Ministry - Relapse review
| Band: | Ministry |
| Album: | Relapse |
| Style: | Industrial metal |
| Release date: | March 2012 |
01. Ghouldiggers
02. Double Tap
03. FreeFall
04. Kleptocracy
05. United Forces
06. 99 Percenters
07. Relapse
08. Weekend Warrior
09. Git Up Get Out 'N Vote
10. Bloodlust
11. Relapse [Defibrillator Mix] [limited edition bonus]
In the world of Ministry, or at least in the demented, chemically imbalanced world of Al Jourgensen, everything is an addiction. It has therefore been fairly inevitable that the band is back with a new record, contrary to statements made just a few years ago. Al needs just one more fix, and it is called Relapse - a title that proves to be immensely accurate.
You see, if we stop to think and ignore all of the glamorized, self-tortured imagery associated with charismatic drug abusers, it is very clear that a Relapse is not something one should look forward to. The mind fails, organs disintegrate, death draws near and when it comes to Al's music, death is way overdue. Relapse is an epic failure, an album with nearly no merits to speak of. It is a shame that this album is adorned with the band's classic 90's logo.
Relapse really does reveal the very nucleus of why addiction is a deadly affliction. It is self-serving and self-defeating, it is nice to hear Ministry again but this is the sound of an addict's final, dying breath. It doesn't even help that some of the jackhammer riffs on this record are classically catchy and appropriately repetitive. We've heard it all before and done much better. Every idea here is recycled and even the moderately brilliant cover of S.O.D's "United Forces" is buried beneath the pile of suck. The lyrics are some of the worst ever on a Ministry record, the songs are boring and underwhelming and the considerable talents of all of the cogs in this machine (Tommy Victor, Mike Scaccia et al.) are wasted.
The conclusion is as inevitable as an addict's return to their drug of choice, with "Relapse", Al Jourgensen inadvertently made the ultimate statement about drug abuse: its not worth it. Not only is the "Relapse" fix not as good as that first hit, it also brings forward the scary realization that the drug wasn't all that awesome to begin with. "Relapse" is so embarrassing, so asinine, so unnecessary, that it manages to tarnish the godlike legacy of the Ministry brand, and this is quite the shameful feat. Avoid this album like the plague, trust me - abstinence is way better.
 | Written on 23.03.2012 by With Metal Storm since 2002, jupitreas has been subjecting the masses to his reviews for quite a while now. He lives in Warsaw, Poland, where he does his best to avoid prosecution for being so cool. |
Comments
Comments: 11
Visited by: 285 users
| Introspekrieg Totemic Lust elite Posts: 2747  |
Good review, definitely a relapse, Ministry rehashed. Pretty bad lyrics and worse choruses, but I enjoy this album, even if for the intensity of the repetitive riffage alone. "Double Tap" is probably my favorite off this one...
Loading...
|
| !J.O.O.E.! Account deleted |
|
| BitterCOld The Ancient One admin Posts: 15250  |
Your review reads like my concerns once this was announced were realized. for whatever reason it reminds me of some lyrics to the Morrissey song "Disappointed" that I used to listen to from about the same point in time i started listening to Al and co... "This is the last song I will ever sing... " (crowd applause) "... I've changed my mind again." (crowd boos.)
---- get the fuck off my lawn. Beer Bug Virus Spotify Playlist crafted by Nikarg and I. Feel free to tune in and add some pertinent metal tunes!
Loading...
|
| Big-Al Posts: 548  |
Written by Guest on 23.03.2012 at 16:23 http://www.metalinjection.net/av/ministry-relapse-full-album-stream
Loading...
|
| Baz Anderson staff Posts: 13237  |
Loading...
|
| tea[m]ster Au Pays Natal contributor Posts: 5245  |
Yikes, as a big fan of the band - the music, not all the extracurricular activites - it saddens me to read this. Anyone else feel Al isn't gonna make it back from the upcoming tour?
---- rekt
Loading...
|
| Raiden Down Under Staff elite Posts: 8292  |
Damn, I wanted to hear this album, but I'd hate to tarnish my outlook on Ministry.
---- "Scream for me Melbourne!!!!" - Bruce Dickinson "I don't see any god up here" - Yuri Gagarin (while in orbit, 1961)
Loading...
|
| X-Ray Rod Skandino staff Posts: 18274  |
Quote: This is such a sad thing... That's why I won't bother with this album, Ministry did such a great work which I don't want to get related with shit.
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
Loading...
|
| I, braineater Posts: 14  |
A good review and a harsh truth I suppose. Of the 10 tracks, I will probably only listen to 3-4 of them a few times more. So I think it's not a total failure, but easily the worst things he's done in ages. If you liked the last three discs, you should probably give it a listen, but long time fans will find very little to like about it - not that Al was or ever will be able to reproduce anything like from the band's heyday. That possibility left with Barker. Says a lot though when one the best tracks on it is a cover 
---- "He who makes a beast of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man"
Loading...
|
| bloodface Posts: 48  |
Based on the artwork, timing, this review and the way that the ministry "retired" i knew that this album would suck and that i would never even hear it......but while tooling around chicago today i found it used for a few bucks and gave it a try. it is a valid ministry release, not an embarrassment and does not seem like a cash grab like i expected. by the way discussions about tarnishing a bands legacy are a silly waste.....just listen to what you like. you never really "knew" you're favorite band, but the tarnish topic does drive web hits (hmmmmm).
Loading...
|
| Misfit74 Posts: 443  |
You seem to have a finger on the pulse of addiction (and recovery?), which is cool to read intertwined with this review. Nice work.
Loading...
|
Hits total: 7731 | This month: 9