Ministry - Psalm 69

Label: Warners
Catologue Number: 7599-26727-2
Format: CD
Date: 1992
Style: Industrial Metal / Alternative Rock
Rating: 8/10
Reviewer: Sidney James

Psalm 69 (The way to succeed and the way to suck eggs) or the symbols album was the most commercially successful album that Al Jourgensen and Paul Barker have released in their careers. It was also the album alongside Nine Inch Nails The Downward Spiral that saw the crossover of industrial music into the rock mainstream. You could also blame it the same way you can blame The Beatles for Oasis, for a succession of sub standard metal bands suddenly using samplers and dance beats in their music.

Whilst the classic Ministry album The Land of Rape and Honey had been a truly innovative and groundbreaking combination of industrial electronica and thrash metal, Psalm 69 sees Ministry increasing the guitar quota and dropping the electronics into the background. Although not as initially as thrilling as Land of was Psalm 69 stills packs a killer punch and contains some classic Ministry songs.

It kicks off with the incredible N.W.O in which a slamming rhythm meets thrashing guitars and the sampled voice of George Bush promoting the dubious virtues of an American dominated World Order. This is probably the most explicitly political Ministry have been. The fury continues with the Junkie bashing Just One Fix, which seems rather ironic considering Mr Jourgensen’s infamous heroin habit.

The next two tracks Hero and TV II sees Ministry produce some of the fastest songs they have produced, but don’t work as well as the earlier tracks. Things however greatly improve with the infamous Jesus Built my Hotrod featuring Texan madman and leader singer of the Butthole Surfers Gibby Haynes. The track is not only amazingly humorous but also sees Ministry creating a track that idea sounds like a speeding hotrod careering out of control.

After your breath has been taken away by Jesus built my Hotrod, Ministry slow down the tempo, with the tracks Scarecrow and Psalm 69, both sounding like cybernetic versions of Black Sabbath. Both tracks show that Ministry don’t require speed to leave a crushing impression on the listener. A theme they would take further on the next two albums Filth Pig and Dark side of the Spoon.

The remaining two tracks are two instrumental pieces which lack the direction of the rest of the album, and seem strangely out of place. The final track ends the album with an explosion of white noise and leaves the listener numbed and confused.

Psalm 69 is a good album, but not Ministry’s best, but is acts as a good introduction to the whole industrial rock genre. It is also one of those albums that have a major influence on a wide range of bands working in the alternative rock and metal genres. From Smashing Pumpkins (Who have acknowledged it‘s influence) to the more obvious influence on bands like Fear Factory, White Zombie and Static-X.