With 2007’s The Last Sucker Ministry mainman Al Jourgensen claimed it would his band’s final act of musical defiance. Yet in 2012 another album emerged under the Relapse moniker. Al wasn’t too happy being cajoled in another Ministry adventure by his bandmates, but it was a far more inspired effort than its predecessor and an excellent album to go out with a bang. As with 2013, you guessed it Al released another Ministry album, entitled From Beer To Eternity…

As with Relapse, the new Ministry album wasn’t exactly planned. In fact, it was the result of a couple of very fruitful writing sessions before the untimely death of guitarist Mike Scaccia. The cadre for this record are formed by the last recorded music by Scaccia and From Beer To Eternity is a musical tribute from Al Jourgensen and Co to commemorate their fallen brother. As a reviewer this puts me in an awkward position, because for all intents and purposes, the final Ministry album is somewhat of a mixed bag.

Granted, tracks like ‘Hail To His Majesty (Peasants)’, ‘Perfect Storm’, ‘Fairly Unbalanced’ and ‘Side Fx’ are solid as they come and Al’s cynical social and political commentary are astute as on any Ministry album. It’s with the more experimental songs like bluesy ‘Lesson Unlearned’ and the dub/reggae themed ‘Thanx But No Thanx’ where From Beer To Eternity starts to unravel fast. They sound more like the result of a totally drugged up jam than coherent songs. ‘The Horror’ is an aptly titled and rather pointless interlude. Luckily ‘Change Of Luck’ saves the second half of the album from a total anti-climax, with ‘Enjoy The Quiet’ being the symbolic closure of Ministry’s 13 studio album spanning career.

As a tribute to the life and musical legacy of Mike Scaccia this record serves it purpose, but as the final Ministry album From Beer To Eternity it is more like a wet fart than a last grand musical gesture. I’d rather stick to Psalm 69, Houses Of The Mole and Rio Grande Blood for my Ministry fix. I’m sure that when another Republican president takes office we’ll see another album from Al Jourgensen and Co and hopefully one with more spunk and dirt.

6/10

Raymond Westland

Ministry – Facebook