MINISTRY - review added 11th September 2009
Album Review: The Last Dubber (2009)
For fans of: Industrial Metal... and remixes
Following the lead of Prong's recent remix album Power Of The Damn MiXXXer, and presumably any other remix albums before that, The Last Dubber is a collection of remixed tracks from Ministry's 2007 release, The Last Sucker.
Ministry themselves are no more after main man Al Jourgensen decided to end the band before they got old and cr*p, so this is either a cynical attempt at extracting more money from die-heard fans, the start of a new series of remix albums, an excuse to indulge in past glories, or a combination of all three.
The Last Sucker was the final part of a trilogy of albums based around the general incompetence and retarded nature of George W. Bush. You get the impression Al is not a fan of the former U.S. leader. Making 3 albums in his (dis)honour is more than generous...
I haven't had the pleasure of hearing The Last Sucker so can't compare it to the remixed version here. The tracks are very industrial and remixed...which is kind of what you'd expect. There isn't much that jumps out and grabs your throat - to be honest a lot of the album is just noise - so it is only going to appeal to a certain percentage of the population who don't expect their albums to contain music.
The amusingly titled 'The Dick Song' has a few nice riffs buried beneath it's metallic surface, 'Death & Destruction' is like having a cymbal repeatedly smashed against the side of your head in the middle of a steamy jungle. The George Dubya samples are amusing though. 'End Of Days' part's 1 and 2 are about as close as The Last Dubber gets to appealing music. They almost provide listening pleasure, but are ultimately too busy and crackle-filled to be enjoyable.
Ministry are a band with a big following, although they are not an act I've ever got into. There's nothing here that's going to change my mind...although, as this is a mere remix album, it would be unfair to let it tarnish their overall reputation.
Check out... 13th Planet Records - Big Al started the company with his better half.
Track List:
01. Let's Go (La Fin Du Monde Mix)
02. Watch Yourself (The Clock Strikes Thirteen Mix)
03. Life Is Good (Neuroplasticity Mix)
04. The Dick Song (Straight Outta Lincoln Mix)
05. The Last Sucker (Icke Mix)
06. No Glory (Sandpaper Condom Mix)
07. Death & Destruction (A Vote of Non-Confidence Mix)
08. Die In A Crash (Point Of Impact Mix)
09. End Of Days Part 1 (One Less Sparrow Mix)
10. End Of Days Part 2 (Extreme Mayan Makeover Mix)
11. Let`s Go (Dawn Of Oblivion Mix)
Label: 13th Planet Records
Artist's website(s): Ministry , MySpace
