Renowned industrial icon Al Jourgensen goes on a solo rampage with the debut self titled album “Surgical Meth Machine”. With Ministry on hold or hiatus, it is immediately noticeable that Jourgensen has decided to throw on the plate multiple ideas mixing industrial roots and some speed metal to produce this reckless over the top Surgical Meth Machine project.
“I’m Sensitive” is a hallucinogenic concoction of rage and complaints in a mix of as fast as possible drum machine and screams with a garage style production.
“Tragic Alert” again is all about chaotic speed with a deranged electronic crude sound and the obvious reminder that we live in a scary world.
“I Want More” is all angry and furious like a rebellious punk teenage dream and the only concrete melody comes from a little crunchy guitar solo.
“Unlistenable” has a wild punk spirit drowning in a breathless hectic cauldron of fast random guitar riffs and even more random emotionless electronic beats.
Devo’s “Gates Of Steel” cover catches a breath putting aside the crave for speed and surprises the listeners with the introduction of an actual melody in rough punk style with less confused yelling and less loud disorder.
“I’m Invisible” leaves behind the furious noisy industrial and features a slower, mellower and repetitive melodic theme with clean vocals and a scratchy vintage sound.
In the end, “Surgical Meth Machine” likes to keep it short and raw and might have some bursts of creativity that could trigger the interest of industrial devoted crowd but the rather chaotic style without any apparent sense of cohesion doesn’t sound as catchy as expected.