Relapse (Ministry album)
Encyclopedia
Relapse is the twelfth studio album by industrial metal
band Ministry
, to be released on March 30, 2012 through 13th Planet Records
. It was recorded in the wake of their three year hiatus from November 2008 to August 2011.
, marking the longest gap, to date, between their studio albums. The band previously broke up in 2008 and Jourgensen had since stated that a reunion would never happen. In the November 2008 issue of Hustler Magazine
, Jourgensen said that the reason they were breaking up was that they "take up so much time" as well as the hassle of getting out new albums. He also said he was responsible for six other bands and can get seven albums done a year while not working on new Ministry material.
Ministry ended their hiatus on August 7, 2011, when it was announced that they were going to play at Germany's Wacken Open Air
festival, set to take place August 2-4, 2012. Later that month, Jourgensen told Metal Hammer
that Ministry had begun work on Relapse, which they hope to release by Christmas. Regarding the sound of the new material, he explained, "We've only got five songs to go. I've been listening to it the last couple of weeks and I wasn't really in the mood, I was just taking it as a joke. Just to pass the time at first but [Mikey's] raving about it. It's like, dude c'mon, this is not about Bush, so… that parts over. The ulcers are gone and Bush is gone so it's time for something new. I think this is actually gonna wind up being the fastest and heaviest record I've ever done. Just because we did it as anti-therapy therapy against the country music we would just take days off and thrash faster than I've done in a long time, faster than Mikey's done in a long time. He just did a Rigor Mortis
tour and said it was easy compared to this Ministry stuff so it's gonna be brutal and it's gonna freak a lot of people out."
Ministry announced on their website that they entered the studio on September 1, 2011 with engineer Sammy D'Ambruoso to begin recording Relapse. The album will be released on March 30, 2012.
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...
, to be released on March 30, 2012 through 13th Planet Records
13th Planet Records
13th Planet Records is a record label founded by Ministry frontman Al Jourgensen and his wife, Angelina Jourgensen in 2004. In addition to its function as an artist-run, artist-friendly independent label, 13th Planet encompasses several realms of the music industry including artist management,...
. It was recorded in the wake of their three year hiatus from November 2008 to August 2011.
Background
Relapse is Ministry's first studio album featuring original material since 2007's The Last SuckerThe 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....
, marking the longest gap, to date, between their studio albums. The band previously broke up in 2008 and Jourgensen had since stated that a reunion would never happen. In the November 2008 issue of Hustler Magazine
Hustler
Hustler is a monthly pornographic magazine aimed at men and published in the United States. It was first published in 1974 by Larry Flynt. It was a step forward from the Hustler Newsletter which was cheap advertising for his strip club businesses at the time. The magazine grew from a shaky start to...
, Jourgensen said that the reason they were breaking up was that they "take up so much time" as well as the hassle of getting out new albums. He also said he was responsible for six other bands and can get seven albums done a year while not working on new Ministry material.
Ministry ended their hiatus on August 7, 2011, when it was announced that they were going to play at Germany's Wacken Open Air
Wacken Open Air
Wacken Open Air is a summer open air heavy metal music festival. It takes place annually in the small town of Wacken in Schleswig-Holstein, northern Germany...
festival, set to take place August 2-4, 2012. Later that month, Jourgensen told Metal Hammer
Metal Hammer
Metal Hammer is a monthly heavy metal music magazine published in the United Kingdom by Future Publishing, and in several other countries by different publishers. Metal Hammer articles feature both mainstream bands and more unusual acts from the whole spectrum of heavy metal music...
that Ministry had begun work on Relapse, which they hope to release by Christmas. Regarding the sound of the new material, he explained, "We've only got five songs to go. I've been listening to it the last couple of weeks and I wasn't really in the mood, I was just taking it as a joke. Just to pass the time at first but [Mikey's] raving about it. It's like, dude c'mon, this is not about Bush, so… that parts over. The ulcers are gone and Bush is gone so it's time for something new. I think this is actually gonna wind up being the fastest and heaviest record I've ever done. Just because we did it as anti-therapy therapy against the country music we would just take days off and thrash faster than I've done in a long time, faster than Mikey's done in a long time. He just did a Rigor Mortis
Rigor Mortis (band)
Rigor Mortis is a speed metal band that formed in 1983. Two schoolmates Harden Harrison and Casey Orr formed the band when they met Mike Scaccia . The three young men shared an interest in horror/gore films and very heavy music. With Bruce Corbitt on vocals they created some of the heaviest...
tour and said it was easy compared to this Ministry stuff so it's gonna be brutal and it's gonna freak a lot of people out."
Ministry announced on their website that they entered the studio on September 1, 2011 with engineer Sammy D'Ambruoso to begin recording Relapse. The album will be released on March 30, 2012.