Houses of the Molé
Encyclopedia
Houses of the Molé is the ninth studio album by industrial metal
band Ministry
. The album was released on June 21, 2004 internationally and a day later in the United States
through Sanctuary Records
.
trilogy, followed by 2006's Rio Grande Blood
and 2007's The Last Sucker
. It was released in the run up to the 2004 American presidential elections
, with George W. Bush being president at the time of its release. All songs start or contain the letter "W" in their title. The first track on the album, "No W
", features numerous satirical samples of Bush's speeches, particularly samples in which he spoke of his war on terror
.
The musical style of the album is more speed metal
-oriented than Ministry's previous releases.
Al Jourgensen
has stated that the name Houses of the Molé is a tribute to the Houses of the Holy
album, released by Led Zeppelin
in 1973. Molé
itself is a Mexican sauce made from chocolate that is nearly black in color, an image that Jourgensen believes represents crude oil.
This was the first and so far only Ministry studio album to not chart on the Billboard 200. Due to slow sales, the band left Sanctuary.
Houses of the Mole is also noteworthy for being the first Ministry LP not to feature longtime collaborator Paul Barker
since Twitch in 1986. It is also the first album to use Ministry's new logo as well as their first with Mike Scaccia
on guitar since 1996's Filth Pig
.
Industrial metal
Industrial metal is a musical genre that draws from industrial music and many different types of heavy metal, using repeating metal guitar riffs, sampling, synthesizer or sequencer lines, and distorted vocals. Founding industrial metal acts include Ministry, Godflesh, and KMFDM.Industrial metal's...
band Ministry
Ministry (band)
Ministry is an American industrial metal band founded by lead singer Al Jourgensen in 1981. Originally a synthpop outfit, Ministry changed its style to industrial metal in the late 1980s. Ministry found mainstream success in the early 1990s with its most successful album Psalm 69: The Way to...
. The album was released on June 21, 2004 internationally and a day later in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
through Sanctuary Records
Sanctuary Records
Sanctuary Records Group Limited was a record label based in the United Kingdom and a subsidiary of Universal Music Group. Until June 2007, it was the largest independent record label in the UK and the largest independent music management company in the world...
.
Album information
The album is the 1st part of the band's anti-BushGeorge W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
trilogy, followed by 2006's Rio Grande Blood
Rio Grande Blood
Rio Grande Blood is the tenth studio album by industrial metal band Ministry, released in 2006. It is their first release through 13th Planet and Megaforce Records.- Overview :The album is the 2nd part of the band's anti-George W...
and 2007's The Last Sucker
The Last Sucker
The Last Sucker is the eleventh studio album by industrial metal band Ministry, released in 2007 through 13th Planet Records. For three years until their reformation in 2011, it was band's last studio album featuring new material....
. It was released in the run up to the 2004 American presidential elections
United States presidential election, 2004
The United States presidential election of 2004 was the United States' 55th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2004. Republican Party candidate and incumbent President George W. Bush defeated Democratic Party candidate John Kerry, the then-junior U.S. Senator...
, with George W. Bush being president at the time of its release. All songs start or contain the letter "W" in their title. The first track on the album, "No W
No W
"No W" is a single by industrial metal band Ministry. The song was the first single from their 2004 album, Houses of the Molé.-Versions:...
", features numerous satirical samples of Bush's speeches, particularly samples in which he spoke of his war on terror
War on Terror
The War on Terror is a term commonly applied to an international military campaign led by the United States and the United Kingdom with the support of other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation as well as non-NATO countries...
.
The musical style of the album is more speed metal
Speed metal
Speed metal is a sub-genre of heavy metal music that originated in the late 1970s from NWOBHM and hardcore punk roots. It is described by Allmusic as "extremely fast, abrasive, and technically demanding" music....
-oriented than Ministry's previous releases.
Al Jourgensen
Al Jourgensen
Alain David Jourgensen , is a Cuban-American musician best known as the founder and frontman of the industrial metal band Ministry. He is sometimes credited as Alain Jourgensen, Alien Jourgensen, Hypo Luxa , Dog, Alien Dog Star and Buck Satan...
has stated that the name Houses of the Molé is a tribute to the Houses of the Holy
Houses of the Holy
Houses of the Holy is the fifth studio album by the English rock band Led Zeppelin, released by Atlantic Records on 28 March 1973. The album title is a dedication by the band to their fans who appeared at venues they dubbed "Houses of the Holy". It was the second Led Zeppelin album to not...
album, released by Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
in 1973. Molé
Mole (sauce)
Mole is the generic name for a number of sauces used in Mexican cuisine, as well as for dishes based on these sauces...
itself is a Mexican sauce made from chocolate that is nearly black in color, an image that Jourgensen believes represents crude oil.
This was the first and so far only Ministry studio album to not chart on the Billboard 200. Due to slow sales, the band left Sanctuary.
Houses of the Mole is also noteworthy for being the first Ministry LP not to feature longtime collaborator Paul Barker
Paul Barker
Paul Barker , also referred to as Hermes Pan, is the former bass guitarist, producer and engineer with the industrial metal band Ministry from 1986 to 2004...
since Twitch in 1986. It is also the first album to use Ministry's new logo as well as their first with Mike Scaccia
Mike Scaccia
Michael "Mike" Scaccia is an American musician, best known as the lead guitarist for the metal bands Ministry, Rigor Mortis, and The Revolting Cocks.- Professional life :...
on guitar since 1996's Filth Pig
Filth Pig
Filth Pig is the sixth studio album by industrial metal band Ministry, released in 1996 on Warner Bros. Records. The title was allegedly derived from a statement made in the British Houses of Parliament, where bandleader Jourgensen was described as a filthy pig by MP Teddy Taylor...
.
Track listing
- "No WNo W"No W" is a single by industrial metal band Ministry. The song was the first single from their 2004 album, Houses of the Molé.-Versions:...
" – 3:24 (Al Jourgensen) - "Waiting" – 5:02 (Al Jourgensen, Mike Scaccia, Max Brody)
- "Worthless" – 4:09 (Al Jourgensen)
- "Wrong" – 4:54 (Al Jourgensen, Mike Scaccia, Max Brody, John Monte)
- "Warp City" – 4:01 (Al Jourgensen, Mike Scaccia, John Monte, Mark Baker)
- "WTV" – 4:25 (Al Jourgensen, Mike Scaccia, Max Brody)
- "World" – 5:13 (Al Jourgensen)
- "WKYJ" – 5:14 (Al Jourgensen, Mike Scaccia, Max Brody)
- "Worm" – 9:11 (Al Jourgensen, Mike Scaccia, Max Brody)
- "Psalm 23" – 5:41 (Al Jourgensen)
- "Walrus" – 2:43 (Al Jourgensen)
Ministry
- Alien JourgensenAl JourgensenAlain David Jourgensen , is a Cuban-American musician best known as the founder and frontman of the industrial metal band Ministry. He is sometimes credited as Alain Jourgensen, Alien Jourgensen, Hypo Luxa , Dog, Alien Dog Star and Buck Satan...
- vox, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s (1-4, 8, 9), bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(1, 7, 8), de-programming, slide guitarSlide guitarSlide guitar or bottleneck guitar is a particular method or technique for playing the guitar. The term slide refers to the motion of the slide against the strings, while bottleneck refers to the original material of choice for such slides: the necks of glass bottles...
(5), harmonicaHarmonicaThe harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
(9), productionRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music... - Mike ScacciaMike ScacciaMichael "Mike" Scaccia is an American musician, best known as the lead guitarist for the metal bands Ministry, Rigor Mortis, and The Revolting Cocks.- Professional life :...
- lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
(1-3, 8), guitars, bass (2, 6, 9), background vox (5, 9) - John MonteJohn MonteJohn Monte is the bassist for Evan Seinfeld's new band, The Spyderz. He was a bassist for M.O.D., Mind Funk, Ministry, Revolting Cocks, Human Waste Project and a guitarist for Dragpipe and Handful Of Dust. John can often be seen at Lakeland Baseball Academy in Lakeland, Florida.- References :...
- bass (3-5), background vox (5) - Mark Baker - drums (3-5), percussion (3), background vox (5)
Additional personnel
- Max BrodyMax BrodyMax Brody , is an American musician based outside of Austin, TX, best known as the one-time percussionist/saxophonist for the hard rock band Ministry.- Biography :...
- programmingProgramming (music)Programming is a form of music production and performance using electronic devices, often sequencers or computer programs, to generate music. Programming is used in nearly all forms of electronic music and in most hip hop music since the 1990s. It is also frequently used in modern pop and rock...
(2, 6, 7, 9), drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
(8), saxophoneSaxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
(9), background vox (9) - Angie Jourgensen - background vox (5, 9)
- Odin Myers - background vox (5)
- Carl Wayne - background vox (5)
- Kol Marshall - B3 organ (8, 9)
- Turner Vanblarcum - DJ voice (8)
- Lawton Outlaw - original cover, inside tray art, art direction, design
- Paul Elledge - photographyPhotographyPhotography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
- Rey WashamRey WashamRey Washam is a drummer who has been performing for more than 20 years. He has collaborated with many bands, the most notable of which include: Scratch Acid, Rapeman, Ministry, the Big Boys, Helios Creed, the Didjits, Lard, and Tad and Butthole Surfers offshoot Daddy Longhead...
- drums (uncredited)
Chart positions
| Chart (2004) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| French Albums Chart Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique The Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique is the inter-professional organization which protects the interests of the French record industry... |
162 |
| UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
135 |