Review# 42
This has got to be one of Ministry's most underrated albums. When it was released in 1996 it divided their fan base, the change in pace to a more Doom and Sludge feel and a slight stripping of the trademark samples and Industrial sound that was prominent on the three prior LPs. Personally I love the Sugdy-ness of this album, Lava is one of the most draggy/sludgy/grimy tracks and would be one of my favourite Ministry songs.
The aggression on this album has the feel of someone who is just so fed up and over it, almost as if Al has been kicked into the gutter and has decided to make an album while he was there. Supposedly Filth Pig is Al's response to fans expectations of the way the music was heading so that would explain the change in sound but then the four years between Psalm 69 and Filth Pig could do that anyway.
There are so many good tracks on here including a great cover of Bob Dylan's Lay Lady Lay, I really find it hard to see why the reviews, Rolling Stone and Allmusic both giving it 2 out of 5 (the 3 prior albums receiving roughly twice that), were so low and fan opinion so critical and divided. But then I got into Ministry only about 5 years ago so maybe it is different in hindsight or better with age. Either way, if you like Ministry and passed over this album I would recommend you give it another spin and if you are just getting into Ministry don't be put off but the the reviews. Admittedly it took a while for a large part of the album to grow on me, for example I wasn't as keen the title track, Useless and Game Show for a good couple of months to really grow on me but now I wouldn't say there is a weak track on the album. So maybe, with the amount of albums reviewers have to listen to they couldn't get that but hey, as I say, in hindsight it is an amazing album and really shows off a different side of the band.
Lava: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tEyM4WdMKk
Reload: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egfvCdHi4G8
Filth Pig: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BucHmoahPIQ
Lay Lady Lay: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vz0lkN65WJY
This has got to be one of Ministry's most underrated albums. When it was released in 1996 it divided their fan base, the change in pace to a more Doom and Sludge feel and a slight stripping of the trademark samples and Industrial sound that was prominent on the three prior LPs. Personally I love the Sugdy-ness of this album, Lava is one of the most draggy/sludgy/grimy tracks and would be one of my favourite Ministry songs.
The aggression on this album has the feel of someone who is just so fed up and over it, almost as if Al has been kicked into the gutter and has decided to make an album while he was there. Supposedly Filth Pig is Al's response to fans expectations of the way the music was heading so that would explain the change in sound but then the four years between Psalm 69 and Filth Pig could do that anyway.
There are so many good tracks on here including a great cover of Bob Dylan's Lay Lady Lay, I really find it hard to see why the reviews, Rolling Stone and Allmusic both giving it 2 out of 5 (the 3 prior albums receiving roughly twice that), were so low and fan opinion so critical and divided. But then I got into Ministry only about 5 years ago so maybe it is different in hindsight or better with age. Either way, if you like Ministry and passed over this album I would recommend you give it another spin and if you are just getting into Ministry don't be put off but the the reviews. Admittedly it took a while for a large part of the album to grow on me, for example I wasn't as keen the title track, Useless and Game Show for a good couple of months to really grow on me but now I wouldn't say there is a weak track on the album. So maybe, with the amount of albums reviewers have to listen to they couldn't get that but hey, as I say, in hindsight it is an amazing album and really shows off a different side of the band.
Lava: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tEyM4WdMKk
Reload: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egfvCdHi4G8
Filth Pig: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BucHmoahPIQ
Lay Lady Lay: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vz0lkN65WJY
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