From Beer to Eternity
| From Beer to Eternity | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by Ministry | ||||
| Released | September 6, 2013 | |||
| Recorded | December 2012 – March 2013 at 13th Planet compound, El Paso, Texas | |||
| Genre | Industrial metal, thrash metal | |||
| Length | 54:43 | |||
| Label | 13th Planet | |||
| Producer | Al Jourgensen, Sammy D'Ambruoso | |||
| Ministry chronology | ||||
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| Singles from From Beer to Eternity | ||||
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From Beer to Eternity is the thirteenth studio album by industrial metal band Ministry. It was released on September 6, 2013, by 13th Planet Records.[1] Due to the death of guitarist Mike Scaccia in December 2012, frontman Al Jourgensen decided to disband Ministry once again,[2] making From Beer to Eternity their final album, although the band has since been active again and Jourgensen has stated that there may be a follow-up to this album.[3]
The first single from the album, "PermaWar", was released by the iTunes Store on August 9, 2013.[4]
Background and recording
In December 2012, Ministry frontman Al Jourgensen, guitarists Mike Scaccia and Sin Quirin, bassist Tony Campos, and drummer Aaron Rossi entered studio sessions and worked on the rough tracks for 18 songs at Jourgensen's 13th Planet Records compound in El Paso, Texas. The sessions turned out to be fruitful, with Jourgensen noting, "We have never, in the history of Ministry, ever had a tracking session like that before. Everything went so smoothly, it was surreal."[5][6]
Three days after the band had completed the sessions, Scaccia, whom Jourgensen described as the driving force behind the record, died onstage playing with his band Rigor Mortis, due to a sudden heart attack brought on by previously undiagnosed heart disease. Following a funeral in Dallas, Jourgensen and co-producer Sammy D'Ambruoso spent three months in studio to put the final touches on the album.[6]
Artwork
The cover art and accompanying artwork was created by photographer Allan Amato. The artwork features seven female models, who act as sexualized and "monster-ified" personifications of seven deadly sins. On the artwork, Al Jourgensen stated:
The Seven Deadly Sins is the intention and the women are not really women. If you look at them, they're not some hot models—I mean, they started out that way, but we completely mutated them just to parody the entire sexuality thing...I guess I'll be taking some heat for being a misogynist by carrying seven women in a bag like they're groupies or something. If I ever saw a groupie look like that on my bus, I guarantee my road manager would have them off the bus within a minute, so it's not a sexual thing. And it's certainly not misogynistic.[7]
The album artwork and the title were mocked by Josh Modell of the A.V. Club.[8] In response and as a joke, Ministry posted new cover artwork, titled Whole Lotta Glove.[9]
A behind-the-scenes video, depicting the creation of the artwork, was released on June 28, 2013.[7]
Track listing
All lyrics written by Al Jourgensen[10].
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Hail to His Majesty (Peasants)" | Al Jourgensen, Sin Quirin | 5:17 |
| 2. | "Punch in the Face" | Jourgensen, Quirin | 5:00 |
| 3. | "PermaWar" | Jourgensen, Quirin, Mike Scaccia | 4:56 |
| 4. | "Perfect Storm" | Jourgensen, Quirin | 4:56 |
| 5. | "Fairly Unbalanced" | Jourgensen, Quirin | 4:15 |
| 6. | "The Horror" | Jourgensen, Sammy D'Ambruoso | 3:33 |
| 7. | "Side F/X Include Mikey's Middle Finger (TV4)" | Jourgensen, Scaccia | 5:14 |
| 8. | "Lesson Unlearned" | Jourgensen, Quirin, Scaccia | 3:16 |
| 9. | "Thanx but No Thanx" | Jourgensen | 8:21 |
| 10. | "Change of Luck" | Jourgensen, Quirin, Scaccia | 7:16 |
| 11. | "Enjoy the Quiet" | Jourgensen, Quirin | 2:39 |
Total length: |
54:43 | ||
| Best Buy Deluxe edition | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
| 12. | "PermaWar Remix" | Jourgensen, Quirin, Scaccia | 7:23 |
| 13. | "Thanks for the Dub Remix" | Jourgensen | 4:53 |
Total length: |
66:19 | ||
| LP edition | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
| 12. | "Punch in the Face Remix" | Jourgensen, Quirin | 7:58 |
Total length: |
62:01 | ||
Samples
- "Thanx but No Thanx" makes use of William S. Burroughs's poem "A Thanksgiving Prayer", as read by Sgt. Major, who also appeared on Ministry's tenth studio album Rio Grande Blood (2006).[10]
Personnel
Ministry
- Al Jourgensen – vocals (1-5, 7-10, 12-14), guitars (1, 3, 8-10, 12, 13), keyboards (1, 3, 10, 12), harmonica (3, 12), programming (6), bass (9, 13), production, mixing
- Mike Scaccia – guitars (3, 7, 8-10, 12), bass (3, 12, 13)
- Sin Quirin – guitars (1-5, 8, 10, 12, 14), keyboards (1, 2, 14), synthesizer programming (2, 10, 14), bass (2, 14), drum programming (10)
- Tony Campos – bass (1, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10)
- Aaron Rossi – drums (2, 8, 14), drum programming (8)
Additional personnel
- Sammy D'Ambruoso – keyboards (1), drum programming (1-5, 7, 8, 10, 12-14), synthesizer programming (2, 3, 12, 14), programming (6), backing vocals (10), noises (11), remix (12-14), engineering, production
- Aaron Havill – theremin (4), synthesizer programming (4, 8, 10), programming (6), sampling, synthesizer, backing vocals, engineering, second engineering
- Patty Fox – backing vocals (8, 10)
- Sgt. Major – spoken word (9, 11, 13)
- Hector Muñoz – backing vocals
- Matt Bridges – backing vocals
- Allan Amato – artwork
- Angelina Jourgensen – executive production
- Dave Donnelly – mastering
Chart positions
| Chart (2013) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200[11] | 140 |
| Billboard Hard Rock Albums[12] | 7 |
| Billboard Independent Albums[13] | 27 |
| Billboard Top Rock Albums[14] | 42 |
References
- ↑ "Ministry: More 'From Beer To Eternity' Album Details Revealed". Blabbermouth.net. June 18, 2013. Retrieved August 17, 2013.
- ↑ "Al Jourgensen Announces the End of Ministry". Ultimate-Guitar.com. March 29, 2013. Retrieved August 17, 2013.
- ↑ "Al Jourgensen Talks Surgical Meth Machine, Hating Facebook + New Ministry Album Possibility". Loudwire.com. 14 April 2016. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
- ↑ Hartmann, Graham (August 9, 2013). "Ministry unleash new 'From Beer to Eternity' single 'PermaWar'". Loudwire. Retrieved August 26, 2013.
- ↑ Hartmann, Graham (June 18, 2013). "Ministry announce release plans for 13th studio album 'From Beer To Eternity'". Loudwire. Retrieved August 25, 2013.
- 1 2 Adams, Gregory (June 18, 2013). "Ministry Detail 'From Beer to Eternity,' Reveal New Live DVD and Al Jourgensen Biography". Exclaim!. Retrieved August 25, 2013.
- 1 2 Hartmann, Graham (June 28, 2013). "Ministry's 'From Beer To Eternity' photo shoot highlights seven deadly sins – exclusive video". Loudwire. Retrieved August 25, 2013.
- ↑ Modell, Josh (June 18, 2013). "What's worse, the title of the new Ministry album or its cover art?". The A.V. Club. Retrieved August 25, 2013.
- ↑ Modell, Josh (June 21, 2013). "The cover art for Ministry's new album will change because The A.V. Club made fun of it, report Al Jourgensen's dogs". The A.V. Club. Retrieved August 25, 2013.
- 1 2 Wiederhorn, John (March 2013). "Ministry's last stand brings Al Jourgensen 'From Beer to Eternity'". Vice. Retrieved August 25, 2013.
- ↑ "Ministry charts - Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved November 11, 2013.
- ↑ "Ministry charts - Hard Rock Albums". Billboard. Retrieved November 11, 2013.
- ↑ "Ministry charts - Independent Albums". Billboard. Retrieved November 11, 2013.
- ↑ "Ministry charts - Top Rock Albums". Billboard. Retrieved November 11, 2013.