Ministry - Rantology Ministry

A bruising anti-establishment statement that hammered away at George W. Bush’s America lyric by lyric and song by song, Rantology finds Al Jourgensen staying firmly on message. Released in 2005, the album uses a mishmash of remixed classics, live material and one new song, Great Satan.

Jourgensen creates a shrill blast of aural protest art throughout. Every track is contextualised to embarrass, vilify and indict Bush in the court of Uncle Al. The famous “I’m George W. Bush, and I approved this message” campaign tag opens the set, matched to a remix of No W by Molé. Later, Bush is heard reciting Psalm 23 over a swirling Wagnerian chorus and steadily building tension.

The original N.O.W. is remixed here too, updated to include both President Bushes over jagged percussion and Jourgensen’s proto-metal yawp. Stigmata and Jesus Built My Hotrod are also revisited on Rantology, though Jourgensen wisely doesn’t alter them too heavily. They were already dirty and vicious enough.

Since retooling Ministry as a culture-war battering ram, it’s been Jourgensen’s angriest words and hardest beats that resonate most. The three live selections from 2002’s Sphinctour are suitably loud and more than a little unsettling. World changers, bad livers and progressive punks rejoice: Ministry’s pissed-off stamina has not abated.

Rantology will now be released for the very first time on translucent red vinyl as a limited numbered edition of 1,500 copies.