The legendary MINISTRY may have come out of a relatively short retirement but Relapse clearly shows that they haven’t lost a step. All the qualities that makes the band larger than life are all present such as Al Jourgensen’s charisma and sense of satire, super catchy songs, sound samples, and massive guitar riffs.
Uncle Al covers a wide range of topics such as the financial exploitation of dead rock stars, the ethos and political climate that spawned the Occupy Movement, and the corrupt nature of politics.
Relapse starts with all out fury as the record’s first three songs are as brutal as most extreme metal can get. The wall of heaviness and intensity are just awesome. S.O.D.’s “United Forces” gets the MINISTRY treatment in fine fashion. “99 Percenters” and “Get Up and Get Out ‘N Vote” are catchy anthems that are sure to stir the emotions of those in the “99 percent” and seeking change. The record’s title track has a great sense of urgency and the chorus is undeniable. “Bloodlust” marks the end of the ultra heaviness and slows things down to a bouncy tempo with a classic SABBATH vibe. “Relapse Defibrillator Mix” brings it all home with a pure industrial/electronic remix of the title track.
Regardless of the passage of any time, MINISTRY prove their relevance once again. Relapse is a solid, straight up album. While it’s undeniable that MINISTRY’s influence on heavy music cannot be overstated, it can also be said that the pupils have not dethroned the master. (AFM/13th Planet Records)
