Killing Joke [Explicit Lyrics] [Extra tracks] [Import]

Editorial Reviews
Album Description
Japanese edition of eagerly anticipated 2003 album, features 12 tracks including 2 bonus tracks, 'Inferno' and 'Zennen'. Epic.

Tracks:

This Tribal Antodote
Hosannas From the Basements of Hell
Invocation
Implosion
Majestic
Walking With Gods
The Lightringer
Judas Goat
Gratitude

Album Description

"As a teenager when I started this group, we sat around and we said: 'What do we want to achieve out of all this?'" Jaz Coleman. "The answer to the question was that we wanted to inspire other people," he says. "We had this idea that Killing Joke is a mirror, and what you see in us, you can do too; that the stage is the audience and the audience is the stage." If the growing army of acts who have taken inspiration from Killing Joke is anything to go by, then Coleman has achieved his goal. The British band's influence on groups such as Nirvana, Metallica, Nine Inch Nails and Ministry has been well documented. A generation of death metal bands - such as Fear Factory who have just recorded a new version of Millennium - have paid homage to Killing Joke. But so too has Kate Bush, who has long been a fan of the group and whose most famous single, Hounds of Love, featured Killing Joke's original bass player, Youth. 2005 saw Killing Joke pick up the "Lifetime Achievement" award at the Kerrang! Awards, firmly cementing their place in rock history. They were presented this award by Dave Grohl who himself is a huge fan of the band and even played drums on their last album. Coleman describes Hosannas From The Basement Of Hell, as being "brutal" and "more tribal" than the last album. "The unthinkable and the unimaginable... I think there's an eco-meltdown on the cards. That's certainly in there. Killing Joke continues to span the generations, with old and new fans alike.

Customer Reviews:

In need of an outside producer........2007-04-24

One of the hardest things for a band to do is live up to a great record-- the fabled sophomore slump doesn't just apply to a band's debut and its followup, but really any great effort. If nothing else, it sets the bar for expectations so high that it's simply hard to reach them. Killing Joke has had the fortune of having been through this several times-- "what's THIS for...!" after their self-titled debut (and for that matter, "Revelations" after "what's THIS for...!"), "Brighter Than a Thousand Suns" after "Night Time", "Democracy" after "Pandemonium"... in all these cases, the albums were ok, and they certainly had their moments, but invariably they were lacking something their predecessor had. In this regard, "Hosannas from the Basement of Hell" is really no exception. 2003's "Killing Joke" was the comeback record you wanted to hear-- a slab of white-hot, political, and somewhat doom-laden post-punk. It's widely regarded amongst the fan community as one of the band's greats.

So 'Hosannas'. It's not a bad album, it's just not great. To begin with, it's production. I read they were going for a raw sound-- this is one of those things I fear-- it seems to me it always creates a sludge in the music (and in this case obscures the vocals nicely-- "Implosion" is a good example). Net result-- these songs might be better than they come off, but it's tough to tell because the recording doesn't have that clean feel that the great Killing Joke records have. No doubt this comes from self-producing (Gang of Four's Andy Gill worked miracles on the 2003 album), another side-effect of which can be poor self-editing. The album is just over an hour long and has 9 songs-- about 7 minutes a song, with a couple stretching significantly longer. With a band like Killing Joke that will ride a riff until the end of time, this can have the tendency of causing a lack of interest ("Walking with Gods").

I realize this is a pretty harsh criticism I've offered, and maybe it's not fair-- I am viewing the album in context of its predecessor and it's not all bad-- "The Tribal Antidote", while albeit a bit straighter than I prefer my Killing Joke, a great, catchy piece, "Invocation" benefits from a very "Pandemonium"-like arrangement, and while the title track is a bit tacky lyrically, it's got a good enough sound to it. But the album drags, and I lose interest halfway through-- all the songs I like are at the beginning and there's just nothing to save nearly ten minutes of "The Lightbringer".

In the end, this is an album only a fan could love. If you're new to the band, try out either of their self-titled albums, if you've been listening for a while, you may love this. Some folks do. I'm just not one of them. Maybe with an outside voice to provide some much needed editing this would work better, but by and large, "Hosannas from the Basement of Hell" is just not a record that gets much play from me.

absolutely perfectly miserable.......2007-02-23

this album is brilliant. these guys never seem to get old. the energy and darkness never wane - their sound always evolving. any KJ fan will not be disappointed.

This is what should have been released instead of "Democracy".......2007-01-27

Although the title is ridiculously cheesy, this album sounds like the next logical progression from 1994's "Pandaemonium", and my only real complaint about it is that it took 12 years to get here. I did not hate their 2003 self-titled release anywhere near as much as most people seem to, but I'd be lying through my teeth if I said I wasn't glad to see them switch gears and get back to coaxing these painful noises out of their fairly conventional instruments. It's a rare thing to find a British rock band devoid of blues and Beatles influences, so I'm grateful this one seems to be surviving. Not that I hate the blues or anything, it's just nice to see somebody do something differently every 60 years or so. The Beatles, yes; I do hate them.

Who says that you have to slow down as you get older?.......2007-01-21

I have been a fan of KJ for over twenty years and they never cease to amaze me. Each new project out does the previous one. "Hosannas" is no different. If you like KJ, you will absolutely love this CD.

Caustic, ferocious, gloomy, and excellent new Killing Joke material.......2006-11-04

After reading some of the negative reviews from listeners below -- and consequently wondering if my eyesight was failing -- I felt like I had to jump in here and defend this LP, which I think will easily be one of the Top 10 LPs of 2006 when all's said and done.

First thing's first: Killing Joke have been around almost 30 years and have gone through various phases. Some folks like the New Romantic, dance floor-ish KJ of the mid- and late-1980s; some like the MINISTRY/KMFDM-sounding Killing Joke of the mid 1990s; others prefer the original era of Killing Joke from 1978 to 1983, the incarnation that toured with JOY DIVISION and had much in common with GANG OF FOUR, PiL, UK DECAY, AMEBIX, and others, but who always kept their own, distinct noise above that fray. During those ambitious years, KJ virally influenced almost every punk-related genre you can imagine: post-punk, heavy metal, punk, hardcore, crust, industrial, and more.

This KJ release is not for those who want every Killing Joke song to sound like their 80s dancey "Love Like Blood" from 1985. Instead, "Hosannas from the Basements of Hell" is an amazingly angry, driving, thrashy LP that has a lot more in common with the kinds of angry hardcore punk bands KJ inspired over the years more than with their industrial or techno-nightclub-y accolytes (though there are hints here of that element, too). In fact, "Hosannas" *boasts* that it is a relatively lo-fi, back-to-the-roots affair. And it's a qualified and amazing success: It was recorded on an 8-track studio in a basement in the cold dungerons of Eastern Europe. The album bleeds with urgency and ferocity of a like KJ listeners haven't heard since their first LP's "The Wait." In fact, the "Hosannas From the Bsements of Hell" LP finaller heralds the return of the Killing Joke of "The Wait," and at times has much in common with MOTORHEAD, VENOM, and AMEBIX -- or, for the more esoteric, even modern doom-y crust like TRAGEDY or P.E.S.D. -- as it does with their earliest material.

Remember, KJ's 1980 "The Wait," a song METALLICA covered only 6 years after its release, and which is also a fan favorite at live shows, inspired the dark sub-genre of punk known as crustcore: AMEBIX, early NEUROSIS, etc. So, when you buy "Hosannas," expect to pulverized along those lines. DO not expect the cleanliness of "Brighter Than a Thousand Suns," or to swoon to stuff that sounds like THE CURE. Expect a fiery armageddon: The album is as apocalyptic as the times singer Jaz Coleman sings about in his lyrics.

Highly recommended for fans of the 1978-1983 era of KJ and for fans of modern metallic crust.

Average customer rating:

Killing Joke finds a new fan
KJ, THE RETURN !!!
Killing Joke returns
One of the best albums I've ever heard
Killing Joke - killing Joke

Killing Joke
Killing Joke
Manufacturer: Red Int / Red Ink
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Hosannas From The Basement Of Hell
Killing Joke
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Revelations

ASIN: B0000AGWK8
Release Date: 2003-08-05

Tracks:

The Death & Reurrection Show
Total Invasion
Asteroid
Implant
Blood On Your Hands
loose Cannon
You'll Never Get To Me
Seeing Red
Dark Forced
The House That Pain Built
Wardance (Bonus Track)

Amazon.com

With Rage Against the Machine gone and most punk outfits wallowing in self-pity, 2003 is an ideal time for Killing Joke to reform. Though it's been seven years since 1996's Democracy, their protest music has lost none of its edge. Railing against the crushing power of massive conglomerates, the machinations of oil barons and corrupt governments, and the steady erosion of personal freedoms, Jaz Coleman's concerns have never been more relevant. If the bad guys don't get you, he opines during the driving, menacing "Asteroid," you might yet be vaporised by huge rocks from space. Musically, too, this Killing Joke lineup belies its collective years. Alongside Coleman stand original members Geordie and Youth, backed up by stalwart Raven and fierce stand-in drummer Dave Grohl. --Dominic Wills

Customer Reviews:

Killing Joke finds a new fan.......2007-07-25

I am new to this band so my review will lack constructive criticism in comparing it to past works; it is simply a review of this album as it stands.

I love the album, Killing Joke where have you been all my life? These guys mix a variety of styles that come together for a very tight album. Old school dynamics of an alternative aura remind me of the days I enjoyed bands like Faith No More and Anthrax. This album is very powerful with sounds of rock, metal and a little punk perhaps all wrapped into one. Make no mistake about it, they can rip and roar with the best of them. Heavy, grinding riffs and infectious beats abound with driving songs like "The Death of the Resurrection Show" and "Asteroid". Another rollicking tune is "Blood on your hands" and by this point in the album I'm just kicking myself for not checking these guys out earlier. The tune "You'll never get to me" slows down a bit and is more of a hard edged, soulful tune that I will refuse to call a "ballad" since that term seems to be a label applied far too often to the wailing tunes from late 80s rock bands. I have to say it is also a pleasant surprise to see that Dave Grohl was the drummer on this album.

The tune "Loose Cannon" is awesome as well; with an eerie backdrop that gives way to a forefront of hard-hitting vocals, and the guitar parts during the chorus are a shred of delight. Eleven tracks altogether that includes the brilliant bonus track "Wardance", Killing Joke found a new fan in me and I look forward to listening to their other albums. The CD arrived in mint condition and was not damaged. If you enjoy songwriting that is against "the man" in the likes of Rage against the machine or KMFDM, you will probably find this to your liking. Beyond that, I find the beats, rhythm and overall vocal effort of Killing Joke to be extremely enjoyable.

KJ, THE RETURN !!!.......2007-04-18

Self titled as their first album and suppossed to be a return to their roots, this is indeed a heavier, tribal sounding album that drops earlier subtleties for a more raw, heavy sound. Guitarwork is now brutal and distorted with little soloing and bottom end is huge and dynamic. Jaz's vox is now very low in the mix. Some reviewers regarded this new sound as ¨heavy metal ¨!! They're so way off. These guys have never been easy to label and their sound has been influneced by many styles; industrial/afterpunk/indie/new romatic/hardcore or a mixture of them all. But never resorted to metal. Not that it wouldn't suit them, mind you. They recorded this one without drums and sent it to Dave Grohl so he could add whatever came outta his.....let's say imagination coz I don't want this review to be censored. The result reeks of Foo Fighters all over. I don't care if Dave is considered a modern Bonham and I even like some of his albums but the drumming here is pure effect, he just didn't quite get the essence of Killing Joke. I say bring back Paul Ferguson !! On the audio side, the recording lacks upper treble and most of the time the guitar is way louder on the left channel which was annoying. But it's way better than their horrid lo-fi follower ¨Hosannas... ¨ .Worth the bargain bin price I paid for it.

Killing Joke returns.......2006-02-27

Nice return to full form for Killing Joke after a long hiatus again. They deliver still the same savage ounch as before.

One of the best albums I've ever heard.......2005-12-12

I will start out by saying I'm not even a Killing Joke fan. I own Pandemonium, and the CD single for Democracy, and I'm only mildly enamored with both purcharses.

When I heard that the Joke were back in 2003 with a new album, I had about as much anticipation for this album as I did for the new Biohazard album (nearly none at all).

This album simply floored me, however. It is by far their heaviest, and best album.

Every song is a winner. Killer distored vocals, outstanding riffs, and it sounds like Dave Grohl is smashing the skins with a pair of 2X4s. Every song is a winner, with Dark Forces and The House That Pain Built being some of the best and most emotionally engrossing songs I've heard from any band.

There are so few albums I can stick in the CD player, and thoroughly enjoy every track on the disc. This is one of the few.

There is also a bonus track on certain releases of this album called "Inferno", that is just so incredible, I can't believe it didn't make the final track list! It just shows how great of a CD this is.

Killing Joke - killing Joke.......2005-11-18

Only two bands in the world make loud music with real intelligence connected , Fugazi and of course the fantastic Killing Joke. After 25 years in the business (with some experimental years in the middle) , KJ are back at their best and have to date probably made one of their best albums ever - although possibly matched now with their new Live XXV Gathering album.
I am 43 yrs old and yes there may be some nostalga attached when I hear KJ, but I honestly believe they are more essential today than ever before. I hope there are some kids out there discovering KJ for the first time and getting a chance to appreciate their craft.

Average customer rating:

Night Time (CD by Killing Joke)
4 1/2 stars
Excellent!
The Perfect Album...
Overall it works well

Night Time
Killing Joke
Manufacturer: E.G. Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Brighter Than a Thousand Suns
Fire Dances
Killing Joke
What's THIS For...!
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ASIN: B000003S1Q
Release Date: 1990-08-31

Tracks:

Night Time
Darkness Before Dawn
Love Like Blood
Kings And Queens
Tabazan
Multitudes
Europe
Eighties

Customer Reviews:

Night Time (CD by Killing Joke).......2006-11-12

I was very happy with the prompt delivery of the CD I ordered. I am very happy with it.

4 1/2 stars.......2006-04-03

Like many people posting reviews here, I was introduced to Killing Joke via the song 'Eighties'. This actually got a little rotation on college radio and late-night MTV during that decade.

I quickly found a friend who had some KJ albums, and dubbed them to cassette. However, he didn't own "Night Time", so I became a fast fan of their earlier sound instead. In short time, I had dismissed 'Eighties' as the product of sell-out syndrome and basically forgot about it for years.

Many years and music collections later, while stationed on a military base in Iceland, my interest in Killing Joke was rekindled after hearing that Jaz Coleman had lived there for some time. EG Editions was reissuing many of the old albums on CD, so I decided to purchase "Night Time" based on it's low price - not even remembering that 'Eighties' was one of the tracks.

Needless to say, "Night Time" is an album that has survived quite well. Actually, 'Eighties', while a great song, is the weakest track here.

I listen to alot of different genres but Avant-Classical, Progressive Rock and Metal are mainstays. This album, while not really any of those things, has enough to appeal to anyone who enjoys said styles.

"Night Time" is a great (re)introduction to KG. It's slightly more accessible and less texturally harsh than much of their work. It's also one of the few albums I have that is great workout music AND great 3am intimate soundtrack fodder.

I recommend most of KG's albums to anyone who appreciates a unique and sophisticated band that do things their own way. Some other bands you might find interesting are: Psychic TV, Dead Can Dance, Voivod, The Stranglers, Celtic Frost, The Damned, Hawkwind, Blue Oyster Cult, The Swans and The Chameleons.

Excellent!.......2006-02-27

This might be their most accessible album but it is also the one I prefer. The melodies are fantastic without sacrificing the punch of their approach. Very very heavy still. I saw them during the tour after this album and it really was something back then. Very very heavy 80's music.

The Perfect Album..........2006-01-26

This is Killing Joke's most accessible album for anyone interested in getting into this band or for the casual listener. You will not be disappointed! If you hate Killing Joke for whatever reason, you will instantly love this album! The best songs are here: Night Time, Love Like Blood, Kings And Queens, Multitudes, Europe, Eighties, oh and did I mention Love Like Blood? I'm very shocked to know that this album didn't give the band major success and exposure to the mainstream back then. Just because they didn't doesn't mean the album sucks. This album is the perfect New Wave rock album! Trust me! :)

Overall it works well.......2005-12-20

First off let's just say that in Love Like Blood they have made an incredible song that any band would give their lives to make. Agreeably catchy, it has all the right ingredients for a killer pop song ( and no the pun was not intended ).

As for the rest of the album......well it has it's bad moments. Tabazan and Kings and Queens have some slightly embarrassing lyrics plus Jaz Coleman's overwrought frightened-at-what-the-world-has-become vocals can be more than a little tiring, it still offers a great slab of 80s new wave pop music.

Without a shadow of a doubt this is one of Killing Joke's more commercial albums if not THE most commercial. Granted there are Brighter Than a Thousand Suns and the panned Outside The Gate ( which I have not had the mis/fortune of hearing so I cannot judge ) but this is Killing Joke at a crossroads: not as heavy as they were before, not too wishy washy. A sort of combination that happily sits inbetween.

Average customer rating:

the missing link i had been searching for
A superb debut made better by reissuing

Killing Joke
Killing Joke
Manufacturer: Caroline
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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What's THIS For...!
Revelations
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ASIN: B0009RRRC8
Release Date: 2005-07-26

Tracks:

Requiem
Wardance
Tomorrow's World
Bloodsport
The Wait
Complications
S.O.36
Primitive
Change
Requiem (Single Version)
Change (Dub)
Primitive (Rough Mix)
Bloodsport (Rough Mix)

Album Details

Killing Joke Started on the Unemployment Line. Whether Fact Or Fiction, it was While Waiting in Line at a British Unemployment Office in Late 78 Early '79, that Singer/Keyboardist Jeremy "Jaz" Coleman Ran Into a Friend and Started Discussing his Musical Aspirations. Upon Hearing Coleman Speak, the Friend Said, "i have Someone You Should Meet," and Later Brought Him to a London Flat, Where Drummer Paul Ferguson was Waiting. Just Over 25 Years Since the Release of their First Album `killing Joke' Through E.g. Records, the Band Return to the Gig Circuit on Support Slots for Motley Crue's Arena Tours in June 2005. Following this Tour, EMI Marketing Release Four of their Albums, Now Newly Remastered and with Added Bonus Tracks. The Artwork for Each Album Has Been Cleaned Up by Original Designer Mike Coles and all Bonus Tracks have Been Carefully Chosen by the Band Themselves.

Customer Reviews:

the missing link i had been searching for.......2006-07-09

Killing Joke is a unique band for sure. I have been a long time punk fan and I had recently been getting into a lot of industrial bands as well, but i had always wondered why the two genres were never mixed together. this album bridges that gap in between punk rock and industrial greatly. it contains everything from punk, robot sounding vocals, slower paced indie material, and heavy metal. picture the band Ministry if you want a comparison to something. i would recommend this cd very highly. it will get a lot of play. trust me.

A superb debut made better by reissuing.......2005-08-09

illing Joke's 1980 eponymous debut (not to be confused with their eponymous 2003 album) is a startling debut, in many ways sounding like it wasn't recorded a quarter century ago, but rather yesterday. The band's style joined tribal and dub rhythms with post punk guitars and suitably apocalyptic lyrics. The band (Jaz Coleman- vocals, keys, Geordie Walker- guitar, Youth- bass, Paul Ferguson- drums, vocals) produced a dazzling debut with some of their best and most memorable songs.

In many ways, its obvious how far ahead of their time they were, whether it be the proto-alternative drudging pace of "Requiem", the highly danceable "Wardance", or the funky "Change", the music on this album is far beyond what their contemporaries were doing. Certainly, it set the groundwork for several styles in the future-- so much so that Killing Joke has been classified as punk or goth or new wave or alternative or industrial or just simply post-punk. The truth is, these are all accurate, the band cover s a ton of ground here and set the stage for things to come. Yet the album maintains a unified sound throughout, Geordie's guitars maintain a sludging feel even when the pieces are more dance-oriented and Coleman paints a lyrical picture of coming chaos and apocalyptic visions (a theme largely found in the early KJ albums). This does unfortunately lead to uneven quality on the album, some tracks are largely disposable ("Tomorrow's World", "Bloodsport", "S.O.36"), but the remainder of the record is superb and the power of it more than makes up for some less inspired tracks.

This reissue is well worth the investment for fans and others, excluding everything else the sonic upgrade makes the album sound fresh and exciting-- the music is more in your face and not hidden below poor CD transfer. Listening to "The Wait", the level of detail alone on this that I had never heard is nothing short of astounding. This also includes several bonus tracks, two mixes of "Change" (the one included on the original CD release and a disposable dub mix), the "Requiem" single mix, and rough mixes for "Primitive" and "Bloodsport" that have more value from a curiosity standpoint than a critical one. The album's artwork has also been expanded by the artist and includes several pages of photographs of the band in the early days. the point is, this is well worth the investment for fans of the band.

I've always felt this album's followup ("what's this for...!") was a far more even effort, but the better material here is powerful and resonsant, moreso than the material on the followup. Highly recommended.

Average customer rating:

Less polished than most KJ, but lasting quality
i have to say it. this isnt as good as the debut
Killing Joke's dark masterpiece.

What's THIS For...!
Killing Joke
Manufacturer: Caroline
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Killing Joke
Revelations
Fire Dances
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Night Time

ASIN: B0009S2F7E
Release Date: 2005-08-02

Tracks:

The Fall Of Because
Tension
Unspeakable
Butcher
Follow The Leaders
Madness
Who Told You How?
Exit
Follow The Leaders (Dub)
Madness (Dub/Previously Unreleased)
Brilliant

Album Details

Customer Reviews:

Less polished than most KJ, but lasting quality.......2007-01-18

One of the least "catchy" Killing Joke albums. The disturbing and alienating sounds, and the often lengthy songs, may take a little getting used to at first. But after years of being a fan, this is usually the first album I turn to when I'm in a Killing Joke mood. Only "Fire Dances" is clearly better in my opinion.

"Tension" is prime Killing Joke, and will be familiar-feeling to those who know other albums from this period (meaning everything pre-"Night Time".) Beyond that things are tougher going, but highly rewarding. KJ-Newbies may want to start with the debut album instead, but any fan needs this album eventually.

i have to say it. this isnt as good as the debut.......2006-09-05

i guess it just depends on your music tastes, but as for me, this album isnt near as amazing as their debut. i mean i like the rough, raw, and punky sound of the debut because im generally a punk fan over the soundscapes of this one. this is definately one that will probally have to grow on me and take plenty of time to appreciate.

4 stars because i would still be ignorant to say that it isnt great, but it is nowhere near as good as their debut or "hosannas."

essential for oddity fans, killing joke fans that are new should start elsewhere. essentially, their self titled debut.

Killing Joke's dark masterpiece........2005-08-09

Killing Joke's followup to their debut album is in many ways a superior effort-- the sound worked on the first album is honed and refined for this one-- "what's THIS for...!" FEELS like the followup to the debut, but there's a bit more consistency-- the material doesn't quite reach the peak of the first album but all of it is of a higher quality.

Opening with a tribal tour-de-force, the first three songs-- "The Fall of Because", "Tension", and "Unspeakable" are one after another more and more compelling-- with Geordie's swirling punk guitars, Youth's funky bass lines, and Paul Ferguson anchoring everything on the drums, vocalist Jaz Coleman can paint his picture of the collapse of society. "Unspeakable" in particular, about a housewife commenting on the "color scheme" of a mushroom cloud, is totally brilliant and begins introducing variety in vocal styles-- the first shades of things to come. The record in general is actually a bit smoother than the followup, maintaining the tribal/dub/dance feel that was so well illustrated on the previous record but losing some of the sort of proto-industrial sounds.

Admittedly, the album for me dips a bit after this, a couple of the songs are a bit overlong and drag (the otherwise superb "Butcher" and "Madness", which would have benefited from an outside producer pulling the plug 2-3 minutes earlier), but there's still the superb, tribally driven "Follow the Leaders" on the album, another Joke classic.

This remaster, well worth the investment, upgrades the sound to superb effect-- the record is much louder and in-your-face and direct, but more to the point, a lot of subtlety and sparkle in the playing comes forth-- as I write this, I've got "Unspeakable" playing right now and the roundness and detail of attack to Youth's bass tone is something I've never heard before. Ditto for the high pitched synth in the background of "Butcher"-- I don't think I even knew it was there. This is pretty prevelent throughout the album-- the mud has been cleaned up in the sound. The recording is augmented by three bonus tracks, two dub mixes (of "Follow the Leaders" and "Madness") and an old b-side, "Brilliant". I'm not much one for remixes (dub or otherwise), but "Brilliant" is gem well worth having. I'd never heard it before, its quite uncharacteristic for Killing Joke, a breakneck beat and funky bass groove and odd-ball grunting and squealing noises on top that I think is a guitar (its really quite hard to tell). It is kind of curious that it was included on this album as it was the b-side to "Empire Song" from "Revelations", but whatever, I'm glad to have it. Add to this expanded artwork by the original artist, and you've really got quite a nice package.

This album is a real gem, and one of the best the band ever put out. The band was way ahead of their time, and like their debut album, this one could have been recorded yesterday. Maybe not as good a place to start as the debut record, but ultimately a more satisfying recording.

Average customer rating:

Four live sets.

Bootleg Vinyl Archive, Vol. 1
Killing Joke
Manufacturer: Candlelight
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Bootleg Vinyl Archive, Vol. 2
Inside Extremities, Mixes, Rehearsals & Live
Locate Subvert Terminate: The Complete Murder Inc.
Year Zero
Snakes & Arrows

ASIN: B000O59ZK2
Release Date: 2007-05-22

Tracks:

Wardance
Follow the Leader
Change
Exit
Requiem
Bloodsport
Unspeakable
Fall of Because
Primitive
Wait
Pssyche
Turn to Red
Tension
Pssyche
Tomorrows World
Nevous System
Malicious Boogie
Turn to Red
Nuclear Boy

Tracks:

Change
Complications
Wardance
Are Your Receiving?
What's the Matter?
Wardance
Unspeakable
Change
Exit
Requiem
Bloodsport
We Have Joy
Primitive
Fall of Because
Complications
Wait

Tracks:

Wardance
Beautiful Dead
Change
Night Time
Frenzy
Eighties
Love Like Blood
Pandys Are Coming
Extremities

Customer Reviews:

Four live sets........2007-05-30

Killing Joke's "Bootleg Vinyl Archive" series is a repackaging of old bootlegs that have surfaced on the market over the years, remastered as best as possible from limited quality sources. While I'm ecstatic to have this live material in general, it's sound quality's acceptability is something that anyone considering purchasing this set should consider. Volume 1 has four shows-- three with the original band and one from 1988 recorded prior to the release of "Extremities, Dirt & Various Repressed Emotions". I'll discuss each show.

The first show, "Live in London" was recorded in the summer of 1981 at the Lyceum, shortly after the release of the band's second record, "what's THIS for...!". Sonically, the show is a soundboard recording, meaning high fidelity, but either the source recording or the remaster is mixed way too hot, and there's an occasional (unintentional) distortion on Jaz Coleman's vocal-- this is infrequently noted, but when it is, it can drive you insane-- the chorus of "The Wait" for example. Still, it's a pretty hot performance, the band hits the ground running from opener "Wardance" and never really lets up on a runthrough of material from the first couple records. Of particular note are fierce takes of "Follow the Leaders" and "Bloodsport", not to mention a great take on "The Fall of Because" (Coleman sounds possessed during the chorus) and great, pre-industrial, danceable takes of "Pssyche" and "Turn to Red".

The second show in the set, "Live at the Venue", catches the band in February of 1980, fully six months prior to the release of their debut album, with only a few singles having been released-- the set is clearly heavy in these singles, and it ends up being a highly unusual mix with several favorites getting very early readings ("Pssyche" opens the set with more of a punk vibe than a dance one for example). It's not quite as powerful a performance as the Lyceum show, but the oddity of its setlist (including one completely unreleased track in "What's the Matter?", two tracks only released as BBC recordings in "Malicious Boogie" and "Nuclear Boy", and all sorts of early gems like "Turn to Red" and "Are You Receiving?"). Sonically, it's a really good well cleaned up audience recording-- the sound ends up being pretty well balanced and it's fairly clear, although it's definitely still an audience recording and ends up being a bit bassy and reverb heavy.

The third show captures the band a bit later, at the Bologna, Italy Odeon, in October of 1981, several months after the release of "what's THIS for...!", although the set is rather heavy on material from their-- seven (including "Change") of the eleven tracks coming from there, with the remainder from "what's THIS for...!" and an early version of "Revelations" standout "We Have Joy" (still a year from being recorded). This is clearly an audience recording and while the overall sound quality in terms of the band's sound and balance is superb, the audience is fairly loud, both singing along on occasion and with a general chatter throughout. It's really a shame because the band is hot-- they've lost some of the noticable looseness of the earlier two recordings but trade that for tight arrangements and a superb performance throughout, particularly an absolutely explosive take on "The Fall of Because". But again, it is the lowest fidelity of the recordings here and the sound is definitely lacking.

The last show on here is probably the most intriguing to longtime fans of the band, not so much for the performance but for who performs it-- recorded in December of 1988 at Porchester Hall in London, this show features the band that toured after "Outside the Gate"-- Raven and Big Paul Fergusen were gone, replaced by P.I.L. drummer/soon to be industrial legend Martin Atkins and bassist Dave "Taif" Bell. When the band entered the studio in a couple years to record fan favorite "Extremities, Dirt & Various Repressed Emotions", Ball was replaced with Raven. As it stands, this show is the only documentation of this group. Their performance ends up being a nice mix of old and new-- two songs from their debut, one each from "Revelations" and "Fire Dances", three from "Night Time" and a pair of at the time unrecorded songs (that would end up on "Extremities..."). The performance itself is a blast-- Atkins admittedly lacks the tribal and dance sensibilities of Paul Fergeson behind the drum kit, but provides a fierce foundation for the music that the band really gets behind. Of particular notice is the material from "Night Time", which transforms from its new wave album sounds to an explosive industrial feel. The recording itself is a soundboard and without a doubt is the best sound of the album-- it completely lacks any of the mix problems on the Lyceum show and has a great clarity and balance, although the bass could be turned up a little, the somewhat trebly mix helps provide a very modern edge to the recording.

All in all, "Bootleg Vinyl Archives Volume 1" is a great set-- this isn't necessarily something that someone who's not obsessed with the band is going to want, the sound quality is a bit sketchy here and there, but it's well worth the investment for fans.

Average customer rating:

Bootleg Vinyl Archive, Vol. 2
Killing Joke
Manufacturer: Candlelight
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Bootleg Vinyl Archive, Vol. 1
Inside Extremities, Mixes, Rehearsals & Live
Locate Subvert Terminate: The Complete Murder Inc.
Year Zero
Snakes & Arrows

ASIN: B000O59ZKC
Release Date: 2007-05-22

Tracks:

Follow the Leaders [Demo Version]
Complications [Demo Version]
Tomorrows World [Demo Version]
Change [Demo Version]
Wait [Demo Version]
Pssyche [Demo Version]
Change [Demo Version]
Are Your Receiving? [Demo Version]
Complications [Demo Version]
Nighttime [Live]
Sun Goes Down [Live]
Tabazan [Live]
Wait [Live]
Darkness Before Dawn [Live]

Tracks:

Requiem [Live]
Bloodsport [Live]
Love Like Blood [Live]
Tension [Live]
Pssyche [Live]
Eighties [Live]
Intro... [Live]
Night Time [Live]
Sun Goes Down [Live]
Tabazan [Live]
Wait [Live]
Darkness Before Dawn [Live]
Requiem [Live]
Bloodsport [Live]
Love Like Blood [Live]
Tension [Live]
Eighties [Live]
Follow the Leaders [Live]

Tracks:

Communion [Live][*]
Fall of Because [Live][*]
Wardance [Live][*]
Whiteout [Live][*]
Requiem [Live][*]
Change [Live][*]
Labyrinth [Live][*]
Kings and Queens [Live][*]
Millennium [Live][*]
Complications [Live][*]
Eighties [Live][*]
Wait [Live][*]
Pssyche [Live][*]
Mathematics of Chaos [Live][*]

Inside Extremities, Mixes, Rehearsals & Live

Average customer rating:

A wealth of material.

Inside Extremities, Mixes, Rehearsals & Live
Killing Joke
Manufacturer: Candlelight
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Bootleg Vinyl Archive, Vol. 2
Bootleg Vinyl Archive, Vol. 1
Locate Subvert Terminate: The Complete Murder Inc.
Killing Joke - XXV Gathering: The Band That Preys Together Stays Together
Fire Dances

ASIN: B000M5AKO4
Release Date: 2007-04-03

Tracks:

Money [Instrumental]
Money Is Not Our God [Hideous Remix]
Intravenous, Pt 1
Money Is Not Our God
Slipstream [Intro & Vocal]
Slipstream
Struggle [Vocal 1][Instrumental]
Struggle [Vocal 1]
Struggle [Vocal 2]
Struggle [Vocal 3]
Intravenous, Pt 2
Fanatic

Tracks:

Inside the Terminate Mound
Money Is Not Our God
Extremities
Complications
Beautiful Dead
Change
Frenzy
Age of Greed
Requiem
Wait
Intravenous [Live]
Wardance
Love Like Blood
Pssyche

Customer Reviews:

A wealth of material........2007-04-20

Killing Joke's 1991 "Extremities, Dirt & Various Repressed Emotions", out of print for years with little likelihood of coming back, has always been a fan favorite. Pretty much doomed from the start, "Extremities..." paired Killing Joke's core of vocalist Jaz Coleman and guitarist Geordie with industrial legend Martin Atkins. Another strong personality alongside Coleman did pretty much result in disaster, with Coleman disbanding Killing Joke (for a few years at least) and Atkins taking the rest to form his short-lived Murder, Inc. project. "Inside Extremities: Mixes, Rehearsals and Live" chronicles this band at their beginning and their end.

The first disc is drawn primarily from the sessions for "Extremities...", with one live track (previously unreleased "The Fanatic") tacked on the end. This disc is something only a fan could love-- from false starts ("Struggle") and warbled demos ("Slipstream") to instrumental demos, this is really not something your casual fan is going to enjoy. Hearing these songs embryonic can occasionally be revealing, but by and large it's nothing I can see myself returning to. The previously unreleased song, "The Fanatic", is a sludgy, gloomy sort of piece that would not have been out of place on the "Extremities" record. It's decent enough, but nothing I'm jumping out of my seat about.

The second disc is a live show from 1991 towards the end of the "Extremities..." touring. The material is about half from that record and about half from the rest of the band's catalog, with a particular emphasis on their first album (six songs are either from there or b-sides). And this is where the real value in this set is-- the performance is tense and energetic, starting with the slow grind of "Inside the Termite Mound" before kicking into overdrive and climaxing without a powerful reading of "Frenzy". Along the way, "Change", "Money Is Not Our God", "Age of Greed" and others get fantastic readings culiminating with encore "Pssyche"-- full of bouncing, screaming energy, with Coleman a man possessed (the sound of the Earth vomiting, even).

Bottom line, the demos and the like are interesting, but not something you'll come back, the live set, however is a blast. Recommended for fans of the band.

Average customer rating:

My favourite album ever?
Brilliant!
A masterpiece.
If You Are A Metal Fan BUY THIS!

Pandemonium
Killing Joke
Manufacturer: Cooking Vinyl
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Hosannas From The Basement Of Hell
Democracy
What's THIS For...!
Revelations
Killing Joke

ASIN: B0009QZ4LU
Release Date: 2005-07-12

Tracks:

Pandemonium
Exorcism
Millenium
Communion
Black Moon
Labrynth
Jana
Whiteout
Pleasures Of The Flesh
Mathematics Of Chaos
Pandemonium (A Thread Of Steel In The Suspension Bridge Of Time And Space Mix)
Another Cult Goes Down (Portobello Mix)

Customer Reviews:

My favourite album ever?.......2006-08-03

I can honestly say that no album comes close to Pandemonium for pure sonic diversity and thus remains my favourite twelve years after it's release. If you have the original CD release don't bother with this reissue as the couple of bonus tracks are not so great and probably spoil the "balance" of the original track-listing. In a world where people listen to acts simply because they are fashionable Killing Joke remain an individual listening choice...

Brilliant!.......2006-02-27

Thsi is very hard rock with energy and originality as only killing joke can or could deliver.

A masterpiece........2005-08-10

After a messy few years filled with trouble-- including the loss of original drummer Paul Fergeson, a Jaz Coleman solo album forced out by the record label as a Killing Joke album (and rushed to be finished at that), and a disasterous reunion with industrial drummer Martin Atkins that broke the band up, Killing Joke looked done for good. But when guitarist Geordie called original bassist Youth while assembling a "best-of" compilation (the superb "Laugh? I Nearly Bought One!"), they talked about working together again. The result, after getting in touch with vocalist Jaz Coleman, is probably the strongest Killing Joke album in a long time.

"Pandemonium" is really a reflection of what the band members have been up to since the last time the three of them worked together-- the more industrial edged sounds of the previous album ("Extremities, Dirt & Various Repressed Emotions") and side project Murder, Inc. (Martin Atkins-assembled group of all the KJ members past and present minus Coleman) is apparent ("Exorcism", "Black Moon"), but so is the Middle Eastern music that has so heavily influenced Coleman's compositional works ("Pandemonium", "Millenium" and "Communion" in particular, all among the best of the Killing Joke catalog) and the Youth's techno/ambient production work ("Labyrinth" and the relentless "Whiteout"). Its really a standout album-- sort of tribal Killing Joke sounds meets Middle Eastern percussion meets industrial. Lyrically, Coleman is largely concerned with his belief that the world will reduce into tribes (a theme that would reoccur on the followup), although some songs are far more human in nature-- notably the swirling "Jana", about a woman with A.I.D.S. There's a couple moments that aren't particularly exciting ("Pleasures of the Flesh"), but these are few and far between.

This reissue is remastered with a couple bonus tracks and at least one unexpected surprise. Sonically, by and large there's minimal differences to the original issue-- the bass is somewhat subdued (it was positively thunderous on the album), but there is one key difference. "Pandemonium" hasn't just been remastered, its been remixed-- guitar lines that were previously not there or well buried rise and fall and the main riff drops out during the verses, which it never did before. Honestly, I'm not so pleased with this, though I may change my mind.

The bonus tracks include two remixes-- the "A Thread of Steel in the Suspension Bridge of Time and Space Mix" of "Pandemonium" is largely disposable-- its like the old dub mixes Killing Joke used to do, but adds a dance beat to the mix. I'm generally not looking for that, and the "Portobello mix" of a piece called "Another Cult Goes Down". Same deal with the sound, though I'm not familiar with the original (is it released?).

This album is essential for any Killing Joke fan, or any industrial fan, or anyone interested in genre-fusing music. Its a great record, highly recommended.

If You Are A Metal Fan BUY THIS!.......2005-08-03

A nice addition to the music collections of Metal fans everywhere. A rarity that is like a cherry on top of your sundae. I know no other band that is like Killing Joke. Their style is welcome in my book. I cannot comment on their other albums because I don't own them, but Pandemonium is killer good. This is the newer version with a couple extra tracks. Buy it!

Extremities, Dirt & Various Repressed Emotions

Average customer rating:

Extremities, Dirt & Various Repressed Emotions
Killing Joke
Manufacturer: Noise Int'l
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Post-Punk | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

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Brighter Than a Thousand Suns
Democracy
Hosannas From The Basement Of Hell
Night Time
Fire Dances

ASIN: B00008FH81
Release Date: 1991-07-01

Tracks:

Money Is Not Our God
Age of Greed
Beautiful Dead
Extremities
Intravenous
Inside the Termite Mound
Solitude
North of the Border
Slipstream
Kaliyuga
Struggle

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