After thirty years and 12 albums, as well as a near-death experience in 2010, Jourgensen rises as a phoenix from the ashes with Relapse - still angry, still political, and very, very pissed off. Relapsing back into the music industry after a four-year hiatus, Jourgensen launches his audio assault with "Ghouldiggers," a no-holds-barred metal bullet aimed directly at the pitfalls of the industry he has survived.
Everything he predicted on Houses of the Molé, Rio Grande Blood and The Last Sucker has transpired, and as we approach the Mayan calendar of the End of Days in 2012, Jourgensen - reinvigorated by the global 99 Percenters and Occupy Wall Street movement - navigates through Relapse once again as a reluctant prophet accusing, dissecting, cajoling and exhorting greed, corruption and lies.
Among the album's 11 standout tracks, Jourgensen reached back to his punk rock roots for Ministry's cover of S.O.D's "United Forces" - a track written 20 years ago that is still relevant today as a call to arms for those who feel disenfranchised by the "system" as it stands.
Cited as the driving force behind a cross-section of metal genres and acts - from industrial band Nine Inch Nails to thrash artists Static X and nu-metal's Korn, Linkin Park, Slipknot and Limp Bizkit - and the recipient of six Grammy Nominations for Best Metal Performance, Jourgensen returns with his greatest achievement to date with Relapse.
Relapse Track Listing:
1. Ghouldiggers
2. Double Tap
3. FreeFall
4. Kleptocracy
5. United Forces
6. 99 Percenters
7. Relapse
8. Weekend Warrior
9. Git Up Get Out 'N Vote
10. Bloodlust
11. Bloodlust - Lust For Blood Remix (Deluxe Edition)
Jourgensen also recently announced Ministry's 2012 DeFiBrilLaTouR in support of Relapse. Beginning June 17, the band launches an eight-week audio/visual assault across the U.S. and Europe, including headline shows at Wacken Open Air, Woodstock Poland, Brutal Assault in the Czech Republic, Tuska Open Air in Finland, Dour Festival in Belgium, Sziget Festival in Hungary and for the first time in the band's 30+ year history, they will be performing in Moscow and St. Petersburg, Russia.
Ministry's touring line-up includes Al Jourgensen (frontman/vox/guitars), Mike Scaccia (Ministry/Rigor Mortis) guitars, Casey Orr (Rigor Mortis) bass, John Bechdel (Ministry/Killing Joke/Fear Factory) keyboards, AAron Rossi (Ministry/RevCo) drums and Sin Quirin (Ministry/RevCo) guitars. Soulfly bassist Tony Campos will not be performing due to scheduling conflicts.
Ministry's 2012 DeFiBrilLaTouR:
U.S. Dates:
6/17/2012 Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
6/21/2012 Los Angeles, CA @ Club Nokia
6/23/2012 New York, NY @ Best Buy Theater
6/28/2012 Chicago, IL @ The Vic Theatre
6/29/2012 Chicago, IL @ The Vic Theatre
European Dates:
7/1/2012 Helsinki, Finland @ Tuska Open Air Fest
7/4/2012 Oslo, Norway @ Rockefeller
7/6/2012 Gavle, Sweden @ Getaway Rock Festival
7/8/2012 Hamburg, Germany @ Docks
7/10/2012 Leipzig, Germany @ Werk 2
7/12/2012 Tilburg, Netherlands @ O13
7/13/2012 Belgium @ Dour Festival
7/16/2012 Bristol, UK @ Academy
7/17/2012 Belfast, Ireland @ Mandella Hall
7/18/2012 Dublin, Ireland @ Vicar Street
7/20/2012 London, UK @ The Forum
7/21/2012 Manchester, UK @ Academy
7/24/2012 Madrid, Spain @ Riviera
7/25/2012 Bilbao, Spain @ Rockstar
7/27/2012 Selstat, France @ L'Art Scenique Festival
7/28/2012 Paris, France @ La Cigale
7/29/2012 Etaple, France @ Rock en Stock Festival
7/31/2012 Luzern, Switzerland @ Konzerthaus Schurr
8/2/2012 Pniewy, Poland @ Woodstock Open Air
8/4/2012 Wacken, Germany @ Wacken Open Air
8/6/2012 Munich, Germany @ Backstagewerk
8/8/2012 Budapest, Hungary @ Sziget Festival
8/9/2012 Czech Republic @ Brutal Assault Festival
8/11/2012 Moscow, Russia @ Moscow Arena
8/12/2012 St. Petersburg, Russia @ Glav Club
Tickets for all U.S. and some European DeFiBrilLaTouR dates are available for sale now. Check www.facebook.com/ministry for more information on tickets and VIP packages.
PRE-ORDER Relapse on iTunes here
DIGITAL SINGLES now available:
"99 Percenters" - purchase here
"Double Tap" - purchase here
Check out a series of webisodes documenting the making of Relapse at:
