Music News
Ministry, Green Jelly, Helmet, Suicide Machines, Otep show review
Ministry, Green Jelly, Helmet, Suicide Machines, Otep show on 7/17/2016
At The Agora Theater in Cleveland Ohio
Review by George Archibald
Photos by Josh Drespling
Sunday July 17th was a very politically charged night in Cleveland. On our way up to see Ministry, Green Jelly and Otep at the Agora in Cleveland Ohio for the night, the police had already barricaded off several streets in the wake of the Republican National Convention which was to kick off first thing Monday morning. Each of these bands have been known in the past to be very outspoken and wanted to present their opinions on stage this very night.
Kicking things off host Jello Biafra appeared on stage clad in a flag designed top-hat and flaming American flag socks to address the crowd and introduce the acts. Otep was the first of the major performers to take the stage. Otep delivered a very adrenaline charged stage show which was paired with her interaction with the crowd. Otep spoke of her disapproval of Trump and her support of the 49 killed in Orlando, dedicating a song to the fallen that night.
Switching things over to the Agora Ballroom, Suicide Machines took the stage after another brief introduction by Biafra. This punk quartet from Detroit came down for basically beer and a good time as quoted by their vocalist, Jason Navarro. Suicide Machines were very active jumping into the crowd, and often induced shout outs and punk rock sing-alongs with members of the crowd during their fast paced punk driven songs.
Helmet took the stage and seemed to bring a center to a really politically charged show. Page Hamilton paced through the hits that made Helmet a household name in the late nineties/early 2000s. The band announced that there was a new album to be released later this year with the newer members to the lineup.
Green Jelly were the headliners of the Ballroom stage, bringing a lighter note to the show. Singer Bill Manspeaker even announced he wasn’t really big into the politics but came to have a good time and bring the party, and bring the party he did. Asking for 20 volunteers before his set, the stage was adorned with his overloaded band, 4 guitar players, 2 bass players and a drummer along with Manspeaker, and 20 Metal Punk Puppets also joined the band in its punk fused chaos. The band played “Three Little Pigs” and also followed it up with “The Bear Song” during their set which ended up becoming venue sing-a-long with Manspeaker leading the charge.
Closing the night off Jello Biafra addressed the crowd once more asking them to educate themselves and form their own opinions on this upcoming presidential election before the iconic Ministry took the stage. Father Al and band came on staged adored with Anonymous masks made famous from the film V of Vendetta. Video of Donald Trump being spoofed could be seen in the background as Ministry preformed their blend of Industrial metal. Al Jourgenson proved that he can still deliver on a show even after going 20 years strong. Jourgenson even picked up a guitar to play with the band on “N.O.W.” and “Just One Fix” for the night.
In the wake of the evening it was a really good show. The crowd behaved itself for the night and no one got majorly injured. Each act was able to display their opinion on the oncoming convention, and I think the crowd even got a bit of an education from the show.
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Music News
CREED GREATEST HITS VINYL
Creed who just recently reunited and about to embark on tour. Re-Released their 2004 Greatest Hits on Vinyl. It’s got a nice clean look and sound to it. It comes with 2 vinyls and has 13 tracks. The thing I found interesting is that in the song “What’s this Life For” the God of Goddamn is edited off the track.
The vinyl comes in many variants from Walmart and Target. If you are a fan of Creed this vinyl is a must in your collection . Go buy the vinyl and go check out Creed when they come to a city near you.
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Music News
N.a.s.H. “Vox Populi”
NY. Rock and Roll band N.a.s.H. Have just put out a new single “Vox Populi”. If you’re into good ole rock and roll that’s gritty and fun this band is someone to check out. It’s very “commercial” rock like in the style of band like Creed and Nickelback, which isn’t a bad thing if you’re into that. The video has a cool silhouette style to it and is a fun song.
THIS IS A SPONSORED REVIEW BROUGHT TO YOU BY TAG PUBLICITY
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CD Reviews
Ministry – HOPIUMFORTHEMASSES
As we near the collapse of mankind and the imminent doom of our political system, a perfect stage has been set for the outspoken rebels to flood the airwaves with dissident upheaval bathed in musical bliss. With the end looming, no greater landscape could welcome the reemergence of the enigmatic Al Jourgensen and company with their latest release, HOPIUMFORTHEMASSES, via Nuclear Blast Records. Scheduled for a March 1st 2024 release, Uncle Al, along with guitarist Cesar Soto, Paul D’Amour, formerly of TOOL, on bass, John Bechdel on keys, Roy Mayorga (ex-STONE SOUR) on drums, and newly added guitarist Monte Pittman, form the current incarnation of the long-lived Ministry.
This album is an open-book commentary on our American society at large, bathed in slow-burn angst and distortion injected with punk rock/thrash riffs and samples galore.
Within the opening seconds of track one, a female voice proclaims, “What was once forbidden becomes fringe, and what was once fringe becomes mainstream.” Soon Al’s vocals take over with a distorted and effect heavy declaration of “horny little boys filled with hormones and hate, waging war on women ‘’cause they can’t get a date,” thus laying the groundwork for the entire album. As “B.D.E.” (Big Dick Energy) continues, a heavy yet simplistic guitar riff drives the song forward while increasing the energy level and tempo. Al’s vocals continue with his immediate, recognizable attitude and tone, stating, “No one can justify the toxic behavior.”
“Goddamn White Trash” is perhaps the most accessible and rythematic song on the release. It has hints of the Psalm 69 days of the band. Chants of “USA, USA” ring out along side screeching guitar noise reminiscent of Mike Scaccia’s playing style.
Track three is titled “Just Stop Oil,” and it dives into yet another realm of political advocacy. Jourgensen delivers, “Dehumanization at a cellular level. Policy set by the corporate devils, There must be resistance, we cannot be silenced, There is the existence of possible violence” in a growled whisper.
On the track “Aryan Embarrassment,” we are treated to a none-more-fitting guest appearance from what I believe is activist and Dead Kennedys front man Jello Biafra, who delivers a rap-style series of vocal lines backed by a driving rhythm. Jello wails, “How on Earth did all this happen? Plagues of militantly stupid” Followed by “Scamming on the punk scene. Oi, oi, oi. Ain’t proud of you boys at all.”
Another standout track is “New Religion” which starts with a classic industrial riff and buries itself in the repetitive, slow-burn heaviness that has become the Ministry standard as of late. Followed by “It’s Not Pretty,” which opens as a haunting acoustic piece that I imagine being set in a post apocalyptic landscape with the reverberating lyrics “It’s not pretty. This is the end of the world to me. This is the end of society.”
“Cult of Suffering” strays from the format of the balance of the album and could be firmly placed on an Alabama 3 album, and it may feel at home on a Surgical Meth Machine release.
Rounding out the album is a little ditty called “Ricky’s Hand.” This is a synth pop throwback to the early days of Ministry and leaves us longtime fans eager to hear the longtime teased rerecording of some of the very early Ministry material. This track has a Devo, Information Society, and even Depeche Mode feel to it and is a perfect bookend to a solid release from an iconic band.
Ministry will be on tour throughout the summer with Rob Zombie, Alice Cooper and Helmet.
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