MINISTRY
MINISTRY “Hopiumforthemasses”
By Dr. Abner Mality
I’ll bet when Al Jourgenson wrote and performed on the classic “Psalm 69” album, he never imagined where we’d be at today and the insane political climate we have. With every year, it seems to get weirder and more extreme. Well, such times were made for a band like MINISTRY and they’ve risen to the challenge with “Hopiumforthemasses”.
Since the band came back from their brief retirement (more like a vacation), they've struggled to equal the material they did before the hiatus. With this record, they are finally getting pretty close to the likes of “Psalm 69” and “Rio Grande Blood”. Charlatans like Trump fire Al and his crew up. This record is catchier, more aggressive, more urgent than other recent MINISTRY efforts. The left wing angle to the band has never been more pronounced and that will be a drawback if you swing the other way politically. There are more soundbites and samples here than on any past MINISTRY album. But if you’re looking for grooving industrial metal, you’re in the right place. “B.D.E.” and “Goddamn White Trash” kick things off with grinding, hook-filled cyber metal that drags misogynists and dull witted rednecks through the muck. “TV Song” is the most vicious thrasher the band has done in a dog’s age and will hold its own with any straight thrash band.
As the album trundles on, it starts to get weirder and more varied. Vocals are subtly different on each track, ranging from high pitched sing song to gruff growls. “New Religion” clanks and cranks along with what sounds like a church choir in some spots. “It’s Not Pretty” is a weird one that harkens back to “The Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Taste”, with twangy guitars and lurching shuffle. Then with “Cult of Suffering”, we get a taste of the non-metal MINISTRY, where 60’s sounding Hammond organ and funky brass accompany a throbbing riff. A cool song, but it’s just a bit too long. The real surprise is last track “Ricky’s Hand”...full-on bouncing techno with a danceable beat, dramatic strings and soulful vocals. Not metal at all, but one of the best on the album.
I think Al overdoes the samples and the album sometimes meanders, but “Hopiumforthemasses” sounds like MINISTRY really MEANS IT this time. The result is the first record since their “comeback” that I can endorse without reservation.