The end is nigh for Ministry. The industrial pioneers have been on a prolific tear since forming in 1981, releasing 11 albums between then and their 2008 hiatus, then unloading five more in the years since they reformed in 2011.
However, Al Jourgensen has revealed that after this year's Hopiumforthemasses, he's only got one more in the tank before the band call it quits.
Uncle Al broke the news during an interview with Loudwire, where he also announced that former bassist Paul Barker (who played with Ministry from 1986 through 2003) will be rejoining the band for their impending swan song.
"We have one more new record coming out," Jourgensen said, referring to the album that will follow Hopiumforthemasses.
"And we're recruiting an old mate from the early days. Paul Barker is going to rejoin the band and we're going to record together and that will be our last one."
As Jourgensen put it, there isn't any dire reason for Ministry's conclusion. He just feels that after all these years, he feels satisfied with the creative evolution of the band, and is ready to put it gracefully to rest.
"I think we've kind of perfected our genre — whatever genre that is," he said. "People like to call it industrial, I just call it music. But it is certainly our genre."
Jourgensen continued, "There comes a point in time musically when anything from here is going to be downhill. I see so many bands do that. I don't need the money. I don't need the whatever.
"It's a good time to stop. I just turned 65, which means I'm getting my mailbox stuffed with AARP shit. I took my piercings out. I took my dreads out. I decided at 65, I'm going to become an adult."
It's unclear when that final Ministry album will actually be released, but it'll likely take at least a couple years to come together.
Meanwhile, Hopiumforthemasses is due out March 1st via Nuclear Blast.
