Ministry – Burning Inside

Ministry – Burning Inside

A classic slice of late-1980s industrial from "Ministry", Burning Inside captures the band at the point where their earlier electronic-industrial sound was developing into the much heavier guitar-driven style that would define their landmark late-80s and early-90s work. Originally issued as a 12" single on Sire/Warner Bros. in 1989, the release features two extended remixes alongside a live cover of a Skinny Puppy track.

The 12" remix of “Burning Inside” expands the track from the version appearing on The Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Taste, with pounding programmed rhythms, distorted guitars, samples and Al Jourgensen's aggressive vocal delivery. The album itself was recorded during 1988–1989 at Chicago Trax Studios, making this single a good snapshot of Ministry's increasingly abrasive industrial sound at the end of the decade.

On the B-side, “Thieves (12" Remix)” receives similarly heavy treatment, while “Smothered Hope” is particularly interesting for collectors: the song is a cover of the Skinny Puppy track and was recorded live in Chicago in 1988, with Nivek Ogre of Skinny Puppy performing vocals. It therefore brings together two key figures from the North American industrial scene on the same recording.

With its combination of remixes, industrial electronics, distorted metal-influenced guitars and a rare live collaboration with Ogre, Burning Inside is an important Ministry 12" from the period immediately preceding the band's influential Psalm 69 era.

Tracklist:

Side A
A1. Burning Inside (12" Remix) – 6:45

Side B
B1. Thieves (12" Remix) – 5:33
B2. Smothered Hope – 5:00