In April I'm going to New Orleans to see Ministry at the House of Blues. I'm pretty pumped since I've loved Ministry since 6th grade and have never seen them live. Touring with Al & Co. are two bands called Meshuggah and Hemlock. I did a little research and Meshuggah last night on amazon, and they sound like a pretty badass math-metal band. Hemlock I know nothing of.

I'd like some albums recommendations for Meshuggah and Hemlock if any of you have any (Dusty?). Thanks!

I know nothing about Hemlock, and very little about Meshuggah. I think I might have Chaosphere, but I'll be danged if I remember anything about it, but "math metal" sounds vaguely right. I think that was right around the time where I just discovered that all metal bands had drifted towards cookie monster vocals, and I was getting extremely turned off by that, so may not have given them much of a chance.

Ministry fucking rocked live, the last time I saw them, which was the tour that produced the live album, In Case You Didn't Feel Like Showing Up (Live). They started with that sample loop that opens...uh..."Breathe"? Or "Thieves"? I forget which one. And then when they started rocking, the entire crowd started jumping up and down ("doing the pogo"), and I was literally lifted off my feet. I had no choice but to mosh along.

Good times.

meshuggah fking owns

Try Nothing, Chaosphere, or I. I like pretty much everything by them but Contradictions Collapse.

Meshuggah are OK, but nothing to get too excited about, seeing as Averse Sefira, Immolation and Rotting Christ will be touring together this year.

I haven't been to any shows in over 2 years...le sigh.