Ministry - With Sympathy [Import] Vinyl

Ministry: Alain Jourgensen, Stephen George.
Engineers: Ian Taylor, David Wooley, Flood.
Rather than the trademark bone-munching industrial metal of later years, With Sympathy is panto-goth new wave synth-pop that sounds less like the band chewing your pancreas and more like Human League's surly little brother. Great stuff, then, for those who allied themselves with Ally Sheedy's character in The Breakfast Club. "Here We Go" grinds all over some electronic horns, "Work for Love" stop-starts and shouts about like "Walk This Way" without all that scary rap, and the whole record becomes a secret weapon against the contrived snarls of the albums to follow. Surely, Al Jourgensen must be more insecure about his past than a superstar linebacker over childhood courses in ballet. ~ Dean Carlson

• Format: Vinyl