NEW DARK AGE – MAY 2018

COVENANT AT QXT’S

Covenant at QXTs
April 13, 2018
Newark NJ

This world famous electronic group performed to a packed house at QXT’s, the local venue with an international following on Friday April 13 in support of their latest album, “The Blinding Dark,” their ninth studio album. Tracing their origins to a collaboration of three teenagers in a medium-size town in Sweden, Covenant consists of vocalist Eskill Simonsson, Daniel Jonasson and keyboardist Daniel Myer. The band stands foremost amidst the dance club genre termed EBM, characterized by heavy, relentless and irresistible cadence. What makes Covenant stand out is its cold, sci-fi and existential themes linked to compelling, danceable rhythms.

The opening bands deserve special mention. From Elizabeth NJ, the synthwave artist, Encounter was purely (electronic) instrumental and mesmerized the audience with dark melodies and intense rhythms. They were followed by Korine, a delightfully sad, synth pop duo from Philadelphia who will soon be embarking on a nationwide tour with Timecop1983 an Aeon Rings.

Covenant blasted on stage after an eerie sci-fi-tinged intro – an excerpt, “Death of Identity” from their new album. Taking the stage, they opened the live performance with “Like Tears in Rain” then hit “Bullet,” “Ritual Noise,” “We Stand Alone” and “Call the Ships to Port” (not in that order) to recall a representative sampling from their past hits. “Sound Mirrors”, “Morning Star” and many others from the new album were performed in what turned out to be over a two-hour set, that was understandably received with vociferous approval by the sellout crowd, although a few were heard to voice disappointment over the failure to include “Dead Stars.”

This was the exclusive New York-area appearance by Covenant on its national tour of the USA. The takeaway is that QXTs has become increasingly identified as the local club which hosts performers of international stature.

[Below is the page as it appears in the Mat 16, 2018 issue of the Aquarian]

Ministry
Wellmont Theater
Montclair NJ

Ministry is recognized as one of the most ferocious and foundational post-punk bands, initially founded as a dance-oriented, synthpop group in 1981, but in the late 80s and early 90s converted into an especially radical version of industrial. Album releases during that era went gold (selling 500,000 copies) and platinum (1,000,000 copies). Many of us developed our love of and taste for the genre with immersion in Ministry’s output. Like many groups in the industrial scene, Ministry has had a huge number of in-and-out musicians and production team members, has collaborated with a vast array of other bands and has participated in numerous festivals. Al Jourgenson remains the consistent vocalist and frontman.

Montclair NJ was the 21st stop on a twenty-six US city tour that began in CA and the Pacific Northwest before crossing the country to our area and then on down to the South. The main focus has been the 2018 release, the “Amerikkant” album., the theme of which is – like much of Ministry’s output – leftist and anarchist politics with a particular focus on the presidency of Donald Trump.

We missed the first opener, but caught the second performer, neofolk vocalist Chelsea Wolfe and her goth-metal band whose morose, mournful, symphonic music was well-received by the audience.

Headliners Ministry are noted for their visuals and graphics in addition to their creative and complex use of every imaginable audio, electronic, distortional, and sampling technique to enhance both their music and their message. A giant screen went up behind the band setup and displayed the band’s name, having appropriated the encircled “A” symbolizing anarchy, but doubling the letter within the circle to change it into an “M” to serve as the initial letter of their name.

The opening song , “Twilight Zone” featured sounds and visual images from the famous TV series, intermingled with distorted voice-over and crackly videos of our current president, cutting into melodious and bombastic industrial metal and Jourgenson’s raspy vocals. quite convincingly portraying Trump as both looney and malignant.

The pace picked up in the next piece, “Victims of a Clown,” with the participation of Fear Factory’s Burton C. Bell on stage. Both songs are from the new album. Next up, the frenetic “Punch in the Face” from their next to last album captured the band’s signature sound from the 90s and seemed to be an endorsement of personal violence and was followed by “Senor Peligro,” a pure speed metal piece reminiscent of “Jesus Built My Hotrod.” A boost to conspiracy theories was the mission of rapid-paced “Lies, Lies, Lies” which also hearkened back to previous Ministry’s classic industrial sound. It was followed by “Rio Grande Blood, “ the third of three consecutive tracks from the 2006 album of that name. In it, images of George W. Bush make him the target of Ministry’s contempt.

Then it was back to the current album, “Amerikkkant” for “We’re Tired of It,” “Wargasm” which compares war to sex, and “Antifa,” a paean to anarchism in opposition to authoritarianism. What do we want? Violence! When do we want it? Now,” was the repeated chant in this intentionally offensive track.

To the joy of everyone in the audience, what followed next was a medley of classics: “Just One Fix,” “NWO,” “Thieves” and “So What?”
After a short break they returned with an encore, “Bad Blood” from the soundtrack of movie “The Matrix”.

Despite all the noise and chaos, Ministry manages to captivate with actual melodious hooks, monumental arrangements and mesmerizing rhythms, especially live. It is impossible to report on all the indescribable sights, sounds and special effects, both audible and visible during this extraordinary show which is definitely in the long tradition of Ministry’s live and recorded music and videos, but enhanced to a new, even higher level through today’s technology.

Skeletal Family at the Red Party