Customer Reviews

Rio Grande Blood (Dig)

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Building on the work they did a couple of years ago on _Houses of the Mole_, Ministry continues to dig deep into their bag of industrial/speed/death/electronic/metal tricks and licks. For whatever the reasons, a Bush presidency seems to bring out the best in them as these last two albums have an intensity and focus that were lacking on most of the albums that followed _Psalm 69_ like _Dark Side of the Spoon_, and _Animositisomina_ (or however that last one is spelled). As someone who is 41 and has been listening to Ministry for almost 20 years, I can't wait to see them this Sunday night at the Ridglea Theater in Fort Worth, Texas, as they kick off this tour! Do I dare tempt the fate and destiny of the free world by hoping for a Jeb Bush presidency just to see if Ministry can keep it up?

this is the 2nd Ministry album released since long time collaborator Paul Barker left the band. this is also their 3rd full-length studio album since being dropped by Warner Bros records. this shows that nothing can stop Al Jorgensen and his industrial metal onslaught. its hard to believe that its been 18 years since Land Of Rape And Honey was released. but after all this time, Al can still pull off a brutal, confrontational Ministry album like Rio Grande Blood. under his rule, Ministry has evolved into more of an actual band, rather than a one-man industrial entity involving drum machines, samples, and various programming. Rio Grande Blood is even more in your face than their last album, Houses Of The Mole', both musically & politically. even the album cover is more intense (and bound to cause more controversy). but there's no such thing as bad press. this album gets my vote as one of the best metal releases of 2006.

This is Ministry's fastest and heaviest album ever. You could go as far as to call it Thrash. Riffs! Riffs! Riffs! Like House Of The Mole' before it, Rio Grande Blood is filled to the brim with political attacks on Bush. This is good and bad. Mostly bad. For one, this record(and Houses Of The Mole) is going to be EXTREMELY dated years from now, given that all the political rants are current issues. Plus, I don't know about you, but I love my Ministry Bush-free. Hearing Bush's voice is sometimes annoying to have to listen to after a while. There are a lot of other samples throughout that are less annoying though. This is not to say that the political attacks are not relevant cause they are. Jourgensen is only stating the obvious truth. This is a small complaint though. Any Ministry fan should pick this up because it is an amazing record. Fast as hell buzz-saw riffs, distorted bass, ominous synths, pummeling drums, and harsher-than-normal Jourgensen screams! Everything you know and love is here. Industrial Metal in your face! Plus with contributions from the likes of Tommy Victor(Prong) and Paul Raven(Legendary Killing Joke), this record stands all on its own. Stand out tracks include Rio Grande Blood, Yellow Cake, Gang Green, and prolly the best song on here, Lies Lies Lies. Every song is a winner though. Jourgensen proves once more that Ministry doesnt mess around and is truly a force to be reckoned with. I hope there is more to come in the future, but hopefully not so political. A must own album

Rock On.

As one can tell by the cover, Rio Grande Blood is very politically based lol. And why not, this is our world and the evil-doers should be exposed. Rio Grande Blood is a good after coming of Houses of the Mole. Heavy, angry and just good industrial ministry pleasure. And Filth Pig is actually the line that seperated the real Ministry fans from the so-called Ministry fans, Filth Pig was amazing especially with tracks like "Lava" which they play amazing live. In fact the Filth Pig tours around 1996 were some of the best. Dark Side of the Spoon and Filth Pig showed that you don't always have to be very thrash agressive or fast paced with the guitars and can therefore be more slow calculated and dark. Which Al showed on dark side with "Whip and Chain". Your always going to have the people that just love the speed, and you'll have the people who love speed and or all the above. Rio Grande Blood is definitely speed, but also has it's good industrial darker moments, I think it's one of Ministrys heaviest albums. But with all Ministry albums you always get a mix of both. Overall a very satisfying release from Ministry.

Rio Grande Blood-my new favorite Ministry album. This is Ministry's most brutal release yet. I think they are one of the most creative bands out there. This is a "must have" album for all Ministry fans. Every track on this disc is killer, especially Senor Peligro, and Gangreen (gang of green:marine corps). Houses Of The Mole shows us that Al doesn't like Gov. Bush all that much but Rio Grande Blood takes it up several notches to explosive, seething hatred for George W. and the rest of his crooked cronies. It's an all out assault of ferocious contempt and I love it. BUY IT!!

I don't see how someone could say this album is full of RevCo rejects. Even though run by Al, RevCo (who I like also) don't have near the hard edge that Ministry does. This album kicks as$, some of the guitar rifs on it made me think of Slayer with even angrier vocals. Like some other Ministry discs it mellows toward the end but still no doubt this is worth it. I think that Filth Pig is one of Ministry's best albums also - was a kick butt show and this one will be also!

This CD is the reason Rock n' Roll exists. Rock n' Roll is and always has been a form of protest. So for people to dis a Ministry CD for being politically motivated is basically the height of stupidity. It does not surprise me to see people knocking music for politics but why did you buy it. LOOK AT THE COVER! I don't hear people complaining about the subject matter of an album full of love songs. I don't hear people complaining about an album full of songs about loss or depression or other personal feelings. So please spare us and stick to the music Leave the choice of subject matter to the artists. I don't care about your political leanings or your opinions of an murderous president. Just because Al happens to agree with most of the population of the planet, don't hold that against him. If you don't like having your mind blown don't by Ministry CDs. Spare us.

Over the past few years Ministry has released some major stinkers after their Filth Pig record(and some would even say Filth Pig was when it went downhill). Dark Side of The Spoon was one of the worst IMO. They started getting a little back on track with Animositisomina and Houses of the Mole. However, they just couldn't compare to their 3 best records, Land of Rape and Honey, The Mind is a Terrible Thing To Taste, and Psalm 69...until now. Ministry has finally gotten their act together and produced one major sonic assault of a record. From beginning to nearly the end(Khyber Pass and the Sgt. Major track end the album on a pretty mellow note) it's some of the most aggressive thrashing metal Ministy has ever produced. The only tracks I didn't like were actually the previously mentioned Sgt. Major tracks. Basically, just a little joke with a Ermey(Full Metal Jacket) drill seargeant which from what I've read he's actually a retired drill seargeant. Maybe it's the fact that members of The Killing Joke and the drummer from Slipknot are helping out with this one along with Jello Biafra. It just seems so much more focused than previous efforts. LiesLiesLies, Assclown, Fear Is Big Business, and many more great tracks on here. If you've ever been a fan of Ministry you owe it to yourself to check this one out.

Since George W. Bush is still the President of this country, it should be almost obvious that Ministry's new album is going to be another stab at him. But if you didn't already guess what the lyrics on "Rio Grande Blood" were going to be like, it should become apparent as soon as you play the first song.

Following up 2004's comeback album, "Houses Of The Mole," industrial metal icon Al Jourgensen has returned, two years later, with a new Ministry disc and a new, long awaited record from his most successful side project, The Revolting C - cks.

Every famous Ministry trait is in place on the new album, including rigid, abrasive, industrial metal guitars, Al's electronically raspy vocals, political lyrics, breakneck rhythms, and many Bush quotes (some real, some fake). Unfortunately, these traits make "Rio Grande Blood" ultimately sound like a continuation of the band's last release, the very political and angry "Houses Of The Mole." But, with their last two discs saying pretty much the same thing, Ministry's anti-George Bush campaign has seemingly lost momentum and been stretched too thin.

But this record does have a handful of new lyrical ideas (i.e. 9/11 conspiracies) and some songs have new, ultra heavy guitar licks (e.g. "Palestina" boasts an almost Pantera-esque riff). Plus, the songs themselves, when not compared to "HOTM," are still very enjoyable.

This record opens with the title track, which is more-or-less a prototypical Ministry tune. It's backed by a turbo-charged rhythm which falls into a fast, deep groove with surging guitars, and a falsified "quote" from "George Bush" is also included. "Senor Peligro" keeps the listener's blood pumping by beginning with fiery, machine gun riffs; but things slow down for the third song, "Gangreen," which has a slower, churning, if repetitive rhythm with a mini guitar solo.

"Fear (Is Big Business)" and "The Great Satan" both have buzzsaw rhythms, and the latter song also features an almost speed-punk drum beat. Finally, "Butt Clown" is the last highlight this album has to offer. It's backed by a very strong, propulsive, churning riff, and a careening solo. Lyrically, this song compares Washington D.C. to three ring circus.

Since it doesn't break any real ground for Ministry (musically or lyrically), one could argue that The Revolting C - cks' album, "Cocked And Loaded," which was released earlier in 2006, upstages "Rio Grande Blood." I wouldn't exactly say that, but I would say I'm a bit let down by this album, and it's about equal with the latest from Revco.

All in all, it may not be a classic, but I enjoyed "Houses Of The Mole," so I can only complain about "Rio Grande Blood" so much. Thus, if you, too, liked Ministry's last album and you enjoy the band's anarchist attitude, I advise you to sit back, relax, spark a bowl, pop this C.D. in your changer, and start preparing your plans for a revolution.

I always expect too much from new Ministry releases, I think the peak was Psalm 69 and I can't see that being topped, but this is a return to form, almost. Brutal, relentless, aggressive, vitriolic; everything I have come to love from Al. I have no problem with the politics; anything that drives a warhead through the Bush administration will be welcome anytime.

Why shouldn't Jourgenson use Ministry as a vehicle for his beliefs? Are we saying that no one should express an opinion because there's isn't an readily available soapbox to respond? We are all free (so we're frequently told) to voice our opinion, so if you feel strongly get out and speak up! If you don't, you can't complain about someone else expressing their point.

Al Jourgenson can do no wrong in my eye and I hope the next album is better still and I can give 5 stars.