I stayed away from my ability to grab this album early…
I figured with the man that (coupled with Barker) literally pushed me over the cliff and into taking music as my central life pursuit giving his swan song…I’d avoid any early spoiling.
Take in the anxiousness and what not that comes with a highly awaited release in full. Become all giddy like a little kid awaiting Santa.
And so, I waited until today.
I must say, despite being a cardboard/paper CD cover, it’s one of the most detailed CD cover art pieces I’ve ever encountered. It’s one of the most detailed album art covers I’ve ever encountered period.
I thought there would be a fold out revealing the image of Bush converting into a Reptilian (as I’d already seen the front cover artwork about 2 to 3 months ago)…but NO, it’s actually one of those deals where as you shift the angle that you’re looking at the front of the cover from, he morphs. Similarly, the top header morphs from saying Ministry, to the name of the album (Last Sucker…or More Aptly, “Last SSucker” [With the Nazi “SS”]). At the bottom, there is a morph of a Latin (not sure what it says) phrase and some apparent Greek.
Upon opening, there’s the track Listing, again, the way it’s laid out is pretty darn detailed. On the other side is simply the band credits and special thanks. Another unfold reveals that the cover turns into a pop up image of the last supper. Al is in the center, the rest of the band is mixed in here and there, Bush is in the place of Judas, and others of the Bush administration are mixed in here and there. Above Al is a Christos type figure…doesn’t seem to be Christ, but gives off that effect. Below the Last Supper layout/popup is an assortment of Occult symbology, with a focus on things related to Masonry.
In any regard, from back to front, like I said, probably some of the most, if not the most, detailed cover artwork I’ve ever encountered. A ton of symbology is effectively used through out it.
I was expecting the CD itself to match the cover artwork, and though the printing on the CD worked with the cover artwork, it by no means held up to the same amount of detail or depth of symbolically expressed ideas (the print on the CD is not “singular” persay in what it conveys, but it is singular when compared to everything conveyed in the cover artwork).
Musically, the album comes out blistering.
It’s aggressive as all hell again, in fact, mid way through the album I was feeling mentally worn out.
I will note that there is no drummer this time around at all. All the drum programming was conducted by Jourgensen and one other chap. I have to confess, other electronic musicians should take heed and pull a page or two from their book. It was some of the best drum programming I’ve ever heard. It can be a hard feet to pull of programming drums and consistently pulling off the sound and feel of a human drummer, but this was truly achieved on this album. The drumming is not monotonous in the least of ways, and had I not been aware of the fact that all the drums were programmed, I’d have sworn a human drummer(s) were behind it all (or at least some if it)…they were simply that lively.
Something else worthy of note is Jourgensen made a notable jump in the quality of his lyrics. In all honesty, the lyrical content of the last 2 (arguably 3) Ministry efforts I felt was fairly middle schoolish. It just seemed like stuff written by a 13 year old. It wasn’t the subject matter, it was more so how the subject matter was covered.
This time around, things are a lot more focused and intelligent I think.
That’s not to say they are ACE, simply upped from the total and utter retardation they had been.
I won’t go into a long diatribe on the content of the music itself, but I will go over the a few bits.
First and foremost, I’d like to say I felt the album was a perfect 5 out of 5, but I don’t. It’s good, and I like it, but ultimately, at least with me, Ministry’s greatest would remain tied between Land Of, Mind, and Psalm. I would put Rio below Psalm (and a fair degree lower), and Sucker behind Rio. Out of 5, I’d give it 3 and a half stars.
A solid release, and it has it’s moments, but by no means is it perfect.
The album seemed to lose focus when it hit Road House Blues…which though a decent cover, just didn’t fit at all with what came before it. One thing I will note of this cover is that Ministry truly did make it their own rather than just rehash The Doors in a plain jane (heavier) way. One thing is for certain, I think this may be the hardest and fastest Doors cover ever done.
The song after that (Die In A Crash, I think the name is), though distorted and heavy, truly has a strong post punk feel to it. Tone down the distortion, and a couple other things, and I’d swear it was Special Affect trying to make a come back.
Then comes the epic two part ending “End Of Days”…
This song surprised me…A LOT.
First off, the first part of the song TOTALLY breaks out of the standard 4/4 timing Ministry has pretty much always ran with. Putting the initial shock delivered by the time signatures used aside, I didn’t really care for the first part, which really just continued in the vein of not seeming to fit with the style of things that came before it at all…but then came the second part.
It’s long…10 minutes long (the second part). Simple. But good.
I think some may think the song is a bit too drawn out, but I really was quite satisfied with it.
What makes the second part notably interesting and different from other Ministry bits that have covered social-political affairs is the mere fact that rather than cite something dire and leave it at that…it was as if Jourgensen elected to go with something that would actually leave things on a hopeful note. More of an angle of “Look, things are bad, but we can change them, and here’s some ways we might want to start going about doing that”.
You wouldn’t be able to guess that from the lyrics of the song, as this is all expressed via a sample of a speech (from whom, I’m not sure, but I’m interested in knowing…I couldn’t make out all that was said, but it seemed Chomskyish in some ways, though I’m fairly certain it wasn’t Chomsky speaking).
No, the album isn’t Ministry perfected, but it’s a darn solid release, and I wasn’t disappointed with it. Where End Of Days (Part 2 notably) was concerned, the album ultimately did leave me salivating…
It was just a damn good song, and at it’s conclusion, there was definitely a feeling of wishing. I sat waiting, expecting something to be tucked away after the last listed track again (as this has occurred with the last 2 releases)…but no…not this time. And it was a damn solid conclusion they gave to the album.
Are there Industrial Metal bands doing it better?
No, I truly and really don’t think so. Jourgensen did seem to have a tucked away message in his swan song of, “No one does it like me”.
Is it the most forward pushing Industrial stuff out there.
No, not really…I’ve been more impressed with the likes of Mordant Music and things like the last Download album in that regard.
But it was good, it was Ministry, and it does have me looking forward to the tour. I almost think it’s a given that End Of Days will close out their initial set (pre any encores that is) this tour…the song just seems built for that.
There’s an import still in the wait that features a couple remixes attached to the end of the album…so I’ll be grabbing that as well (and you may want to keep an eye out for it).
Anyhow, for those wanting Filth Pig, you’ll probably be left disappointed. For those wanting Dark Side or Animos…you’ll probably be let down as well.
Though the darker edges of Psalm have been left out (songs like 69, Scarecrow, and Grace), if you liked Psalm, I don’t see how you can’t be satisfied with this one. It’s harder, faster, and dare I say more musically complicated than Psalm (or any previous Ministry album I’d say really), but like Rio, it really seems to pick up the pieces of where Psalm left off.
Working in tow with that statement, those that liked Rio, will probably be satisfied as well.
Those that liked Houses…well, this one has more of the guitar solo bits than Rio, but they aren’t as abundant as they were on Houses…it’s faster and harder than Houses and there’s more of an “industrial” element than what Houses exhibited (in regard to metallic like percussions and other such sample types)…so who knows, you might like it you might not.
Anyhow, even though there is still an album of covers on the way. Looks like this is the end of the road as far as actual new Ministry material is concerned.
[#ff4040][size 4]I constantly fear everything I see
Blood is the fist of authority
Pestilence is my rabid dog unchained
Another road sign marks the end of days
I disregard those who govern me
I hate all of this treachery
I numb my mind and try to walk away
Toward the trail of tears and to the end of days [/size][/#ff4040]
Goodbye Ministry. It was an enduring and interesting ride.
