Forgotten Gems: Dumpster Juice-That Not So Fresh Feeling

Spanish Fly Records
1993

Dumpster Juice and I go way back. Our history goes back to the days of paper music catalogs and to a day and age where music wasn't just a click away to check out. Back when this album first came out I had nothing to go by except for a small description tacked on under the album's title. I'm not sure if this was actually a catalog put out by Spanish Fly Records or if it was some other kind of catalog. Note that it doesn't really matter as this is what intrigued me (and I'm paraphrasing this): "sounds like a cross between Ministry and Pantera". As such I sent off a money order for this CD and began the long waiting game. Once this CD finally showed up I ran upstairs to my room and threw this in my stereo. I was buzzing with anticipation as I hit play. Then reality gave me a wake-up call. What was placed in my lap was not what I would have called "Ministry meets Pantera" as I expected the industrial leanings of Al's group. Instead this was more thrash-oriented Ministry with Pantera's groove tacked on. I listened to the album once and then promptly traded away my copy. Years later another copy came my way thanks to a garage sale and a "as is" box of CDs (as the whole box was marked with one price) so I ended up with another copy of the album. I'd like to say that I immediately gave them another chance, but this disc ended up shelved yet again. Finally (again, years later!) I pulled this one out to see if anything had changed and to Dumpster Juice's credit they were much more then just a "cross between Ministry and Pantera". This Minneapolis act, who were formed in 1990, are (and pardon my French here) the shit as I finally figured out that Dumpster Juice takes some of the weirder moments of Ministry and yes, the groove of Pantera, but they add on the likes of S.N.F.U., Dayglo Abortions, Butthole Surfers and Sloppy Seconds to give their sound more of a nasty punch! On "That Not So Fresh Feeling" this 4-piece act plays alcohol-fueled garage metal that's every bit as punk as the album cover would lead you to believe! This is not your next-door neighbors heavy metal band as Dumpster Juice proves that cuts like "Wipe" and "Quart Bottle Date" are on the same wave length as Motörhead only difference is these guys you have the ability to cater towards M.D.C. and Jerry's Kids fans as well! Having now been listening to this album every couple of weeks I've finally looked into other albums by Dumpster Juice and have 2 new ones headed towards my mailbox. I'm hoping they carry the same kind of abrasive attitude as this 11-track LP does!