Ministry - In Case You Didn't Feel Like Showing Up (Live) Sire/Warner, 1990 Gloon: This six track live EP was recorded during Ministry's 89-90 tours of America and Canada. Sound wise this is fairly good with the guitars and keyboards coming across loud and clear. The six tracks are pulled off their 1988 and 89 releases 'The Land of Rape and Honey' and 'The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste'. There are some good tracks on offer mainly 'The Missing', 'Thieves' and the Strapping Young Lads beats of 'Deity'. But the cut that makes this worth tracking down is the brilliant rendition of 'Burning Inside' alot heavier and darker than the LP release. In fact most of the songs played live sound more 'metal' than they do on their respected releases. Overall not an essential release and a little short considering it is a live album. Favourite Tracks - Burning Inside, The Missing Rating - 6.5/10 Ministry - Psalm 69 Sire, 1992 Gloon: What can you say about this album that hasn't been said before, its the bloody Reign in Blood of Industrial Metal, the pinnacle of its genre. Ministry blend all the elements of industrial, sampling, heavy distorted guitars and atmospheric keyboards to perfection to create a truly unique and frightening album. The true beauty of this album lies in its diversity from the guitar driven 'N.W.O.' and 'Just One Fix' to the schizophrenic pace and madness of 'TV II' to the ludicrous 'Jesus Built My Hotrod' with guest vocals from Gibby Hughes (Butthole Surfers), its blissful surprise, one after the other. The keyboards help create some seriously creepy atmosphere most prominently on the title track and the lurching menace of 'Scarecrow'. Quite simply put the best industrial/metal cross over these thrash blasted ears has ever heard. If there was a soundtrack for the apocalypse and the insanity it would bring, Psalm 69 would be it, rejoice my brothers and sisters, Ministry is here to deliver us all to hell! Favourite Tracks - Just One Fix, Jesus Built My Hotrod, TV II Rating - 9/10 Ministry - Filth Pig Warners, 1996 Gloon: Its been four long years since the awesome Psalm 69, thats a long time in my book, hopefully not too long. In an interview with local metal magazine 'Hot Metal' in the lead up to the release of FP, Al Jourgensen said that this was a rock album, and that he was sick of all the industrial shit, just guitars, drums and vocals. Though this album does possess less samples and keyboards than previous releases, the songs still follow the same repetitive structuring that can be found on the rest of their back catalogue. While Psalm 69 used its repetitive riffing and beats to constantly bombard you with violence and menace, Filth Pig's slower bassier assault just lulls the mind into boredom. Ministry also seem to be succumbing to the times with the grungy title track and Helmet-esque style of 'Dead Guy'. Whereas P69 was constantly changing and challenging, FP just plods along demanding little from the listener as it dulls you to sleep. They throw one curve ball at the very end, a cover of Bob Dylan's 'Lay Lady Lay' and no surprises, it sucks! An uninventive, disappointing follow up to classic. Favourite Tracks - Dead Guy, Gameshow Rating - 6/10

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