Al Jourgensen

Between massive creative highs and cold hard realities, it’s hard to believe Al Jourgensen hasn’t jumped out of his densely inked and pierced skin. In his 40th year as chairman of industrial-rock progenitors Ministry, “Uncle Al” is probing both sides of his yin-yang harder than ever. The light: Ministry’s politically bracing and sonically engaging new album, Moral Hygiene, was recorded under strict pandemic protocols in Jourgensen’s home studio in Southern California. These sessions also yielded material that could herald the return of Lard, his summit meeting with punk provocateur Jello Biafra, as well as the majority of a follow-up LP which the frontman describes pretense-and-irony-free as “the best music I have ever made in my life.” The dark? The tour celebrating the 30th anniversary o...