Finally after sixteen years of silence in terms of new material in form of an album, the first single song from the upcoming LP saw the light of the world of music. Again, the English survivors and the solid component of music milieu, widely speaking, The Cure band led of course by no one else but Robert Smith are coming back really strong and with no wane in the atmosphere which they created from the beginning of their career. Slowly but surely they evolved throughout the years, and they still do.
The composition starts from a dreamy drums and the familiar, for The Cure, kind of a wall of sound, but very refreshing and with a zero repeating pattern from the past. Perpetual and long sonic loop is builded by the bass guitar and electronic piano with a curtain of the electronic samples which beautifully covers everything in the background as a soft and endless wave.
The song is progressing and almost in the middle part Robert's vocals starts to appear. The lyrical side of this amazing band was always with a pinch of something indescribable and surely the listener can feel this in “Alone”. My first impression was really strange. As a huge fan of the band, loving the lyrical content of every song they’ve released, I felt strange simultaneously because before I dove deeper into the meaning I assumed that this is a very sad tune. The interpretation is always hard to establish in one way and say that is final, especially if it’s about bands like The Cure. It’s not about praising anyone, it’s just a fact. Every attempt to try to understand thoughts of an artist of any kind should be individual and in my short attempt of interpretation right here this song treats about the old ways of us all, how we actually live. We evolving as a habitants on our Gaia, lovely planet and we should process our existence, shed the proverbial old skin and discover a new and great things because in fact, as stated in the lyrics “Where did it go?”..
I think it’s also about the confusion, what is going on, on the planet right now, that we don’t even really know where we are heading to. Reflection must come to every soul naturally, but surely must occur somehow…
Deepness of the song is just setting the mind of a listener I think for the hunger to digest more what will gonna come in the whole content of the upcoming album. This is a beautiful representative of what we can expect in the next month and in my opinion the expectations can be set high because, as Robert Smith said in an interview few years ago that he’ll not gonna release anything (musically of course) until he will “feel this from the inside” and will be sure that it’s natural and obviously worth to put out for the world’s ears”.
Heading forward in this lifetime every day in every way as much as I can best, that's why I can’t wait to write you review of the whole album ASAP just when the LP will see a daylight :)
A brand new singiel by the band Tremonti was dropped to the world just a few weeks ago on the breakthrough time of the year. This is a pre-album release, which in full length form with the name of “The End Will Show Us How”is expected to be available in the early part of 2o25.
Title of the song is “Just Too Much” and it begins from a slow motioned riff, unlike they're promoting singles in the previous albums were usually exploding with the speed of the rhythmic wave of notes, which secretes from their instruments. It’s not that they completely changed approach to the process of creating music or style, it’s just a fresh view on the old things in my opinion, and adding new elements to a well established way of expressing creativity throughout this powerful medium which music is.
The song is unfolding not particularly rapid but the choruses are the extension of the existing melody although turning into a massive wall of sound with as always strong Mark’s vocals.
Lyrically the song is in my opinion a kind of a manifest to raise from the “fairy dust of life” when literally sometimes everything is just overwhelmed in our existence, then the only thing is to find a paths to love and pain, taking the self to the edges and letting go the worries, automatism in life and just doing the best to fix the right puzzles in whole.. Then the road will show itself, the solutions solve itself, the truth will be clearly visible to every one of us.
Very solid song, "in style" of Tremonti band like I mentioned before. It’s uplifting in a way - like any piece of art from these guys - and it’s hearable that Mark and the rest of the crew are not a retro-type band and not laying their weapons down. The music is very mature and compositionally intelligent. I think we can expect a very good production filling our ears soon.. but we have to wait a little bit B)
Stay tuned, full review of the album when will gonna come out next year..another reviews coming soon of course (!)
Hey all of you lovely gothic and not only souls B) .. it's been a while . . .
The newest production of the "industrial metal" protoplasts and survivors Ministry is called “HOPIUMFORTHEMASSES” and unquestionably, this is a fantastic and surprisingly for many people (jealous ones enough just to behave like that - fact) solid and fresh album with a strong message - as always - from Al Jourgensen included in lyrics.
The opening act and the first song on the album is titled “B.D.E.”. Mysterious name as always when artists using the shortcut which creates curiosity to figure out ‘what’s in the kitchen’. The words in the beginning are deeply placing the listener on the journey throughout this album. Basically the composition is about quite surreal turnings in the world because young people, especially big part of males are treating woman in a weird way seeing the increasing power of females in many fields of life. They’re simply angry and trying to impress doing stupid things like metaphorically ‘getting bigger penis’ or similar silly things like that. The suburbs of some social media and some mainstream fields which were not that important, are becoming now the top ones, something what in the past was treated like unacceptable or insane now is on the first place (18o degrees turnaround)… The instrumental part (as always) is produced on the sumptuous level by Al and heavy but more mature album by album sound in my opinion, listener can easily spot from the first notes of the song.
Next song called “Goddamn White Trash” is propelling the album in a well known Ministry’s flow but as always in a newer and progressive way. The massive riff after guitar intro with narration in the background, shows that Al has still something to give to the music world but not only... His way of perceiving the reality is very distinctive and lyrics shows his intellectual level of seeing the stupidity in some individuals everyday life. This song is about the lack of wisdom in the sphere of people who steers the governments, it's literally expressed in the choruses and the title of the song, everything is just about power and money. Presidents and the rest of figures on the high positions are masked and greedy ones with no values who have a really old software in their psychics which unfortunately is not promising anything good..we have to be vigilant as citizens everywhere and do something actually, vote properly, not just being reactive but primarly being proactive. Strong composition instrumentally in a rhythm almost like from the warfield.
Third song on the list is “Just Stop Oil” which is quite fast and aggressive manifest about misinforming people about what’s going on around in the world. Exploitation of the oil is so bizarre because it’s happening for years and everybody is aware of the business around this ‘big machinery’ and bad effects on the environment but nobody is doing anything about that. In the lyrics: “The documentation of facts that are given, are constantly met with a dose of derision..”, Al as always is wearing shoes of the person who’s firing up the awareness about governments and big companies tricks and he’s doing this constantly since 8o’s. This song has a very interesting construction and changes of the rhythm are just a masterful work of Jourgensen's circa forty years of experience as a producer. Some people are judging too early the work of many artists who are in the music industry long time. These people have a romantic view of the early “the best” art, but in my opinion, they missing the evolution and mentioned before experience of an artist. Very strong both instrumentaly and lyrically song, well picked as one of the representatives long before the premiere of the album.
“Aryan Embarrassment” begins with a very controversial for many people words about Jews and nazis. For some people it can be strange kind of manifestation but if the listener will dive deeper and understand the massage, everything begins to make sense, it’s kind of a farce but also a hidden message. I think that if we’ll continue to go in many weird directions as a humanity, we can evoke the past and bring evil concept of nazism and proverbial ‘replacement by the nazis instead of Jews’ is painting bad future of the leading entities who supposedly can sort out the present problems and fix at least a little bit the system which is providing quality of life for all of us. The great Jello Biafra from the band Dead Kennedys is again a guest in Ministry’s camp and as always adding intellectual spice to already intellectually established Al’s lyrics. Strong messages are always coming when these two gentlemen are collaborating. The Aryan concept is mentioned which according to the artists here, is already spreading in the high units of power and most of the people could be so blind and doesn't see that this is happening already. There’s even the word “stupid” used for describing the masses and again, nothing is in the work to prevent it by us. Music is very distinctive in this song. It begins from a kind of a slow motioned guitars and progressing with a beautiful quite static and pompatic wall of instruments.
Another version of the 'TV Song' concept, which Al continues since the “Psalm 69 (The Way to Succeed and the Way to Suck Eggs)” - album from 1992. It’s a very fast paced composition with a repeating sentences which have straight forward information in Ministry's style. This is the sixth one in their discography and it’s called “TV Song 1/6 Edition”. As usually attacked and criticized by the singer - system and government’s figures - here as well from the beginning (original voice fragments of important persons like vice president) in lyrics a reminder that we still live in a similar rhythm of life being manipulated by the authority. But we have a choice: “You can be a hero or you can be a zero..”. Personally I think this is a message to a young generation, the thing is, we have to finally notice that and choose between free decisive world or being controlled as always and having no voice at all. The strength is in understanding and fighting in a smart way because we live in more open minded world, with more resources and mass surveillance but on some level - and abstractively - friendly for every mediocre person. The song, like I mentioned earlier is quite heavy and very rapid, kinda rhythm in a punk style, and thrashy riffs propelling the whole machinery in connection with lyrics, making the whole experience from listening very intense but in the same time fresh.
“New Religion” is in my opinion one of the best songs on the album. Heavy and regular strong riff with drums, like a tank opens the composition. Vocals and the way of Al’s expression is so energetic and fresh that listener can easily forget about how many albums Ministry had released and how much time passed in their career because sonically this song is very good. We can hear the band in this track with the straight forward message with the background music on the heavy and massive level. The words in this song are clearly pointing to the chaotic confusion which is like a malady everywhere now, but very dangerous. People are trapped in this new world where places like everyday jobs and any forms of bigger gatherings are treated as religious concepts. It’s paradoxically harder now when somebody’s world is falling apart and good life is turning with a blink of an eye into ruin because the choices then which has to be made by the person are complicated in terms of the type of people, corporation or institution whom will trust in eventually. We does not have easier life without the group of people we can operate with and which is supporting us on a daily basis or we are going against the grain and we can live but much harder although the benefits could be also valuable.
The song no. 7 is called “It’s Not Pretty” and is starting very interesting because of the acoustic guitar which is not something new for Ministry but rather rare. The lyrical content in this kind of apocalyptic sound which strings are emanating is, I have to say, continuation of the topic which seems to be refreshed here and put in a different perspective. The doom and gloom provided by the people who’s directing the governments and the biggest institutions is known for years but as technology progressing and we’re becoming smarter, in the same time we can with a blink of an eye destroy ourselves. The unpredictability of people on the highest levels is scary but, the very truth is that we are on the edge on some level and the proverbial Mad Max actually begun on the economical side and who gets more control from the big monarchies like China or the US in less developed countries. We live in a beautiful time but everyday we are progressing so much that our brains very often are not keeping the pace. On the musical side, like I mentioned before, after quite long but great acoustic entrance, composition is speeding up with a very pompous and rhythmic drums and solid but energetic guitars. Additional female secondary vocals in the end, nicely coronating the whole concept. In my opinion this is one of the best songs on the album. Production is so good and the twist from quite dark and slow beginning to a heavier part is very optimistic, even despite the message included.
“Cult of Suffering” is one before the last song on the LP and differentiates from the rest of the content. Beginning is very “sunny” because it starts from a nice and pleasant riff with a softer drums. It takes lyrically from the ideology of suffering, how we as a mankind still, despite progressing on so many fields, gripping to things which causing us pain and sadness, like for instance wars, present conflict on Ukraine etc. In choruses words “This is no happy place for me” speaks for itself. Despite the words, instrumentally is a very positive song, motivating in my opinion to act against evil dwelling and lurking in every corner, just waiting to unleash bad energy and create another reason for agony and malevolence. Also choral elements means - using multiply voices in refrains - employing more people to sing those parts in the song. That gives a new, fresh and splendid effect and overall result for the listener. Fairly, as a fan of Al Jourgensen’s work over the years, this is nice anthem for everyone who has any notion to change anything on this beautiful planet “Gaia” which we live on.
Closing composition on the album is a cover song by Fad Gadget from the year 198o titled “Ricky’s Hand” and it’s basically kind of way to express the concept of driving after drinking. There are many inclinations in the lyrics like “Six pints later he waved goodbye.. Slamming the door, he grasped the wheel” which pointing out what author was trying to portray through a metaphorical picture. Instrumental side is very interesting and interpreted as always by Al Jourgensen and the crew in a specific and individual way. It has a lot of 8o’s vibe because of the samples used and industrial atmosphere obviously. We can also hear very different singer’s voice but reminding of the tone of singing he had in early albums which 'die hard fans' will recognise in a second in my opinion. It’s very interesting, through all that Jourgenson have been through, drugs and other tribulations of life, on his 66 years old, he is still performing great and seems like he’s not even showing any signs to stop. I think this is a fantastic take on the song from 4o years back and amazing closing gate for this LP.
Overall experience from listening of the album, as a fan of the band, in as much as possible neutral way I would rate positively. Even for the one who is not into the “heavier” acts in music world I think will gonna find something fun for thyself. Like I mentioned before, years of recording and sacrifice of Al Jourgensen to the art of music is paying off in the big spectrum and painting great landscape, assuring enjoyable time spend exploring this LP by the listener.
Worth to try - for long term fans, but also for the beginners. Kids and adults, grab it, listen, enjoy!
Stay tuned for another review .. B) Peace and love!
