Thursday, March 8, 2018

Ministry : "Amerikkkant"




Al slows down and gives into his anger in a way that digs back into the darkness of "Darkside of the Spoon" rather than a struggle with addiction this album finds him struggling with the world around him. I interviewed Al  Jourgensen  back during the summer of the 2016 Presidential Campaign he mad his feelings known about the state of the union those can be read here...

http://www.cvltnation.com/cvlt-nation-interviews-al-jourgensen/

So it's easy to hear how this form of catharsis might find him returning back to true form. I don't think any Ministry album since "Dark Side of the Spoon" has fully captured who the band is from front to back, their have been glimpse , but it has all been a hyper punk metal hybrid with samples thrown at it. I like some of those songs and albums, as they can be fun on their own merit, but I think this finds them picking up where they left off. They do launch off into the faster guitar driven barrage, on "We're Tired of It". The vocals are almost growled, while run through the characteristic wall of effects.

"Wargasm" is ominous build with more driven metallic guitars. So if you like the band's more metallic side , then that is here for you as well. I think what works best for me here is the fact that this album is a lot darker. The sung chorus on this offers a balanced more melodic side. "Antifa" is the first song that might not be as good as the other. It's not bad, just feels a little middle of the road. "Game Over" has a dense rubbery bass line. It finds them locking into the machine like crunch that defines industrial. The title has a more melodic ring in it's apocalyptic intent. If we want to revisit your golden years this is the way to do. There is enough new to make this feel like it's not a retro flirtation with their past. I'll around this one up to a 10 as it's well balanced and works off mood more than just being in your face. Sure it has more of a smack out feel than a speed ball blitz, so perhaps that is why I am more partial to this side of the band.

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