Ministry

After spending four acidic years croaking out songs that damned George W. Bush and his administration, Al Jourgensen put his Ministry project to rest with the new album The Last Sucker plus this compilation of cover tunes, which was fittingly released on April Fools Day. If Sucker was the yin then Cover Up is the yang, with the reverence-free Ministry blazing through a set of classic rock favorites -- save the hilarious choice of "What a Wonderful World" -- in full-on destruction mode. Those familiar with the band's signature sound -- steely, gritty guitars, screaming vocals, and relentless drums/drum machines -- and aware of the original tunes have already heard the album in their imaginations. Save the repurposing of "What a Wonderful World" as an ironic epic, this is an absolutely surprise-free release and a welcome one because of it. As expected, the driving "Radar Love" threatens to come off the tracks when Ministry play it in thrash style, while a thunderous version of Deep Purple's "Space Truckin'" proves that cowbells really do have their place in industrial metal. The "Black Betty," "Mississippi Queen," and "Just Got Paid" trilogy adds up to a three-headed monster and leads into a set of tracks that longtime fans will know by heart. The main reason for the "Co-Conspirators" credit, "Supernaut" is an old chestnut from Jourgensen's 1000 Homo DJs project, and if "Lay Lady Lay" sounds a wee bit thinner than anything else here it's because it comes from 1995 and Ministry's album Filth Pig. Strange that the cover of "(Let's Get) Physical" from the Revolting Cocks side project is missing, but this is an otherwise perfect execution of a great idea and the best possible party record for those who are hellbound and loving it. [This edition of Cover Up released in Japan offers the band's version of the Beatles' "She's So Heavy/I Want You" as a bonus track.] ~ David Jeffries, All Music Guide