The story behind From Beer To Eternity, the new, and supposedly last album from industrial-metal stalwarts Ministry, is almost more interesting than the album itself. Originally, way back in 2012, Ministry mastermind Al Jourgensen claimed that Relapse was band’s swan song, a boast he had also made with 2007’s The Last Sucker. In 2007, Jourgensen’s health became a serious issue. Bleeding ulcers were gutting the man, ripping him apart from the inside out.
Never being one to fall to miserable health, Jourgensen healed up and decided it was time to crank out the country album he’d always wanted to do. Recruiting veteran Ministry guitarist Mike Scaccia, Static-X bassist Tony Campos, Cheap Trick guitarist Rick Nielsen, and The Dusters bassist David Barnett, Jourgensen created Buck Satan & The 666 Shooters. They dropped an album titled Ladies Welcome, Bikers Drink Free.
Out of the sessions for Buck Satan, came the riffs and original ideas for Relapse. Ministry dropped the album, then went on tour, where Jourgensen was promptly hit with dysentery. After a near death experience in Switzerland, Jourgensen decided to call it a day with touring. Heading home to El Paso, he figured the world could use one more Ministry album. With Mike Scaccia in tow, Jourgensen reached out to Sin Quirin and Tony Campos. He also brought in Relapse touring drummer Aaron Rossi. The band jammed out a batch of tunes that Jourgensen, notoriously difficult to work with, decided rocked.
That’s when tragedy struck. On December 23rd, Mike Scaccia had a massive heart attack while on stage with his other band, Rigor Mortis. His passing, crushed Jourgensen. Deciding he could best honor Scaccia’s memory by releasing the songs they wrote, From Beer To Eternity was born. This is said to be the last Ministry album, for real this time, mainly because Jourgensen does not want to do it without Scaccia.
After all of that, how do Ministry go out? For those who love their work, the band goes out on a high note. I won’t lie, there’s not a ton here that differs from what Ministry has done before. Multiple samples, bashing drums, weird effects, dirty guitars and Jourgensen screaming over the entire mess. From Beer To Eternity is a dirtier album than Relapse, harsher and less polished. Jourgensen really sets up the album to feel like he’s exercising his final demons through Ministry.
As amped up and vicious as the music is Jourgensen keeps himself within his own parameters. There’s no sudden balled, no softness in what he’s doing, or any false sentimentality in the songs. Industrial-metal with an edge towards darkness, that’s what Jourgensen does. While most industrial bands keep an ear towards nearly inhuman blasts of futuristic, dystopian, robotic energy, Ministry stakes out a darker territory. Jourgensen is tapping the kind of drug-fueled savagery found in books by Herbert Selby JR or William S Burroughs. Rather than man against machine, Jourgensen explores the damaged psyche through his mechanical music. It’s part of what’s kept him interesting all these years.
So no, you won’t get a drastic change in music. Ministry is as Ministry does. “Punch In The Face”, “Fairly Unbalanced” and “Side FX Mickeys Middle Finger TV 4” are stand out tracks. “Punch In The Face” is classic Ministry, the kind we fell in love with on A Mind Is A Terrible Thing or Land Of Rape And Honey. “Fairly Unbalanced” is a fast jam, tapping into Scaccia’s Rigor Mortis work. “Side FX” is just a noise orgasm. A thousands tiny samples, and blips of energy, fired towards one target hoping to make a mess.
The rest of From Beer To Eternity is solid Ministry material. Embrace the genre, embrace the band, you will embrace the album. If From Beer To Eternity is to be Ministry’s last hurrah, they go out without sacrificing a thing.
