Weeklies

Artist: "Ministry"
Album: "Filth Pig"
Genre: Alternative Rock
Label: Warner Bros. Records

Reviewer: -RoG-
Posted: 3/9/2009

Review: I've been a fan of Ministry for quite a long time, and while I admittedly haven't kept up with their more recent works, I always find myself going back to their tunes I grew up on. Sometimes it's the 80s synth pop "With Sympathy", other times it's the relentlessly aggressive "Psalm 69". But there's one album that I always felt never got a fair shot - "Filth Pig".

Filth Pig was doomed from the start as far as I'm concerned because it came on the success of "Psalm 69" - an album that really brought the band more into the mainstream. But how do you follow-up such a hyper-agressive album like that? You can either do more of the same in an attempt to appease the masses clamoring for that same speedy madness, or you can continue to evolve your music. Al Jourgensen decided to play things risky and chose the later.

If the phrase "Filth Pig" gives you an image of a swine slowly trudging its way through a mud pit, that would probably be a great way to describe the sound of the album. The music has been slowed down big time and it has a far more raw feeling than their previous release. And while the overall pace of the album is very different, it's still undeniably Ministry. Dark, brooding, sludgy, heavy as hell and yet somehow still completely catchy. If you don't find yourself bobbing your head to the rhythm of a track like "Lava" and "Dead Guy", there's something wrong with you.

While Filth Pig isn't stuffed to the rim with samples and speed, it still has that great Ministry sound which will forever separate them from other musical acts out there. It's the band getting band to basics with more traditional instruments, almost purposely distancing themselves from the "industrial" genre that was often used to describe them. Give Filth Pig a chance and you might be surprised at just how solid it really is.

Overall rating: WholeWholeWholeWhole
(Scored on a 0.5 - 5 pickles rating: 0.5 being the worst and 5 being the best)

Reader Comments

Fanboy
Mar 10th, 2009, 03:43 AM
My favourite Ministry album. The boys were on the point of killing each other in the studio, and it tells in the music. "Useless" and "The Fall" are as beautifully, bleakly industrial as it gets. Although, it would be a lot better without that obnoxious Dylan cover!
With More Yes Than Ever
Mar 10th, 2009, 11:07 AM
It's a very good album but I kinda missed some of the sampling. In my opinion it is way underrated compared to some of the other albums.
skank pronger
Mar 10th, 2009, 01:25 PM
Some tracks were pieced together from unused bits of things in the studio. The basic instrumental of "The Fall" was originally a collaboration with Skinny Puppy's Ogre called "Noreen." "Brick Windows" was an outtake from the 1000 Homo DJs sessions. "The Fall" is definitely my favorite, but "Lay Lady Lay" isn't bad at all. I wasn't impressed when the album came out, but it definitely grew on me over the years.

Anybody heard the new RevCo album? It doesn't sound anything like RevCo as you know them. It's great if you're into bands like Mindless Self Indulgence, Orgy and Powerman 5000.
☆☆☆☆☆
Mar 10th, 2009, 01:25 PM
It was a good solid album, my least favorite though. It's actually the last Ministry album I listened to. It's not exactly what I want to listen to from them.
Member
Mar 11th, 2009, 09:57 AM
Good for you ROG, it's always awesome to see somebody like Ministry they're fans are so few and far between. Filth Pig has been my favorite, album from them for a long time, ever since 1996 I thought this band could'nt get any better than psalm69 boy was I wrong.
Fookin' up planets!
Mar 11th, 2009, 04:31 PM
I "love" "The Fall".
Ultimate Buzzkill
Mar 11th, 2009, 07:17 PM
I was big into Ministry during that period..."Filth Pig" and its predecessor have held respected places in my CD collection for over a decade. I was also big into Butthole Surfers at the time, so also enjoying Revolting Cocks was a given. I had the great pleasure of seeing them perform together on tour a couple of years ago, and Al and the gang don't disappoint longtime fans in representing the older material.
In response to Aires: Are you referring to "Cocked and Loaded?" I've been out of touch for a bit so I'm not aware of anything coming after that.
skank pronger
Mar 11th, 2009, 07:52 PM
The new album is called "Sex-O Olympic-O." It came out last week & you can check out some of the songs here: www.myspace.com/revoltingcocks
Fookin' up planets!
May 12th, 2009, 09:39 AM
I loved "old" ministry but the last. what is it... six or seven "I hate George Bush albums were a bit overkill.
Give Me Black Summer.
Jun 17th, 2009, 05:10 PM
Good album, but nowhere near the awesome that is Psalm: 69, or what I consider to be their real under-rated album The Land Of Rape & Honey. Sure, back in the day everyone was talking about it, but nowadays, not so much.

Thank god this wasn't like Dark Side Of The Spoon.