Ministry
Animositisomina
Sanctuary
Ministry have been around for a while now; twenty five years is a long time to carry the thread of one musical concept. Maybe that’s what makes Animositisomina (yeah, the title’s idiotic) so refreshing: Ministry have simplified things somewhat and, instead of trying to extend that thread for the sake of it, they’ve gone with what feels right. There are no bold artistic statements here, nothing as experimental as “Twitch” or “Dark Side of the Spoon;” quite simply, ten energetic, vibrant tracks that don’t ever take themselves too seriously. Completely unswayed by recent metal trends (and why should they be?), Ministry deliver one of their catchiest, most rewarding listening experiences to date. The reverb-drenched vocals that populate much of this disc really shouldn’t work, but do. “Broken’s” classic-Eighties feel (disastrous in the hands of most other bands) does anything but detract from what is one of the album’s standout tracks.
In essence, Ministry are doing (and have always done) the things that make heavy metal and industrial rock seem ridiculous and clichéd to 99% of the population, but (unlike most of their peers) they pull it off. Animositisomina is big, expansive heavy rock that somehow manages to sound fresh, and surprisingly contemporary.
Ministry: http://www.animositisomina.com
