Industrial-rock pioneer Al Jourgensen, of Ministry and Revolting Cocks fame, has never been one to mince words, and he's not stopping with his latest project, Surgical Meth Machine. A metal-driven collaboration with his longtime engineer, Sam D’Ambruoso, SMM's self-titled debut album (out April 15 on Nuclear Blast) is a whiplash-inducing onslaught of no-holds-barred rants against everything from fickle fans and critics (“I'm Sensitive”) to clueless 1-percenters (“Rich People Problems”). Recorded at Jourgensen's home studio in Burbank, it's some of the most incendiary material he's ever recorded — and, as any Ministry fan knows, that's saying a lot.

“I found that it was really unburdensome to not have the Ministry moniker or expectations and just do something like whatever the fuck we want,” Jourgensen said of the project via a press release. “It's not gonna put bank in my wallet, but it was a lot of fun to do.”

For a little taste of the insanity, listen below to “Tragic Alert,” a furious critique of the 24-hour news cycle and its obsession with violence, terror and death. As the track advises, watch your head.

Nuclear Blast has released a series of video interviews with Jourgensen in which he discusses the project, describing it as literal “garage rock,” made at home on a shoestring budget, under the influence of alcohol and pot (his only remaining vices, after finally kicking heroin and various other substances). The “pot-influenced” half of the album slows down the breakneck tempos and even includes some of the most melodic, pop-oriented work of Jourgensen's career. “It's a very dichotomous record, but it's me, and I'm acknowledging everything that's been me through, like, the last 35 years,” he said. “Let's just throw my balls on the table and hope somebody doesn't have a meat cleaver.”

In the latest of the three videos, seen below, he talks about how SMM also pays tribute to longtime Ministry/Revolting Cocks guitarist Mike Scaccia, who died in 2012 and whom Jourgensen calls “probably the best shredder guitar player ever to walk this planet.”

For more on Surgical Meth Machine, visit the Nuclear Blast website.


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