Killing Joke | ||
| Allmusic Biography : Heavy and slow, Killing Joke (at least early in their career) were a quasi-metal band dancing to a tune of doom and gloom. They eventually became less heavy and more arty (the latter seems almost impossible) -- more danceable, even -- but early on they made some urgent slabs of molten dynamite that oozed with the power of thick guitars, thudding drums, and over the top singing. The origins of Killing Joke lie in the Matt Stagger Band. Paul Ferguson was drumming for the group when he met Jaz Coleman (vocals, keyboards) in the late 70s. Coleman joined the Matt Stagger Band briefly, but soon he and Ferguson split to form Killing Joke in late 1978. The duo recruited bassist Youth (born Martin Glover Youth), who had previously played with the punk group the Rage, and guitarist Geordie (born Kevin Walker) to complete the bands lineup. Killing Joke moved to Notting Hill Gate and recorded their debut EP, Almost Red, with money borrowed from Colemans girlfriend at the time. BBC disc jockey John Peel was impressed by the EP and offered the group a session on his show, which became one of the most popular shows he broadcast in the late 70s. By the end of 1979, the group had signed with Island Records, who allowed them to set up their own label, Malicious Damage. Killing Joke released "Wardance," their debut single on Malicious Damage, in February of 1980. Following its release, Killing Joke and Malicious Damage switched from Island Records to EG and the band released their eponymous debut album. The group began playing shows regularly throughout England and gained a reputation for being controversial. Their artwork often featured repulsive or inflammatory images, and after one of their concert posters pictured the Pope blessing legions of Nazis, the group was banned from performing a concert in Glasgow. Despite the controversy, the group began amassing a following of both punk and disco fans with hard-edged but danceable singles like "Psyche" and "Follow the Leader." The band released its second album, Whats THIS For...!, in 1981. After recording and releasing the groups third album, 1982s Revelations, Jaz Coleman -- who had developed an obsession with the occult -- decided that the Apocalypse was near, so he left the group and ran away to Iceland with Geordie. While in Iceland, Coleman and Geordie worked with a number of Icelandic bands, most notably Theyr, which would later evolve into the Sugarcubes. Youth followed Coleman to Iceland shortly after his departure. After a few months with no sign of the end of the world, Youth returned to England and formed Brilliant with Ferguson. However, Ferguson left shortly after the groups formation and moved to Iceland with Killing Jokes new bassist, Paul Raven. Youth continued playing with Brilliant, while Killing Jokes new lineup -- featuring Coleman, Geordie, Ferguson, and Raven -- worked in Iceland for a brief period. Soon, the group returned to England and recorded Fire Dances, which was released in 1983. Fire Dances demonstrated a calmer, more straightforward band than the one showcased on the groups earlier records. For the rest of the 80s, Killing Joke continued to release albums, all of which failed to regain the audience they had in the early 80s. After 1988s Outside the Gate, the group broke up, only to reunite two years later for Extremities, Dirt & Various Repressed Emotions. Extremities featured a new drummer, Martin Atkins, and returned the band to the noisy dance experiments of their earlier records. Following its release, the group took a four-year break. In 1994, Killing Joke re-formed as a trio with Coleman, Geordie, and Youth and the group released Pandemonium, a harder-edged, heavier album than its previous records. Democracy (1996), a second self-titled album (2003), and the live celebration XXV Gathering! followed. After opening for the reunited Mötley Crüe on a 2004 tour of the U.K., the band settled in Prague to record its next album, Hosannas from the Basement of Hell, which appeared in 2006. In October of 2007, Paul Raven died of heart failure in Geneva, Switzerland. The original lineup of Coleman, Geordie, Youth, and Paul Ferguson all attended the funeral and decided to reunite in honor of both Raven and Killing Joke. After a worldwide tour, this lineup entered the studio and recorded the 2010 release Absolute Dissent. Touring and archival releases kept the band busy for the next few years with The Singles Collection: 1979-2012 arriving in 2013, while 2014 saw the release of both the remix set In Dub and the live album Down by the River. The reunited Killing Joke remained prolific, issuing a powerful new studio album, Pylon, in October 2015. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 42 Title: Almost Red Released: 1979-11 Tracks: 4 Duration: 17:10 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Almost Red (03:46) 2 Nervous System (04:20) 3 Are You Receiving (04:59) 4 Turn to Red (04:03) |
 | Album: 2 of 42 Title: What’s THIS For…! Released: 1981-06 Tracks: 8 Duration: 41:58 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 The Fall of Because (05:12) 2 Tension (04:33) 3 Unspeakable (05:19) 4 Butcher (06:11) 5 Follow the Leaders (05:37) 6 Madness (07:44) 7 Who Told You How? (03:37) 8 Exit (03:42) |
 | Album: 3 of 42 Title: Revelations Released: 1982-07 Tracks: 11 Duration: 41:48 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 The Hum (04:58) 2 Empire Song (03:19) 3 We Have Joy (02:56) 4 Chop‐Chop (04:19) 5 The Pandys Are Coming (04:27) 6 Chapter III (03:13) 7 Have a Nice Day (03:14) 8 Land of Milk and Honey (02:38) 9 Good Samaritan (03:28) 10 Dregs (04:51) 11 We Have Joy (alternate mix) (04:21) |
| Revelations : Allmusic album Review : The chief criticism many Killing Joke fans level at Revelations is that it is underproduced. When compared with later albums such as Extremities, Dirt & Various Repressed Emotions and Pandemonium, Revelations does seem to lack some sonic kick, but only for listeners not digging deep enough into the dusty labyrinth herein. Criticism of the production ignores the reality that the album is a joyous, original world unto itself. Sounding as if it was recorded in some mad, dub chamber, Revelations reveals many artsy, staccato pleasures. "Dregs," "Land of Milk and Honey," and "The Pandys Are Coming" blend stream-of-consciousness lyrics with blaring, distorted guitars and punchy drumming. Jaz Coleman has never sounded more confused and happy. This translates to the listener in the form of dark, fun soundscapes. The album is not about the accessible, synth-heavy charms of Firedances, a later album, or the political murkiness of Whats THIS For...!, an earlier release. Revelations is similar, in a sense, to Brighter Than a Thousand Suns and Outside the Gate, in that all three albums suggest less aggressive, more experimental facets of the band. Unlike the grasps at emotion on Brighter and Outside, Revelations trudges a noisy and unfocused (to the point of brilliance) middle ground between the bands electronic and guitar leanings. "Dregs," in particular, is indicative of the state of the band at the time; Coleman simply blurts out whatever comes to his mind as the rest of the band creates militant, swarming background squalls. Its the sound of industrial music being created before your very ears. Nine Inch Nails and Ministry would later mine the sound for everything it was worth. Repeat listens of Revelations reveal it to be a most enjoyable departure for one of the greatest, most underappreciated post-punk bands of the 80s. Revelations sees Killing Joke mangling and discarding the rules of modern rock music with demented, inspired genius. | ||
 | Album: 4 of 42 Title: “Ha” Killing Joke Live Released: 1982-11-04 Tracks: 9 Duration: 38:28 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Pssyche (04:47) 2 Sun Goes Down (03:53) 3 The Pandys Are Coming (03:54) 4 Take Take Take (04:56) 5 Unspeakable (05:19) 6 Wardance (03:46) 7 Sun Goes Down (04:18) 8 Birds of a Feather (03:45) 9 Flock the B Side (03:46) |
| “Ha” Killing Joke Live : Allmusic album Review : Though barely six songs and 26-minutes long, Ha! Killing Joke Live packs more ferocity and impact than most live recordings twice as long. Killing Joke was still in its punk-derived infancy when this was recorded in 1982, and the intensity of Jaz Colemans vocals and Geordie Walkers guitar is brutal. Whats more, the track selection serves as a nice primer to Killing Jokes early years. The previously unreleased "Take Take Take" is impressive enough, but the fearsome versions of classics such as "Pssyche" and "Wardance" are corrosive. The sound is surprisingly clear, too. Even upon its release, Ha! was not easy to find (and since it was deleted almost immediately, it became even less so) but listeners are urged to track down this superlative recording. | ||
 | Album: 5 of 42 Title: Fire Dances Released: 1983-07-13 Tracks: 10 Duration: 39:28 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 The Gathering (03:11) 2 Fun and Games (04:05) 3 Rejuvenation (04:00) 4 Frenzy (03:46) 5 Harlequin (03:57) 6 Feast of Blaze (03:33) 7 Song and Dance (05:13) 8 Dominator (04:28) 9 Let’s All Go (to the Fire Dances) (03:19) 10 Lust Almighty (03:50) |
| Fire Dances : Allmusic album Review : After stalling a bit with their 1982 album Revelations, Killing Joke nearly split up, with lead singer Jaz Coleman disappearing to Iceland in order to "survive the apocalypse." By the time Coleman returned to the band, bassist Youth was gone and replaced by Paul Raven, a perfect fit who would stay on board as the band found its way up the charts over the next few releases. As a reaction to all these comings and goings, this is a decidedly tribal album that opens with a track called "The Gathering," follows it with the "join the mob" anthem "Fun & Games," and features words like "we" and "us" throughout the album. The ultimate communal moment, "Lets All Go (To the Fire Dances)," is also the key track, with guitarist Geordie Walker bouncing between crunching barre chords and a Duane Eddy-on-steroids riff while Raven and drummer Paul Ferguson throb like a veteran rhythm section. Even if Colemans lyrics are filled with venom as always, hes rounding up allies to fight the system here and considering the idea of connecting with his audience rather than just confronting them. Fire Dances bridges Killing Jokes primal past with their more melodic, accessible future and without compromising any of their thunder. | ||
 | Album: 6 of 42 Title: Night Time Released: 1985-02 Tracks: 8 Duration: 39:56 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Night Time (04:56) 2 Darkness Before Dawn (05:21) 3 Love Like Blood (06:50) 4 Kings and Queens (04:41) 5 Tabazan (04:37) 6 Multitudes (04:59) 7 Europe (04:37) 8 Eighties (03:50) |
| Night Time : Allmusic album Review : Marking the full return from the bands out-of-nowhere hiatus in 1982, Night Time, following after a couple of test-the-waters EPs, finds the reconstituted Killing Joke, with Paul Raven in on bass but otherwise unchanged, caught between their earlier aggression and a calmer, more immediately accessible approach. This turned out to be the bands Achilles heel in the end, with later albums in the 80s evidence that the group had turned into an unbelievably boring, generic modern rock band. At this point, however, the tension between the two sides had a perfect balance, and as a result Night Time is arguably the quartets freshest album since its debut, with a warm, anthemic quality now supplementing the blasting, driving approach that made the bands name, as songs like "Kings and Queens" demonstrate. Geordie Walker pulls off some jaw-dropping solos amid his fierce riffs -- check out his turns on the title track -- while Paul Ferguson mixes and matches electronic beats with his own very well (perhaps a little less intensely than before, but not by much). Jaz Colemans experimentation with keyboards -- chopped-up vocal samples, calmer and sweet lead melodies -- is paralleled by his own singing, now mostly free of the treatments and echoes familiar from earlier days. Hes got a great singing voice as it stands, and its a treat to hear him let it flow forth without forcing it. "Eighties" turned out to be the retrospectively most well-known song, due to a surprising and not always remembered example of Killing Jokes influence -- Nirvana, of all groups, thoroughly cloned the watery guitar line at the heart of the track for "Come as You Are." "Love Like Blood" was the breakthrough single in the U.K., although -- and for good reason -- it managed the bizarre trick of slotting alongside Duran Duran for mainstream radio airplay while still sounding like nobody other than Killing Joke. A pity the group then spent some years doing pallid clones of the song. | ||
 | Album: 7 of 42 Title: Brighter Than a Thousand Suns Released: 1986-11-10 Tracks: 8 Duration: 41:14 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Adorations (04:42) 2 Sanity (04:44) 3 Chessboards (05:47) 4 Twilight of the Mortal (04:13) 5 Love of the Masses (04:40) 6 A Southern Sky (04:38) 7 Wintergardens (05:24) 8 Rubicon (07:03) |
| Brighter Than a Thousand Suns : Allmusic album Review : The end of the 80s wreaked havoc on all too many bands that started off strongly and, while Killing Joke hadnt quite reached its nadir (that would happen with the appalling Outside the Gate), Brighter Than a Thousand Suns was a definite transformation from the days of "The Wait" and "Complications." The unexpected success of Night Time and new commercial pressures clearly came to bear -- Chris Kimseys production, effective on that earlier album, here combined with Julian Mendelsohns mixing to result in too often blanded-out album rock throwaways, perfect for blasting on highways and little else. Still, the band hadnt changed any from Night Time, and even that lineup was three-quarters of the original incarnation of the group. The emphasis still focused clearly on volume and strong, full-bodied playing -- Geordie Walker, Paul Ferguson, and Paul Raven dont sound like theyre holding back at all even if their individual performances are less on the edge. Jaz Colemans newfound way around inspiring singing, meanwhile, pays off in dividends; though its impossible to square the results here with his earlier hectoring and cutting rage, the warm, sweet passion that he brings to bear often transforms an OK track into a great one. "Adorations," the killer opening track and easily the album standout, is a perfect example of how this era of the group could make it all connect, Colemans beautiful performance on the chorus and the overall ensemble effort making it the best anthem neither U2 nor Simple Minds ever wrote. But the stiff, mechanical beats on the immediately following "Sanity" -- a ridiculous substitution of Fergusons undisputed abilities -- sets the tone for the remainder of Brighter Than a Thousand Suns, an effort ultimately dialed in rather than performed. The sound-alike quality of nearly all the songs -- especially ironic considering the accomplished genre-hopping on the earliest records -- renders Killing Joke its own unfortunate parody in the end. | ||
 | Album: 8 of 42 Title: My Love of This Land Released: 1988-06 Tracks: 4 Duration: 17:54 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 My Love of This Land (03:58) 2 Darkness Before Dawn (05:18) 3 Follow the Leaders (dub) (04:00) 4 Pssyche (live) (04:38) |
 | Album: 9 of 42 Title: Outside the Gate Released: 1988-06-27 Tracks: 15 Duration: 1:12:17 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 America (03:45) 2 My Love of This Land (04:13) 3 Stay One Jump Ahead (03:10) 4 Unto the Ends of the Earth (06:08) 5 The Calling (04:45) 6 Obsession (03:35) 7 Tiahuanaco (03:26) 8 Outside the Gate (08:47) 9 May Day (03:52) 10 My Love of This Land (early version) (04:17) 11 Obsession (early version) (03:50) 12 Unto the Ends of the Earth (instrumental) (06:09) 13 Jihad (06:00) 14 America (extended mix) (06:46) 15 Stay One Jump Ahead (dub) (03:32) |
| Outside the Gate : Allmusic album Review : Fans who thought Killing Joke had hit rock bottom with Brighter Than a Thousand Suns were proven wrong by the follow-up effort. To be fair, Outside the Gate was never meant to be a Killing Joke album, at least not by the band. It was a solo album by lead singer Jaz Coleman -- with KJ guitarist Geordie Walker helping out -- until the record label muscled the bands name onto the cover in an attempt to make some money off this misguided experiment. Here Coleman tries to become a bona fide singer rather than just a vocalist, and turns his usual growl and shout into a croon. His delivery is iffy, undermining his grandiose lyrics which are further damaged by the horribly thin music. Pallid synths poorly imitate orchestras, the complex song structures are just tedious, Coleman acts as if hes Freddie Mercury and David Bowie mashed together, and none of the throb, thunder, or heavy riffage so important to the Killing Joke name is to be found. Put it this way: this is the Killing Joke album where castanets are heard and both bassist Paul Raven and drummer Big Paul Ferguson quit the band to avoid association with this misfire. If youre anything but a very forgiving completist, pass on this one. | ||
 | Album: 10 of 42 Title: Extremities, Dirt and Various Repressed Emotions Released: 1990-11-20 Tracks: 11 Duration: 1:05:06 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Money Is Not Our God (05:16) 2 Age of Greed (07:23) 3 The Beautiful Dead (05:57) 4 Extremities (05:19) 5 Intravenous (07:02) 6 Inside the Termite Mound (07:49) 7 Solitude (04:56) 8 North of the Border (05:52) 9 Slipstream (07:07) 10 Kaliyuga (02:08) 11 Struggle (06:13) |
| Extremities, Dirt and Various Repressed Emotions : Allmusic album Review : The gaggingly awful monstrosity of Outside the Gate behind them, Jaz Coleman and Geordie came to their senses, brought in ex-Public Image Ltd drum fiend Martin Atkins as a new partner for Paul Raven, and fired up a new version of Killing Joke that finally recaptured the sprawling spirit of the earliest days. Wisely, Extremities, Dirt & Various Repressed Emotions didnt simply try and replicate the debut or Revelations -- the group collectively allows for the later abilities of the members and incorporates that into the performances. Consider Colemans singing on the opening rampage "Money Is Not Our God" -- while the song itself rips along with the sheer fire of 1980 intact, Geordie in particular just going off, Coleman saves his now-recovered shout for the title phrase and the occasional verse. His later, smoother style, meanwhile, takes the fore elsewhere, a surprising but effective balance of control and chaos. Geordie, meanwhile, if anything sounds better than ever, his ear for brutally effective, memorable and tightly wound guitar riffs combined with just enough technical flash to define what a guitar hero should really sound like. Songs like "Inside the Termite Mound" and "North of the Border" keep the slightly more accessible, calmer side of late-80s Killing Joke at least partially present, but never succumb to total polish. If theres a definite flaw to Extremities, its that too much of the album sounds like a response to the bands descendents -- most clearly Ministry, with whom Atkins had already worked -- than its own effort. At other parts, as on "Struggle" and sections of "The Beautiful Dead," the group creates generic speed/thrash instead of its own stronger variations. Its not the worst of sins, though -- certainly not in comparison with Killing Jokes immediate past -- and the end result confirms the core Coleman/Geordie partnership as the strong beast it is. | ||
 | Album: 11 of 42 Title: Laugh? I Nearly Bought One! Released: 1992-09-18 Tracks: 17 Duration: 1:19:20 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Turn to Red (04:03) 2 Pssyche (live) (04:45) 3 Requiem (03:44) 4 Wardance (03:48) 5 Follow the Leaders (04:55) 6 Unspeakable (05:19) 7 Butcher (06:11) 8 Exit (03:42) 9 The Hum (04:58) 10 Empire Song (03:19) 11 Chop‐Chop (04:19) 12 Sun Goes Down (04:19) 13 Eighties (03:50) 14 Darkness Before Dawn (05:21) 15 Love Like Blood (04:25) 16 Wintergardens (unreleased mix) (04:48) 17 Age of Greed (07:27) |
 | Album: 12 of 42 Title: Pandemonium Released: 1994-04-21 Tracks: 10 Duration: 1:00:50 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Pandemonium (06:41) 2 Exorcism (07:27) 3 Millennium (05:34) 4 Communion (06:56) 5 Black Moon (05:19) 6 Labyrinth (05:55) 7 Jana (04:06) 8 Whiteout (05:43) 9 Pleasures of the Flesh (05:42) 10 Mathematics of Chaos (07:24) |
| Pandemonium : Allmusic album Review : After the bands lengthiest hiatus since it was founded, Killing Joke returned in 1994 with a new/old lineup and an interesting enough new album. Raven, the groups bassist since the Night Time days, was replaced by original bassist Youth, who produced the album and released it on his label. Compared to the newfound intensity of Extremities, Pandemonium partially steps away from the neo-industrial/thrash of that effort for a more varied, often quite surprising experience. With no one drummer replacing Atkins, the threesome works with a number of performers, Coleman in particular bringing in some of the Egyptian musicians whom he has worked with on a variety of projects, including his collaborative work with Anne Dudley. Noted percussionist Hossam Ramzy takes a key role, replacing the frenetic fire of Fergusons work with a subtler, more textured approach, while Aboud Abdels violin further gives Pandemonium a haunting edge, aiming to some extent at recreating the epic, mysterious stomp of Led Zeppelins "Kashmir" for a newer day. Elsewhere, the straight-ahead rampage of "Exorcism" and "Whiteout" show that Killing Joke hasnt forgotten the power of sheer intensity, and if Fergusons sheer power and inventiveness is missed the most here, the results are still a thrilling, fierce listen. The core Coleman/Geordie partnership remains strong, the latter at points holding back on his more scalpel-sharp approach for a thicker, overdubbed flow, sometimes -- as on "Jana" -- finding a friendly, open style that revisits the radio-friendly AOR days of the band without actually sucking. In turn, Coleman slides between his declamatory persona and the closer, more controlled style of later efforts; the combination -- as on the striking, massive wallop of "Communion" -- can be incredible, the contrast between the verses and searing choruses proving captivating. | ||
 | Album: 13 of 42 Title: Wilful Days Released: 1995-05 Tracks: 13 Duration: 1:08:38 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Are You Receiving (04:59) 2 Follow the Leaders (dub) (04:06) 3 Sun Goes Down (04:19) 4 Dominator (extended) (05:34) 5 Me or You (03:14) 6 Wilful Days (05:03) 7 Eighties (Serious Dance mix) (08:03) 8 A New Day (04:02) 9 Love Like Blood (extended mix) (06:45) 10 The Madding Crowd (05:13) 11 Ecstacy (The extended mix) (06:30) 12 America (extended mix) (06:46) 13 Change (Re-Evolution 23 mix) (03:59) |
| Wilful Days : Allmusic album Review : Essentially an assemblage of 12" mixes and B-sides, Wilful Days certainly isnt the first place to go for Killing Joke, but its not a half-bad introduction. Its range from 1979 to 1992 material might not make for the most cohesive set of KJ tracks, but it will give the newbie an idea of where to start, depending on their taste. The "Serious Dance Mix" of "Eighties" (featuring the Geordie Walker guitar line that Kurt Cobain more or less lifted for "Come as You Are") lasts a rather torturous eight minutes, and the extended version of weaker material like "America" tests the attention span as well. The "Gestalt Mix" of "Love Like Blood" successfully adds a couple minutes of rhythmic interplay to one of the bands most darkly affecting songs off the improperly slagged Night Time. Other notables include the charging "Are You Receiving" and a dub mix of "Follow the Leaders." | ||
 | Album: 14 of 42 Title: BBC in Concert Released: 1995-10 Tracks: 13 Duration: 57:39 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Twilight of the Mortals (04:47) 2 Chessboards (05:36) 3 Kings & Queens (04:11) 4 Darkness Before Dawn (05:02) 5 Love Like Blood (04:44) 6 Sanity (04:48) 7 Love of the Masses (04:07) 8 Requiem (03:19) 9 Complications (03:20) 10 Wardance (03:50) 11 Tabazan (04:34) 12 Tension (03:50) 13 Psyche (05:25) |
 | Album: 15 of 42 Title: Democracy Released: 1996-02-15 Tracks: 10 Duration: 54:21 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Savage Freedom (04:51) 2 Democracy (03:39) 3 Prozac People (06:54) 4 Lanterns (04:53) 5 Aeon (08:05) 6 Pilgrimage (06:29) 7 Intellect (04:00) 8 Medicine Wheel (05:17) 9 Absent Friends (05:40) 10 Another Bloody Election (04:27) |
| Democracy : Allmusic album Review : Killing Jokes best album in 11 years is a major surprise. While the other two LPs since their comeback (after a brief breakup in 1988) refocused the group on heavy guitars and contained several great songs, this time they put it all together. For good measure, they throw out the minor, pesky metal-isms that lurked throughout 1994s Pandemonium. Instead, Democracy returns them to the assault and battery of their seminal, self-titled 1980 debut (and, like that classic, Killing Joke effectively play with tribal rhythms here, on the incessant "Intellect" and the hypnotic "Aeon"), only filtered through the bigger, larger, exalted guitar reverberation of their last truly incredible LP, 1985s Nighttime. Credit returned original bassist Youth (now a noted producer) for the dark, immense, bonfire sound of this monster. The choruses of "Democracy" and "Prozac People" storm, led by Jaz Colemans maniacal, red-throated doomsday voice, and Geordies apocalyptic chords. "Pilgrimage" duck-steps brilliantly with real swing. And best of all, the closing "Another Bloody Election" is a brutal, barbarous, bloodthirsty shellacking, the hardest, most vicious, ghastly onslaught theyve ever perpetrated (and thats saying plenty), as Coleman fumes over the futility of the pathetic political process with an acute mixture of unchecked, furious ire and helplessness. Its just the final hammer blow of primal urgency from an 18-year-old band that has completely refound their singular thunder (the kind Nirvana filched for "Come as You Are," as per the settled lawsuit) on this, their tenth album. | ||
 | Album: 16 of 42 Title: Wardance: The Remixes Released: 1998-11 Tracks: 9 Duration: 1:08:34 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Love Like Blood (Deedrah remix) (06:46) 2 Savage Freedom (UX remix) (08:59) 3 Democracy (Nine Inch Nails remix) (07:25) 4 Four Stations of the Sun (Hallucinogen remix) (07:26) 5 Pandemonium (Man With No Name remix) (06:16) 6 Jana (Hallucinogenic) (06:48) 7 Black Moon (California Sunshine remix) (10:19) 8 Intellect (Johan remix) (07:04) 9 White Out (Johan remix) (07:29) |
 | Album: 17 of 42 Title: ...No Way Out but Forward Go Released: 2001-05-06 Tracks: 17 Duration: 1:08:27 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 The Hum (Live Lorely 17.08.85) (04:47) 2 Darkness Before Dawn (Live Lorely 17.08.85) (04:53) 3 Requiem (Live Lorely 17.08.85) (03:07) 4 Empire Song (Live Lorely 17.08.85) (02:31) 5 Tabazan (Live Lorely 17.08.85) (04:28) 6 Night Time (Live Lorely 17.08.85) (04:51) 7 Kings & Queens (Live Lorely 17.08.85) (04:18) 8 The Good Samaritan (Live Lorely 17.08.85) (02:28) 9 Love Like Blood (Live Lorely 17.08.85) (04:21) 10 Blood Sport (Live Lorely 17.08.85) (03:23) 11 Complications (Live Lorely 17.08.85) (03:08) 12 The Wait (Live Lorely 17.08.85) (03:41) 13 Pssyche (Live Lorely 17.08.85) (05:04) 14 Eighties (Live Lorely 17.08.85) (03:40) 15 Wardance (Live Lorely 17.08.85) (03:58) 16 Adorations (05:25) 17 Chessboards (04:17) |
| ...No Way Out but Forward Go : Allmusic album Review : No Way Out But Forward Go is Killing Jokes first full-length release since 1996s Democracy, and the bands third live album. Taken from a 1985 concert on the Night Time tour, its hardly a worthy substitute for a studio album, but it does showcase Killing Joke at their finest. The 17 tracks are split roughly equally between Youth-era and Paul Raven-era material, with most of the Night Time album being present. All of the early classics ("Wardance," "Requiem") are featured, as well as rarer songs such as "Pssyche." Live versions of two tracks from Brighter Than a Thousand Suns are also included, as is a full CD-ROM of the concert on some editions. Unfortunately, most of the show sounds as if its been recorded in a rehearsal room, since the audience appears to be almost entirely lifeless. The bandmembers give it their best effort, however, and throw themselves into the performance wholeheartedly. The only low point is "The Good Samaritan," which isnt really appropriate for a live setting. Other than that, its a good representation of the bands bile-and-fire approach. | ||
 | Album: 18 of 42 Title: Love Like Blood Released: 2002-11-25 Tracks: 17 Duration: 1:06:57 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 The Hum (04:47) 2 Darkness Before Dawn (04:54) 3 Requiem (03:07) 4 Empire Song (02:31) 5 Tabazan (04:28) 6 Night Time (04:52) 7 Kings And Queens (04:19) 8 The Good Samaritan (02:28) 9 Love Like Blood (04:21) 10 Bloodsport (03:23) 11 Complications (03:08) 12 The Wait (03:39) 13 Pssyche (05:08) 14 Eighties (03:35) 15 Wardance (03:58) 16 Tension (03:52) 17 Kings & Queens (II) (04:27) |
 | Album: 19 of 42 Title: Killing Joke Released: 2003-01-03 Tracks: 11 Duration: 59:23 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples AlbumCover | 1 The Death & Resurrection Show (06:56) 2 Total Invasion (05:28) 3 Asteroid (03:24) 4 Implant (05:18) 5 Blood on Your Hands (06:00) 6 Loose Cannon (04:12) 7 Youll Never Get to Me (06:19) 8 Seeing Red (05:27) 9 Dark Forces (06:26) 10 The House That Pain Built (06:17) 11 Wardance (03:31) |
 | Album: 20 of 42 Title: The Unperverted Pantomime? Released: 2003-10-06 Tracks: 16 Duration: 1:02:11 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Nervous System (Malicious single) (04:17) 2 Pssyche (Malicious single) (05:15) 3 Follow the Leaders (original mix) (04:03) 4 Change (Capital radio Session) (03:54) 5 Are You Receiving? (Capital radio Session) (04:45) 6 Complications (Capital radio Session) (03:29) 7 Wardance (Malicious single) (03:44) 8 The Wait (Basing Street demo) (03:49) 9 Nervous System (live 1980) (04:16) 10 Animal (live 1980) (03:02) 11 Change (live 1980) (03:59) 12 Nuclear Boy (live 1980) (03:03) 13 Malicious Boogie (live 1980) (02:48) 14 Wardance (live 1980) (03:44) 15 Are You Recieving? (live 1980) (05:00) 16 Youre Being Followed (live 1980) (03:01) |
 | Album: 21 of 42 Title: Chaos for Breakfast Released: 2004-06-21 Tracks: 22 Duration: 1:50:49 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Nervous System (04:20) 2 Turn to Red (03:56) 3 Are You Receiving (04:59) 4 Almost Red (03:46) 1 Wardance (03:45) 2 Pssyche (04:57) 1 Requiem (03:44) 2 Change (03:56) 3 Requiem (Malicious demo) (03:46) 1 Follow the Leaders (05:37) 2 Tension (04:33) 3 Follow the Leaders (dub) (04:06) 4 Follow the Leaders (original lyrics) (04:01) 1 Requiem (Malicious demo) (03:46) 2 Wardance (Malicious demo) (04:05) 3 Bloodsport (Malicious demo) (05:24) 4 The Wait (Malicious demo) (03:50) 5 Complications (Malicious demo) (03:13) 6 Change (Malicious demo) (04:01) 7 Madness (Malicious demo) (07:09) 8 Killer Dub (Aka Bread & Jam) (19:01) 9 Bloodsport (Malicious demo 2) (04:47) |
| Chaos for Breakfast : Allmusic album Review : The most attractive thing about Chaos for Breakfast is that it contains Killing Jokes first four singles, all of which are housed in reproductions -- inserts and all -- of the original vinyl releases. Secondary but no less luring for the collectors: an albums worth of demos and outtakes, a fold-out sleeve with liner notes from journalist Neil Perry, and a wallet holding 30 black-and-white photos, all put together by Malicious Damages Mike Coles. The bands early singles, originally released between 1979 and 1981, make for some of the heaviest, meanest post-punk, regardless of approach. When most people think of Killing Joke, they tend to be reminded of lumbering riffs and bellowing vocals, but the band could also resemble a relatively straight-laced PiL or Ruts (the spare, dubby "Turn to Red"), an art-damaged prog band with a hard edge (the charging "Are You Receiving"), or something else entirely ("Turn to Red"s oddball brother "Almost Red"). Other highlights -- "Pssyche," "Wardance," "Requiem," "Change," "Follow the Leaders" -- are wicked combinations of brute force and intellect, often spiked with the kind of electronics that few other song-oriented post-punk bands (Associates, Joy Division, Simple Minds) incorporated. The demos contained here are more like alternate takes, often sounding much like their final versions. Outtake "Killer Dub" is of some note, mostly due to its extreme length (just short of 20 minutes). Though the outer shell of the package is an explosion of bright colors and a font possibly called "goofy jester," the sleeves of the "Wardance" and "Nervous System" singles are as emblematic of the post-punk era as the cover of Unknown Pleasures and Howard Devotos frigid gaze, bathed in deep reds. If nothing else, Chaos for Breakfast is a commendable release for reuniting the songs with the striking images they were originally attached to. | ||
 | Album: 22 of 42 Title: For Beginners Released: 2004-08-02 Tracks: 16 Duration: 1:10:56 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 The Wait (03:45) 2 Primitive (03:36) 3 Butcher (06:11) 4 The Fall of Because (live) (04:54) 5 Chapter III (03:13) 6 We Have Joy (mix) (04:19) 7 Fun & Games (04:04) 8 Harlequin (single version) (03:43) 9 Wilful Days (05:00) 10 Tabazan (04:37) 11 Night Time (04:56) 12 Victory (single mix) (03:57) 13 Twilight of the Mortal (04:12) 14 My Love of This Land (04:13) 15 Obsession (03:35) 16 Rubicon (06:34) |
| For Beginners : Allmusic album Review : Apocalyptic alterno-rockers Killing Joke could stand an introductory compilation with a novice-friendly name since the title Laugh? I Nearly Bought One! doesnt cry out "a great Killing Joke primer." Laugh? And For Beginners should really swap names since the track selection here skips plenty of important numbers and doesnt give any clue how pop-tacular the grinding band could get. Without "Eighties," "Wardance," "Love Like Blood," or "Requiem," For Beginners is anything but. Even the great "The Fall of Because" is included in a less satisfying live version and the bands weak 86 -- 88 period, which is overrepresented with five tracks. Take off a couple redundant tracks and this would be a perfect CD2 for Laugh?. The songs here are good, B-list Killing Joke and the cover is great, but calling it For Beginners is misleading and just plain screwy. | ||
 | Album: 23 of 42 Title: XXV Gathering! Released: 2005-10-10 Tracks: 15 Duration: 1:13:56 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Communion (06:20) 2 Wardance (03:36) 3 Song and Dance (05:23) 4 Primitive (03:48) 5 Total Invasion (05:11) 6 Blood Sport (04:51) 7 Requiem (03:53) 8 Asteroid (04:41) 9 The Wait (04:34) 10 Pssyche (04:51) 11 The Pandys Are Coming (04:18) 12 Sun Goes Down (04:34) 13 Are You Receiving (05:32) 14 Love Like Blood (06:26) 15 Pandemonium (05:58) |
 | Album: 24 of 42 Title: Hosannas From the Basements of Hell Released: 2006-03-31 Tracks: 9 Duration: 1:02:03 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 This Tribal Antidote (04:14) 2 Hosannas From the Basements of Hell (05:52) 3 Invocation (07:54) 4 Implosion (06:41) 5 Majestic (05:40) 6 Walking With Gods (08:36) 7 The Lightbringer (09:38) 8 Judas Goat (06:21) 9 Gratitude (07:03) |
| Hosannas From the Basements of Hell : Allmusic album Review : The snarling animal in Killing Joke that was reborn on their self-titled 2003 release is alive and well on the thunderous Hosannas from the Basement of Hell, an insider album thats pointed directly at the fans. Coming off a triumphant tour celebrating the bands 25th anniversary -- captured brilliantly on the XXV Gathering! DVD -- the Joke sound absolutely free and grand here, allowing songs to stretch well past the five-minute mark and just begging the detractors to have at it by sitting firm on their classic delivery. Like their great early albums, Hosannas is a sonic sledgehammer, nowhere near as clean as their 2003 release thanks to the bands insistence that old equipment and primitive speakers be used for the recording and mixing. At first, its a dense and jarring experience as strings and synths get lost in the surging mix, and while the album sorts itself out after repeat listens, the provided lyric sheet is the only way to catch all the twists in Jaz Colemans inspired words. Hes given the album a narrative arc by beginning with two numbers referencing the band/fan relationship. "This Tribal Antidote" portrays Killing Joke concerts as "A Ritual/A festival of dissent" where "Kindred spirits exchange and listen/Share in common a different value system." The title track goes even further, putting the listener in the die-hard fans day to day experience with the protagonist looking to set friends on fire until he remembers "Killing Joke waits for me/Then we play/Go Psycho." From here on out, its Coleman and company dragging the hardcore along as villages are pillaged and the sacred is destroyed, right up to the closing "Gratitude," which gradually trudges things back to reality. Supporting this grand journey is Geordie Walkers stately guitar, as forceful as ever and dominating on the otherworldly "Majestic." Newcomers may find this all too much to take in, while old fans can cherish the bands most personal album as another victory. | ||
 | Album: 25 of 42 Title: Inside Extremities, Mixes, Rehearsals and Live Released: 2007-02 Tracks: 26 Duration: 2:13:45 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Money Is Not Our God (instrumental) (05:46) 2 Money Is Not Our God (Hideous remix) (04:11) 3 Intravenous (1) (05:48) 4 Money Is Not Our God (04:29) 5 Slipstream (intro) (05:40) 6 Slipstream (07:11) 7 Struggle (instrumental) (01:52) 8 Struggle (vocal 1) (02:25) 9 Struggle (vocal 2) (01:38) 10 Struggle (vocal 3) (03:41) 11 Intravenous (2) (07:11) 12 The Fanatic (live) (04:20) 1 Inside the Termite Mound (10:17) 2 Money Is Not Our God (04:33) 3 Extremities (05:11) 4 Complications (03:23) 5 The Beautiful Dead (05:49) 6 Change (04:43) 7 Frenzy (05:49) 8 Age of Greed (08:16) 9 Requiem (03:31) 10 The Wait (03:42) 11 Intravenous (07:30) 12 Wardance (03:55) 13 Love Like Blood (06:27) 14 Pssyche (06:27) |
 | Album: 26 of 42 Title: Bootleg Vinyl Archive, Volume 1 Released: 2007-05-22 Tracks: 44 Duration: 3:00:27 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Wardance (live) (03:51) 2 Follow the Leader (live) (04:12) 3 Change (live) (03:33) 4 Exit (live) (02:56) 5 Requiem (live) (03:18) 6 Bloodsport (live) (03:14) 7 Unspeakable (live) (04:53) 8 Fall of Because (live) (04:00) 9 Primitive (live) (02:57) 10 The Wait (live) (04:05) 11 Pssyche (live) (05:33) 12 Turn to Red (live) (02:37) 13 Tension (live) (03:59) 14 Pssyche (live) (05:11) 15 Tomorrow’s World (live) (05:02) 16 Nervous System (live) (04:08) 17 Malicious Boogie (live) (02:43) 18 Turn to Red (live) (03:43) 19 Nuclear Boy (live) (03:16) 1 Change (live) (04:21) 2 Complications (live) (03:35) 3 Wardance (live) (04:02) 4 Are You Receiving? (live) (06:35) 5 What’s the Matter? (live) (04:00) 6 Wardance (live) (04:31) 7 Unspeakable (live) (05:10) 8 Change (live) (04:03) 9 Exit (live) (03:10) 10 Requiem (live) (03:12) 11 Bloodsport (live) (03:44) 12 We Have Joy (live) (03:07) 13 Primitive (live) (03:10) 14 The Fall of Because (live) (04:20) 15 Complications (live) (03:27) 16 The Wait (live) (04:10) 1 Wardance (live) (03:56) 2 The Beautiful Dead (live) (06:16) 3 Change (live) (04:13) 4 Night Time (live) (05:04) 5 Frenzy (live) (04:18) 6 Eighties (live) (03:33) 7 Love Like Blood (live) (05:45) 8 The Pandys Are Coming (live) (04:01) 9 Extremities (live) (05:33) |
 | Album: 27 of 42 Title: Bootleg Vinyl Archive, Volume 2 Released: 2007-05-22 Tracks: 46 Duration: 3:17:08 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Follow the Leaders (demo version) (04:03) 2 Complications (demo version) (03:23) 3 Tomorrows World (demo version) (04:56) 4 Change (demo version) (04:22) 5 Wait (demo version) (03:51) 6 Pssyche (demo version) (05:16) 7 Change (demo version) (03:57) 8 Are Your Receiving? (demo version) (04:47) 9 Complications (demo version) (03:29) 10 Nighttime (live) (04:48) 11 Sun Goes Down (live) (04:20) 12 Tabazan (live) (04:21) 13 Wait (live) (03:36) 14 Darkness Before Dawn (live) (05:01) 1 Requiem (live) (03:01) 2 Bloodsport (live) (03:37) 3 Love Like Blood (live) (04:20) 4 Tension (live) (03:44) 5 Pssyche (live) (04:42) 6 Eighties (live) (03:22) 7 Intro... (live) (00:21) 8 Night Time (live) (04:40) 9 Sun Goes Down (live) (04:26) 10 Tabazan (live) (04:15) 11 Wait (live) (03:47) 12 Darkness Before Dawn (live) (04:29) 13 Requiem (live) (03:04) 14 Bloodsport (live) (03:23) 15 Love Like Blood (live) (04:26) 16 Tension (live) (03:49) 17 Eighties (live) (01:59) 18 Follow the Leaders (live) (04:15) 1 Communion (live) (07:47) 2 Fall of Because (live) (05:02) 3 Wardance (live) (04:26) 4 Whiteout (live) (03:26) 5 Requiem (live) (04:16) 6 Change (live) (05:04) 7 Labyrinth (live) (04:59) 8 Kings and Queens (live) (05:05) 9 Millennium (live) (06:43) 10 Complications (live) (03:51) 11 Eighties (live) (03:41) 12 Wait (live) (04:11) 13 Pssyche (live) (06:08) 14 Mathematics of Chaos (live) (06:39) |
 | Album: 28 of 42 Title: Fire Dances / Night Time Released: 2008 Tracks: 35 Duration: 2:33:12 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 The Gathering (03:11) 2 Fun and Games (04:05) 3 Rejuvenation (04:00) 4 Frenzy (03:46) 5 Harlequin (03:57) 6 Feast of Blaze (03:33) 7 Song and Dance (05:13) 8 Dominator (04:28) 9 Let’s All Go (to the Fire Dances) (03:19) 10 Lust Almighty (03:50) 11 Me or You (03:14) 12 Wilful Days (05:03) 13 Dominator (version) (05:32) 14 The Gathering (original Alt version) (03:27) 15 Dominator (John Peel session 12/7/83) (05:30) 16 Frenzy (John Peel session 12/7/83) (03:39) 17 Wilful Days (John Peel session 12/7/83) (05:58) 18 Harlequin (John Peel session 12/7/83) (03:54) 1 Night Time (04:56) 2 Darkness Before Dawn (05:21) 3 Love Like Blood (06:50) 4 Kings and Queens (04:37) 5 Tabazan (04:37) 6 Multitudes (04:59) 7 Europe (04:37) 8 Eighties (03:59) 9 Eighties (Kid Jensen session 17/4/84) (02:51) 10 New Culture (Kid Jensen session 17/4/84) (03:09) 11 Blue Feather (Kid Jensen session 17/4/84) (04:29) 12 All Play Rebel (Kid Jensen session 17/4/84) (03:18) 13 A New Day (04:10) 14 The Madding Crowd (05:13) 15 Blue Feather (Joke mix) (03:59) 16 Love Like Blood (Gestalt mix) (05:12) 17 Kings and Queens (Geordies dub mix) (04:57) |
 | Album: 29 of 42 Title: RMXD Released: 2008-08-04 Tracks: 15 Duration: 1:15:39 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Eighties (Serious dance mix) (06:03) 2 Blue Feather (dub) (04:08) 3 A New Day (dub) (04:49) 4 Love Like Blood (extended 12" mix) (06:41) 5 Kings and Queens (A Right Royal mix) (04:54) 6 Blue Feather (extended mix) (04:57) 7 Eighties (Coming mix) (03:56) 8 Dance Day (04:04) 9 Wardance (The RAF mix) (03:45) 10 Sanity (The Roman mix) (05:09) 11 Ecstacy (The extended mix) (06:30) 12 Adorations (instrumental mix) (04:20) 13 Love Like Blood (The 86 remix) (06:21) 14 Stay One Jump Ahead (extended mix) (05:44) 15 America (dub) (04:18) |
 | Album: 30 of 42 Title: The Peel Sessions 79 - 81 Released: 2008-09-08 Tracks: 17 Duration: 1:06:19 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Pssyche (04:58) 2 Wardance (03:44) 3 Nuclear Boy (03:06) 4 Malicious Boogie (02:02) 5 Change (04:20) 6 Tomorrows World (04:54) 7 Complication (03:22) 8 The Fall of Because (04:11) 9 Tension (03:33) 10 Butcher (04:36) 11 The Hum (04:44) 12 Empire Song (03:24) 13 We Have Joy (02:51) 14 Chop Chop (04:46) 15 Tension (04:13) 16 Unspeakable (04:45) 17 Exit (02:43) |
 | Album: 31 of 42 Title: Live at the Forum, Part 1: 03-10-08 Released: 2008-10-03 Tracks: 21 Duration: 1:40:05 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Requiem (04:26) 2 Wardance (03:35) 3 Tomorrows World (05:03) 4 Bloodsport (04:40) 5 Complications (03:35) 6 S.O. 36 (05:42) 7 Primitive (03:40) 8 Eighties (03:13) 9 The Fall of Because (03:39) 10 Tension (03:58) 11 Unspeakable (04:27) 1 Who Told You How (04:29) 2 Butcher (05:01) 3 Madness (06:18) 4 Exit (03:19) 5 Follow the Leaders (05:11) 6 The Wait (03:51) 7 Pssyche (06:55) 8 Love Like Blood (08:12) 9 Change (05:14) 10 Are You Receiving? (05:32) |
 | Album: 32 of 42 Title: Live at the Forum, Part 2: 04-10-08 Released: 2008-10-04 Tracks: 18 Duration: 1:29:18 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 The Hum (06:04) 2 Change (04:13) 3 Pssyche (04:48) 4 Love Like Blood (06:20) 5 Eighties (02:50) 6 Whiteout (03:42) 7 Exorcism (05:15) 8 Labyrinth (05:23) 9 Black Moon (05:00) 10 Turn to Red (04:51) 1 Communion (05:17) 2 Money Is Not Our God (04:28) 3 Asteroid (03:59) 4 Timewave (03:41) 5 The Wait (04:10) 6 Pandemonium (08:01) 7 The Pandys Are Coming / Empire Song (07:12) 8 Wardance (04:04) |
 | Album: 33 of 42 Title: The Original Unperverted Pantomime Released: 2008-10-10 Tracks: 15 Duration: 57:34 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 We Have Joy (02:50) 2 Empire Song (03:23) 3 Chop Chop (04:37) 4 The Hum (04:39) 5 Pssyche (05:10) 6 Nervous System (04:31) 7 Animal (03:09) 8 Change (04:20) 9 Nuclear Boy (03:18) 10 Turn to Red (03:51) 11 Malicious Boogie (03:04) 12 Wardance (03:47) 13 Are You Receiving (05:08) 14 Youre Being Followed (03:04) 15 Bodies (02:40) |
 | Album: 34 of 42 Title: Duende: The Spanish Sessions Released: 2008-11-03 Tracks: 14 Duration: 1:02:33 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Requiem (03:36) 2 The Wait (03:58) 3 Tomorrow’s World (05:12) 4 Bloodsport (04:14) 5 Psyche (05:01) 6 SO36 (05:57) 7 Millenium (05:06) 8 Tension (04:08) 9 Primitive (03:26) 10 Are You Receiving (05:00) 11 Whiteout (02:56) 12 Pandemonium (04:58) 13 Eighties (03:00) 14 Love Like Blood (05:56) |
 | Album: 35 of 42 Title: The Gathering 2008 Released: 2009-05-18 Tracks: 40 Duration: 3:08:55 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Requiem (04:26) 2 Wardance (03:35) 3 Tomorrows World (05:03) 4 Bloodsport (04:40) 5 Complications (03:35) 6 S.O. 36 (05:42) 7 Primitive (03:40) 8 Eighties (03:13) 9 The Fall of Because (03:39) 10 Tension (04:05) 11 Unspeakable (04:27) 1 Who Told You How (04:29) 2 Butcher (05:01) 3 Madness (06:18) 4 Exit (03:33) 5 Follow the Leaders (04:42) 6 The Wait (04:02) 7 Pssyche (07:04) 8 Love Like Blood (08:22) 9 Change (04:59) 10 Are You Receiving? (05:32) 1 The Hum (06:04) 2 Change (04:13) 3 Pssyche (04:19) 4 Love Like Blood (06:20) 5 Eighties (02:50) 6 Whiteout (03:42) 7 Exorcism (05:15) 8 Labyrinth (05:23) 9 Black Moon (05:00) 10 Turn to Red (04:51) 1 Communion (05:17) 2 Money Is Not Our God (04:28) 3 Asteroid (03:59) 4 Timewave (03:41) 5 The Wait (04:10) 6 Pandemonium (08:01) 7 The Pandys Are Coming (04:25) 8 Empire Song (02:45) 9 Wardance (04:04) |
 | Album: 36 of 42 Title: Absolute Dissent Released: 2010-09-27 Tracks: 12 Duration: 1:02:52 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Absolute Dissent (06:16) 2 The Great Cull (05:57) 3 Fresh Fever From the Skies (03:23) 4 In Excelsis (04:04) 5 European Super State (04:42) 6 This World Hell (05:27) 7 Endgame (04:41) 8 The Raven King (06:33) 9 Honour the Fire (05:50) 10 Depthcharge (04:17) 11 Here Comes the Singularity (05:04) 12 Ghosts of Ladbroke Grove (06:32) |
| Absolute Dissent : Allmusic album Review : Killing Jokes 2010 release sees the bands lineup returning to its earliest incarnation, with vocalist Jaz Coleman and guitarist Geordie Walker (the only two constant members) rejoined by bassist Youth and drummer Paul Ferguson for the first time since 1982. Theyre playing at full strength, with the rhythm section pumping hard on the opening title track and the three that follow it. But on track five, "European Super State," the album takes a surprising turn toward retro, synth-driven disco-pop, sounding like an outtake from Laibachs NATO. They recover quickly, though, with "This World Hell," one of the heaviest and ugliest tracks on the entire album. There are a few other surprises (the soft and kinda catchy "Honour the Fire"; the ballad "The Raven King," dedicated to late bassist Paul Raven; the dubbed-out "Ghost of Ladbroke Grove"), but for the most part, this is a monolithic slab of Killing Joke at their most forceful, focused, and aggressive. Its not totally surprising -- their self-titled 2003 album and 2006s Hosannas from the Basements of Hell, particularly the latter, have practically been the rock equivalent of life-extinguishing meteors -- but its damn nice to hear a band still operating at this level after more than 30 years into its career. | ||
 | Album: 37 of 42 Title: Live at the Hammersmith Apollo 16.10.2010 Released: 2010-10-16 Tracks: 23 Duration: 1:42:31 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Toms World (05:09) 2 Love Like Blood (06:16) 3 In Excelsis (03:27) 4 Wardance (03:41) 5 Absolute Dissent (05:17) 6 Bloodsport (03:59) 7 European Superstate (04:43) 8 This World Hell (05:02) 9 Fall of Because (04:08) 1 Ghosts of Ladbroke Grove (06:05) 2 Madness (04:05) 3 Requiem (03:33) 4 Eighties (03:06) 5 The Great Cull (05:46) 6 Fresh Fever From the Skies (03:40) 7 Asteroid (03:01) 8 Depth Charge (04:09) 9 The Wait (04:03) 10 Pssyche (05:09) 11 The Raven King (03:34) 12 Complications (03:49) 13 Endgame (03:15) 14 Pandemonium (07:30) |
 | Album: 38 of 42 Title: Down by the River Released: 2012 Tracks: 20 Duration: 1:32:44 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Unspeakable (04:34) 2 Love Like Blood (06:11) 3 Change (04:06) 4 Wardance (03:50) 5 Communion (05:33) 6 Bloodsport (03:47) 7 European Super State (04:50) 8 This World Hell (05:10) 9 The Fall of Because (03:54) 10 Ghosts of Ladbroke Grove (06:04) 1 Madness (05:55) 2 Requiem (03:15) 3 Primitive (03:33) 4 The Great Cull (05:50) 5 Asteroid (02:51) 6 Depth Charge (04:11) 7 The Wait (03:51) 8 Pssyche (07:01) 9 Eighties (02:44) 10 Pandemonium (05:34) |
 | Album: 39 of 42 Title: MMXII Released: 2012-01-01 Tracks: 10 Duration: 50:51 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Pole Shift (08:56) 2 FEMA Camp (05:01) 3 Rapture (04:15) 4 Colony Collapse (05:04) 5 Corporate Elect (04:00) 6 In Cythera (04:29) 7 Primobile (04:44) 8 Glitch (04:47) 9 Trance (06:09) 10 On All Hallows Eve (03:21) |
 | Album: 40 of 42 Title: The Singles Collection 1979–2012 Released: 2013-05-06 Tracks: 43 Duration: 3:10:04 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Nervous System (04:17) 2 Wardance (03:45) 3 Requiem (03:40) 4 Follow the Leaders (03:27) 5 Empire Song (03:19) 6 Chop-Chop (04:17) 7 Birds of a Feather (03:46) 8 Lets All Go (To the Fire Dances) (03:23) 9 Me or You? (03:02) 10 Eighties (03:50) 11 A New Day (04:10) 12 Love Like Blood (04:22) 13 Kings and Queens (03:44) 14 Adorations (04:42) 15 Sanity (04:38) 16 America (03:45) 17 My Love of This Land (04:06) 1 The Beautiful Dead (Flexi-disc version) (04:37) 2 Money Is Not Our God (05:14) 3 Exorcism (mix edit) (05:24) 4 Millennium (Cybersank edit) (03:58) 5 Pandemonium (Cybersank edit) (03:19) 6 Jana (03:59) 7 Democracy (03:39) 8 Loose Cannon (04:12) 9 Seeing Red (edit) (03:44) 10 Hosannas From the Basements of Hell (radio edit) (04:39) 11 In Excelsis (04:04) 12 Fresh Fever From the Skies (03:23) 13 European Super State (edit) (03:48) 14 Ghosts of Ladbroke Grove (dub edit) (05:40) 15 In Cythera (edit) (03:32) 16 Corprorate Elect (03:59) 1 Drug (04:32) 2 Hollywood Babylon (longer intro mix) (06:55) 3 Our Last Goodbye (05:18) 4 Sixth Sun (rough mix) (07:08) 5 Timewave (demo) (03:28) 6 Feast of Fools (rough mix) (05:52) 7 Zennon (05:38) 8 Four Stations of the Sun (05:24) 9 Money Is Not Our God (radio edit) (03:56) 10 Pandemonium (Aotearoa mix) (08:25) |
| The Singles Collection 1979–2012 : Allmusic album Review : Post-punk, apocalyptic, able to serve up some biting social commentary, and all while doing it so thunderously they seem on the very edge of heavy metal, veteran U.K. band Killing Joke get the simple chronological overview on The Singles Collection: 1979-2012, a set that does just what it says on the tin. The 1980 single "Change" is missing, but otherwise, their prime 7"s are knocked off in order with giant numbers like "Eighties," "Wardance," "Requiem," and "Love Like Blood" coming off as classic and essential. All of these greats land on the first disc, which covers the golden years of 1979-1988, but disc twos covering of 1990-2012 is quite helpful for the casual fan, who can now catch up with some prime material that was released as the band flew underneath the mainstreams radar. That said, disc two does some revisionist history with non-singles like "Ghosts of Ladbroke Grove" landing on the track list, and when it comes to the physical release, the booklet is an afterthought, filled with tiny pictures of the 7" releases and some quick, kind essays. Killing Joke have always been more of an "album band" anyway and their large, rich discography calls for overviews much bigger in size than this. Still, it is interesting to look at the epic, ambitious group by their attempts to cross over, and while not all singles were as worthy as the album cuts, this alternative view has some massive high points. | ||
 | Album: 41 of 42 Title: In Dub Released: 2014-01-09 Tracks: 28 Duration: 3:01:51 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 This World Hell (Alive and Kicking dub) (Youth remix) (07:25) 2 Money is Not Our God (Babylon dub) (05:26) 3 Depth Charge (Pathfinder dub) (05:21) 4 Corporate Elect (President’s “Mustard in the Chalice” Manifesto dub mix) (05:09) 5 Ghosts of Ladbroke Grove (Portobello dub) (06:30) 6 Labyrinth Dub (Dynamics of Geometry dub) (05:17) 7 Eighties (Voodoo dub mix) (05:52) 8 Love Like Blood (Your Heart is a Weapon dub) (07:11) 9 A Sixth Sun (Prophecy Fulfilled dub) (06:40) 10 The Raven King (Never Grow Old, Forever Now dub) (07:32) 1 Requiem (A Floating Leaf Always Reaches the Sea mix) (10:29) 2 This World Hell (Cult of Youth Ambient Samara dub mix) (07:30) 3 Pandemonium (A Thread of Steel in the Suspension Bridge of Time & Space mix) (09:18) 4 Exorcism (Vatican Ambient dub) (07:14) 5 Primobile (Lifer, Kilimanjaro dub) (06:04) 6 Tomorrow’s World (Urban Primitive dub) (07:10) 7 European Super State (The Orb vs. Youth remix) (Church of the Open Sky & Holy Fool dub) (07:13) 8 Another Cult Goes Down (Portobello mix) (06:18) 1 Pole Shift (Perpetual Motion “I’ve Seen Things You People Would Never Believe” dub) (08:01) 2 European Super State (Lizard dub (Emerging From the Ayahuasca Cave) remix) (05:51) 3 In Cythera (Banda remix) (07:19) 4 Follow the Leader (Follow The dub) (03:59) 5 Democracy (Nine Inch Nails remix) (07:25) 6 In Cytheria (The Bloody Beetroots mix) (03:47) 7 Change (Spiral Tribe remix) (06:42) 8 European Super State (NYC Soundclash dub) (Piripiri vs. Youth vs. Banda) (04:55) 9 Requiem (Third Party dub) (The Ultra Rare Last Laugh mix) (04:54) 10 Killer Dub (A.K.A. Bread & Jam) (05:05) |
 | Album: 42 of 42 Title: Pylon Released: 2015-10-23 Tracks: 15 Duration: 1:31:34 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Autonomous Zone (06:44) 2 Dawn of the Hive (06:29) 3 New Cold War (06:51) 4 Euphoria (04:17) 5 New Jerusalem (06:11) 6 War on Freedom (04:40) 7 Big Buzz (05:03) 8 Delete (05:00) 9 I Am the Virus (05:39) 10 Into the Unknown (06:15) 1 Apotheosis (06:25) 2 Plague (05:50) 3 Star Spangled (05:30) 4 Panopticon (08:45) 5 Snakedance (Youth ‘Rattlesnake dub’ remix) (07:55) |
| Pylon : Allmusic album Review : Killing Jokes membership has gone through some periods of volatility since they emerged in the late 70s, but the reunion of the groups first lineup -- Jaz Coleman on vocals, Geordie Walker on guitar, Youth on bass, and Paul Ferguson on drums -- had proved to be more stable and prolific than many would have predicted, and 2015s Pylon, the third studio album since the original foursome returned to duty in 2008, shows the veterans are still sounding impressively muscular and acerbic as they close in on their 40th anniversary. Opening with the thunderous bass and drums (and abrasive guitars and electronics) of "Autonomous Zone," Pylon finds Killing Joke still ranting about the sorry state of our culture as they make with a massive sonic assault that would be a dandy soundtrack for the collapse of the civilization of your choice. While Colemans vocals are generally low in the mix, what creeps through shows his powerful bellow is in fine shape, and the bursts of recognizable thought that make it through suggest hes still reading his daily newspaper and has no more hope for the world than he ever has. (A sticker on the cover of the CD edition reminds us, "Sometimes music makes the world seem a better, brighter place...But this is Killing Joke. So f--k that.") Walkers guitar eloquently chimes and growls on command, while Youth and Ferguson are still a strong, unrelenting rhythm section, and the keyboards and electronic treatments add to the menace and carefully choreographed chaos that have always been part of this bands personality. Pylon doesnt sound terribly innovative within the bands body of work, but the albums widescreen sound and bone-fracturing impact leave no doubt that Killing Joke are still deeply committed to what they do, and its genuinely remarkable that theyre still sounding this furious and effective 35 years after their debut album. | ||