SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MINISTRY – HOPIUMFORTHEMASSES

MINISTRY
HOPIUMFORTHEMASSES
NUCLEAR BLAST RECORDS

It’s album number 16 for the industrial legends known as Ministry.  Even though frontman Al Jourgensen has been doing this for approximately 40 years, the band is as politically charged as ever.  Considering the climate of today’s society,  Jourgensen has plenty to say this time around.

With song titles such as “Goddamn White Trash”, “Just Stop Oil”, “Aryan Embarrassment”, and “Cult Of Suffering” the lyrical content is pretty obvious. Voice sound bites and news clips are predominant throughout the album, a staple in most Ministry albums.

“B.D.E.” (a.k.a. “Big Dick Energy”) is the album’s first track. It has a slower tempo than other Ministry tracks, but still contains plenty of those crunchy guitar riffs and is sprinkled with female voice overlays. Jourgensen offers plenty of sarcasm as he sheds light on his feelings of misogyny.

“Godamn White Trash” is notable for its furious guitar riffs, predominant drumming, simple repetitive chorus and voice sound bites throughout that makes Ministry’s signature sound.

“Just Stop Oil” is definitely upbeat tempo wise despite its subject matter, and if this song doesn’t get you tapping your fingers on the steering wheel as you’re driving, I don’t know what will. It’s probably my favorite song off the album.

Labeled as pioneers of the Industrial sound, they have also incorporated other genres into their music over the years such as punk and synth pop, and which we get to hear some across this album. We even get some ominous guitars and a more storytelling, spoken word lyric delivery from Jourgensen. Each track has a personality of its own musically, yet still carry the abrasive criticism of society lyrically.  The album is heavily political and may prove tiresome for some listeners though.

The talented musicians on this record include Monte Pittman and Cesar Soto on guitars, John Bechdel on keyboards, Roy Mayorga on drums and Paul D’Amour on bass with collaborators Gogol Bordello’s Eugene Hutz on “Cult of Suffering”, Jello Biafra on “Aryan Embarrassment” and Corrosion Of Conformity frontman Pepper Keenan on “Goddamn White Trash”.

Even with that line up of talented collaborators and musicians, it feels like a mediocre album overall.  There doesn’t seem to be a standout track from this album that I feel would be considered as one of Ministry’s greatest.  Coming in at approximately 40 minutes and only nine tracks, the album failed to impress.

Artist Links