Review by Shadowdoom9 (Andi) for Ministry - Filth Pig (1996)

Ministry have made it big in pioneering the American side of industrial metal, with their 3 albums from 1988 to 1992 being commercially successful. With their 1996 album Filth Pig, the band's sound became darker and heavier than before, almost reaching sludge territory. According to founder Al Jourgensen, people hated the album. They wanted the humor and electronics of Psalm 69, but the album doesn't have much of those. I still like the heaviness though.

Darkness is often what I look for when I want to take a break from the brighter reality. And sometimes, darkness can be a bit intimidating. It can also have a bit of humor, from the literally meat-headed young American politician in the album cover. A whole lot you can find in the dark...

"Reload" is a short violent introductory song practically picking up where Psalm 69 left off. I was hoping for that kind of excitement in the title track, but it goes for a little too long and has almost given me brain damage. "Lava" is equally as long as the previous track, but it flows well in the riffs and vocals, almost like a march to a Southern battle. "Crumbs" is OK, but crumby in some places.

"Useless" fits well with its name, being far too weird for its own good. "Dead Guy" has awesome lyrics and nice groove. "Game Show" is the long 8-minute epic of this album. I wouldn't say it's bad in any way, but it's still a little weird and not something I would listen to on the daily.

"The Fall" seems to fall in quality but can stand back up for some time. Bob Dylan's "Lay Lady Lay" has been given the cover treatment here. It has a more alternative edge, a bit like Killing Joke at that time. No wonder it easily became a radio single! Really cool psychedelia there. Finally, "Brick Windows" brings back some earlier experimentation. Fantastic lyrics in this one!

Other things to mention about Filth Pig include the solid production and instrumentation. Those help keep the general quality stable, even in the lower half. There's nothing with switching gears to a heavier sound. A lot of us here are up for something like that. I just think a few of the songs in the album could've had better execution....

Favorites: "Reload", "Lava", "Dead Guy", "Lay Lady Lay", "Brick Windows"