Ministry's 14th record, and first on Nuclear Blast, should be a no-brainer, a furious screed against Donald Trump and the alt-right set to the industrial metal sound that Ministry perfected decades ago. Frontman Al Jourgensen has trod this territory many times before, sampling George H.W. Bush's voice into "N.W.O." back in 1992, and dialling things up on 2006's Rio Grande Blood, which featured another George Bush claiming to be a "brutal dictator."
On Amerikkkant, it's possible that Jourgensen let his anger get in the way of his musicianship. The samples have become almost overpowering, turning tracks like "Twilight Zone" and the eponymous title track into right-wing media mashups. The rhetoric is past expiry too, cycling through familiar slams on "fake news" and "MAGA" which, while still relevant, felt old this time last year. It's low-hanging fruit, surprising from a singer who is usually one of metal's most biting social critics.
Al Jourgensen's signature vocal bark remains unchanged, but things have slowed down musically. Fans of Ministry's lightning-fast thrash moments will be disappointed by the record's grinding pace, making Fear Factory singer Burton C. Bell's guest spot on "We're Tired of It" an instant highlight. However, it can't save Amerikkkant from feeling like Ministry's potential is locked in second-gear. Al Jourgensen has the passion and the intent, now all he needs are the songs.
