“How concerned are you?” asks a looped sample on “Alert Level”, the opening track on Ministry’s new album, and it is immediately clear that fans of the current economic and political status quo may not be the target market for this disc. That said, the optimal volume for playing Moral Hygiene would probably scare off most mainstream audiences too – as it really should be heard very loudly with the bass suitably jacked up for maximum enjoyment.
In fact, while other musicians like Eric Clapton, Van Morrison and Ian Brown embarrass themselves by releasing reactionary anti-vaxxer anthems, these industrial metalheads confront climate change, misinformed conspiracy theories, racial inequality and the impact of Covid-19 with howling guitars, pummelling drums, barked vocals and sharp and pertinent samples. For while Moral Hygiene is (relatively) more reflective and considered than 2018’s album of anti-love songs to Donald J Trump, AmeriKKKant, it still puts the boot in to those on the political right-wing and their economic allies in no uncertain terms.
“Good Trouble” with its thrash guitars and wailing harmonica rails against fascists like the Proud Boys and their supporters in the US police force, “Broken System” addresses environmental collapse via savage riffing and a jackhammer beat, while “Death Toll” heavily samples the deranged Covid-focused rantings of infamous televangelist Kenneth Copeland, backed by a grinding industrial throb. Elsewhere, Uncle Al’s collaborator from their Lard side-project, ex-Dead Kennedy Jello Biafra howls over the fierce riffing of “Sabotage is Sex” and “Believe Me” is a stew of twisted Trump samples that are sure to raise a smirk.
Moral Hygiene only drops the ball once, with a not terrible but neither essential nor even particularly interesting cover of Iggy and the Stooges’ “Search and Destroy”. However, given that this is Ministry’s fifteenth studio album, that’s really not a bad strike rate.
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