I confess I wasn’t exactly subtle in the conclusion of my Pretty Hate Machine review of who was going to be next, although to be honest Ministry isn’t known for subtly. Since the early 80s, this classic Industrial Metal group has produced some of the most iconic albums in the genre. Not only that, but they seem to be the first band to actually mix both sides together to form a unique whole, and today’s review is that glorious storm. So sit back, get a little sinful, and enjoy my review for Psalm 69. Let’s begin!
Background
Taken from Wikipedia:
“In March 1991, following the conclusion of the year-long tour in support of Revolting Cocks album Beers, Steers, and Queers, Al Jourgensen returned with his bandmates at Chicago Trax! studios, to work on Ministry's next major release. Jourgensen claimed that the record company Warner Bros. Records (to which Ministry were signed via their subsidiary, Sire Records) initially gave the band an enormous budget expecting The Mind...' follow-up to become a big hit compared with Michael Jackson's album Thriller; actually, Jourgensen, as he claimed in 2013, with his then-wife Patty (neé Marsh) and guitarist Mike Scaccia spent most of budget on drugs, paying $1,000 per day. Meanwhile, the first Lollapalooza tour had arrived in Chicago in early August 1991. Jourgensen went backstage attending a show by the band Butthole Surfers. After the gig, he had invited Butthole Surfers' singer Gibby Haynes at Chicago Trax! to record what became the vocals and spoken word parts for the song “Jesus Built My Hotrod”. While finishing “Jesus Built My Hotrod”, Jourgensen was contacted by Sire/Warner Bros. executives, who asked if he had any completed material. Jourgensen sent them “Jesus Built My Hotrod” since it was the only song recorded by this time. While the label was not happy with just having “Jesus Built My Hotrod”, Jourgensen told them either to give another advance for further work or sign the band off. The label was doubtful if the band would record anything else, but decided to release “Jesus Built My Hotrod”; following its success, they gave the band necessary budget, with the condition that the band would eventually finish the record.
Besides drug problems, there was also growing animosity between the band's members, divided into two groups: while one group included Jourgensen and Scaccia, another—dubbed “the Book Club” by Jourgensen—included bassist Paul Barker, drummer Bill Rieflin and guest/live singer Chris Connelly. Jourgensen claimed that he and Scaccia added their parts separately from Barker, Rieflin and Connelly; once Jourgensen and Scaccia would come in, they erased about 80 percent of what the Book Club associates did.”
Also taken from Wikipedia:
“"N.W.O." was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance at the Grammy Awards of 1993, but lost to Nine Inch Nails' "Wish". Psalm 69 was ranked #80 on the Rolling Stone’s “Top 100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time” list, with author Suzy Exposito concluding that "the result of the album was a manic drag race into a swampy hellmouth of thrash Americana – and it worked". Psalm 69 went platinum and peaked at Number 27 on the Billboard 200, allowing other industrial acts passage into the charts, including Marilyn Manson, Rammstein and Orgy". The album was also included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.”
Basic Description
Essential 90s Industrial.
If there’s one thing that I give 90s Industrial music credit over Industrial music from the 70s & 80s, it would be that it’s aged well. There were definitely releases that didn’t age well (*cough* 90s Rammstein Releases *cough*), but overall much of the material from the decade still sounds great. Psalm 69 is definitely in the good sounding portion of 90s Industrial: Instrumentation is raw but badass, the effects are eerie but strangely not massively dated, and Al Jourgenson’s voice is pretty damn good. He switches between crooning, yelling, and traditional metal vocals at the drop of a hate in each & ever song. He would keep this style of singing throughout the rest of the 90s, all the way to 2018.
Best Track
I think for most people, the title track is the best thing on the album. The ironic thing about the song is that it’s mostly instrumentation & effects, with only two portions of actual vocals. However, it actually works pretty well: the instrumentations feels like an industrial equivalent of church music, while the effects sound like a darkened choir. When Al’s singing comes in, it comes across like a blasphemous priest, preaching about things that no sane religious person would.........AWESOME!!!!!!!
Psalm 69
Worst Track
Like I mentioned in my overview, Psalm 69's only crime is that it set the bar too high for Ministry. If it wasn’t received as well as it did, it’s possible that fans wouldn’t compare future albums so strongly to it. Instead, the band crafted such an awesome album, that everything past it (Awesome to Mildly Good) hasn’t been able to compete with it.
Other
If you’re curious about this album, then click on the link below:
Psalm 69
Overall Impression & Rating
Psalm 69 is important piece of music history. For the first time ever, Heavy Metal and Industrial music would be combined into a unique whole. From the first note to the last, you know you’re listening to something incredible. Sure it may have raised the stakes a little too high.....but perhaps there was a reason why.
Psalm 69 gets a 9 out of 10.
So that was a look at Ministry’s first release of the 90s, Psalm 69. Simultaneously a game-changer yet maybe booking the band into a corner, the music on the album is a milestone not just for Heavy Metal, but for Industrial music in general. It’s certainly a record to seek out, whether you’re a metalhead, an Industrial fan, or a mix of both (Like me). Well, Fourth of July is in 2 days, and I got something special coming out that day, so stay tuned.
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I know that the full title is Psalm 69: The Way to Succeed and the Way to Suck Eggs, but it would have been stupid to type that a bunch of times.
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