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CD ReviewMinistry – “Rantology”By Marcus Pan
The liner notes on Rantology are great, giving a biographical expose on Ministry, Al himself and the band’s meaning to music at large as genres shifted, new ones formed and heavy became a mainstay in American rock ’n’ roll instead of just a place you visit occasionally. The repetitive blast-zone guitars, relentless pounding drums and liberal use of meaningful and telling samples abound throughout the disk, such as Bush’s speeches on No W Redux and Wrong. Jourgensen’s dark and twisted lyrics, riddled with anger and surefire pissed-offedness retain the power he has become known for in 25 years of making music. Rantology opens with No W Redux and blisters Bush. From there it moves to the unreleased The Great Satan which opens with news clips in reference to Bin Laden. Ministry still uses his music as a platform for his political ideas and banterings. I really dig the bass work in Wrong, also updated here while originally from Houses of the Mole. After this is an older tune that put Ministry on the industrial map and one of the reasons why MTV refers to him as “the godfather of industrial rock.” N.W.O., from Psalm 69 has been updated, remastered and sounds phenomenally good. Likewise for the reworked Stigmata from another classic album: The Land of Rape & Honey. Jesus Built My Hotrod has always been a favorite of mine and its been extended, remastered and stuck dead center of Rantology. His more recent works, such as Darkside of the Spoon[1], gets touched as well with the inclusion of an alternate mix of Bad Blood. Animositisomnia[2] gives off remixes of Animosity and Unsung here as well. Rantology is a must have not only for the Al Jourgensen and Ministry fan, but for anyone who enjoys industrial music. Nobody does it better than the godfather after all, and on this CD you’ll find a nice range of Ministry’s career. With tracks like updated versions of N.W.O. and Jesus Built My Hotrod thrown in there along with live versions of Thieves and The Fall all the old fans will really dig this release. Contact Information: [1] Reviewed by Dan in Legends #89. Click to Buy!
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As Al Jourgensen and his
missing toe try to kick out another album following the less than stellar sales
of the previous few, Rantology hits the streets in honor of the upcoming
25th anniversary of Ministry. Right from the start, before I even drop the CD
in the player, I’m digging what I’m reading in the liner notes and
what I see on the track list. A new song? Yes, The Great Satan, from his
upcoming release. Updated remixes? A plethora: Animosity, Stigmata, Jesus
Built My Hotrod. Live versions of Thieves and Psalm 69 –
and more. Already I’m intrigued.
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