Ministry The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste (1989) While their previous album, The Land of Rape and Honey brought guitars into the mix, it was The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste that solidified Ministry’s groundbreaking mix of heavy metal guitars with mechanized rhythms. Incorporating live drums with programmed beats, augmented by conservative yet noticeable synthesizer accompaniment, and over a bedrock of shredding metal guitars, Al Jourgensen’s chainsaw vocals on such tracks as “Thieves,” “Breathe,” “Burning Inside,” and “Test.” Far from a one-trick pony, slower more ambient tracks like “Faith Collapsing,” “Dream Song,” and “Cannibal Song” also made their way into the mix, marking The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste as one of Ministry’s most aggressive and influential efforts that would define the bulk of their creative output from then on.
Why does everyone seem to love “Too Dark Park”? Sure, “Nature’s Revenge” and “Shore Lined Poison” are two great tracks, but it’s not the greatest Puppy album.
Well, different strokes, that’s for sure. I’ve heard some VNV Nation, and was not impressed (wouldn’t even classify it as industrial). It’s all when you grew up, what records hit you at certain times, the atmosphere you create in your head listening to these albums… We could all submit lists, and no two will be alike. When I was 17, I thought Big Sexy Land was the most industrial thing I ever heard. I’d certainly have differenct choices for 242, Ministry and Puppy. When TDP came out, it was a grower, though immediately better than Rabies. I’ve never thought of it as their best (and still hate the sloppy artwork…some people love that shit). I give the nod to VIVISECTVI, but that’s me. Dogshit, VX Gas Attack, Testure…fucking classic.
Well, different strokes, that’s for sure. I’ve heard some VNV Nation, and was not impressed (wouldn’t even classify it as industrial). It’s all when you grew up, what records hit you at certain times, the atmosphere you create in your head listening to these albums… We could all submit lists, and no two will be alike. When I was 17, I thought Big Sexy Land was the most industrial thing I ever heard. I’d certainly have differenct choices for 242, Ministry and Puppy. When TDP came out, it was a grower, though immediately better than Rabies. I’ve never thought of it as their best (and still hate the sloppy artwork…some people love that shit). I give the nod to VIVISECTVI, but that’s me. Dogshit, VX Gas Attack, Testure…fucking classic.
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Word. VNV Nation struck me as the oddest thing to hit the Top Ten… it’s goth-tinged rave music, if anything. “That Total Age,” “Mind…,” and “Front by Front” totally deserved it (though I’ll agree… I’d have switched “Front by Front” for “Pulse” in an instant). I just don’t think that “TDP” is a.) much of an album, per se, at less than, what… 35-40 minutes? and b.) not at all a good representative of what SP can do.
[b]10. Godflesh - Pure
9. Scott Walker - The Drift*
8. SPK - Auto Da Fe
7. Nurse With Wound - Automating Vol I*
6. Throbbing Gristle - Part Two: The Endless Not
5. Coil - Musick To Listen To In The Dark Vol I
4. Einsturzende Neubauten - Strategies Against Architecture
3. Scorn - Evanescence
2. Nurse With Wound - Salt Marie Celeste*
Throbbing Gristle - DOA: The Third And Final Report Of…[/b]
[b]10. Godflesh - Pure
9. Scott Walker - The Drift*
8. SPK - Auto Da Fe
7. Nurse With Wound - Automating Vol I*
6. Throbbing Gristle - Part Two: The Endless Not
5. Coil - Musick To Listen To In The Dark Vol I
4. Einsturzende Neubauten - Strategies Against Architecture
3. Scorn - Evanescence
2. Nurse With Wound - Salt Marie Celeste*
Throbbing Gristle - DOA: The Third And Final Report Of…[/b]
Now that’s more like it…!!!
[:)]
Loosely classified as ‘industrial’
QFT! Grey area stufs [:)] VNV Nation?!!? Phpft!!! what the heck man.
I come from the Wax Trax School of Industrial, so the ‘purists’ will balk at this list, I’m sure. Hard to rank them 1-10, so here’s a very loose top-to-bottom order:
Skinny Puppy - ViviSect VI
Front Line Assembly - Tactical Neural Implant
Front 242 - Official Version
Ministry - Twitch
Laibach - Opus Dei
Trisomie 21 - Million Lights
Nitzer Ebb - That Total Age
Borghesia - No Hope, No Fear
SPK - Leichenschrei
Severed Heads - Come Visit The Big Bigot w/Dead Eyes Opened
The next 10 would probably be:
Front Line Assembly - Caustic Grip
Coil - Horse Rotorvator
Cabaret Voltaire - The Crackdown
Ministry - The Land of Rape and Honey
Nitzer Ebb - Belief
Revolting Cocks - Big Sexy Land
Severed Heads - Bad Mood Guy
Skinny Puppy - Mind: TPI
The Tear Garden - Tired Eyes, Slowly Burning
Click Click - Rorschach Testing
About as industrial as a sunny beach, but there ya have it.
Scorn - Evanescence
Great choice! This album sets a mood that sticks with you hours after listening to it. Mick Harris was never able to replicate it on subsequent albums.
What an unbelievably crap list.
Should look something like -
[b]10. Godflesh - Pure
9. Scott Walker - The Drift*
8. SPK - Auto Da Fe
7. Nurse With Wound - Automating Vol I*
6. Throbbing Gristle - Part Two: The Endless Not
5. Coil - Musick To Listen To In The Dark Vol I
4. Einsturzende Neubauten - Strategies Against Architecture
3. Scorn - Evanescence
2. Nurse With Wound - Salt Marie Celeste*
Throbbing Gristle - DOA: The Third And Final Report Of…[/b]
In regards to the list made by Peligro & the one by tenohtwo. i would say i’m ok with both listing.
B’coz wayback then i always considered there’s 2 strands to the whole industrial thing. even tho separated across the atlantic. on the north american side, we have Wax trax! & on the european side, we have Mute records. different labels but the artists on them are somehow inter-related. everybody is somehow linked to one another.
Of course these are just the tip of the iceberg. Wax Trax! & Mute are not the only ones doing industrial stufs. they are the major ones. there’re probably other outfits doing it also in the 80’s & 90’s. (i.e Industrial records, play it again sam, nettwerk & several others which i can’t recall their names)
I agree: LORAH should’ve been on that list instead. LORAH kinda set the bar for industrial and rock at the time, and also the album that would likely be considered their “breakthrough”. The mind album is great, but very incoherent and comes nothing close to LORAH. Neubauten definately belongs on that list, but I would’ve gone with Halber Mensch instead. And I think 242 belongs there, although i’d personally say Tyranny For You.
I think the more programmed-dubbish-poppish 2nd “half” of LORAH sort of weakens it in the eyes of many “industrial metal” fans/critics/journalists.
LORAH was definitely more influential IMO. That album, more than anything else other than Twitch, deserves a remastering and deluxe reissue with at least a couple of songs from Al’s vaults.
Ministry The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste (1989) While their previous album, The Land of Rape and Honey brought guitars into the mix, it was