Ministry: Sphinctour (2002)

Just perfect...

It is not deep, but it is fun to watch. It does have a bit more of an edge to it than other similar films.

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

Having been to so many metal and hardcore concerts, plus having seen so many concerts on tape or DVD, there isn't much that can excite me anymore - or so I thought, until this little thing fell into my hands. This is hands down the best live recording I've ever seen. It may strike the fan/viewer as a little unusual at first, the fact that the audio track is accompanied by scenes from at least half-a-dozen different gigs, so that each track seems like a well-edited MTV video. But, strangely enough, it works! Al is a very charismatic frontman, and unlike any I've ever seen. He does a lot of drugs and drinks a lot, and yet he manages to pull off all these shows...Of course, Ministry being one of my favourite bands certainly has something to do with my opinion here. The sound that Jourgenssen and co. manage to create on all their tours is something the vast majority of bands can only dream about. Plus, Ministry isn't your run-of-the-mill metal band: they're thrash, industrial and alternative all mixed in to create, for me at least, the heaviest band I've ever heard. The track listing is pretty good, too, which is essential. There are only 2 or 3 tracks here that I don't like. Which brings me to the only drawback, if one can really call it that: the fact that the tour took place in '96, before they wrote and released other great tracks. Hence, even though this DVD came out in 2002, one should not be surprised that terrific "songs" like "Rio Grande Blood", "Lies", "Bad Blood", or the openers of "The Houses of the Mole" and "Animositysomina" aren't here.You might notice a brief appearance by Tim Leary, in his soon-to-be-dead phase. The reason for this is that Al Jourgenssen is a Marxist junkie with delusions of beatnik "grandeur". Hence his obsession with Left-wing ideas and his ultra-obsession with both Bushes, junior and senior. Just goes to show you how little musical talent has to do with a person's I.Q.... An example: in a recent song, Al writes about poor little Venezuela (and its sweet innocent dictator Chavez) having to watch their backs because they refuse to "sell blood for oil". Jourgensen is practically an imbecile.For more of my music-world rants, go to: http://rateyourmusic.com/collection/Fedor8/1