Hot on the heels of last year’s Squirrely Years deep dive into the early days of industrial superstars MINISTRY, Al Jourgensen’s youthful repertoire resurfaces once more with a supercharged remaster of a song known only from the band’s live show.
Remixed by Die Krupps mastermind Jurgen Engler, “Dancing Alone” originally appeared in the band’s live set in the aftermath of their debut album With Sympathy in 1982.
Yet it has little in common with the synth tones of that record, as Jourgensen struggled to free himself from the gravitational pull of “Work For Love” etc.
Instead, it points towards the dancier, heavier sound evinced on the singles that followed the band’s arrival at Wax Trax… in other words, the future starts here, even as the accompanying kaleidoscopic video transports you back to the early 80s club scene from which Ministry arose.
This is not the song’s first release. A straightforward live version of “Dancing Alone,” recorded in Chicago in 1982, appears on Ministry’s 2015 Trax! box set of rarities and unreleased material, and again on the Chicago/Detroit 1982 compilation.
Here, however, it has been brought solidly into the band’s future, a wild 177bpm electro stomp whose 4 minute running in time is jam-packed with raucous riffs, aggressive rhythms and a sassy Jourgensen vocal that is scarcely reconcilable with the familiar growl of later years.
Yet still it instantly identifiable, a magnificent missing link that recaptures the past, even as it then points you towards Ministry’s unforgettable future. The Squirrely Years roll on!
Post-industrial provocateurs Die Krupps are set to ignite stages across North America this summer as direct support for the legendary Ministry on their highly anticipated 2025 tour.
The bill also includes performances from My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult and Nitzer Ebb, and Die Kruups founder Jurgen Engler describes it as “The tour we have been awaiting for a long time.
“It’s the perfect package, a great line-up of bands, which for sure is exciting for the U.S. and Canadian fanbase, and for us! We have all met before in the past, so it will be like a one big happy family going out together.
“Also, Die Krupps haven’t done a full blown U.S/Canada tour in almost three decades. Now is the time for us to reconnect with our fans and show them that this band is far from retired! Hope to see you all soon, to the hilt!!!”
Just ahead of hitting the road, the band has unleashed their hypnotic new single, “Cinnamon Girl” — a dark, dirge-like homage to the sonic spirits of Neil Young (whose own “Cinnamon Girl” sounds nothing like this!) and Type O Negative.
Dripping in noir atmosphere and analog melancholy, the track also introduces the enigmatic Cinnamon Babe, a fast-rising star in the dark-pop underground whose voice floats through the song like smoke in a dim-lit motel room.
“‘Cinnamon Girl’is about memory, obsession, and the soft tragedy of stardom,” Engler continues. “We wanted it to feel like a furious version of that famous Blue Velvet backroom scene where Dennis Hopper is listening to ‘The Candy-Colored Clown Called The Sandman’.”
For more than four decades, Die Krupps have carved out a distinctive space in the modern underground. Originating from the same hometown as fellow robots Kraftwerk, blending brooding synths, jagged guitars, and dystopian visual aesthetics, their signature sound fuses electronic attacks with the visceral punch of Industrial Metal — a style critics have described as “what would happen if Bowie scored a horror film produced by Trent Reznor, if he was from Dusseldorf!
And, as “Cinnamon Girl” hits streaming platforms and Die Krupps take the stage with Ministry, fans can expect a thunderous live set soaked in high tension, lots of sweat, the notorious steelophone and electrified doom. Don’t miss it!
MINISTRY + DIE KRUPPS — 2025 TOUR DATES:
Apr 29 Tue The Van Buren @ 7:00 Pm Phoenix, AZ, United States
Apr 30 Wed Revel @ 7:00 Pm Albuquerque, NM, United States
May 2 Fri Emo’s Austin @ 7:00 Pm Austin, TX, United States
May 3 Sat House Of Blues Houston @ 7:00 Pm Houston, TX, United States
May 4 Sun The Factory In Deep Ellum @ 7:00 Pm Dallas, TX, United States
May 6 Tue The Eastern @ 7:00 Pm Atlanta, Ga, United States
May 8 Thu Sonic Temple Festival @ 12:00 Pm Columbus, OH, United States
May 9 Fri Riviera Theatre @ 7:00 Pm Chicago, IL, United States
May 10 Sat Masonic Temple Theatre @ 7:00 Pm Detroit, MI, United States
May 12 Mon Soundstage Presents @ 7:00 Pm Baltimore, MD, United States
May 13 Tue Franklin Music Hall @ 7:00 Pm Philadelphia, PA, United States
May 14 Wed Roadrunner @ 7:00 Pm Boston, MA, United States
May 16 Fri Brooklyn Paramount @ 7:00 Pm Brooklyn, NY, United States
May 17 Sat Mtelus @ 7:00 Pm Montreal, QC, Canada
May 18 Sun History @ 7:00 Pm Toronto, ON, Canada
May 20 Tue Palace Theatre @ 7:00 Pm Saint Paul, MN, United States
This Halloween, Cleopatra Records is thrilled to announce the signing of the legendary industrial band, MINISTRY, featuring key members Paul Barker and Al Jourgensen, for what is being declared the group’s FINAL studio album! And, as fans prepare to celebrate the spookiest season of the year, what better soundtrack than Ministry’s timeless anthem “Every Day Is Halloween”?
Brian Perera, President of Cleopatra Records, shared his excitement about the reunion:.
“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Ministry back home to Cleopatra. We’ve always taken great care of their classic Wax Trax! recordings, and now, as we reunite with Paul and Al, we’re ready to continue honoring and expanding their iconic legacy.”
Al says:
“Looking forward to how this new and FINAL Ministry record comes out. Turns out working with Paul is like riding a bike, you never forget how. Buckle up, this is going to be a good one
“It seems that everything has come full circle, with the re-inclusion of Paul for the FINAL record, it’s like wrapping a bow on a 40+ year career.”
And, from Paul:
“After a couple years apart, these new recording sessions started in our tried and true manner: we started going in opposite directions that circled around which inevitably forced us to meet in the middle, much like a particle accelerator!”
Ministry’s return to Cleopatra Records marks a new chapter for the band and their fans, with their highly anticipated last-ever album due in 2025. This release promises to capture the essence of Ministry’s groundbreaking sound while delivering fresh, innovative tracks that will resonate with both longtime followers and new listeners alike.
Stay tuned for more announcements and prepare to embrace the haunting sounds of Ministry this Halloween and beyond!
MINISTRYs 16th studio album HOPIUMFORTHEMASSES is out today via Nuclear Blast Records and streaming on all networks. After months of teasing album singles and videos for “Goddamn White Trash,”plus “Just Stop Oil,” and “B.D.E.” the six-time GRAMMY® Award-nominated multiplatinum act also has another new track out today with ´New Religion.´
See the music video for “New Religion” here:
Says band founder and leader AlJourgensen of the track, “All traditional faiths seem to pale in comparison to our new ‘Deity’ Media.”
Over the course of the album’s nine tracks, Jourgensen is righteously cantankerous as ever about a f***ed up world ripe for a boot up its ass. Like always, he’s merely looking around at the same dumpster fire we all are, but he’s got a microphone and uses it well to rage on about the state of the world.
Joined by Ministry’s current frontline of musicians – John Bechdel (keyboards), Monte Pittman and Cesar Soto (guitars), Roy Mayorga (drums) and Paul D’Amour (bass) – HOPIUMFORTHEMASSES also has a slew of special guest contributors including Gogol Bordello’s Eugene Hutz, long-time collaborator and LARD companion Jello Biafra and CORROSION OF CONFORMITY frontman Pepper Keenan.
HOPIUMFORTHEMASSES is now available in three vinyl variants, a CD jewelcase and via digital/streaming platforms. The vinyl variants include: green with yellow splatter (in stores everywhere); blue with pink splatter (nuclear blast exclusive); red with white splatter (band/tour exclusive).
Toxic misogyny, violence against women, and incels are the latest target Al Jourgensen takes aim at in the song ´B.D.E.´(aka “Big Dick Energy”) out today, including a spellbinding music video that draws the line on the poisonous behavior seen in both politics and everyday life in 2024.
The song’s whiplash riffs, barreling drums, punchy keys, and pummeling bass all come to a head in the thrash breakdown mid-song, putting the aggressive talents of Jourgensen and the full band — John Bechdel (keyboards), Monte Pittman and Cesar Soto (guitars), Roy Mayorga (drums) and Paul D’Amour (bass) — on full display.
Says Jourgensen of the track: “The incel subsect and general misogynistic tendencies in our society are dangerous yet seem to fly under the radar so we figured it’s time to shine a light on it. In true MINISTRY fashion we battle it with sarcasm”
´B.D.E.´ hails from MINISTRY’s upcoming 16th studio album
HOPIUMFORTHEMASSES (out March 1, 2024 on Nuclear Blast Records) and follows the release of earlier singles ´Just Stop Oil´ and ´Goddamn White Trash´ all of which give a preview of the state of mind of creator and band leader Jourgensen who is cantankerous as ever about a f***ed up world ripe for a boot up its ass. Like always, he’s merely looking around at the same dumpster fire we all are, but he’s got a microphone and uses it well to rage on about the state of the world.
Joined by MINISTRY’s current frontline of musicians, HOPIUMFORTHEMASSES also has a slew of special guest contributors including Gogol Bordello’s Eugene Hutz, long-time collaborator and Lard companion Jello Biafra and Corrosion of Conformity frontman Pepper Keenan.
Corporate greed. Sharky politicians. Climate out-of-control. Questionable government interests. All of it comes to a head in Al Jourgensen’s latest diatribe against the system, ´Just Stop Oil´.
The brand-new track – from MINISTRY’s upcoming 16th studio album HOPIUMFORTHEMASSES – is shared today alongside a visually stimulating music video that begs for action for the benefit of our collective future.
Says Jourgensen of the track: “MINISTRY approves this message and the movement behind it. ENOUGH is ENOUGH!”
´Just Stop Oil´ follows the release of earlier single ´Goddamn White Trash´ , both anchor tracks from HOPIUMFORTHEMASSES (out March 1, 2024 on Nuclear Blast Records) that give a preview of the state of mind of creator and band leader Al Jourgensenwho is cantankerous as ever about a f***ed up world ripe for a boot up its ass. Like always, he’s merely looking around at the same dumpster fire we all are, but he’s got a microphone and uses it well to rage on about the state of the world.
Joined by MINISTRY’s current frontline of musicians – John Bechdel (keyboards), Monte Pittman and Cesar Soto (guitars), Roy Mayorga (drums) and Paul D’Amour (bass) – HOPIUMFORTHEMASSES also has a slew of special guest contributors including Gogol Bordello’s Eugene Hutz, long-time collaborator and LARD companion Jello Biafra and CORROSION OF CONFORMITY frontman Pepper Keenan.
HOPIUMFORTHEMASSES will be available in three vinyl variants, a CD jewelcase and digital/streaming platforms. The vinyl variants include: green with yellow splatter (in stores everywhere); blue with pink splatter (nuclear blast exclusive); red with white splatter (band/tour exclusive).
Tracklist for HOPIUMFORTHEMASSES: B.D.E. Goddamn White Trash* Just Stop Oil Aryan Embarrassment TV Song 1/6 Edition New Religion It’s Not Pretty Cult of Suffering* Ricky’s Hand
MINISTRY will play the new songs live on a Spring 2024 North American tour, kicking off February 27, supported by Gary Numan and Front Line Assembly.
ABOUT MINISTRY
Born in 1981 in Chicago, MINISTRY has been the lifetime passion project of founder Al Jourgensen, considered to be the pioneer of industrial music. In its early days, MINISTRY was identifiable by its heavy synth-pop material in line with the new sounds and technology that were being developed in the ‘80s. MINISTRY’s output began with four 12” singles on Wax Trax! Records in 1981 before the first LP With Sympathy in 1983 via Arista Records. As time progressed however, so did MINISTRY, quickly developing a harsher, and more stylized sound that the band soon became infamous for on seminal albums Twitch (1986), The Land of Rape and Honey (1988), and The Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Taste (1989). With the release of Psalm 69: The Way to Succeed and The Way to Suck Eggs (1992), MINISTRY hit an all-time high in the mainstream musical realm and received its first Grammy nomination. In total, MINISTRY has been nominated for a Grammy award six times. Eight more albums would follow before an indefinite break in 2013, only to be unearthed again in 2018 with AmeriKKKant, continuing to reflect Jourgensen’s views on the frightening state of society and politics. The 2021 album Moral Hygiene marked a new creative era of Jourgensen and the band. MINISTRY’s 16th studio album, HOPIUMFORTHEMASSES, will be released in early 2024 via Nuclear Blast Records.
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