
Ministry may have started as a synth-pop group. But by the time they were unexpectedly lodged into the mainstream consciousness, the band received the tag “industrial metal”, and a variety of imitators quickly sprung up. Ministry’s albums are ranked as some of the best in the genre.
Part of the way that Ministry achieved this success was simply by pushing the brash sound of industrial rock and the band’s occult-inspired or humorous themes to their limits. Few were willing to go as far or sink as deep as Al Jourgensen. In him, the group had a classic entertainer, albeit also a mysterious, misanthropic figure.
Ministry’s impact on alternative music cannot be understated. It goes far beyond steampunk goggles and gnarly body modifications. That’s why I’m packing my top hat, braiding my hair, preparing for doomsday, and ranking Ministry’s album discography from worst to best.
Ministry Albums Ranked from Worst to Best

“With Sympathy” (1983)
Ministry may be famous for sounding like metalheads and looking like bikers. But on their debut, “With Sympathy,” the band was chasing synth-pop glory. And who could blame them?
From the look to the sound, the first version of the band had the right elements for pop stardom. Memorable songs are, unfortunately, the one thing that’s in short supply.
There’s still some darkness here, sure. But “With Sympathy,” overall, is a stylish attempt at MTV recognition. It’s an album on which Al Jourgensen is still struggling to find a direction.
“Work for Love” and “I Wanted to Tell Her” will surprise even the most diehard fan.
“AmeriKKKant” (2018)
One thing is for certain after hearing “AmeriKKKant” – Al Jourgenson is not using his interest in politics in order to run for office.
In fact, if President Bush annoyed Jorgenson, the election of Donald Trump simply baffles him, as songs like “Victims of a Clown” attest.
“AmeriKKKant” is not the most carefully crafted record, but it still fits into Ministry’s discography and in their frontman’s nihilistic worldview.
“Relapse” (2012)
Serious illness and the growing threat of global capitalism couldn’t keep Ministry away. In fact, Jorgenson takes it as his mission to fight both with the sonic barrage of “Relapse.”
The musical formulas are different. But while the record is just as angry as anything that’s been released baring the Ministry banner, there’s a sense of control, even restraint, about “Relapse.”
“Ghouldiggers” and “Double Tap” are designed as would-be anthems for a new generation of anti-government protesters and late-night dance club aficionados.
“Twitch” (1986)
By the time of “Twitch,” the group had discovered Level 242 and sampling. These revelations made Ministry abandon synth-pop altogether, like would-be industrial rock prophets chosen for a mission of violent riffs and cacophonous noise. They weren’t the first to do this. But they were willing to go farther than their peers while still retaining some of the pop sensibility of their debut.
You can hear many of the band’s trademark sounds on “Twitch.” The result, however, is still tame by Jourgensen and Paul Baker’s terrifying standards.
“Over the Shoulder” and “The Angel” are nice experiments. “Twitch” quickly gained a cult following and set the stage for Ministry’s future experimentation with industrial metal.
“Animositisomina” (2003)
With a reputation firmly established and little left to prove, Ministry returns to its brutal, metal-inspired sound for “Animositisomina.”
This means, of course, that the majority of the band’s fans have more familiar elements to soak up. It also means that Jorgenson has finally stopped fighting Ministry’s inevitable success with a particular niche demographic, the kind for which Burning Man is the equivalent of Christmas and Berghain is Buckingham Palace.
‘Animosity” and the cover of Magazine’s “The Light Pours Out of Me” are some of the best tracks off “Animositisomina.”

“Moral Hygiene” (2021)
“Moral Hygiene” offers a surprising ray of light in the Ministry’s discography. Al Jorgenson is just as angry with the world around him. But now he believes that people may be able to change it for the better.
No, rest assured. There are no hippie anthems here. But songs like “Alert Level” or “Sabotage is Sex” help make this some of the best material that Ministry has put out in a long time.
“From Beer to Eternity” (2013)
“From Beer to Eternity” carries both the tradition of humorous parody album titles and violent-sounding electro-metal.
Jourgenson works best when he has an enemy to square against. This time it’s religion, special interest groups, and, of course, the U.S. government.
“Hail to His Majesty (Peasants)” and “The Horror” show that the artist and his associates have done no mellowing with age. Prizefighters eventually call it a day, but not these folks.
“Rio Grande Blood” (2006)
General fans of Ministry were never in for the ride, hoping for subtlety. With this in mind, “Rio Grande Blood” did not disappoint them.
“Rio Grande Blood” is a sequel to “Houses of the Molé.” Thematically it’s another record fiercely criticizing the U.S. presidency of George W. Bush, an institution that had plenty of contesters worldwide.
It may not be as musically innovative as previous releases, but for pure aggression, “LiesLiesLies” or “Fear is Big Business” certainly get the job done. And, well, let’s just say that time hasn’t improved the general reputation of Al Jourgenson’s political enemies.
“The Land of Rape and Honey” (1988)
In an era where guitar-based metal bands were obsessed with outdoing each other, Ministry proved with “The Land of Rape and Honey” that samples and drum machines could be the heaviest of all sonic devices. Seriously, death metal bands must have heard this and felt like folk singers.
This was Ministry’s breakthrough. And they didn’t arrive at this sound by mere strategizing. Brutal, extreme experimentation of all sorts was required to produce the band’s apocalyptic but danceable artistic vision. The album should’ve gone out with an IOU form with every copy sold to members of Nine Inch Nails, Marilyn Manson or Rammstein.
“Stigmata,” “The Land of Rape and Honey,” and “Deity” made them a sensation with both critics and deviants of all sorts. Ministry was on its way.
“Houses of the Molé” (2004)
Two of the things that MInistry always had were a sense of humour and a sense of conspiracy-powered doom. Both those passions are entertained on “Houses of the Molé.”
But this is precisely what makes “Houses of the Molé” a good record—Al Jourgenson’s bitter hatred of authority, particularly of the U.S. government, powers the album. It’s a great addition to Ministry’s discography.
“No W” and “Warp City” sound as chilling as the military conflicts and media manipulation Jorgenson is singing about.
“The Dark Side of the Spoon” (1999)
Of all the famous industrial metal bands, Ministry certainly had the most humour. “The Dark Side of the Spoon” may be a nod to its group leader’s drug addiction. What it is not is a consistent collection of songs. However, it is made close to the band’s Golden Era, and a sense of purpose still makes its way onto the recordings.
However, this time around, Ministry is also not sitting still. The group features less barked vocals. Instead, there are more synths and more attempts at humour as in Jourgensen’s excellent side-project, Revolting Cocks.
“Bad Blood” and “Supermanic Soul” are highlights of “The Dark Side of the Spoon.”
“The Last Sucker” (2011)
Planned, initially as a farewell album, “The Last Sucker” sees Jourgenson’s Ministry giving his final verdict on George W. Bush’s America: it’s a dark circus, and he’s not amused anymore.
“The Last Sucker,” “Let’s Go” and “No Glory” are fine examples of Al Jourgenson’s ideas at this time. But their psychotic cover of “Roadhouse Blues” might have been the most appropriate way to bow out.
“Filth Pig” (1996)
In the time that he’d been away, industrial music had acquired even more fans, but Jourgensen sounds like he’s lost some of his interest on the album “Filth Pig.”
Like “Psalm 69,” this was a highly anticipated record. And like it, the music had been made during a period of personal turmoil for Jourgensen, who was now using Ministry essentially as a solo vehicle.
Unlike that record, however, the music isn’t nearly as focused. And, other than the artwork and relentless guitar noise, “Filth Pig” isn’t as extreme in concept and execution as “Psalm 69.” There’s a languid, stoner-rock energy to most of the record.
There is also likely an attempt at self-sabotage here. It helps make the record seem quite charming. Record execs must’ve told the band that all they needed to do was refresh the sound that had made them successful. That was just like printing money. But the easy way was never a road Jorgenson cared to walk.
Still, there are a few notable highlights for fans of the group, including “Reload” and the bizarre cover of Bob Dylan’s “Lay Lady Lay,” setting a precedent for eerie reworkings of famous classic rock tunes.
“The Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Taste” (1989)
“The Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Taste” can be acknowledged or blamed (depending on which side you’re on) for most of industrial metal’s future sound and aesthetic.
Once more, Ministry is going for the kind of sound that might intimidate even fans of Metallica or Megadeth. Dramatic synths and militaristic electro-driven sound accompany distorted guitar riffs.
The band has also come to fit into their stage clothes naturally. They now resemble chemically imbalanced bikers let loose on a Friday night. It all fits very well.
“Thieves” and “Burning Inside” are highlights. These helped solidify the group’s growing fanbase.
“Psalm 69: The Way to Succeed and the Way to Suck Eggs” (1992)
With industrial metal now making a splash in the commercial charts, Ministry brought their most frenzied yet palatable record out, “Psalm 69: The Way to Succeed and the Way to Suck Eggs,” and earned even more success.
It could’ve been easy for Ministry to miss this moment. The group’s members, Jourgensen in particular, were renowned for their chemical dependency, as well as their cynical worldview.
But two things had recently happened. In 1989, Nine Inch Nails released the successful “Pretty Hate Machine.” It was an album that owed most of its tricks to Ministry, and everyone knew it.
Secondly, their joke song “Jesus Built My Hotrod,” a mechanized, highly distorted dance song featuring Gibby Haynes, had become a worldwide hit. A colossal hit! As Jourgenson joked, it was time to roll up their sleeves, and this time not as a means to find a fresh vein.
Ministry used the opportunity to create an extreme but memorable, funny, but doom-filled collection of songs. “N.W.O.” or “Just One Fix” are some of Ministry’s best songs, as well as defining industrial metal.