Ministry Releases "Twilight Zone" Music Video; New Album 'Amerikkkant' Out Friday, March 09

Alison Bauer

'Amerikkkant' Album Promo; Al Jourgensen photographed by Phil Parmet courtesy of Nuclear Blast

Ministry drops AmeriKKKant on Friday, March 09 via Nuclear Blast Records, heralding their newest contribution to fans and society at large since 2013; this will be their 14th studio album since the band's conception in 1981. There are three AmeriKKKant singles and music videos publicly available: "Twilight Zone" (02.27), "Wargasm" (01.26) and "Antifa" (12.11.17)." To actively support, fans can Pre-Order here.

Against a skyline of intruding jet planes, AmeriKKKant's album artwork portrays the New York Statue of Liberty shunning her face in shame gripping the Constitution decimated by bullets. What would be of Ministry if not benevolent (synonym: philanthropic), bold and rebellious?

Ministry is the lifetime project of Cuban-American vocalist and founder Al Jourgensen, who is credited for pioneering industrial metal by producing Ministry's third studio album, 'The Land of Rape and Honey' (1988), via Sire Records. In 1981, Ministry initiated their career signing with WaxTrax Records, "A Chicago label dedicated to industrial music." According to the sub-genre industrial metal records, other pioneering artists at the time included Faith No More (1979), Metallica (1981), Danzig (1987), Godflesh (1988) and Nine Inch Nails (1988), while later on: Fear Factory (1989) and Korn (1993).

Al is admired as a role model and an adamant political activist. In a recent (12.20.17) interview with Rolling Stone the headline announces, "Al Jourgensen on new Trump-Era LP" while the sub-headline reads: "Metal pioneer looks back on nearly four decades of music and radical politics."

Commenting to the Rolling Stone, emphasizing altruism within the power of one's artistic platform and famous for leaking discrepancies in politics; Al jokes: ""Here we go again. I have to do another anti-fascist record. Hello? Anybody out there?"

On the Ministry biography records, Al is described as: "well read and articulate on subjects ranging from politics to alien conspiracies to American history to his beloved Chicago Blackhawks / Bulls / White Sox / Bears."

Additionally, the idea for AmeriKKKant was first developed on November 9th, 2016, more commonly remembered as the day after the last U.S. Presidential Elections (09.08.16); [Al] proclaiming, "We are making a f*cking album - right now."

Current members include guitarists Sin Quirin & Cesar Soto, bassist Tony Campos (Fear Factory, Static X), keyboardist John Bechdel (Killing Joke, Fear Factory, live scratcher DJ Shadow (Beck, The Crystal Method) and drummer Derek Abrams. 

Gif: "Antifa" MV | AmeriKKKant

---

"Twilight Zone" 

Within press of this release, Al Jourgensen explains, "Our government and planet is under attack. It's time for a major reboot."

​Thank you, "Twilight Zone" and Ministry; Literal tears were racing down my cheeks. You'll hear a warped, "Make America Great Again" transition to a floating TV remote, golf ball, a police baton and bullet in comedic yet sorrowful alignment with a deep, beautiful string solo by guest artist Lord of the Cello,  scratched soulfully by DJ Shadow.

As the drums kick in, the police barricades Ministry behind a barbed wire fence, political media footage is intercut across TV displays;  Al 's lyrics are first muted as if speaking through an Anonymous filter. Feelings hit close to the heart when Al breaks into a solo with the harmonica.

Also according to press, the anarchist-clad audience members in the music videos are an "army of Ministry supporters who participated in the band's PledgeMusic pre-order campaign."

Around the 6:20Min mark, you'll encounter an ayahuasca-inspired trip at a campfire amongst the wild, with nature protector Gray Wolf, (President of the American Indian Movement.

Produced by Chris Roth and Steve Roth from The Other House, the glossy and modern VFX homage to the band's 80's and 90's film-era glitch editing is outstanding and phenomenal. Chris comments in the MV press, "I'm a life-long fan of the band and very politically active. This was - an outlet for much of my pent up aggression and frustration regarding the current state of politics in our country."

"Twilight Zone" Lyrics
"I remember waking up on November 9, 2016 and feeling a little bit nauseous
It felt like descending into a bottomless pit on a high speed rail 
Careening head first into the unknown;
 
Disgusted and depressed
We know the world is just a mess
Distortion of reality
The truth is under arrest;
 
This is the Twilight Zone;
 
Confusion and consent 
Has always been their intent
Destruction of society
Unless we dissent."

---

Behind The Scenes of 'AmeriKKKant'

For articulate context on the album and to hear a public dissertation by Al Jourgensen, look no further than the AmeriKKKant Behind-the-Scenes video available here or linked above released by Nuclear Blast.

In this video, Al explains, "As a society, we're not pulling our weight. The value system and morality system is completely out the window, it's all about the monetary system. It's what every action is based on and it's not cool. You make bad mistakes as a human being when you're chasing the green dragon -  the almighty dollar; and when that's the motivating factor in your actions, that's why we end up with people like Trump."

Ministry's album Psalm 69 (1991) features "N.W.O."  dedicated to George H.W. Bush while the album Houses of the Molé (2004) released "No W" regarding the reign of former's son, George W. Bush.

---

"Wargasm"

"Wargasm" Lyrics:
"Death power and sex
These are the things that we do best
Which country wants it next;"

---

"Antifa"

​"Antifa" Lyrics:
"Antifa is coming for you they won’t survive
We’re not snowflakes we are the Antifa"

---

Current Ministry Tour Dates:

MARCH 2018
22  House of Blues, Anaheim, CA | 23  Ventura Theatre, Ventura, CA
24  Brooklyn Bowl, Las Vegas, NV | 26  Ace of Spades, Sacramento, CA
28  Roseland Theatre, Portland, OR | 29  Vogue Theatre, Vancouver, BC  CANADA
31  Union Hall, Edmonton, AB  CANADA


APRIL
 1   Palace Theatre, Calgary, AB  CANADA |   3   Wilma Theatre, Missoula, MT
 5   Bourbon Theatre, Lincoln, NE | 7  Riviera Theatre, Chicago, IL
 8   Turner Hall Ballroom, Milwaukee, WI | 10  Bogart’s, Cincinnati, OH
11  20 Monroe Live, Grand Rapids, MI | 12  Egyptian Room, Indianapolis, IN
14  Opera House, Toronto, ON  CANADA | 15  MTelus, Montreal, QC  CANADA
17  Royale, Boston, MA | 18  Aura, Portland, ME
19  Paramount Theatre, Huntington, NY | 21  Wellmont Theatre, Montclair, NJ
22  Town Ballroom, Buffalo, NY | 23  Rams Head Live, Baltimore, MD
25  Center Stage, Atlanta, GA | 26  Hard Rock Live, Orlando, FL
28  Levitation Festival, Austin, TX