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Sometimes it is obvious that artists trying to get out of a record deal binding them to a certain number of releases, by putting out something that doesn't really make the cut. The deal The Sisters of Mercy had, prompting Andrew Eldritch to put out that shitty techno album after "Vision Thing" is an obvious example. This 25th anniversary collection must be another. How else to explain this collection of barely remixed remixes of new and some older Ministry songs, including a few not remixed at all, like "Waiting"? A few cool renditions of tunes like "Psalm 69", "Jesus Built My Hotrod" and "Stigmata" would have made my day, actually. But these half-ass, near original (with a few new samples thrown in for good measure) remixes by Al Jourgensen himself only makes two things obvious: 1. It was Paul "I need to spend more time with my kids" Barker who was the computer-wiz. 2. These really are good songs in their original versions, and if this collection has one redeeming quality, it is that it makes me want to dig out my old Ministry albums again. And, hey, it is a good collection, although the emphasis is on newer material, totally excluding "Twitch" and songs like "Everyday Is Halloween" of old. Three of the tracks are live recordings. And, yeah, there is one totally new track included. But if "The Great Satan" is meant to be a peek into the new Ministry album (due out next year) Al "Ministry Jourgensen" can count me out this time around. Ministry is not meant to sound like we-wanna-be-just-like-Slayer-but-sound-like-a-bunch-of-old-poseurs. The rest of these songs, badly remixed or not, are much better. KALLE MALMSTEDT |
