Ministry
AmeriKKKant
Nuclear Blast Records
2018
Al Jourgensen, he knows words, he knows the best words
Uncle Al Jourgensen has never had any trouble expressing himself and this has never failed to appear when discussing the politics of the USA. These views spill consistently spill over into Ministry, usually manifesting themselves into the aggressive form of an industrial protest. In fact, Jourgensen’s anger has been brewing significantly and can be simmering away on their last album ‘From Beer to Eternity’ and Jourgensen’s side project, Surgical Meth Machine.
Therefore, when it was announced that the new Ministry album would be called ‘AmeriKKKant’, Ministry fans waited with baited breath as Jourgensen was about to potentially unleash one the most aggressive albums to date. This doesn’t happen, Ministry blindsided us, if you are expecting ‘AmeriKKKant’ to immediately pull your face off a la ‘Punch in the Face’ or ‘Permawar’, then you will be surprised. Instead, Ministry turn their latest release in a simmering powder keg, it seethes, broods and foams with a bubbling anger, particularly seen during ‘Victims of a Clown’ and ‘Twilight Zone’.
‘AmeriKKKant’ picks up the pace during ‘We’re Tired Of It’, ‘Wargasm’ and ‘Antifa’, giving us a slice of that classic Ministry industrial as Jourgensen expels his hatred towards the Republican party, war and Donald Trump, creating the pinnacle of the album. Furthermore, this makes ‘AmeriKKant’ a grower, it burns slowly and takes a few listens to get into and digest all the separate samples, but before you know it, you’ll know exactly where Ministry are coming from and it makes the album thoroughly enjoyable. However, if you disagree with Jourgensen’s views, then ‘AmeriKKKant’ may not be the album for you.
77/100
Adam McCann / MHF Magazine
