Ministri
Per un passato migliore

I got to know I Ministri only recently, let's say from that moment of frenetic anticipation before the release of the new album. Curious, during that waiting period, I listened with immense pleasure to all their previous works, from their debut in late 2006 to the almost penultimate "Fuori" of 2011. I'll be honest: I liked them immediately. Whether it was the intellectual and direct lyrics at the same time, the great rock that they always manage to bring out, or simply the extremely current approach with which the band looks at reality and translates it into music.

Following the musical journey of I Ministri, I noticed a clear evolutionary line that leads from the early Punk-Indie-Rock to a sound that is at times more melodic (but not for this reason less pissed off) eventually reaching the almost Electro-Synth-Rock of some tracks (not all and certainly not the worst) of "Fuori." I didn't dislike it; in fact, contrary to the more purist fans, I appreciated this change. The natural maturation of the songwriting of the Milanese trio had reached, if not a rejection of the pure Punk-Rock of their origins, a self-assimilation and subsequent elaboration in a more blatantly sui generis key. I would have gladly expected a further evolution in this direction.
Lastly, I say that if it were me writing the songs, I would have started from the experiments of "Tutta roba nostra" and "La pertoliera," in the face of those who reproached the heresy of the absence of distorted guitars, hammering rhythms, and screams that are legitimate children of the heaviest Grunge. But I didn't write the songs, nor did those (few to be honest...) who think like me. Luckily.

Oh yes, because "Per un passato migliore" is not at all a bad album. We've gone back. There has been a clear cut with everything that was done before, the keyboards are no longer there and, except for some ballads that are still Rock to the core, the rough sound, hard and pure is back to reign. It starts with "Mammut" which immediately makes one thing clear: "Don't worry, we still kick ass." With a heavy rhythm (... pachydermic?) it captures the ear and unravels naturally to the nice chorus. More than the meaning, the sonic power of the words is pleasing, blending more than well with the music. Then the single "Comunque": a lucid critique of society and Punk-Rock with guts... a track that is as "ministerial" as it gets. Always heavy, the third track "Le nostre condizioni" is among the best of the lot, boasting an ever more beautiful voice, an assault-like rhythmic structure, and lyrics that serve as a programmatic manifesto of the band's modus operandi. Then the first ballad, melodic and Rock, nice lyrics (... does a bad Ministri lyric even exist?), a concert track, but still not bad. "Stare dove sono" has already divided opinions: many criticize it, some praise it. For me it’s a half (three-quarters, come on...) masterpiece. A classic musical setup, similar to the previous "Comunque," beautiful words that embody the contradictions of a generation, screamed in the face, with anger and desperation... wow! "Spingere" is another track made for moshing, perfect live, a bit less on the album where it doesn’t stand out much, although the tempo here seems to drop quite a bit. "Se si prendono te" lowers the tone and raises the stakes; it's the point where we can best reconnect to the previous two albums, musically very balanced (Afterhours’ lesson well learned), with an emotional impact of poetic lyrics, hats off to the very talented Dragogna. The subsequent "Caso umano" is influenced by Naked Raygun and Fugazi (like a bit of all Italian Rock these days) and grows with listening, not much different from the lucid reasoning about time in "Mille settimane" which, along with its predecessor, turns out to be the album's pulsating heart. Then yet another (wonderful) ballad which is "I tuoi weekend mi distruggono," dark and beautiful, the "Planet caravan" (... feel free to shoot me!) of I Ministri, a proof of maturity passed with flying colors. "I giorni che restano" fits right into the album like a glove, but it doesn't add much, even though the nice chorus that sticks in your head would be too mainstream if it weren't shouted (... but it is shouted, so it's badass!). Then towards the end. "La nostra buona stella," a beautiful song, a worthy banner of certain Rock and certain typically Italian misanthropy; "Una palude," the last track, the last ballad. Lyrics as cryptic as they are splendid, nice intertwining of acoustic and electric guitar arpeggios, a melody that brings a lump to the throat... a grand style finale that explodes and then fades... oh-my-goodness again!

"Per un passato migliore" is not a masterpiece, but nor is it a work from which one emerges unscathed. It leaves its mark, heavy, soft, and caustic as it is. If you wanted I Ministri back, here they are. They are themselves, they still kick ass even though they've grown up, they've become an almost adult band that hasn't lost the typical anger that distinguishes them.
It's just disappointing the unsolved issue: why not continue along the line traced with the previous work? why not improve it, try new paths again? why take refuge in the past? Perhaps out of fear? Or due to the unreliability of a genre that does not grant reference points? Or due to self-disappointment at their own results?

Only they know the answer, but in reality, it doesn't matter. The music of I Ministri is good as it is. A confirmation of talent for a band that is gradually carving out an increasingly important space in our domestic Rock scene.