After postponing the deadline, Ministry seemed to have brought his career to a close with "From Beer To Eternity." Al Jourgensen had lost his bandmate Mike Scaccia and paid tribute to him with a new project in 2016, Surgical Meth Machine. Without this essential partner, there seemed to be no future for Ministry. But the United States decided otherwise by putting Donald Trump in charge against all odds, shaking up a system that seemed unbreakable.
In reaction, Jourgensen felt the need to relaunch the machine, gathering a new collective with Sin Quirin on guitar, Cesar Soto and guests like Burton C.Bell or DJ Swamp, to give us "AmeriKKKant", a record with a punchy name and cover that aims not to denounce the action of Donald Trump but to look at the failure of a system that allowed the emergence of populism and his arrival in power.
A bit like our model of society that is withering away, the record begins with an unexpected song. 'I Know Words', taken from an excerpt of Trump's speech, turns into a schizophrenic delirium made of layers of distorted sounds. The tone is set and the first part of the album is a magma of sheer madness. During each one of more than 8 minutes, 'Twilight Zone' and 'Victims Of A Clown' are disturbing photographs of the US society. Indus, noisy, tinged with orchestrations and loops, these tracks are like jams with strange choirs, layers of robotic voices and even a touch of violin to complete their chilling side.
After this intense and disturbing beginning, the record slowly comes down to earth but remains very relentless. Ministry goes back to a more traditional format and hits hard. 'We're Tired Of It' is a no-holds-barred indus thrash firebrand, reminiscent of Sepultura or Slayer. 'Wargasm' and 'Antifa' are the centerpieces of the album. The joyful industrial tone that sees Jourgensen shouting his rage with conviction reminds of Killing Joke. The guitars make a nice place for themselves and it all shakes the head in a nice way. Finally 'AmeriKKKKa' ends the record on a melancholic and disillusioned note with a saxophone background and a haunting side carried well by the guitars.
"AmeriKKKant" is a necessary reminder from Ministry but also a cruel observation. Jourgensen is a wise observer of a world going to pieces and that nothing seems to be able to save in the short or medium term. As far as fierce indus is concerned, he moreover remains a master that time does not seem to weaken.