Fireball Ministry
FMEP

June 2001
Released: 2001, Small Stone Productions
Rating: 4.0/5
Reviewer: Waspman

Y’know when you put on a CD, and it’s the exact thing that you needed to hear at that particular moment? Well, that’s what FMEP was and is for me. Pure kickass rock ‘n roll from good ol’ L.A. is what this Ministry is all about. Lead by Reverend Rota II, these boys (and gal) blaze through a full 40 minutes of nothin’ but desert blasted rock, just down the Interstate from Kyuss-ville.



The biggest downer on this disc is that, of the eight tracks, only three of them are originals penned by the band. While their covers of songs like “Movin’ Out”, “Muscle of Love”, and “Victim of Changes” are all kick ass, it’s the originals that really make this album burn.



“King” is the first and best song here, just ripping out of the speakers in all of its fuzzy distorted glory. Up-tempo from the word go, “King” just totally dive-bombs the living shit out of your ears until ya can’t takes no more. The slower and more grinding “Choker” follows and hits like a cartoon-sized (read: big) anvil to the head. Oh yeah, and “Maidens of Venus” might be the stoned out ballad of this year.



After the firestorm (yup, really lame pun intended) of the first three songs, the rest of the album is a bit of a letdown. I mean, all of the covers are well done, and some of the selections are ultra-cool (Blue Cheer’s “Fortunes” and the Misfits’ “Cough/Cool especially) but I want to hear more songs like “King” dammit! Rock on dudes.



Web: http://www.fireballministry.com