Industrial Devil-ution: Decades Of Metal And Madness
Industrial Devil-ution: Synth Wave, Metal and Suburbia Melodrama Madness
Written By: Vinnywyz
Industrial Devil-ution. For better or for worse, as some arguments from musician and fan perspectives reflect from decades of collective experiences, digital music is here to stay. I myself can’t fathom a day 1 without Apple Music, Pandora or YouTube. Some even point to the lasting satiating effect of self entertainment through hand-held media as a key reason for lesser number of resident DJ events at clubs and bars. Kids seem to get their own engines revving for the weekend through self styled playlists anymore.
It truly has changed the face of music, it’s enjoyment and the diversity of its impact in our celebrated black flag counter-culture.
The beauty of an instant update web of believers is that we can stay glued together, informed and notified of events, new albums and upcoming concerts with a very swift en masse effect. No wrinkles to iron or discrepancies past 1st attempt to pass word. The bands post on their personal website and all the social media collectively quite easily and the entire fan base is up-to-date in no time at all. Tickets can be purchased instantly as well.
Devil In The Details
Let’s examine the mere fact that we are hardly at the completion of only our 1st decade of digital media being the staple and core of our entertainment. It may seem like ages ago that we scooped our favorite bands new albums upon the usual Tuesday weekly release at our local record stores, but so much has changed in a short 10 years, my friends. Napster was essentially a failed effort through now antiquated dial up that we all may erroneously (in my opinion) affiliate with Metallica pissed over nothing, but as with any industry it takes money to make money.
In the middle of this huge digital transition, note bands from each genres and their respective movements. And scenes have learned to adapt and keep up with these changes so the fanbase feels adequately plugged in. The digital-download age surely ushered in a huge momentum of energy and a new pace all together.
It’s as if bands can pick up and put back down their projects and the pace at any given time, and not disappear from fans by keeping fans posted through the likes of Facebook, Instagram or even Tom’s ‘ol MySpace sitting pretty for strictly the aim of promoting musical careers nowadays. The musical journey overall is an interactive experience that bonds the bands and fans together as family.
The hyper-active diligence of the Industrial movement has been arms wide open and moving full force with these changes. In this article, it brings me much pleasure and personal pride to place Uncle Al(ien) Jourgensen on the platform and admonish his impact through pioneering Industrial Music. He spearheaded a silencing of critics in a highly proficient and braveheart fashion, by making the audience of Earth a believer by answering questions we were always afraid to ask about the critics.
Being blatantly anti-Xtian, admirers of gore and goth, sex drugs and rock and roll, and unafraid or unashamed to be labeled taboo, profane or Satanic is a proud tradition nowadays. This is thanks in no small part to Uncle Al, The Godfather. Remind yourself the teenage obscure years of discovery at your first parties and hearing metal and industrial for the first time while checking out the drug cocktail samples getting passed around. The moments we found an avenue and got our first rope to swing on.
History Of Today
The name of his very unusually 1st band itself, Ministry, tells an untold story already seen clearly. He more or less stapled himself a general and front line anti-political figure against the tyranny of the white collar pious hypocrisy we saw on a fuller scale through Regan-omics and the Bushwacker family. That title Ministry affiliates with the British office Prime Minister in a nomenclature sense. Versus the TBN horseshitting Xtian ministry that plays guilt trips in our minds. With videos of starving children overseas who take pledge money to buy their Rolls Royce’s and silk suits.
Don’t miss the obvious, these preachers spent thousands to travel overseas to videotape ill starving children being swarmed by insects – but had an adverse effect because they didn’t resolve the reason these tribes and nations were impoverished. They long added insult to injury.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=siDbs2sLpJM
Believe it or not, folks, supporting our musicians by attending concerts and buying albums promotes these hard working musicians and their cause, which includes government and social society reform. They mean what they say and say what they mean. The music aims to build family and community so we don’t blindly lean on a government with ill wishes. This is the Uncle Al that is always right there waiting, a reality embracing role model.
Ministry began in the early 80s as a descendant of the British new wave synth pop movement.
The Medellin cartel and public introduction of ecstasy had a world gone crazed for another dose, and ecstatic crowds filled dancehalls night and day all across the land. Post Vietnam War celebrations were crude and raunchy with middle fingers raised.
The more Goldie, Grandmaster Flash and Afrika Bambaataa the better. The Art of Noise certainly led the way through their breakthrough production and engineering sciences (or arts rather, hence the band name), spawning the model example of British neighbor Alan Parsons in a unique direction of electronic sampling and instrumental music. Industrial music typically by nature includes electronica, sampling, dark techno and/or hard rock, if not metal.
Uncle Al had a statement to make with a passion and stance to make with a fervor. He’s always been a man with his mind made up. The reprieve he offered to the likes of punk music fanatics and early metal enthusiasts who walked the Darkside is a splendid favor that can’t be repayed. The Misfits and Ramones were roughly 5 years into their career, who started the same time as AC/DC and Motörhead. Metallica and Anthrax started circa same precise time as Ministry. Rock was rolling harder and the electric hellfire in electronica was showing a heavier mean streak. Fellow Industrial founding members KMFDM (celebrating their 35th year with a new album “Paradise” releasing this September) founded 1984, hailing from Germany with luscious cold, dark electro-thrash Metal. To this day their harmonics are remarkably unchanged.
Decades Of Decadence
By the end of the decade, Aliens true Dark temperament and mindset reflected clearer in his music on album The Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Taste (‘88). Slayer was by then 4 albums into the swing of things, and Ministry picked up the pace right alongside them raising their horns in the air. The crowd was getting more hostile and less remorseful. Grunge and hard rock from Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden were taking over FM radio and the likes of NWA, Ice T and Eric B and Rakim sheltered and spined our ghettoes.
The norm was getting dick-kicked while we stood in awe of our “newfound” freedoms that we didn’t realize were in our possession all these years. Nine Inch Nails walked into the world at the end of the 80s with a helluva attitude joining the Industrial movement. Not to mention Pantera made its splash entering the 90’s.
Lollapalooza and Vans Warped Tour, as well as FreakNik and other nationwide renegades, kept the juice flowing. No restraint or remorse. Objections were objected to. George HW Bush was rather puzzled we had the game figured out and our shit together. People with great careers were no longer all a part of the pipeline of ass kissers and sellouts. The Joe Blow not-so-great American tradition was exposed as such.
This was pinnacled in the early 90s by both Uncle Al and Rage Against The Machine. Zach De La Rocha kicked in the door and kept fist fucking their mouths shut the fuck up. And the masterpiece we all awaited upon, Ministry album Psalm 69. By now Ministry is touring the globe and selling out large arenas non stop. Records are platinum and the bewildered long hair Devil Al Jourgensen was a household name in the homewrecker game. Everyone’s to-go-to guy.
Ministry had a select few musical hiatuses throughout the next decade, but all with great intentions of bolstering their platform and purpose. Darkside of the Spoon and Houses of the Mole were 2 of the works released mid 90s to mid 2000’s.
The Further You Look Into The Past..
Houses of the Mole has a gorgeous track layout with all the names of its tracks starting with the letter “W” in dishonor of George W Bush. By now Al’s High octane passion was full fledged metal. Balls to the wall bat out of hell. “Beer To Eternity” in 2013 seemingly muzzled critics for good as Uncle Al crossed his 30 year benchmark. The latest Ministry album “AmeriKKKant”, released 2018, brings us yet more stout inspiration and guidance through a tyrannical tirade from the White House, this time Trump and the gang.
Ministry discipled, trained, and influenced many bands such as Fear Factory, Static X, and other Industrial acts. Nine Inch Nails and KMFDM are 2 of these bands as well. He also has launched several projects and bands through his 13th Planet camp, including PigFace, Revolting Cocks and BuckSatan and the 666 Shooters. Machine Head, Coal Chamber, Sepultura and Soulfly, Butthole Surfers, Tool and Korn all tell you the same thing – life isn’t the same thanks to Uncle Al, let alone the music industry.
Ministry still tours and produces new albums so please get down with the sickness and join the renegade parade.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gQGm9zvI-ic
To all who have fought alongside Uncle Al all these years on the platform, hellafied extra special thanks! Wax Trax in Chicago , 13th Planet and the Texas posse, and Nuclear Blast Records, thank you! Stephen George, Mikey Scaccia (RIP), Jello Biafra, Bill Rieflin, Paul Barker… anyone I didn’t list or In Case You Didn’t Feel Like Showing Up!
