Jesus Christ Superstars

Laibach undertook a radical change of direction on 1992’s Kapital, embracing acid house and techno; they continued this path on 1994’s NATO, a collection of pumping covers of songs about war. Then, in 1996, they released this, an ultra-heavy collection of covers (yes, the title track is from the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, and they turn Prince’s “The Cross” into a thumping opera-metal epic) and originals, all based on themes of religion. Laibach’s approach to religion is as stony-eyed and brutal as their approach to politics — they satirize by taking the most extreme position possible, and songs like “Kingdom of God,” “Abuse and Confession,” and “Message From the Black Star” put across an extremely Old Testament and bloodthirsty version of monotheism. “Now nothing of man remains in the Kingdom of God,” frontman Milan Fras chants, amid imagery of blood flowing from stones, fire, earthquakes, etc. The music mixes metal guitars with operatic strings and choirs, over massive post-hip-hop beats. Play it loud.