Just how much Bush bashing is too much? Let me tell you; when you devote almost all eleven songs on a record to hatred towards one particular person. Like anything, it’s gonna grow a little old.

As a huge Ministry fan, and an even bigger fan of our government (please note the sarcasm), I found Rio Grande Blood a good head-nodding type album, but the same tone over the 54 minute album gets a little grating. I wished the band tackled other topics throughout the record.

Doctored comments from Bush litter the title track and opener of the album. The band has decided to take more of a death metal sound on the record, versus the industrial sound that made the band #2 in the big Industrial band showdown of the mid-90’s (Nine Inch Nails won easily). With tracks like The Great Satan, and Ass Clown, the listener can figure who the main target of the song is. After several of these clues, the intent becomes a little too obvious and much less effective.

Lead singer Al Jourgensen continues his distorted vocals throughout, but between the heavier metal riffs, his lyrics get lost in the mix. Where the album does work is with songs like “Lies, Lies, Lies” making more broad and compelling statements about the state of the world. “Palestina” describes the issue versus Palestine and Israel, and is a welcomed diversion from the main topic of the album.

On their last album Houses of the Mole, the Bush/government bashing reinvigorated the band immensely (and my liking for the band), but the tone is different on Rio Grande Blood. The message has become very one note. I don’t mind a few songs about your hatred for someone, but it takes away from an album when the whole thing is devoted to one person.

It is time for Ministry to expand their writing knowledge for their next album. You can still write angry music. Just sing about more than one topic.

GRADE: C

Hey, Ministry fans. The place to tell Art what you think of his review is on the message board.