Anyway, I started to do some digging because I never leave Generation without picking something up. The thing I love about Generation is that every artist I like is categorized by genre and by name. I walked over to the 80’s alternative and new wave section, and under the 'MINISTRY' tab, I found a 2014 repress of my favorite Ministry record, “Twitch”. I jumped on that because it definitely needed to be in my collection. I personally feel it is the most important industrial album out there.
Originally released in March '86 on Sire Records, this album brought us a new sound from Ministry who had previously released a few singles on Wax Trax and the legendary synth-pop record “With Sympathy”. "Twitch" was produced by Al Jourgensen and Adrian Sherwood (producer of Depeche Mode's "People are People" and "Master and Servant"), so it is only natural to expect an all-around heavy-hitter of a record here. Al Jourgensen blessed the fans with hard-hitting, darkened drum samples which would end up playing a big role in how bands like Nine Inch Nails or Nitzer Ebb would sound in the years that followed.
From the jump, the song "Just Like You" opens up with a sound similar to a machine gun going off, and then that bass line kicks in and it sends chills throughout my entire body. It's also the first political song for Ministry which should go on to shape the dynamic and theme for what the band would become down the line. "We Believe" is the second track and it psychologically puts me in a foggy goth nightclub. While "With Sympathy" gets my body moving, this track gets it moving in a different and gloomier way. "All Day (remix)" is a reworked version of "All Day", which was the original A-side to Ministry's Wax Trax single (B-sided with "Halloween"). It gives off the OG synth-pop vibes Jourgensen experimented with previously, but with more aggressive sampling. "The Angel" was the first track I heard form "Twitch" when I first started getting into their stuff that wasn't metal. Beat-wise, it reminds me of NIN's "Sanctified" but without the heavier parts in the chorus. Jourgensen's vocals are very low, as if he was singing a jazz track (big feels on this one). It used to be my go to Ministry track until I heard the B-side to this record.
Side B opens up with my favorite song, "Over The Shoulder". This is the song that prompted me to ask my boy Alex if I could buy his sampler. While I still don't have the slightest clue on how to do anything with it (hey I'm trying), I believe that anyone with an interest in electronic music needs to listen to this song as soon as possible. You've probably already heard it because it was the hit off this record. Jourgensen's vocals on this track are so weird in the best way possible, and I can really feel the emotion he put into his lyrics. "My Possession" has the same vocal style that Jourgensen used in "The Angel", and it is definitely the one that makes me want to drive really fast. It has a bouncy sound and some really catchy noises. It's a great track to segue into the final part of this album, a 12 plus minute medley of fast industrial madness, "Where You At Now/Crash and Burn/Twitch(version II)". This song is a great closer because it goes on for a while and it's hard to keep track of how many sounds are going on. Another cool thing about it is you can follow a sound and see where it takes you. It is definitely the go to zone out/get high jam on "Twitch", while also being another fast driving jam.
Through and through, "Twitch" is heavily inspirational to me and musical taste. I prefer a darker sound when it comes to electronic and industrial music. While the synth-pop stuff is great, it is a bit outdated so this album really helps me cope when I'm having a weird day. It is a good escape from reality and shield definitely be played at the highest volume possible. Without this record, industrial music would be very different.
If you enjoy "Twitch" I would also recommend "Broken" by Nine Inch Nails, "Big Sexy Land' by Revolting Cocks, and "Naïve" by KMFDM.
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