Ministry is an American industrial metal band founded in Chicago, Illinois in 1981 by producer, singer and instrumentalist Al Jourgensen. Originally a synth-pop outfit, Ministry evolved into one of the pioneers of industrial metal in the late 1980s. The band's lineup has changed frequently, leaving Jourgensen as the sole original member left in Ministry. Musicians who have contributed to the band's studio or live activities include vocalists Nivek Ogre, Chris Connelly and Burton C. Bell, guitarists Mike Scaccia and Tommy Victor, bassists Paul Barker, Paul Raven, Jason Christopher, Tony Campos and Paul D'Amour, drummers Bill Rieflin, Martin Atkins, Rey Washam and Roy Mayorga, keyboardist John Bechdel, and rappers and producers DJ Swamp and Arabian Prince. After more than two decades of activity, Ministry went on hiatus in 2008, but reformed in 2011.
The Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Taste is the fourth studio album by American industrial metal band Ministry, released on November 14, 1989 by Sire Records. The music took a more hardcore, aggressively guitar-driven direction, with Jourgensen inspired by Stormtroopers of Death and Rigor Mortis to add thrash metal guitars to the album and subsequent Ministry releases. As with most of Ministry's work, the album's lyrics deal mainly with political corruption, cultural violence, environmental degradation, nuclear war, drug addiction, and insanity.
The Land of Rape and Honey is the third studio album by American industrial metal band Ministry, released on October 11, 1988 by Sire Records. The album marked a departure from the band's previous two synthpop and EBM records, expanding on several elements introduced in their preceding album Twitch. The less-commercial, industrial-laced collection of tracks incorporates elements of heavy metal such as fast electric guitar riffs, although only the album's first three songs use guitars extensively.
Rabies is the fifth studio album by Skinny Puppy. It was released on November 21, 1989 through Nettwerk. The album notably features Ministry frontman Al Jourgensen who performed electric guitar and vocals on several songs. The album spawned two singles, "Tin Omen" and "Worlock", the latter of which becoming one of the band's most recognizable songs. The cover art was made by longtime Skinny Puppy collaborator Steven R. Gilmore. In 1993 the CD edition was reissued by Nettwerk to correct mastering errors in the original release.
Animositisomina is the eighth studio album by American industrial metal band Ministry, released on February 17, 2003 by Sanctuary Records.
Filth Pig is the sixth studio album by American industrial metal band Ministry, released on January 30, 1996 by Warner Bros. Records. The title was allegedly derived from a statement made in the British Houses of Parliament, in which the band's leader Al Jourgensen was described as a "filthy pig" by MP Teddy Taylor for his onstage theatrics.
Houses of the Molé is the ninth studio album by American industrial metal band Ministry, released on June 21, 2004 by Sanctuary Records. It is noteworthy for being the first Ministry album not to feature bassist and longtime collaborator Paul Barker since Twitch (1986). It was also the first album to feature Mike Scaccia on guitar since 1996's Filth Pig.
Alain David Jourgensen is a Cuban-American singer-songwriter, musician and music producer. Closely related with the independent record label Wax Trax! Records, Jourgensen has an active musical career that spans four decades, and is best known as the frontman and lyricist of the industrial rock band Ministry, which he founded in 1981 and of which he remains the only constant member. He was also primary musician of several Ministry-related projects, such as Revolting Cocks, Lard, Buck Satan and the 666 Shooters. He has also produced and/or recorded with numerous other artists, including The Reverend Horton Heat, Prong, Skinny Puppy, Front Line Assembly, The Blackouts, Alan Vega, Iggy Pop, Adrian Sherwood, Jello Biafra and others. Jourgensen is regarded as being one of the most prominent figures of industrial music,</ref> influencing numerous other groups and musicians, both in alternative and industrial-associated acts.
Early Trax is a compilation album by an American rock band Ministry, released on October 12, 2004, by Rykodisc.
Marz, born Zlatko Hukic, is a Croatian rapper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. He spent several years with Ministry before forming his own rap-metal band, also called Marz. After touring with Insane Clown Posse and contributing to the band Dark Lotus, he set up his own record label, Billion Dollar Ballers.
"Just One Fix" is the third single from industrial metal band Ministry's 1992 album Psalm 69: The Way to Succeed and the Way to Suck Eggs. The song features samples from Sid and Nancy along with Frank Sinatra reciting "Just One Fix".
"Stigmata" is a song by American industrial metal band Ministry. Written by Al Jourgensen, it is the opening track and the only single released from their third studio album, 1988’s The Land of Rape and Honey. The song features distorted vocals, guitars and compressed drum machine loops. The song was an underground hit. The music video—which was said to get a regular airing on MTV—features gritty black and white machinery, gears, symbols, the band playing live, Paul Barker on a motorcycle, strobe-like montages of eyes, and what appear to be neo-Nazi skinheads. The song was said to be Ministry's "finest moment until 1992".
"Supernaut" is the fifth song from the album Vol. 4 by British heavy metal band Black Sabbath.
Every Day Is Halloween: The Anthology is a compilation/remix album by Ministry, released on October 5, 2010. It features songs originally recorded by AC/DC, Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones and Amy Winehouse. It was also released under the names Every Day Is Halloween: Greatest Tricks and Undercover. The latter is credited to Ministry and Co-Conspirators and has a different track list.
Undercover is an album of cover versions and remixes by Ministry & Co-Conspirators released on December 6, 2010 by Al Jourgensen's record label 13th Planet Records. The album includes remixes and re-recorded versions of previously released songs such as "N.W.O.", "Stigmata", and "Jesus Built My Hotrod", among others. Every Day Is Halloween: The Anthology, which was released October 5th by Cleopatra Records, features almost all of the same songs with the exception of their cover of Black Sabbath's "Paranoid", which is only available on this album.
Relapse is the twelfth studio album by industrial metal band Ministry, which was released on March 23, 2012 through 13th Planet Records. It was recorded in the wake of their three-year hiatus from November 2008 to August 2011 and Al Jourgensen's near-death experience in 2010. Relapse is also the last Ministry album released during guitarist Mike Scaccia's lifetime, although he appeared posthumously on the band's next album, From Beer to Eternity.
Bikers Welcome Ladies Drink Free is the only album from Ministry's front man Al Jourgensen's side project Buck Satan and the 666 Shooters. It was released in 2011. Jourgensen calls the musical style Country-core / Heavy Western and mixes fiddles, banjos, harmonicas, and drum machines with comical lyrics performed by his alias, Buck Satan. The record was released through Jourgensen's label 13th Planet Records.
From Beer to Eternity is the thirteenth studio album by American industrial metal band Ministry, released on September 6, 2013 by 13th Planet Records. Although frontman Al Jourgensen had previously stated that this was going to be Ministry's final album, a follow-up album, AmeriKKKant, was released in 2018. From Beer to Eternity was also the first Ministry album since Houses of the Molé (2004) not to feature Tommy Victor on guitar or bass.
"Permawar" is a song by American industrial metal band Ministry. It is the third track and the only single from the band's thirteenth studio album, From Beer to Eternity. It was released on August 9, 2013 as a digital download.
AmeriKKKant is the fourteenth studio album by industrial metal band Ministry, which was released on March 9, 2018. It is their first release on Nuclear Blast, and marked the longest gap between studio albums in the group's entire career; at five years, following From Beer to Eternity (2013). AmeriKKKant is also the first Ministry album without guitarist Mike Scaccia since The Last Sucker (2007); Scaccia died in 2012 but appeared posthumously on From Beer to Eternity.
