Date Released: 15/04/2016
Label: Nuclear Blast
“Surgical Meth Machine” CD//DD//LP track listing:
1. I'm
Sensitive (4:10)
2. Tragic
ALert (3:36)
3. I Want
More (3:51)
4. Rich
People Problems (3:06)
5. I Don't
Wanna (3:19)
6. Smash and
Grab (2:49)
7.
Unlistenable (4:54)
8. Gates of
Steel (2:46)
9. Spudnik (2:33)
10. Just Go
Home (2:51)
11. Just
Keep Going (1:03)
12. I'm
Invisible (5:01)
The Review:
Having the opportunity to get my hands on Al Jourgensen’s new
project, Surgical
Meth Machine and review it presented an interesting quandary for me:
Do I review it and focus on the good aspects? The ripping speed, the furiously
fast pace, the undeniable industrial roots, indeed Al had said in a
Blabbermouth interview earlier this year, “…it’s like I literally just put my
foot on the gas pedal for this record.” I really didn’t know what to
expect. Ministry,
Al’s former glory, is an interesting beast in and of itself, spanning decades,
many albums, a massive fan base, and just as much polarity towards the band as
one would expect. With the death of guitarist Mike Scaccia during the
wrap up of Ministry’s
2013 album, “From Beer to Eternity”,
nobody, perhaps including Al himself, knew if the projects would go on, but Al
took to the helm to present something different, a new project. From
these efforts we get Surgical Meth Machine, an album that is just
as confusing as it is break neck.
Starting the album off, “I’m
Sensitive” introduces the listener to the very familiar drone note on top
of a quick paced unchanging industrial sounding rhythm. It goes on to
deliver the full force of older Ministry as Al goes off on a diatribe of how
he simply does not care about your feedback, your criticisms, your
reception….he doesn’t care. Listening to this it’s hard not to develop
the opinion that this is simply the steam of an artist who has made enough
acclaim to be able to release whatever they want simply because. I would
like to emphasize, however, that it is the lyrical content and themes that
allow that feeling. The music is completely solid. As the album
continues and you are bombarded with “TRAGIC ALERT…TRAGIC ALERT…”, and
the next track breaks away and is carried with that token fast paced drum
programming that we know and love Al for. The word “EXECUTION” is shouted
constantly and I’m reminded heavily of the Suicidal tendencies. Frankly I could see
Al donning a bandana for the song….ok maybe not, but the ST vibe is almost undeniable.
About two minutes into “Tragic
Alert” the beat slows into a small break down of sorts, but quickly revamps
with the anger and ferocity of industrial metal.
“I Want
More”
brings back the vocal filters that you might have heard Al use for albums like Ministry’s
“Psalm 69”. In fact, I could
see this track following “Just One Fix”;
however a guitar solo a little ways in reminds us that this is Surgical Meth
Machine and not Ministry, but It kills just the same. No
breaks, no stops, no mercy. “Rich
People Problems” seems to be a hot air track; it’s amusing, but nothing more.
“I Don’t Wanna” gives us
nostalgia for Lard
as it features guest vocalist and former collaborator Jello Biafra .
It also ties in strangely to the former track, “Rich People Problems”, in that it seems
to exemplify issues that well to do people might have. “I
don’t wanna go to your funeral, I just wanna cash my check…” Life
can be really hard sometimes I guess…
Marking the halfway point of the album, “Smash and Grab” actually reminds me a reasonable amount of Static X,
though it seems to be more of a fill junk track than anything else. The
lyrics literally tell you, “Don’t listen to this, it’s nothing at all,
it don’t mean a thing, blah blah blah blah blah…” It’s a jamming’
track, but I just wonder what the point of it actually was. Track seven, “Unlistenable”, I read elsewhere, is
just that. That wasn’t quite my take on it but I will stand behind the
notion that it’s a more experimental track. Those are my nice words, but,
as we learned with the first track, Al does not care anymore.
I have highlighted some of my favourite tracks here, rather
than an exhaustive track by track review but after all is said and done, what
the hell am I supposed to make of Surgical Meth Machine?? I enjoyed it
more than not, and it’s not my intention to be critical, but I sincerely think
that this album was an enjoyable personal effort from an artist that is clearly
telling people that there are much better things to worry about than the tract
of a given musician. The lyrical content belittles society and
exemplifies the little hills that we create mountains out of. If you are
expecting a return to the glory days of Ministry you will be let down. If you
buy the album because it says featuring Jello
Biafra then you are a sap and will be let down. If you buy
this album because you simply wanted to hear it, to hear what Uncle Al is doing
with his time these days then you might be let down, but I really do think that
for the solid fans of Al’s former work across the board, there are many
redeemable qualities to be had. I’d give it a firm 7 out of 10. But
what do I know? People don’t pay me for my opinions. I just review
albums and shit. FFO Ministry, Al Jourgensen, Lard, Dead Kennedys, Suicidal Tendencies,
thrash metal.
