British guitarist, singer, and songwriter, Billy Morrison – primarily known as Billy Idol’s rhythm guitar player, and for his previous role as bassist in The Cult – has scheduled the release of his next single and video, “Drowning,” for February 23rd. It comes from his third solo album, The Morrison Project, due out April 19th via TLG/VIRGIN MUSIC GROUP. Find more information in the article below.
Due to unforeseen circumstances, Industrial Metal giant Ministry was forced to cancel their 2022 European tour. Rather than close out their year quietly, they chose to perform Industrial Strength Live streamed via the high-def 4K Hitkor platform.
It’s hard to believe that industrial legends Ministry have been around (in one incarnation or another) for forty years but here they are in 2021, returning with their fifteenth full length studio album. Another title including amusing wordplay, Moral Hygiene (Nuclear Blast Records) is yet another solid release by Al Jourgensen and co. and features a few surprises along the way.
Legendary Ministry side project 1000 Homo DJs that put out a series of singles in the 1990s will release a special 12-inch vinyl single on July 2nd. Most famous for the track “Supernaut” later heard on the Black Sabbath tribute covers album Nativity In Black, 1000 Homo DJs was comprised of 1990s Ministry core members Al Jourgensen, Paul Barker, Mike Sciacca (RIP), Bill Rieflin (RIP), and a whos who of Chicago Wax Trax era industrial, post-Punk, and punk rock legends, most notably Nine Inch Nails leader Trent Reznor and Dead Kennedy’s frontman Jello Biafra. You can pre-order the limited edition EP on purple vinyl due out on July 2nd from Ministry’s Bandcamp page. The release features both versions of “Supernaut” with Al and Trent on lead vocals, including all the remixes of the track.
Cover songs can be tricky. A balancing act that often results in calamity. Lean too far one way and be accused of musical blasphemy; keep things too safe and be reliably informed you shouldn’t have bothered in the first place. So with that in mind, surely an album consisting entirely of cover versions is just asking for trouble, isn’t it?Continue reading
Ministry has shared a new video and single ‘Alert Level’! This is the first new music from the band since the critically acclaimed 2018 album AmeriKKKant (Nuclear Blast). Ministry is working on their new album, their 15th, with more info coming soon. The song is actually a call to arms of fans, asking them to check on their peers in this perilous time. The track also has a new lyric video, created by Agent Ogden, which you can watch right now! Continue reading
Bill Rieflin, who had a four-decade career as a drummer across Punk, Alternative Rock, Industrial Metal, and Progressive Rock has died. He was 59. Initial reports of his passing made no mention of a cause of death, but his Wikipedia page reported a battle with cancer, confirmed by his friend, session drummer Kevin Chamberlin. Most recently Bill was the drummer for King Crimson and the news was reported by KC founder Robert Fripp in a very sad and touching memorial via Facebook. Fripp wrote that Rieflin’s wife, Tracy, called him with the news. “Tracy told Toyah (Fripp’s wife) and me that the day was grey, and as Bill flew away the clouds opened, and the skies were blue for about fifteen minutes. Fly well, Brother Bill! My life is immeasurably richer for knowing you.” Rieflin’s career began in his hometown of Seattle, where he drummed with a variety of local acts, notably the punk rock group The Blackouts. The band’s final EP was produced by Ministry’s Al Jourgensen, with whom Rieflin became friends with. Jourgensen recruited the Rieflin to join Ministry when Blackouts broke up, and Rieflin played on the band’s 1988 album The Land of Rape and Honey, an industrial music iconic album in the genre. He continued as a member of the group through the mid-90s, contributing to five of the band’s LPs. Following his departure from Ministry in 1996, he played with KMFDM, New York experimental band Swans and folk group Angels of Light. Rieflin also played on Nine Inch Nails’ 1999 double album The Fragile. Also that year, he released his debut solo album, Birth of a Giant. It was during this time that a publicist introduced him to R.E.M.’s Peter Buck. The drummer would then join and contribute to R.E.M.’s final three albums — 2004’s Around the Sun, 2008’s Accelerate and 2011’s Collapse Into Now. Rieflin had previously collaborated and remained friends, announced that the drummer had joined King Crimson in 2013. Rieflin would tour with the group and appear on five of their ensuing live albums, released between 2015-18. He had been absent from the group since taking an indefinite sabbatical in 2019. Bill was an incredible drummer and kind soul. Not many artists can say they wrote and performed with three Rock and Roll Hall of Fame acts (King Crimson, R.E.M., and Nine Inch Nails) as Bill did. Many artists paid tribute to Bill, including fellow Seattle musician Krist Novoselic of Nirvana. We send out condolences to Bill’s family, friends and many fans at this time.Continue reading
I’m looking at Spirit Crusher (Prosthetic) the latest release from Sweden’s Dödsrit and I’m getting a feeling. Not super familiar with the band but judging by the font and the presence of umlauts we know extreme music is on the way, particularly of the Black Metal persuasion. And these song lengths certainly suggest experimentation and a non-commercial nature. Dödsrit is a one-man project isn’t it?
Those one man acts always have the most to say.Continue reading
Has there ever been a better time to draw up material for a new Ministry album? This hasn’t been lost on Al Jourgensen, who packs the latest Ministry release, AmeriKKKant (Nuclear Blast) with as many ridiculous Donald Trump samples as he can find.Continue reading
Ministry will be releasing their highly anticipated new album, AmeriKKKant, on March 9th via Nuclear Blast. In a new interview with the label, front man Al Jourgensen shares his bold predictions for 2018. Continue reading