I am writing this post the day after the passing of Killing Joke guitarist, Geordie Walker. He was such an integral part of the group’s sound, I just can’t see how the band will be able to continue. It’s devastating! They are so out there on their own that they straddle multiple genres and yet, there is a point where they all come together. Genius band.
This compilation was originally put out in 2013 and contains singles, flexi disc tracks, and radio edits. The amount of labels the band have released things on, must have made this a nightmare to put together. Killing Joke are the one post punk band that actually have done it all their own way with a big FU to anyone who has tried to change and manipulate them. They even became chart friendly for a little while with the release of the Night Time album and the singles Love Like Blood and Eighties. They were the most menacing of bands to see live, with both Jazz and Geordie looking as though they would take no crap.
I’m going for Eighties as my favourite tune as it’s all about that Geordie riff and sound. Killer track and killer band. Sail on Geordie.
This is the Killing Joke’s second album, released back in ’81. I remember Sounds magazine giving it a 5 star review at the time and thinking, “what the hell were they were smoking?” Of course, I was in full on metal mode at the time and it wasn’t until a few years later that I discovered what a superb influential band they were.
The grooves and rhythms they used were completely unique at the time and have been much copied since. Listen to Tension, with that pounding tribal drum groove and a simple distorted guitar, so many bands since have used that and still do. Follow The Leaders was the big song from this album, again with that super loud drum blast, distorted guitar, and a pulsing synth that is very reminiscent of Giorgio Moroder. Lots of styles clashing together here. My favourite though is Butcher, which when you listen to it now you wonder if Trent Reznor took this as inspiration. They have released better albums since but this was a very pivotal record for its time.
This the band’s 15th studio album released back in 2015 and was recorded with their original line up. They have always flirted with heavy metal, and fused their post-punk vibe with metal quite successfully, creating their own position in music’s sonic landscape. They have that knack of interjecting a groove and pulse in their music that makes you want to bounce. I’m not sure these are the right words to use, but the album feels quite polished as the production is huge.
I’m a big fan of the band and I think this album sits high in the band’s catalogue. Jazz is his normal angry and controversial self, Geordie is the usual riff and groove driver of the band, and Youth and Big Paul lay down that pulse we all love. Autonomous Zone, Dawn Of The Hive (with a monster riff), and New Cold War occupy the first side and they are all killer tracks – right up there with the band’s best for me. New Jerusalem has a very simple evil guitar sound that any metal band would have been proud of. Carrying on that sound with Delete, this time with a very simple riff and driving groove this is Killing Joke of old.
Glad to see them still churning out the angst with all the groove. Long may they do so!
This album sees the band going back to a more raw natural sound after the heights of their eighties success. This is one of my favourites by the band as everything is on the money for me. With the surprise addition of Dave Grohl on drums, all the tunes really drive hard – both musically and lyrically. Jazz is his usual threatening self – he is the one guy who really intimidates me. His live performances are so intense that I’m sure he goes into a trance like state.
The album opens up with The Death & Resurrection Show, and jeez, what a tune to open the album up with! The driving beat and groove, coupled with Geordie’s distorted riffs, and Jazz’s menacing vocal – it’s one of the better KJ tunes. Total Invasion reminds me of their old goth like post punk days as the song has that feel. The insanely deranged Asteroid is next with that pounding trance like groove, and Jazz howling, and Geordie with the simplest of riffs. Implant has the unfortunate task of following that onslaught, but Grohl’s pounding of the skins and Jazz’s robot style vocals make this a very intriguing track – until the explosion of the distorted guitar and the screamed vocal. One of the highlights of the band’s existence, Blood On Your Hands, follows and from the very first note of that deranged guitar riff and that pounding driving beat, I am lost in the sheer intensity of this track. It’s about how corporations control every aspect of our lives, and the line “Man made hell and a man made devil” is so true and apt. This is as good as the band get for me!
A more electronic groove licks off Side 3 opener, Loose Cannon, and Jazz is leading the line with a football style chant for the chorus. You’ll Never Get To Me is as close as this album gets to a commercial moment, as it sees Jazz in a more reflective mood. Seeing Red closes out Side 3, and we’re back to the twisted distorted riffs and beats. A very simple heavy sounding riff and pounding drums are what Dark Forces is all about in the intro, before Geordie’s distorted strumming leads into the chorus. The album closes out with The House That Pain Built, and has a relatively simple metal riff that keeps morphing sound wise. Is that Dave Grohl mimicking blast beats?
I really love this record, and it’s up there with one of the best that Killing Joke has done.
