Chicago, Illinois-based industrial metal collective, Ministry, along with its frontman Al Jourgensen recently launched a campaign to encourage their fans to vote in the upcoming 2020 presidential election, this November. According to a press release, “…Ministry and creator Al Jourgensen are launching a 2020 campaign to inspire fans to get election ready and look forward to receiving a range of autographed memorabilia from Ministry’s acclaimed 2018 anti-Trump album AmeriKKKant.”
With the grassroots approach Ministry is taking to encourage their fanbase to vote, it seems to instill a reinvigoration set to invoke more forthcoming material from the influential industrial metal pioneers. The aforementioned press release furthers that, “Fans who are currently unregistered to vote are encouraged to head to http://ministryband.com/vote and click on the graphic to complete a few simple steps to get ready and sign up for alerts. Once completed, take a screenshot of the confirmation page and e-mail it to unclealforpresident2020@gmail.com along with your mailing address.”
Fans of Ministry who are currently registered to vote are also called upon the group to a follow-up cause. As previously noted in the aforementioned press release, “Fans who are already registered to vote are encouraged to engage in another cause important to the band—the national #SaveOurStages campaign that urges Congress to provide critical funding to independent music venues across the United States. Head to www.SaveOurStages.com and sign the online petition and/or make a donation to the cause.”
Ministry has recorded a total of fourteen full-length studio albums including their seminal works: Ministry’s sophomore and third albums, respectively, 1986’s Twitch and 1988’s The Land of Rape and Honey. Known for their ardent political themes, the group dedicated a trilogy to the then republican U.S. president George W. Bush, speaking out against his administration, with 2004’s Houses of the Molé, 2006’s Rio Grande Blood and 2007’s The Last Sucker. Ministry’s current touring lineup is comprised of frontman Jourgensen (lead vocals, guitar and production), guitarists Sin Quirin and Cesar Soto, Paul D’Amour (bass), John Bechdel (keyboards) and London May (drums).
Ministry recently announced the rescheduling of The Industrial Strength Tour for spring 2021, due to COVID-19 concerns. Speaking on Ministry’s latest musical offering, the severity of voting and the disdain for the current U.S. administration under president Donald Trump, Jourgensen says:
“When AmeriKKKant was first being developed, the album was a direct response to waking up to shock and panic the day after Trump was officially elected. Now, four years later these songs take on new meaning as we get rid of the Mango Moron. Vote this November like your life depends on it, because this time it really does!”
Photo Credit: Raymond Flotat