Line-up:Vocals: Jaz Coleman
Bass: Martin Glover Youth , Paul Raven
Guitars: Geordie(born K. Walker)
Drums: Paul Ferguson, Martin Atkins
"If there was ever an underrated band that kick started the early beginnings of the industrial music scene, then it would have to be Killing Joke. From the release of their debut self titled album in 1980, Killing Joke has been a vehicle for vocalist Jaz Coleman's dark obsession of the occult and impending fear of the apocalypse (so much so that he once moved to Iceland). While the band released albums throughout the eighties, they eventually split with indifference from both the press, and fans growing dissatisfaction with the groups lack of innovation to move with the times. 1994 saw a reunion, with 'Pandemonium' showing the band in truly stunning form. The follow up, 1996's 'Democracy' however, failed to contain the same magic. Since then, the only output witnessed in the last seven years from Killing Joke (apart from side projects and Coleman's symphonic tributes) was the cryptically titled Our Last Goodbye on the benefit album 'Free The West Memphis 3' in 2000. At long last, Killing Joke have reunited once again [in 2003], with the line up of Jaz Coleman, Paul Raven (Bass - ex Godflesh and Prong), Geordie (Guitar) and guest drummer, Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters, Nirvana)."
-- Justin Donnelly, blistering.com, 2003
| Killing Joke Discography - Album / CD Reviews |
½ 1981:
Killing Joke
"They were stark, dark, minimal, confrontational, loud and not a little violent. And that was just their reputation as interviewees! But there was something truly fascinating about Killing Joke's apocalyptic vision, and their arrival on the London scene upon the dawn of the eighties was impossible to ignore: the songs Wardance, Requiem and Change, all from their debut 1981 album, resonated with the frightening mood of the time."
-- Tony Fletcher, Jamming Magazine, 3/03
1981: What's THIS For...!
"Tapping a more aggressive, energetic vein that their first offering, Lilling Joke's sophomore release is another classic of the early eighties. The eminently danceable rhythms and razorsharp, trance inducing guitar make this possibly a fuller listen than their doomier debut. At any rate, a great album, 'The Fall of Because' and 'Butcher' being the highlights, and 'Who told You How' providing an interesting five plus minutes of pre-industrial fiddling."
-- Dominic Gribben, for musicfolio.com, 10/04
1982: Revelations
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1983: Fire Dances
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¾ 1985:
Night Time
"After a brief silence, Killing Joke returned in 1984 with a pair of 12-inch singles, A New Day and Eighties, which got more airplay than any of their other singles. Playing in front of large US and Soviet flags, the group toured and seemed to be trying to project a new image by wearing coordinated black outfits, and Geordie and Raven wearing these large rubber and metal, KISS-like, boots. Capitalizing upon the success of Eighties, the group then released 'Nighttime,' which was recorded in Berlin and featured the song Love Like Blood, which propelled Killing Joke back onto the dance floors in the US and Europe. A scant eight songs, which included the previously released Eighties, the album featured more melodic keyboards and more of Geordie's fine guitar playing on songs like Kings and Queens and Europe. "
killingjoke.com
¾1986:
Brighter Than A Thousand Suns
"Following another two-year layoff, Killing Joke returned in 1987 with Brighter Than a Thousand Suns, toning down the trademark guitar thunder in favor of synths, a big dancefloor beat and more of the melodicism explored on Love Like Blood. Fans of the easy nihilism of their earlier efforts will have to be patient and attentive for this one. Sanity is a great single; several other cuts are just as good. Although more palatable than ever, the album still packs too much of a wallop to warrant any real sell-out accusations."
-- trouserpress.com
¾ 1988: Outside the Gate
Tracklisting: 1. America 2. My Love of This Land 3. Stay One Jump Ahead 4. Unto the Ends of the Earth 5. The Calling 6. Obsession 7. Tiahuanaco 8. Outside the Gate 9. America [Extended Version] 10. Stay One Jump Ahead [Extended Version]
"Eminently avoidable — being the Killing Joke album that wasn't — this is, in effect, a Jaz Coleman solo effort, which the record company thought might do better under the group moniker. None of the tracks stick, and some, like Stay One Jump Ahead, are acutely embarrassing. The powder-puff production and charmless, rinky-dink keyboards sink what's left of the songwriting, which isn't great to begin with. This is the sound of a once-great group disappearing down the plug hole."
-- Alex Ogg, All Music Guide
½ 1990:
Extremities, Dirt and Various Repressed Emotions"Yes, it's aggressive, but in a caveman sort of way-- must be the influence of Martin Adkins' drumming. Where other Joke LPs were subtle, even playful at times, this one just thumps you over the head like some two-bit street thug-- certainly not a pleasant experience! If nothing else, the whole LP reeks of "sellout" to the then-burgeoning 'Industrial' scene (Ministry, Nine Inch Nails, Revolting Cocks, etc.), which is what passed for 'Alternative' in the late '80s/early '90s pre-grunge era. "
-- deaf old coger, amazon customer review, 5/02
1994:
Pandemonium"They came close to pastiche with 1991's 'Extremities, Dirt and Various Repressed Emotions' but just as the spiralling mantras of their occult-laced neo-political anthems looked in danger of self-absorption, they released 'Pandaemonium' (1994), an electronic dub punk rockout fuelled by the best batch of songs Coleman had strung together in years and Youth's sudden desire to push the Joke to an electronic edge by mounting the songs on mountainous textured backdrops and soundscapes. "
-- Mike Gee, Decibels CD Reviews
1996: Democracy
"With the return of Youth on the bottom end and behind the board, 'Pandemonium' was a Killing Joke refueled by a new vibrant throb and huge middle eastern painted atmospheres. The bone obliterating guitar work, and soul purging vocals were there only because this was intended as rock and roll. But now, 'Democracy', while maintaining many of the same elements, is the band not quite full on. Perhaps it's because the gleeful anxiety of the refurbished lineup has dissapated a touch, or because Jaz spent a couple theraputic post tour weeks in the new age wonderland of Sedona, Arizona. Or as he tells it, it's due more to having assembled most of the music in a quiet English country home during one of the most blissful summers in recent memory. Whichever's the case, Democracy sounds more like the band in sub-overdrive, coming closer to the well balanced and the efficiently tempered unrestraint of their 'Nighttime' LP".
-- Joe Silva, Consumable, 9/96
¼ 2003:
Killing Joke (2003)
Musicfolio Picks: The Death & Reurrection Show, Implant, Seeing Red.
"Right from the slashing guitar and exploding drums of the opening The Death And Resurrection Show you know that Killing Joke are back in business. They may have been around since the post-punk era and if bands are meant to get worse, mellower, duller and more middle aged then the exact reverse is happening here. Killing Joke have made the most vital, raw brutal album so far this year...
... Jaz Coleman's voice sounds like a half-crazed/half-terrified Nostradamus, freaking out about the fucked up state of the world - a complete teeth-baring catharsis, in the lyrical assault you can hear snatches of rants against the apocalypse, the new world order, war machines, GM foods, pollution, death... (...) The drumming on this album is stunning, fast and concise, rhythmically awesome - it's the best drum work Grohl's ever done and that's saying something - a repaying of the debt owed by the American underground to Killing Joke, a group who were never massive in the USA but were a huge influence on the Nirvana generation of bands, especially on Cobain himself to the point of his direct lift of the guitar line from Eighties for Come As You Are."
-- John Robb , Playlouder.com, 7/03
2006:
Hosannas from the Basement of Hell
Tracklisting: 01. This Tribal Antidote 02.Hosannas From The Basement Of Hell 03. Invocation 04. Implosion 05. Majestic 06. Walking With Gods 07.Lightbringer 08.Judas Goat 09. Gratitude
"Since releasing ‘Killing Joke’ in 1980, Killing Joke have gone on to influence the likes of Nirvana and Trent Reznor, without ever quite hitting the big time themselves. (...) their music has been described as “the sound of the earth vomiting”. Christian and satanic imagery is plentiful. Kids in long black macs will probably love it. For a band with such a pioneering history, Killing Joke do sound pretty familiar at times. ‘Walking With Gods’ sounds like a response to Nine Inch Nails, with grinding, malevolent guitars and industrial, pumping synths. But there is no Reznor style navel gazing here. (...) The best tracks are clumped towards the beginning of the album. Opener This Tribal Antidote is a curiously old-fashioned metal anthem, Coleman shrieking phrases that sound like they’ve been lifted from a sermon (‘Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice!’). It’s uplifting, in the sense that it makes you want to hit someone. (...) On Invocation, shards of guitar chop across shrill, soaring strings, creating a fiery, terrifying invocation of hell that was vivid enough to send my cat scrambling from the room in panic, possibly believing that Satan’s minions were about to descend upon her. Unfortunately the closing tracks are fairly bland in comparison. Lightbringer, clocking in at 9:38, is little more than a repeated, uninspiring riff accompanied by some shrieking about the Virgin Mary. Gratitude closes the album in a curiously ponderous fashion, given the relentless drive of the first half. Coleman’s thunderous roar gives way to a more human voice, and it’s a pity that the sheer force of will transmitted earlier on has, by this time, given way to a somewhat frailer sound."
-- Alexander Goff, disordermagazine.com, 3/06