MINISTRY — Filth Pig (review)

Album · 1996 · Industrial Metal

2.5/5 · 2017-09-26
aglasshouse

A string of fantastic albums preceded what is likely to be Ministry's least experimental yet their most brash release they've ever put out- 1996's Filth Pig.

Up to this point, Ministry's music had been extremely eclectic, installing them permanently as one of the greatest industrial metal acts to ever be. Psalm 69 marked their entry into the 1990's, as well as the third album to achieve fantastic reception and hailed as fantastic upon it's release. Four years later however Filth Pig changed that landscape as Ministry opted for a much more caustic and barbaric version of themselves- one that skipped the pleasantries of unusual influences and time signatures and skipped straight to the meal. This meant much more focus on down-tuned guitars and a newfound (and rather perplexing) sludge metal synthesis. This means that much of the "industrial" sound that made Ministry unique was replaced with a much more by-the-numbers heavy metal approach, replete with pounding drum hooks, throbbing guitar riffs- the whole shebang. But such a drastic change is hard to actually accomplish with a straight face...and it seemed that not even the great Ministry could manage the feat.

When it comes down to it, Filth Pig lacks the substance it's predecessors. The track 'Lava', while being a guilty pleasure song with it's wavering distortion and Al Jourgensen's hissing vocal backdrop, is a perfect example of how fleeting the experience this album brings is, as it follows practically the same structure as most of the other songs like 'Crumbs' and 'Useless'. To contrast, The Mind is a Terrible Thing To Taste had a tracklist that constantly changed from song to song, each one having a unique vibe. Filth Pig's songs seem to just bleed into eachother boringly, to the point where it sometimes becomes hard to tell between one and another. The sludgy hooks and beefy atmosphere seems more often than not bloated and overblown and are not nearly enough to keep the album afloat. The overall result is a group of brooding tunes that leave little-to-no lasting impact with their grandiose potential, but ultimately no extra spice to get them kicking like classic Ministry tunes.

more than 2 years ago
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aglasshouse wrote:

more than 2 years ago

Patrick that's the best goddamn motto ever. I have to crack that one out every once and awhile.

voila_la_scorie wrote:

more than 2 years ago

True, Vim. I just stated that in a recent review of another album. More volume helps a lot.

Vim Fuego wrote:

more than 2 years ago

Turn it up louder. I find that covers a lot of sins.

voila_la_scorie wrote:

more than 2 years ago

Well, I recently got "Street Cleaner" and my biggest problem with that one is the production. It sounds weak and dated. Comparing that with NIN's "Broken" there's a big difference. So from the start, I am hesitating about Ministry and other industrial bands.

Unitron wrote:

more than 2 years ago

I really like this one, but The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste and Psalm 69 are the ones to get. Mind is one of my favorite albums, and Psalm 69 is a classic.

UMUR wrote:

more than 2 years ago

I like the rawness of this one. Probably my favorite after Psalm 69.

aglasshouse wrote:

more than 2 years ago

If I were to suggest anything I would say the three albums that lay in between this and Twitch, as those three are the creme de la creme of industrial metal content. I do think that Ministry has many more bad/mediocre albums than they do excellent ones, but the thing is the good ones are good enough to make the band. If you enjoy Godflesh or other industrial metal bands Ministry is definitely one you should get yourself acquainted with.

voila_la_scorie wrote:

more than 2 years ago

Wow! Very descriptive review. I have been considering whether or not to add Ministry to my collection. I'm not totally convinced yet. But at least I know what to expect if I decide to give this album an ear.