Album · Ministry
The Land of Rape and Honey by Ministry
The Land of Rape and Honey is an album by Ministry, released in 1988. 1 song from it has charted on rock radio countdowns, with 14 countdown appearances in total. The biggest is “Stigmata”, on 14 lists with a best position of #61.
The Land of Rape and Honey, Ministry's third album, came out on Sire on October 11, 1988, and it's the sound of Al Jourgensen torching his synth-pop past. The Chicago band had started with synth-pop and EBM, but this is the first Ministry record with bassist Paul Barker, and with him the whole thing turns to steel: pummeling rhythms and metal guitars ground down into an industrial roar. Jourgensen even ditched the fake British accent he'd been singing in and snarled through distortion in his own voice.
Jourgensen, Barker and Adrian Sherwood produced it, and "Stigmata" is the track that still rattles windows. The title isn't what it seems: the band lifted it from the motto of Tisdale, Saskatchewan, a nod to the town's rapeseed and honey, after spotting it on a souvenir mug. It went gold, helped lay the foundations of industrial metal, and remains Jourgensen's own favorite Ministry album.
Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.
Songs from The Land of Rape and Honey on radio countdowns
| # | Song | Strength | Lists | Best | #1s | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stigmata | 14 | #61 | – | 1989–2006 |
Only songs that appear on at least one countdown are listed. Release data from MusicBrainz.