Ministry's many years' evolution is apparent firstly through its logo, portraying the anarchy symbol as well as the sign of peace, both incorporated into the band's name, both supposedly testify as to the band's agenda… If that's not clear enough, the cover art consists of one George W. Bush depicted as a martyr from hell, a stigmatized saint with malice in his eyes, looking skywards while the world chaos is raging all around him… A very strong cover art, a very clear message, and this message is coupled with music which is as sarcastic and venomous as the graphic aspects of this album. In a nutshell, Ministry has become an industrialized cyber post-thrash metal band, and indeed, this is Metal, no doubt about that. Again, "Filth Pig" comes into mind, and while almost neglecting its 'Industrial' roots, Ministry focuses more on dynamics, power and speed, for this album does not rest for one second, it rages like a bat from hell (excuse my cliché here), always blasting and always loud.

Loaded still with spoken samples and a bit of electronics, it is, in the whole sense, a metal album (be it speed or thrash or any combination or hybrid of such) and a good one I may add.

Although not enjoying most of today's metal offerings, I do enjoy this album due to the fact albums such as this – that offer both power, dynamics, anger, all done top-notch – that do not make you think too much and focus mostly on telling you how fucking angry and frustrated these guys are, are rare, and into that – they hold throughout the recording a very strong sense of fun and aggression, not over-doing anything, not being over-the-top, maintaining a good balance amongst the tools and delivering the whole lot with conviction and crazy amounts of energy. Thrashing guitars, extremely heavy, walk hand in hand with a vicious drum section and a one not less angry Alain Jourgensen who mostly screams his lungs into a semi-voice distortion tool of sorts, a motif that adds a cold, harsh effect to the overall sound.

All in all, a very pleasant surprise from one of today's mainstream/fringe veteran artists, that has maybe done a big mistake with this album: Ministry sort of drove itself back into the obscurity of the infamous underground, for albums such as this – even though not the most obscure of the lot – are likely to be shunned, scorned and patronized for being too 'political', 'non politically correct' (or maybe too politically correct, for that matter), 'noisy' or – God Forbid – 'heavy' on the fragile, delicate ears of the masses… Fuck the masses!

Anyone into the crazy, heavy stuff done by Devin Townsend and his Strapping Young Lad assembly, or anyone who digs Frontline Assembly's "Millennium" album, would enjoy this piece of musical criticism and wild attack on anybody who does not align with Jourgensen agenda… Anarchy and peace, anybody?

written by Chaim Drishner

Playing time: 51.17