It is something that tempts and lures without any real substance or value.
I feel like nothing's inside, here
A sense of emptiness and lack of purpose or meaning in life.
Sick like the other ways: To hide, to disguise
Hiding one's true self or emotions is a sickness that can lead to more problems.
Nitwitz, undone the nitwitz
Calling out and exposing the foolish and ignorant behavior of others.
Like a bunch of fucking flies, you nitwitz
Easy to swarm around the latest trend or idea without really understanding or thinking for oneself.
What a crazy, crazy, crazy way to define your life!
It is insane to define oneself or one's life based on shallow and empty values.
Hit this, come on, you nitwitz
Trying to fit in and follow the crowd by engaging in risky or reckless behavior.
Limit time too high
Ignoring the consequences and risks of one's actions.
It's not the only way to die!
There are more important things in life than just seeking temporary thrills or pleasures.
Atomic kids now forget
The younger generation has lost sight of the true concerns and values of society.
Acidic all fears, queers done with it
Facing and overcoming one's fears is a necessary part of personal growth and development.
Fast is the pace they live in
Everything moves too quickly and there is no time for reflection or contemplation.
Snap of the finger with pride again
Too quick to judge and too proud to admit one's faults or weaknesses.
We're seeing something inside, here
Finding meaning and purpose in life by looking within oneself.
Lost like an appetite, all-sunken hollow eyes
Feeling disconnected and unfulfilled due to a lack of meaning or purpose in life.
I'm feeling something's inside me now
A newfound sense of purpose or meaning in life.
Traced from another day's, engaged to the lies
Realizing that one's previous lifestyle and beliefs were based on falsehoods and illusions.
Contributed by Bentley D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.