Permawar
{{short description|Song by Ministry}}
{{Infobox song
| name = PermaWar
| cover = Ministry - PermaWar.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Ministry
| album = From Beer to Eternity
| A-side =
| released = {{Start date|2013|8|9}}
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre =
| length = {{Duration|m=4|s=56}}
| label = 13th Planet
| writer = Al Jourgensen
| producer = {{hlist|Al Jourgensen|Sammy D'Ambruoso}}
| prev_title = Double Tap
| prev_year = 2012
| next_title = Dancing Madly Backwards
| next_year = 2017
}}
"Permawar" (stylized as "PermaWar") is a song by American industrial metal band Ministry. It is the third track and the only single from the band's thirteenth studio album, From Beer to Eternity. It was released on August 9, 2013 as a digital download.{{cite web | url=http://loudwire.com/ministry-permawar/ | title=Ministry unleash new 'From Beer to Eternity' single 'PermaWar' | website=Loudwire | date=August 9, 2013 | accessdate=August 26, 2013 | last=Hartmann|first=Graham}}
Lyrics
According to Al Jourgensen's interview with Kenny Herzog of Spin magazine, "PermaWar" is based on Rachel Maddow's book Drift: The Unmooring of American Military Power.{{cite web | url=https://www.spin.com/2013/07/ministry-al-jourgensen-last-album-memoir/ | title=Al Jourgensen Bids Adieu to Ministry, Not to Speaking His Mind | work=Spin | date=July 31, 2013 | accessdate=August 26, 2013 | last=Herzog|first=Kenny}} The song lyrically criticizes "the multi-million dollar industry that war has become".{{cite web|last=Childers|first=Chad|date=August 16, 2013|title=Ministry, 'PermaWar' – Exclusive Video Premiere|url=http://noisecreep.com/ministry-permawar-exclusive-video-premiere/|website=Noisecreep|accessdate=August 26, 2013}}The word "permawar" appears frequently in Frank Getlein's book "Playing Soldier: A Diatribe"(1971), indicating "a permanent condition of military embroilment that preserves the military-industrial stranglehold on the (involved) country."
Music video
The music video for the song was filmed at Jourgensen's 13th Planet compound in El Paso, Texas. It was produced by Jourgensen's wife, Angelina Lukacin-Jourgensen, and directed by filmmaker and animator Zach Passero, who also directed other Ministry music videos, including "Lieslieslies", "GhoulDiggers" and "99 Percenters".{{cite web | url=http://loudwire.com/ministry-permawar-exclusive-video-premiere/ | title=Ministry, 'PermaWar' – exclusive video premiere | website=Loudwire | date=August 16, 2013 | accessdate=August 26, 2013| last=Hartmann|first=Graham}}
Like the song, the music video draws upon political themes. In the video, Jourgensen portrays three different personalities, taking the form of three different points of view on America's policies on war: the corrupt political leader, the predatory business man and the passive observer.{{cite web | url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/ministry-permawar-video-released/ | title=Ministry: 'PermaWar' Video Released | website=Blabbermouth.net | date=August 16, 2013 | accessdate=August 26, 2013 }} The music video also features vintage clips of missile launches, trenches with dead bodies, and military exercises, which were taken from footage of World War II, Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq.{{cite web | url=http://bloody-disgusting.com/news/3249186/ministry-release-official-video-for-permawar/ | title=Ministry Release Official Video For "PermaWar" | work=Bloody Disgusting | date=August 16, 2013 | accessdate=August 26, 2013 | last=Barkan|first=Jonathan}} It also contains audio samples of president Barack Obama's speeches about terrorism.{{cite web | url=http://exclaim.ca/MusicVideo/ClickHear/ministry-permawar_video | title=Ministry "PermaWar" (video) | work=Exclaim! | date=August 6, 2013 | accessdate=August 26, 2013 | last=Adams|first=Gregory}}
Personnel
=Ministry=
- Al Jourgensen – vocals, guitars, production, mixing
- Mike Scaccia – guitars
- Sin Quirin – guitars
- Tony Campos – bass
- Aaron Rossi – drums
=Additional personnel=
- Sammy D'Ambruoso – production
- Aaron Havill – keyboards, engineering
- Allan Amato – artwork
References
{{Reflist|40em}}
External links
- {{official website|thirteenthplanet.com/ministry|Ministry official website}}
{{Ministry (band)}}
Category:Ministry (band) songs