Metal Overview: Ministry

Hello fellow Otaku & Metalheads, and welcome to my 9th metal overview!

I have to admit, I had some trouble with today’s overview. I had trouble with it objectively, and I had trouble with it emotionally. I had to balance the two as I typed this up, and suffice it to say, it was challenging. Somehow, I was able to do it, but it wasn’t easy. It also doesn’t help that I’m releasing this on the 10th anniversary of the death of my Uncle Randy, and if you recognize that name from my top 10 singers & bands post, you’ll know who the band in question I’m looking at is.

Yes, today marks the day that I finally look at Industrial Metal titans Ministry. Perhaps it’s appropriate that I’m looking at Uncle Al & the boys today, as it seems to be a strange yet fitting tribute for my own uncle. Since 1983, Ministry has been cranking out some of the finest album in this intriguing subgenre of Heavy Metal, and while they’re not necessarily perfect (Yes, I consider my no. 1 band imperfect), the band help me out through what I consider to be perhaps the darkest point of my life. Without further delay, let’s take a look at Ministry, a band that helped put Industrial Metal on the map!

With Sympathy (1983)(Album)

As I stated back in my overview on Korn, there’s 2 schools when it comes to bad albums: get them out of the way early so the band can get to the good stuff, or get them out later when a band has developed a reputation. In regards to With Sympathy, it is most definitely the former. Released on May 10, 1983, With Sympathy is Al Jourgenson’s most hated Ministry and with good reason. According to him, Al has said that the management at Arista Records was pressuring him to go in a synthpop direction, as that genre was highly popular in the early 80s. Further giving proof to the “pressuring” angle, Al even sang in a faux British accent, along an ex-wife says otherwise. Teaming up with founding Ministry member Stephen George, the two set out to create one of the most hated records in the Ministry catalogue. It was so hated, Uncle Al maintained for years that he destroyed the master tapes, but in 2012 it was re-released by Eastwood Records with 3 bonus tracks.

Best Track? As much as I’m not fond of this album on the whole, there are some tracks that I do enjoy. Say Your Sorry, I’m Not An Effigy, and Revenge are the tunes in question. Maybe it’s because of how cheesy they are, but something about these songs elevates them above the rest. Revenge in particular is interesting, as there is a sliver or two of what Al Jourgenson originally envisioned when forming Ministry. It’s still 80s cheese, but it’s the kind of cheese that isn’t completely bad for you.

Say Your Sorry

I’m Not An Effigy

Revenge

Worst Track? Pretty much everything else! With Sympathy is an example of album that was made because of company interests, stifling the potential of a new band. This release has stained a flawed but otherwise excellent discography, and deserves every bit of hate & criticism it gets! I can only recommend this record to anyone who’s a fans of hokey 80s pop music, not Industrial Metal. Next album!

Twitch (1986)(Album)

With Sympathy was an awful taste in Al Jourgensen’s mouth. There was no heart & soul in the music he made, as it was just corporate 80s pop shill. It took a few years, but Uncle Al eventually managed to break free of his contract with Arista Records, and land himself in the camp of Sire Records (Owned by Warner Music Group, and distributed by Warner Bros. Records). After granting far more control to Jourgensen that Arista did, Uncle Al got to work on what would become his second album, Twitch. Released on July 8, 1986, Twitch was a far more darker & aggressive record than it’s predecessor, as it went in a more EBM direction than With Sympathy. I love this album, as this is the product of Al Jourgensen’s talent, not the waste that record company interests pump out on a nearly constant basis. There’s rhythm, aggression, soul, and a kind of atmosphere that could only have come out of the 80s.

Best Track? Just Like You immediately comes to mind for me. Long before the band’s time in the mid-2000s, Uncle Al was writing & creating songs that outright criticize the system in this country. In this track’s case, Just Like You attacks Ronald Reagan & his presidential run at that time, going after him like a pack of hungry wolves. There’s some great beats & rhythms being used, and the atmosphere is just perfect. Just Like You is clever, witty, and definitely a classic!

Just Like You

Worst Track? If you wanted to be incredibly picky, the only bad thing one could point out would be the remnants of With Sympathy’s 80s pop sensibilities. All of the songs on this album are great, but every once in a while you might hear a sliver of synthesizer, or you might hear Uncle Al slip back into his English accent for a second or two.

Twitch. Completely wiping the slate clean of With Sympathy, and marks the true birth of Ministry. 80s Industrial can’t get better, or can it? Next album!

The Land of Rape and Honey (1988)(Album)

With his second album done, Uncle Al continued forward with Ministry, becoming more aggressive & heavier with each track, and The Land of Rape & Honey shows this change in direction. Released on October 11, 1988, The Land of Rape and Honey actually marks the first time that Ministry attempted at mixing Industrial with rock music, as opposed to the first two albums, which were more electronically-based. Ironically, Only 3 songs on this album actually use guitars, but I don’t have a problem with that. Since it’s release, The Land of Rape and Honey has be sited by Uncle Al as his favorite Ministry album to make, and it influenced a wide variety of bands, including Slipknot & Linkin Park. As for the origin of this album’s name.....well, I’ll leave it as a mystery.

Best Track? Stigmata is an absolutely weird track: it’s only 1 of the 3 tracks to have guitars, and the vocals are incredibly disjointed & warped. You can rarely tell what Al Jourgensen is singing, as it almost always comes across as a garbled mess. However, I strangely don’t have a problem with this. There’s a strange cohesiveness to everything, as the garbled vocal work mixes with the guitar & drumming. The effects used mesh well with everything also, and the end result is a sloppy yet focused song.

Stigmata

Worst Track? As far as the mixing was concerned, I found the combining of Industrial & Rock/Metal isn’t perfect. Like I said earlier, only 3 songs used guitar, and the rest was still along the Industrial/Electronic. The end result is rather disjointed, as The Land of Rape and Honey doesn’t quite seem to know what it wants to be.

The Land of Rape and Honey. Not a perfect Industrial & Rock/Metal combination, but a good step in the right direction. If origin stories are your things, this CD might be for you. Next album!

The Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Taste (1989)(Album)

After the venomous assault that was The Land of Rape and Honey, Al & the boys got to work on their next album, The Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Taste. Released on November 14, 1989, The Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Taste was a far more hardcore & guitar-driven record, more-so than the previous album, and began using themes that would become popular in later Ministry albums (Political Corruption, Drug Addiction, etc). The Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Taste peaked at number 163 on the Billboard 200, but was eventually certified as gold by the RIAA in December of 1995 for sales of over 500,000.

Best Track? Thieves was always a favorite of mine off of this album. I was always impressed by how well the Industrial & Speed Metal aspects mixed, as each side meshes well with the other. There’s slower parts for the Industrial Metal fans, and there’s speedier areas for the Speed Metal fans. The best of both worlds!

Thieves

Worst Track? As with The Land of Rape and Honey, the Industrial & Metal elements aren’t quite mixed well. In this record’s defense, however, the mixing is far better here than in the previous record. There’s a much more solid identity, and it seems that Uncle Al’s vision of what Ministry is to become is coalescing into something greater.

The Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Taste. A greater record than it’s predecessor, yet still finding it’s way in spots, but a peer into the future as well. Definitely recommended. Next album!

Psalm 69: The Way to Succeed and the Way to Suck Eggs (1992)(Album)

What Ace of Spades was to Motörhead, Psalm 69 is to Ministry. Released on July 14, 1992, Psalm 69 is the result of a band that was ever so slowly turning the volume knob up to 11, and breaking the knob off! Fans were experience some fine Industrial release before (Excluding With Sympathy), but this album was different. This album helped shaped the landscape of Industrial Metal in ways that few albums, not to mention few bands, have ever been able to accomplish. Al Jourgensen’s musical vision was always going in many different directions, but in my few, said vision was focused on this album. All of the trademarks of Industrial Metal can be found here: rhythm, pounding instrumentation, sounds & effects, and vocal work that comes from a gritty machine. There hasn’t been many Industrial albums like this since.

Best Track? It’s gotta be the title track! Psalm 69 is strange in the fact that there’s hardly any vocal work at all, although what little singing there was is incredible blasphemous, and quite venomous. Psalm 69 is an exercise in atmospherics, using sound snippets from classic films like Altered States, The Pit and the Pendulum, and Suspiria, creating a very moody & operatic-like track. It’s haunting beat complements the heaviness when it kicks in, creating an unforgettable song that’ll be remembered throughout the ages!

Psalm 69

Apart from this, pretty much everything else is 24-karat gold. You’ve got the protest song N.W.O., The drug-filled Just One Fix, and the drunken mess that was Jesus Built My Hotrod. There’s practically no bad track on here. The only thing one could say, looking back in hindsight, was that Psalm 69 was that it may have set the bar a little too high for the band. Ministry beforehand was making some great records (Apart from With Sympathy), but they didn’t necessarily change the game. With this album, it completely floored everyone, and transformed the Industrial Metal landscape, creating a lot of hype for Ministry in the process. Regardless of the consequences, Psalm 69 is a classic metal album, and one that I would recommend in a flash. Next album!

Filth Pig (1996)(Album)

Psalm 69, as remarkable of a landmark album, planted the seed of desire within the fans. They were completely floored by how phenomenal the music was, and were hungry for more. Unfortunately, this desire came with a dark side, as they wanted the band’s next to be along the lines of Psalm 69, and really wouldn’t completely accept anything else. What Ministry fans got instead, however, was Filth Pig. Released on January 30, 1996, Filth Pig was released amid some of Al Jourgensen’s darkest days. His drug & alcohol addiction was getting worse, and his relationship with his wife was strained at best. These dark emotions eventually found their way to the music on this record, and it shows. Despite being Ministry’s highest rated album in the United States, reviewers typically gave it a negative score, divided the band’s fanbase, and overall was a commercial failure. It was enough of a failure that Ministry never toured for Filth Pig, and to me that’s a shame. Much like the album after this, Filth Pig is something of a underrated gem. It’s filled with some great music, but if the artist was in a better term & people weren’t hungry for past successes, it may have done better.

Best Track? Lay Lady Lay was always a charming tune in my opinion. This track starts a strange tradition, in which Ministry makes cover tracks that don’t necessarily follow the letter of the original, but somehow manages to stay true to the spirit. It’s got a groove that evokes the memory of the 60s, but with a modern (Modern for the mid 90s, at least) twist that keeps the song relevant. A good slow drinking song, or a good track to listen to when you & your loved one happen to be close.

Lay Lady Lay

However, honors must be given to the title track! Filth Pig is an absolutely dirty track, befitting of it’s nature. It’s also reflective of Al Jourgenson’s mood, as he really wasn’t in a great state. It’s masochistic, self-depreciating, and most definitely filthy!

Filth Pig

Worst Track? Really the atmosphere of Filth Pig is it’s biggest problem. While the albums before had a dark nature, they really didn’t feel like you were getting dragged through the mud. With Filth Pig, you are at the bottom of the barrel with all the muck & grime, and you’re just getting dirtier & more depressed with yourself as you try to climb out. I’ll talk about this a little more in detail with the next album, but suffice it to say that this CD is a tough one to sit through!

Filth Pig. A great album, that just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Don’t let the haters get in your way, and listen to this record. Next Album!

Dark Side of the Spoon (1999)(Album)

What World Coming Down is to Type-O Negative, Dark Side of the Spoon is to Ministry. Released on June 8, 1999, Dark Side of the Spoon is Ministry’s most underrated, underappreciated, and most misunderstood album in the band’s discography, but you need to understand where Al Jourgensen was coming from: his wife left him, taking his daughter away, having to pay an alimony (A big alimony, if it’s to be believed from his book), drug & alcohol addiction spiraling out of control, and coupled with the suicidal thoughts he was having at the time, he was in the worst possible spot at his point in life. However, like Pete Steele, depression leads to inspiration, and thus Dark Side of the Spoon was born. 10 tracks of some of the most depressive Industrial Metal ever put to CD, indeed this album is a tough sit through, as Al Jourgenson is just dumping everything in his mind on the table for all to see, and he doesn’t care how pleasant things look.

Best Track? Bit of a 3-way tie between what I consider to be the best songs of the album: the brutal & sadistic Whip & Chain, the Doom Metal-like sludginess of Kaif, and the sadomasochistic Vex & Siolence. These song best represent what Dark Side of the Spoon has to offer, and what kind of mood this album provides.

Whip & Chain

Kaif

Vex & Siolence

Worst Track? Pretty much my only problem here is the same thing I said about World Coming Down: the overtly bleak nature will be a major turnoff.....although, if I wanted to be a little honest, I don’t think this does the “Depressive” thing as well as the previously mentioned album. Make no mistake, I meant everything I said earlier: this is a dark album with some serious emotion. However, it seems like Uncle Al is dragging his feet through this album, almost as if he doesn’t want to get unstuck, and just wants to wallow in misery. It’s the worst kind of mood to be in. Trust me, I went through this once.

Dark Side of the Spoon. A sadly overlooked album in Ministry’s discography, but one that has some of the darkest Industrial Metal that’s ever been made for one’s ears. If you can handle some dark stuff, then this will be the album for you. Next album!

Animositisomina (2003)(Album)

Fate is a strange thing. Often when we think we’re going down one direction, fate comes in to put us on another. When it comes to the curious case of Al Jourgensen, fate threw him for a loop! By 2002 the divorce between him & his wife was finalized, his drug was practically in control, and thoughts of suicide were constant. Just when he was about to pull the trigger (He got a gun from a dealer, claiming it was to “shoot a crappy dealer”), a little nudge towards a brighter tomorrow came in the form of a small slip of paper, with a phone number on it as plain as day. The number was for a woman that Al knew from years prior, and out of a weird quirk, he gave the number a call. He did know what was in store.

Upon the call, the two reunited, and then Al’s life began to heal. He paid off his wife’s alimony, kicked his heroine habit, re-figured his own money, and got to work on Animositisomina, his.....second least favorite album, which is oddly surprising to me. With his very first record, I can definitely understand. With Sympathy was manufactured by corporate interests, and as such really doesn’t have much in the way of heart & soul. This one, however, surprises me. That said, Animositisomina’s recording session wasn’t a smooth ride: because he was kicking his heroin habit, he was in a lot of pain & quite irritable. On top of that, him & longtime engineer/producer were not on good terms anymore at this point, enough to the point of leaving one song incomplete (More on this in a moment). Uncle Al even left most of the recording up to Barker himself, apart from 1 track. Despite this, there’s far more cohesiveness within Animositisomina. Maybe it’s because of Al kicking the drug habit, or wishful thinking, I’m not sure. 

Best Track? Impossible & The Light Pours Out Of Me make for a nice duo on this record. I can only assume that these were songs meant to represent what Al Jourgensen was conveying about his drug problems, with Impossible representing the challenging of going cold turkey, and The Light Pours Out Of Me acting as a metaphor for detoxification. Ironically, the previously mentioned track isn’t an original piece, but instead is a cover of the rock group Magazine’s original version. The original version is alright, but Ministry’s just take it up a notch that Magazine simply can’t reach.

Impossible

The Light Pours Out Of Me

Worst Track? Leper is perhaps the only bad track on here, as it’s the only song to not have lyrics. It’s a shame there’s no vocal work, as the 9-something minute long tune practically screams for someone to sing. Without vocals, Leper seems to be more of an experiment in effects than anything else.

Leper

Animositisomina. Like Dark Side of the Spoon, this one’s an underrated gem. Dig past the dirt, and there’s definitely something to enjoy. Next album!

Houses of the Molé (2004)(Album)

From here on out we enter what I call Ministry’s “Bush” years. From 2004 to 2007, the band wrote some of the most politically scathing music of their entire discography, and the first of these was Houses of the Molé. Released on June 21, 2004, Houses of the Molé is the most gimmicky of the 3 Bush-bashing albums, and the only album to not get a spot on the billboard 200. Because of the slower sales, the band left Sanctuary Records, and hooked up with 13th Planet & Megaforce Records. Another unique aspect of Houses of the Molé is it’s more Thrash Metal orientation, sharing the spotlight with the Industrial Metal base of the record.

Best Track? No W makes for a great opening tune, and bucks the gimmick trend that the rest of the album follows. This song definitely fits in the Thrash Metal category of this album: with just a couple Industrial threads sewn in, this is one of the most headbang-inducing songs in Ministry’s track catalog. In many ways it mirrors N.W.O. off of Psalm 69, with it’s Thrash oriented beats & rhythm. Coupled with a nice music video, and you got something memorable.

No W

Worst Track? Really my biggest gripe is the goofy gimmick that this record goes for. With the exception of one song, every other tune on here starts with the letter “W”. Given what the band was trying to do, I can understand why they’d use this gimmick, but I don’t think this album has aged well since it’s release (More on that later) because of this.

Houses of the Molé. Maybe the goofiest of the Bush-bashing releases, but one that still has some potency today. Considering the political landscape of the United States right now, perhaps it’s time for this record to come back (Along with it’s brothers). Definitely recommended. Next album!

Rio Grande Blood (2006)(Album)

Rio......Grande.....Blood. As many of you know this was my first album I discovered from Ministry. You’ll also know that this was the album that got me through the death of my uncle. I’ll admit that I have a biased view of this record: released on May 2, 2006, I discovered this in the summer of 2006, right around the middle of George W. Bush’s 2nd term, and if you know your political history, you’ll know that this was a chaotic time. In recent year’s I’ve rediscovered Rio Grande Blood, thanks in part to the increasing collapse of politics, and I needed some kind of balm to heal the wounds. Even to this very day I consider this record to be the most potent of the Bush-bashing trio, as much of the music on here can still be applied to what’s going on now. It doesn’t help the fact that this record reinforced my hatred of Republicans, but I’ll leave my feelings out.

Best Track? LiesLiesLies. The very first song I discovered that fateful day when I was flipping through the TV channels, and I happened to catch it as I landed on MTV. The song itself kind of reminds me of No W from their previous release, with it’s mix of Thrash & Industrial, not to mention it’s strong political message. In the case of this song, LiesLiesLies is a song about 9-11 conspiracy theories, and while it helped with my grieving, that’s not what sealed up the would. It was a string of lyrics from about halfway through the song, and they are as follows:

“Don’t listen to me/Listen to your pain/Don’t listen to it each & every day”

LiesLiesLies

Worst Track? Yellow Cake is perhaps the only song I can’t seem to listen to. It’s got great instrumentation & vocal work, but thanks to one sound effect that they use throughout a majority of the track. It’s this high-pitched kind of thing that I can’t describe, with the only thing I can say about it is that it just seems to echo after the song is done. It’s been a while since I forced myself to listen through it all the way, so maybe I don’t dislike it as much now.

Yellow Cake

Rio Grande Blood. Quite simply the best Ministry album to have come out in the mid 2000s, and is a record I still hold close to me a decade after I discovered it. Next album!

The Last Sucker (2007)(Album)

By 2007, things were slowing down for Ministry. Al Jourgensen had formed a new record company (13th Planet Records), and he wanted to leave at the top of his game after signing some bands to the group. However, he still wanted to take one last stab at George W Bush, so he was gonna make it his bloodiest hit yet. So on September 18, 2007, The Last Sucker was released. Concluding the anti-Bush triology, The Last Sucker was not without a tiny bit of controversy: on July the 17th of the same year, a promotional copy of the album was leaked, and a week before lyrics and full credits for the album were released by SureShotWorx on their official website. The leak really didn’t seem to do much, as the album was typically favored by fans & reviewers.

Best Track? The Dick Song. Why.......cause I’m immature.

The Dick Song

Worst Track? If there’s anything negative to be said about this album, along with Houses of the Molé & Rio Grande Blood, is that they’re rather dated. Musically they’re still fantastic pieces to be sure, but because they focus on a particular president & political time, they’re kind of like a weird time capsule to the emotions & feelings of the mid/late 2000s. This doesn’t stop me from liking The Last Sucker, and it’s makes for a great conclusion to a classic musical trilogy.

However, the conclusion of this trilogy was not without some tragedy. On October 20, 2007, longtime Ministry conspirator & friend of Al Jourgensen, Paul Raven, died shortly after his arrival in France from an apparent heart attack. The death of a friend really shook Uncle Al to the core, and this shakeup convinced him that perhaps it was time to end the band, so that’s what happened. The band was done, and a reunion seemed nothing but a pipe dream. However, some titans can’t stay down, so let’s all suffer....a little relapse.

Relapse (2012)(Album)

Yeah yeah, I used a pun. During the time that Ministry was done, the group recorded & released 2 excellent cover compilations (Cover Up & Undercover, respectively), but a Ministry reunion was still a fantasy in the mind of fans. Al Jourgensen said in a interview with Hustler magazine in November 2008 that (apart from the death of Paul Raven) Ministry broke up was because that it took up so much time, it was a hassle to get out new albums, and that Uncle Al was responsible for six other bands and can get seven albums done a year while not working on new Ministry material. However, the fantasy of the fans finally came true, and on August 7, 2011, Ministry returned to the music scene, stating that they were performing at Wacken Open Air 2012. In addition to this appearance, Ministry announced that they were working on a new album, with a potential release date around Christmas time. Then, on March 23, 2012, their new album Release was released to the public. A fine return to the metal scene, but a flawed one.

Best Track? 99 Percenters always stuck a chord with me. While I wouldn’t say that Uncle Al wrote the strongest lyrics for this track, he sure as hell put in a strong message; rich bankers must pay! See this song first got put out as a single around the time of the whole “99%” issues was going on in around late 2011, when the average joe-schmo was getting jipped by the various corrupt banking establishments. You can definitely feel the anger that Uncle Al put in here, as he just seems to speak to you as the song goes on, trying to find a connection with any who would listen. While a little dated, it still holds quite a bit of power here in 2016.

99 Percenters

Worst Track? Truth be told, I always thought that this was one of Ministry’s more weaker albums. Bad?.....absolutely not! Relapse is the sound of a band coming out of hibernation, hungry & ready to rock! However, Uncle Al & the boys seem to be a little slow in places (Instrumentation, Vocal Work, etc), almost as if they haven’t completely come out of hibernating. Still, for a return of a legend, this definitely fits the bill!

Sadly, as with The Last Sucker, tragedy would strike again. On December 23, 2012, Al Jourgensen’s closest friend & longtime collaborator Mike Scaccia died on-stage due to a heart attack, which in turn was related to a previously undiagnosed heart condition. Al Jourgensen couldn’t handle the death of another friend, and decided to end Ministry for good. However, Ministry still had some gas left in the tank, and they sure as hell was gonna use it. So let’s take a look at From Beer to Eternity, and see how they decided to go out.

From Beer to Eternity (2013)(Album)

Despite the death of Mike Scaccia, there was a silver lining in the tragedy. In the weeks leading up to his death, he, along with Al Jourgensen, Sin Quirin (Guitarist), Tony Campos (Bassist), and Aaron Rossi (Drummer) entered Uncle Al’s 13th Planet Records studio at El Paso, Texas. The group recorded 18 prototype tracks. According to Uncle Al: "We have never, in the history of Ministry, ever had a tracking session like that before. Everything went so smoothly, it was surreal." Following the funeral of Mike Scaccia in Dallas, the remaining band members spent three months in the studio to finish the final touches. Then, on September 6, 2013, From Beer to Eternity was released to music stories all over. To me, this album is far stronger than it’s predecessor: the band seemed far more unified in the making of this album, and after Mike’s death, this unification became even stronger. It also makes for a strangely appropriate concluding record, as it has the right balance between finality & strength.

Best Track? On a personal level, I think Permawar & Change of Luck are two great tracks. Permawar is similar to 99 Percenters, but goes for a more general direction with it’s political commentary, attacking both sides in a equal manner. Change of Luck is a bit different: in a weird way, this is the softest song on the album. I use the world loosely, however, as Ministry still goes bombastic throughout the track, but the emotion that was put in somehow mellows things out. Paired together, the songs work great with each other, as they complement each other’s instrumentation & energy.

Permawar

Change of Luck

Worst Track? Honestly, there aren’t any bad songs. The only bad thing about From Beer to Eternity, is that this is it, there’s no more Ministry albums. The band might be touring, and there are rumors of a new album, but it seems like we may never seen a new record again.

From Beer to Eternity. A great way to end a legendary career, the music on here is definitely unforgettable. And so Ministry’s iconic career was put to rest, but that didn’t mean Uncle Al was done with music. So let’s take a look at what was up in his neck with the woods.

Surgical Meth Machine (2016)(Wikipedia)

After the splitting of Ministry, Al Jourgensen’s life took a sad turn. In February of 2014, Uncle Al checked himself into rehab, and got himself clean, but not without divorcing from his second wife. Shortly after the divorce, he moved out to California in an attempt to start a new life. With people hounding him as to the future of Ministry, he had no desire to get back into the band.....but that didn’t mean he was done with music. Teaming up with Sammy D'Ambruoso, who had worked with Al on some of Ministry’s later output, the two got into the studio, and on April the 15th from earlier this year. The two conceived this album as a tribute to Mike Scaccia, and wanted all the songs to mirror Side FX Include Mikey's Middle Finger (TV 4) off of From Beer to Eternity, and have the tracks clock over 220 beats per minute. Things changed within the project, but I’ll get to that in a little bit. Despite the change, Surgical Meth Machine is a badass record, as it has the old-school Ministry sound but with modern production.

Best Track? Tragic Alert! The first single put out for the album, Tragic Alert has the polish of modern metal, but the sound & vibe coming off of the song is old-school Ministry at it’s finest! I can tell you that I’ve had the volume turned on my headphones to maximum, and let me tell you that I was afraid my ear drums would burst. Once again the political & social themes that compose most of later-day Ministry come through here, as Uncle Al vents his frustrations about the constant violence in the United States, and how nothing is being done to stop it, or at the very least slow it down. It may not have the strongest lyrics, but it does have a strong message.

Tragic Alert

Worst Track? While there aren’t any bad tracks, the pacing of Surgical Meth Machine is somewhat off. Before this album was even announced, Al Jourgenson said in interviews that he wanted to create “The Fastest Album” ever, and when it was finally announced that Uncle Al was starting a side project, fans were in eager anticipation. The result was only half of what was promised: definitely a fast record in spots, but in other areas it kinda slows to a crawl almost. I can’t completely complain however, as Uncle Al got himself a medical pot card when he moved out to California, and....yeah, you see where I’m going with this.

Surgical Meth Machine. Maybe not the speed demon we were promised, but none-the-less is still some brutal & awesome Industrial noise for the ears. Definitely recommended. Next album!***

AmeriKKKant (2018)***

With Uncle Al working on his side project in 2016, and the thoughts of a proper Ministry record seemingly a dream, it was an incredible shock to hear that the band was finally putting out an actual album. Before beginning work on the album in February of last year, Al Jourgensen stated in April of 2016 that a followup to From Beer To Eternity was possible if the circumstances were right, and he broke up Ministry because people kept pressuring him & asking questions about the band after his longtime friend & compatriot Mike Scaccia had passed away. Then, on March 9th, 2018 (Originally scheduled for late 2017), after a 5-year gap, AmeriKKKant was released to the public.

For me, AmeriKKKant is something of a spiritual successor to their concluding record in their George W. Bush bashing trilogy, The Last Sucker. Ditching the idea of going for Donald Trump's throat directly, Uncle Al & the rest of Ministry decided to go for a more indirect approach this go around, and went after the circumstances that led to Trump's rise to power (Followers, pop culture, social media, etc) instead. I like this approach, as upfront attacks don't really work out all that well, and it makes you think a little. Reception, however, has been mixed among music critics. Allmusic writer Paul Simpson gave AmeriKKKant 2 out of 5 stars, and had this to say about the album:

"AmeriKKKant finds the industrial metal juggernauts railing against the alt-right, racist Internet trolls, fake news, and everything else to do with the aftermath of the 2016 election. While some of the Bush-era albums found the group reinvigorated after the lackluster Filth Pig and Dark Side of the Spoon, AmeriKKKant is just a depressing slog through and through, perfectly summed up by its Statue of Liberty faceplant cover art."

Best Track? Bit of a tie between the anti-war track Wargasm, the weird & warped nature of Twilight Zone. The former has guest vocalist Burton C. Bell (Frontman of Fear Factory) provide sexually-charged monologues mixed with warfare terminology, and the line between sex & ceaseless war continues with Uncle Al & the rest of the band, as they unleash a salvo of beats & droning vocals. The later has a creepy 2-minute intro, complete with the warping of Trump's words, D.J. scratching from Guest D.J. DJ Swamp, some impressive cello playing from the Lord Of The Cello (Sample material here), and the rest of Ministry comes in strong with Uncle Al's vocals, the instrumentation, and the impressive use of sound effects. In comparison to the worst song on the album (More on that in a sec), these two are titans, and really should have been the first singles instead.

Wargasm

Twilight Zone

Worst Track? Antifa might be the only bad song on AmeriKKKant. It was the first preview track from the album, and it was an incredibly bad choice. Al Jourgensen's vocals aren't up to snuff when compared to everything else on this album, the political message is just garbage, and while the instrumentation & sound effects aren't terribly bad, they don't hold up against everything else on AmeriKKKant. At the same time, I give Antifa sort of a weird form of respect. Again, the politics are some of the worst that Uncle Al has ever sung about, but I love anything that pisses off the Left & the Right at the exact same time. Don't believe me? Just check out the comments in the link below.

Antifa

And if I can say just 1 last thing.....

Mini Food For Thought/Thought For Food: Really!!??
- I just about fucking laughed when I saw the comments on Antifa when it first came out. Really jerkwads!? You think Al Jourgensen hopped on the popular politics bandwagon cause it's easy!? In case any of you jackasses read this, you should know that Uncle Al has always been like this. Uncle Al has always been pro-left & anti-right, and even when his albums weren't overly political, he always managed to add a dash or two in some songs. As one user on Youtube said, this really showed who were real Ministry fans, and those who were wining & bitching like little children.

AmeriKKKant. It's got a bruise or two, and some of it's politics might be in bad taste, but this record is awesome. If Kreator's Gods Of Violence from last year represented everything about 2017, then this album might represent everything about 2018. A contender for the number 1 spot on my top 5 albums list, and one of my favorite releases of this year so far. Most certainly recommended!

Moral Hygiene (2021)****

Despite Amerikkkant dividing some of the fanbase, it didn't deter Al Jourgenson & the rest of Ministry. For the rest of 2018 & the next year or two, the band would engage in a couple of tours, all the while stating that they were working on new music. Then 2020 happened, and whatever plans they had for more touring were effectively taken behind a shed and shot square in the head thanks to COVID. However, being in isolation gave Uncle Al and the rest of the boys time to further record & produce their 15th studio album. Then on the 1st of October, 2021, Moral Hygiene was released to considerably more fanfare than it's predecessor. As much as I like what the band released in 2018, Moral Hygiene was what Amerikkkant should have been: strong, confident, and not a complete knee-jerk reaction to the times. Sure, I'm all for anti-Trump media (Amerikkkant was one of the few good examples in my view), but looking back in hindsight there was a bit more behind the scenes that either side admits.

Best Track? Believe Me is a curious little ditty. Throughout most of the song, Uncle Al is singing in a low voice that just sends chills up your spine, but you can understand everything he says, and it also carries with it a huge weight of power. The instrumentation reflects this also: absolutely heavy in every which way, but plays in a manner that mirror's how Uncle Al sings. It's a weird little number that I can't completely describe, so why not give the song a try, and see what you think!

Believe Me

Worst Track? None! Every single track on Moral Hygiene is a banger of a tune. Like I said earlier, Al Jourgenson feels much more confident on this album than the one before it, and this confidence has resulted in stronger instrumentation and vocals, better recording and production, and more relevant political & societal connections than anything on Amerikkkant.

Moral Hygiene. A considerably stronger record than the one that proceeded it. Even if you were a fan of Amerikkant, I have a sneaking suspicion that once you put this album in whatever player of your choice, you'll probably get a huge kick out of it. So try it will ya!?

So that was a look at the Industrial Metal legends Ministry. Are they perfect? No, but what they did for me back in 2006 was more than I could ever imagine, and for that I’m eternally grateful. This one may have been a downer for some of you, and I apologize. To make it up for you, the 2nd-year anniversary of the Heavy Metal Otaku blog will be much more upbeat. See you in a few days for that!



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Updated on March 11, 2018, 1:02 P.M. (Eastern Standard Time)

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Updated on November 8, 2021, 8:00 P.M. (Eastern Standard Time. I forgot to post the time when first updating, so this is just a guess)

5 Thrash Albums You Should Own

Hello fellow Otaku & Metalheads.

As you know, this past Monday I posted up the final review of the Summer of Thrash, detailing the EP of Canadian thrashers Razor. However, in the ensuing process I realized I didn’t do any “Suggestion” lists throughout this festival of Thrash Metal. I was considering a suggestion list of songs, but I felt it wouldn’t be enough, so I decided to got for a list of albums instead. Not “top” albums mind you: these are albums that I’m suggesting to buy & listen, not as a way of ranking which is better. Also, I didn’t want to fill this list with albums taken from this festival, although there are at least 2 records I reviewed that’ll be on here. With that out of the way, here are 5 Thrash Metal albums you should own (and listen to). Enjoy!

1) Kreator - Endorama (Sample Song)

I have to admit I’m cheating somewhat with this album. I’ll get into more detail in my eventual review (Or part of a overview), but this isn’t a Thrash Metal album. It’s more along the lines of Gothic & Industrial Metal, with only a few threads of Thrash sewn in to keep things a little recognizable. You’re probably asking then, why I’m putting this album on here? That’s easy: it’s because it serves as an example of a Thrash band experimenting with different things, and being successful at it. It definitely got a fair share of criticism when it came out, and it still gets some mud thrown at it today. However, it still has a lot of polish & quality put it, so if you want something different from one of the big 4 of Teutonic Thrash, then Endorama is a great choice!

2) Slayer - Repentless (Sample Song)

Another classic band, Slayer has certainly weathered the passage of time. For better or worse the group is still around, kicking ass & taking names. I’ll admit I was never a fan of the group (Mostly cause I thought it was noise), but I respect them for the legacy they made for themselves. Come April of this year, and I caught sight of a copy of their 2015 release Repentless on sale at a F.Y.E., and it was then that I decided to jump on board with the band. I’ll admit that buying this record was more of an impulse than anything else, but maybe it was a “Happy” kind of impulse. A great release from one of the Big 4. Speaking of Big 4........

3) Metallica - Ride The Lightning (Sample Song)

That brings us to this familiar face. Considering that I looked at Megadeth back in June, you’d think I would include them on this list. As tempting as it was, I’ll save them for another time. Instead, I decided to put Metallica’s more Thrash-ladened album on this list. Their first record was equally tempting to place here, but that was more speed oriented, and I felt it would clash with everything else (Ironic, given that Endorama is on here). Anyways, Ride the Lightning is a class Thrash album, cementing the legacy of what once made Metallica so good. I can only hope that the album that’s coming this year finally lives up to their old legacy.

4) Sodom - Tapping the Vein (Sample Song)

You saw me gush about this album last month when I looked at Sodom’s entry into the 90s, so I’ll try not to repeat much.....okay, maybe I’ll repeat some things. This is the greatest Death/Thrash album that’s ever been put to a CD! Thrash Metal beats & rhythms, Death Metal brutality & violence combine to create a unique album that stands out within the sadistic sounds of Sodom. If I didn’t discover Tapping the Vein around the time that my Mom was in the hospital, then it’s possible that I wouldn’t hold it in as high of regard, but I’d love it all the same! 

5) Motörhead - Overkill (Sample Song)

Of course Motörhead was going to be here. You knew that the progenitors of Thrash Metal/Speed Metal was going to get onto this list, and you knew that Overkill would be the album to represent them. Overkill is pure metal history, released at a time when the genre was still getting onto it’s feet & establishing it’s identity. Yes, the album is almost 4 decades old, but the power contained within each & every song is still potent, and can get an entire room to headbang furiously. If you decided to venture in the world of Thrash Metal, or Heavy Metal at large, Overkill is the album you must listen to.

So this truly concludes the Summer of Thrash. I had a lot of fun doing this, and I hope that any of you that looked at these enjoyed reading thing. I’ll be taking most of the rest of August off, but right towards the end I’ve got a rather somber Metal Overview in the works. See you then!

Album Review (Obscurus Metalus): Razor's Armed & Dangerous EP

Well everybody, this is it. The final review of the Summer of Thrash. In June we looked at some progenitors of the genre, last month we took a look at the beginning of Sodom’s 90s run, and this month is devoted to some Thrash bands that maybe aren’t quite as high on the totem poll as other bands. Last week I looked at the unofficial 5th member of the big 4, and this week I decided to go for something a little more out there. And thus I went to that strange tome known as Obscurus Metalus, and flipped the page towards the Canadian section, and immediately one word came to light.....Razor.

That’s right fellow Otaku & Metalheads, today we’re looking at a release from Canadian thrash legends Razor! Devin’s not the only metal maestro to have come from the great white north, and I thought it was about time to look at another metallic offering from Canada. While not quite as well known as other Thrash Metal bands (U.S. or otherwise), Razor had their own particular take on the iconic subgenre, and left their own impression on the metal landscape. So put on your spiked leather bracers, get on your hog, and prepare for Armed & Dangerous. Let the review begin!

Background
The birth of Razor is a simple one: In the early 80s, a small & singerless band had formed out of their love of Motorhead & Proto-Thrash bands. The band in question was composed of guitarist Dave Carlo, bass player Mike Campagnolo, and drummer Mike Embro. Despite the goofy coincidence of having 3 band members with a last name ending with the letter “O”, the trio were talented & kick-ass.....yet they didn’t have a singer that could manipulate their fury. Enter the youngest band member, Stace McLaren. Later nicknamed “Sheepdog” by the rest of the band, the lineup (At least for the time) finally formed.
                               
Basic Description
Fast, Furious, and Fierce!

Despite having just 7 songs on this EP, you can tell that Razor isn’t a band to screw with. Dave Carlo & Mike Campagnolo shred on the guitar & bass like corrupt politicians shred incriminating papers, Mike Embro pounds on the drums like a boxer in a fight, and Stace McLaren’s vocal work is like a flight of hawks coming for a target. It’s shocking that, despite the age of this EP, it’s amazing at how surprisingly good the production is on Armed & Dangerous. It was also incredibly cheap to make, costing just $5.98 in Canadian (Please correct me if I’m wrong) money. A humble beginning.......for a damn good band!

Best Track
I’ve got 3 tracks that I consider to be the best on Armed & Dangerous, not to mention my favorites. I’ll get into more detail below, but for now I’ll talk about just these 3 songs: The title track, Take This Torch, and the concluding track Fast And Loud. This trio of tunes are like a sledgehammer, mace, and warhammer: they look sleek, but come at you with the force of a herd of angry bulls. The singing sounds like a chorus of thrash banshees, the guitar work is raw & intense, and the drumming comes across like a volley of gunshots. Be sure to put on some body-armor before you even consider listening to these songs!

Armed & Dangerous

Take This Torch

Fast And Loud

Worst Track
While I wouldn’t say there aren’t any bad tracks on here, the biggest detriment is the length. This album barely passes the 22 minute mark (22 minutes & 3 seconds, to be exact), and as I alluded to above, only 3 songs have substantial playing times (The title track is 5 minutes & 12 seconds, Fast & Loud is 3 minutes & 52 seconds, and Take This Torch is 3 minutes & 12 seconds). The 4 other tracks that are on this EP all stay within a measly 2 minute range. Because of the strange playing times, Armed & Dangerous will wizz by so fast, you’ll have to play it a bunch of times just to even have it stick in your head for a day!

Other
If you’re curious about this album/ep, check out the link below.

Armed & Dangerous

Also, I feel I should briefly take about it’s release on vinyl. Armed & Dangerous was limited to only 1,200 records. That’s right, just 1,200 vinyl records for Armed & Dangerous were ever printed, thus making the EP incredibly rare. There have be re-releases of the EP on vinyl (Along with CD editions), but if you’re a collector of records, then finding one of the original copies will be your thing!

Overall Impression & Rating
Armed & Dangerous, while a flash in the pain, is a sharpened flash in the pan. Again, it’s surprising at how well this EP was made, and despite it’s brief stay, it shows off how good the band surprisingly was (And still is today, despite the mostly different lineup). Armed & Dangerous might be a more obscure release in the world of Thrash Metal, but if by some chance it happens to come your way, keep it in your collection!

Armed & Dangerous gets a 7.5 out of 10.

So this concludes my reviews for the Summer of Thrash, showing off the untold treasure that is Razor as a appropriate conclusions. I had a lot of fun getting these reviews up, not to mention listening to the albums in question. Speaking of albums, I’ve got 1 last thing for this celebration, as I’ll be showing off some Thrash Metal albums you should go out & buy, or at the very least listen to. See you soon!



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If you’d like to know more about Razor, check out the link below for The Rageaholic’s look at the band:

Metal Mythos (Razor)

Album Review: Testament's The Legacy

Welcome to part 3 of the Summer of Thrash, fellow Otaku & Metalheads. This month we’ll be looking at some more obscure Thrash artists, so let’s not waste anymore time!

Everybody talks about the Big 4 of American Thrash, and for good reason: they helped establish the look & feel of the genre here in the states. Granted, some of the Big 4 have withstood the passage of time better than others, but none the less they’re still important to the history of Thrash. However, it wasn’t just the Big 4 that were kicking ass & taking names. There were plenty of other Thrash Metal bands around in the 80s that were helping to establish the legitimacy of the subgenre, and the band that most often comes to my mind.....is Testament.

That’s right, Testament. Often considered by many fans to be the unofficial 5th member of the Big 4, Testament was a highly successful band. Selling 1.4 million albums in the states since the beginning of the Soundscape Era, and selling 14 million albums worldwide, Chuck Billy & the rest of the Testament crew continue to cement their legacy. Speaking of the word “legacy”, that’s a perfect segue to today’s review, as it will cover the band’s first record, The Legacy. Let the review begin!

Background
Before the recording of The Legacy in 1986, the band known as Testament was originally called Legacy. The Legacy lineup included Alex, Eric, Greg, and Louie, but had Steve "Zetro" Souza as it’s original singer. Future singer Chuck Billy was the singer for a band called Guilt (Although he sang with Legacy a few times before his arrival), and was asked to join when Souza left for Exodus. A strange complication arose when the band had to change their name, as a Jazz Band already was called Legacy. The Testament name was a suggestion from Billy Milano, a friend of the group.

After getting together & recording, The Legacy was unleashed on metalheads on April 21, 1987. Three years after in March of 1990, the album was sold over 150,000 in the United States, making The Legacy one of their best selling albums of all time. It should be noted that the single for this album, Over the Wall, is perhaps their most playing song out of their library, as it had some time at Ruthie's Inn in Berkeley, California before they were known as Testament.

Basic Description
80s Thrash at it’s finest!

You’d think that going alongside the Big 4 would have shoved Testament to the side.....and you be wrong! Testament not only managed to not get pushed away, but they managed to stand right alongside them, creating some great music in the process. The band itself is great as well, with Chuck Billy’s vocal range that can go from emotional to brutal screeching at the drop of a pin, Alex Skolnick & Eric Peterson form a great guitar duo, Greg Christian nails the bass, and Louie Clemente just wields the drums with skill. With their inaugural outing with this record, Testament can be just as great as their Big 4 counterparts, while doing their own thing.

Best Track
Pretty tricky one to pick, fellow Otaku & Metalheads. All 9 tracks on The Legacy are such perfect representatives of 80s Thrash, you honestly can’t single out a specific. My personal favorite, however, would have to be the second to last song, Alone in the Dark. Sharing the name with a classic Survival Horror game series, Alone in the Dark is a sinister & rhythmic track. It’s the kind of song that pops in your head when it’s dark & cloudy, it’s raining, and the sound of thunder can be heard off in the distance. I love listening to this track later on in the evening, as it brings in a bit of the supernatural, creating an awesome experience.

Alone in the Dark

Worst Track
Honestly, I can’t think of any bad song on here. The Legacy is not just a perfect album, but a perfect starting album as well. If a listener wanted to be nitpick a little, it would probably be because of the overall theme. Thrash Metal has always been the domain of war, religion, and politics, but The Legacy puts those aside, and adopts some supernatural elements. Songs like The Haunting & Burnt Offerings are more moody & atmospheric than your typical Thrash tunes, but they’re still excellent regardless.

Other
If you’re curious about The Legacy, here’s a link to the album. Hopefully when you’re done listening to it, maybe you’ll go out & buy it!

The Legacy

Overall Impression & Rating
The Legacy is just one of those albums that could have only come from the rise of Thrash in the 80s. Right alongside classics like Master of Puppets, The Legacy is a strangely appropriate name for a beginning band. While I do find this record to be a tiny bit cheesy, I can’t deny that I head-banged a little while I was listening to this. A good legacy indeed!

The Legacy gets a 10 out of 10. A perfect Thrash record, and one that should belong in your headbanging collection!

So this was my look at Testament’s first record. Again, it’s a shame that they weren’t part of the Big 4, but perhaps they didn’t need to be. Anyways, this festival of Thrash Metal is just about over, but we’ve got 1 final stop up in Canada before this is all over. See you all next week!